I’ve been gardening about 10 years now. Most gardeners will tell you that gardening is therapeutic. That it is good for their soul and mental health. I love to immerse myself into a gardening project. To play in the dirt, to create new beds, to move plants around, to get dirty and sweaty but feel satisfied with my gardening endeavors at the end of the day.
Recently Len Sweet twittered about the hidden benefits of gardening. It seems that common “bacterium in soil was discovered to act as serotonin-boosting antidepressant.” Sweet said wellbrutin or wheel barrow? Prozac or pick-axe? So getting your hands dirty can impact your mood? I’ll buy that theory! Come to think of it, we didn’t used to hear about a lot of farmers who were depressed? – another topic for another day.
How do you refer to your garden? Is it soil or earth or dirt? Maybe it’s something different each time you enter the garden.
Sometimes I need to work in the dirt. To do the hard work of creating new beds to invest my energy in. I need dirt and I get dirty and gross as I work off frustration, anger or whatever energy I may have.
Sometimes I need to work in Mother Earth. To smell the richness of her bounty and immerse myself into her life-giving womb, called Earth. She feeds my soul without words but with memories and sensations. I feel connected and one with my Creator God.
Sometimes I need to work in the soil. To lovingly prepare the soil to receive new life, seeds and tender plants that will grow strong and healthy and produce food for my family.
Gardening is really therapeutic! It is sacred space and time for my soul to touch the Creator’s heart. Nothing feeds my soul like a couple of hours of playing in dirt.
1 comment:
Interesting post. I worked with a behavioral health nurse that felt the same way. We worked in an inpatient psych. setting that was stressful, and one of the ways she coped was by working in her garden. She felt getting her hands in the earth was therapeutic as well.
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