Creative Explorations
Human beings are creative creatures. It is deeply satisfying to watch something new emerge from our hands and energy. I love creating things from my garden. Creativity takes many forms. It might be the everyday creations of preparing a meal from garden produce, or it might be drying herbs for tea or to give as gifts. Herbal pillows, oils, salves, soaps, handmade paper, and note cards have all materialized from my garden.
This chapter includes explorations that we traditionally think of as crafting, but that also include harvesting and routine garden tasks. That’s because gardening itself is a creative activity. We make decisions about colors and combinations, pour our energy into a garden plot, and lovingly tend plants. There is a sense of accomplishment when they thrive. Creation of any kind can be done in a mindful way.
The difference between simply crafting and crafting with a mindful focus is the intention and attention. There are an infinite number of creative activities that you can engage in. However, especially at the beginning, you should aim for simplicity. If you are just learning a new craft and it is complicated, that may not be the best activity to practice mindful focus. The craft and culinary activities in this section are easy entry points to mindfulness.
When I’ve introduced these activities in mindfulness workshops, participants are often surprised by the discoveries they make. We are used to overlaying our daily activities with other activities and distractions. We listen to music or podcasts as we prepare dinner. We talk on the phone as we are pulling weeds. Sometimes it feels like our culture demands this doubling up of activities. When you take the time to simply focus on one task, you might have a revelation as you notice how much you don’t pay attention to.
The activities I’ve selected here are based on a few criteria:
• They are easy to do. This is important because if there is a steep learning curve, it will be hard to practice mindfulness. If you choose your own creative garden projects to do in a mindful way, choose something simple to start. The idea is to have the garden be a doorway to mindfulness. You want the door to swing open easily; you should not be struggling to push on it.
• Each of the crafts easily makes something beautiful, interesting, and/or flavorful. If you pick a craft that is difficult, your self-judgment is likely to creep in, telling you your work is not good enough. That leads to a whole cascade of feelings that will pull you away from mindfulness.
• The supplies needed are reasonably priced and easy to find.
• Most of these explorations are easy enough to include children.
Reminders and Suggestions
• Don’t assume that because these explorations are easy, they are not a deep way to practice. It’s the simplicity that makes an easy entry point for paying attention. Be open to learning from these experiences. If your last experience with any of these activities was as a child, don’t shy away from them. Embrace the idea of a simple activity being extraordinary.
• Any activity can be done in a mindful way.
• Silence is a key part of doing these practices. It allows you to tune in to the activity in a more focused way. Take off the headset, turn off the phone, and be present for the activity. If you are doing an activity with children, explain why the activity is done in silence. Depending on the age of the children, you may want to keep the activity short so they can have success with silence. Alternatively, if you think your children will be challenged by completing a whole activity in silence, designate only part of the activity to mindfulness. Set a timer to engage with the project in a mindful way, and once the timer goes off, you can talk about the experience and complete the project.
• The preparation activities can be part of the mindfulness practice, or not. At the beginning, it might be best to limit your practice to the actual craft and then as you gain proficiency, include the preparation activities as well.
Exploration
Leaf Rubbings
Type of Exploration: Creative craft
Supplies Needed:
• Paper of various weights
• Crayons, colored pencils, and/or chalk
• A hard surface
• Tape
• Journal or paper
• Pen or pencil
Ideal Setting: A garden or other green space where you can collect leaves
Child Friendly: Yes
Leaf rubbings are a beautiful mindfulness craft project. As a bonus, the finished product can be used as note cards, gift tags, or invitations. They are created by placing leaves under paper and rubbing pencils or crayons over the paper to make an image of the leaves. There are endless variations.
Give some thought to the supplies needed and, if possible, try out a few different kinds. Having at least a few different weights of paper before you start is a good idea. Different weights of paper create different results. Copy paper may work with thin leaves but will tear with thicker ones. Paper for sketching is often a good choice, as it has some substance to it without being overly thick. Sketch paper can be found at a craft store or online. Watercolor paper will be too thick for this activity.
Colored pencils and crayons work well as the rubbing tools. Thick crayons are easier to handle, especially for younger children, but regular-size crayons will work as well. Chalk can also be used, but the finished rubbing won’t be permanent.
You’ll need a hard surface and tape to fasten the paper down. Assemble all your materials and decide on your hard surface before you begin the activity.
Tune in to the garden space. Breathe and center yourself. Walk slowly through or around the green space, paying attention to the texture and shape of the leaves. Begin to gather interesting leaves or leaves that call out to you in some way.
When you have enough to choose from, return to the area where you’ll be sitting. Intentionally arrange leaves on your hard surface. Experiment with placing leaves right-side up and upside down. Veins in leaves are often more prominent on the reverse side.
When you’ve finished arranging your leaves, tape your paper over the leaves so it doesn’t move as you are creating the rubbing. Gently begin to shade over the paper. Pressing harder or lighter will produce different results. Be present with the entire experience: the feel of the crayon or pencil in your hand, the texture of the paper, and the sound of your crayon or pencil creating the rubbing. Watch the magic of the leaf’s shape coming to life on the paper.
Record your thoughts in your journal. What did you discover while collecting the leaves? What did you discover when you watched the leaves appear on the paper as your hands moved? What felt different about the leaves when you saw them as rubbings? How successful were you in remaining attentive to the process?
For future explorations, try different colored paper and/or different colored pencils. White pencils on black paper make a striking combination. You could also use many different colors of pencils or crayons on the same rubbing.
Exploration
Solar Prints
Type of Exploration: Creative craft
Supplies Needed:
• Solar print paper
• Small tub filled with water
• Towel
• Journal or paper
• Pen or pencil
Ideal Setting: A green space or garden where you have permission to pick plants
Child Friendly: Yes
Solar prints are made with paper that has been treated to react with the sun, creating an image where the paper is shaded. This paper is easily available online and at many toy and craft stores. It creates sun prints of cobalt blue and white.
Before you begin, gather your supplies and decide on your work area. You may want to create your designs in the shade and then move them into the sun. The solar print paper comes in a dark envelope. The paper will react with sunlight as soon as it is out of the wrapper, so don’t take it out until you are ready to place your design. Be prepared for the wind. Most kits come with a clear acrylic sheet to place over your design so the wind won’t take it away. However, I’ve purchased some kits that don’t include it, and if you are using thick leaves and plants, the acrylic won’t help anyway. You can set up boxes around your design as windbreakers, or place the design inside an open box as long as the sun can still reach it. You’ll also need water nearby, as the paper needs to be immersed in water to set the print.
As with the leaf rubbings, center yourself before beginning. Then walk through and around the garden, noticing plants that would make interesting shadow art. Collect a variety of leaves, flowers, and garden materials so you have some choices when you begin to design. Pay attention to their look and fragrance.
Return to your work area and arrange the plants on a flat surface in an interesting way, taking into consideration the size of the paper. When you are ready, remove one of the solar print pages from the black envelope and transfer your design onto it. You’ll need to work quickly but attentively. If you are using the acrylic sheet, place it over the design and set the design in the sun.
Once placed in the sun, the blue paper begins to turn white. The leaves and plant material on the paper will block the sun and that part of the paper will remain blue. This is the perfect mindfulness activity because there is a waiting period as the design is created. Sit and observe as the paper’s reaction with the sun takes place. In sunny weather, it is a short wait time, but if you are doing this exploration when it is cloudy, the wait time could be fifteen minutes. You might intentionally choose a cloudier day to ensure a longer observation period.
Once the exposed paper has turned white, it is time to set the print by immersing it in water. Gently remove all plant materials and dip the paper in the tub of water, swishing it around for at least forty-five seconds. (If you prefer, you can hold the paper under running water from a sink or hose.) Observe the paper as this process is happening. The colors reverse. What was white becomes blue and what was blue becomes white.
Once the color reversal has taken place, lay the wet paper on a towel to dry. Take time to observe the final design.
Record observations in your journal. What did you experience with each phase? How did the final product compare to your expectations? How successful were you in remaining attentive to the process?
Exploration
Botanicals as Stamps and Brushes
Type of Exploration: Creative craft
Supplies Needed:
• Scissors
• Paper
• Paints or ink
• Knife (optional)
• Cutting board (optional)
• Journal or paper
• Pen or pencil
Ideal Setting: Your own garden or a place you have permission to gather plants
Child Friendly: Yes
Another way to engage with plants in a creative way is to use them as tools to apply paint or ink to paper. The feathery leaves of yarrow, fennel, parsley, and cosmos make beautiful designs on paper. More rigid parts of plants can be used as stamps by dipping them in paint or ink and stamping the image on paper. Seed heads of coneflowers and sunflowers are a good starting point for stamps that do not require a lot of preparation. Vegetables and fruits cut in half also make unique stamping tools; try peppers, okra, eggplant, zucchini, apple, or pear.
Set up your work area before you begin. You’ll need to decide if you will use paint or ink. (I’ve had success using both.) You can make your own ink/paint pads with a shallow container, a sponge, and paints or inks of your choice. Craft stores sell ready-to-use ink pads for stamping. Different weights and types of paper will create different results.
Begin by tuning in to the garden. As with other activities, take your time. Bring your awareness to each plant in front of you as you decide what you’ll use and thank each plant as you collect it. Once you have your plant material selected, head back to your work area. If you are creating stamps, you may need to cut vegetables or fruits to expose the inside pattern. Slicing horizontally or vertically will give you different patterns. Stay observant as you work.
It can be a discovery process to figure out which plants work well for printing/
stamping. In the fall you will have more materials to work with, but you can find interesting stamping material almost any time of the year.
Print or stamp your material onto paper. Experiment with different types of paper to see what you like best. When you’ve finished, allow your art to dry. The finished products can be beautiful wrapping paper, note cards, or other gifts.
Record your thoughts in your journal. What did you discover during this creative process? What did you learn about the plants you were using to make art? How successful were you in staying mindful?
Exploration
Judgment-Free Drawing
Type of Exploration: Creative craft
Supplies Needed:
• Paper for drawing or a small sketchbook
• Colored pencils
Ideal Setting: Any green space
Child Friendly: Maybe, depending on the child
Drawing is a great way to cultivate full awareness of the green world. In chapter one, drawing was used as a tool to get to know a plant. With that activity there was not a final product. This activity differs in that you’ll have a completed drawing of a plant. The potential problem is that some of us are harsh critics when it comes to our own drawing skills. For that reason, I was hesitant about including this mindfulness activity. If you can set aside self-judgment, then proceed.
Although you can draw on any type of paper, it adds to the experience to use quality paper made for sketching, available at any craft store. Paper comes in all sizes. I recommend starting small, especially if you do not consider yourself an artist, because it is less intimidating.
Ground yourself, breathe, and take time to identify a plant you’d like to draw. Find a place to sit that is comfortable for drawing. You might choose a plant simply because you can sit comfortably while you sketch it.
Begin by observing the plant and considering what parts you would like to capture. You may want to do a detailed sketch of the entire plant, or you might want to focus on a flower or branch. Perhaps you want to focus on the overall structure of the plant and not capture the tiny details. Be intentional about your choices. What are you seeing and what are you choosing to highlight on the paper?
As you begin, remember to breathe. Frame this activity as a way to communicate with the plant, not as a task to complete.
Joann Flick, a program director for the Montana State Library, hikes frequently in Glacier National Park. She shared a similar practice with me that involves painting rather than drawing. She keeps paints and small sheets of watercolor paper in her backpack. As she is hiking, she stops to make tiny paintings of plants and wildlife and often shares them with friends or uses them as postcards.
Whether you are painting or drawing, the activity helps sharpen your vision and awareness of the green world. It helps you tune in to the smallest details of beauty.
In your journal, record what you discovered about the plant as you were drawing.
Exploration
Garden Mandalas
Type of Exploration: Creative craft
Supplies Needed:
• Plants, twigs, and stones from your garden or another green space
• String or chalk to outline the circle (optional)
• Poster board, cardboard, or plain cloth to be used as a canvas (optional)
Ideal Setting: A quiet green space where you have permission to pick plants
Child Friendly: Yes
Mandalas are circular designs that originated in Buddhist practices. Traditional mandalas include Buddhist symbols and prayers. In common usage, a mandala is any circular design that assists with mindfulness. As a meditation tool, the mandala has a focal point that draws our eyes repeatedly back to the center, assisting with staying focused. Both the creation of the mandala and meditating on the mandala are mindful activities.
The circle is a sacred symbol in many spiritual traditions. It may be a natural human impulse to appreciate and create circular designs. A few years ago, while at the park with my granddaughter and her friend, the girls spontaneously began creating a nature mandala. They were playing with some pinecones and arranged them in a pattern on the ground. Suddenly they were creating a free-form mandala with the pinecones and other plant materials in the park. Once they got started, they ran through the park looking for other items that would fit with their design. There was a natural progression. They added material until they felt they had the symmetry right and then stopped to admire what they had created.
On a recent walk I discovered another spontaneous mandala. It looked as though it was the work of another child artist. The circular and symmetrical design combined plants with found items like an orange peel and a gum wrapper. The young artist placed it where others could appreciate it: in the middle of the sidewalk.
We can experience the power of mandalas through posters, books, coloring pages, and our own drawings, but creating our own garden mandalas engages all our senses. It helps us tune in to the natural world and each plant that we are using as part of the design. It is an opportunity to be aware of the different aspects of a plant and how the plant fits into the larger whole. Working with a plant-based mandala also mirrors one of the outcomes of Buddhist sand mandalas; after they are completed, they are swept away, reminding us of the impermanence of all things. Our green mandalas will deteriorate and can then be composted.
Begin by deciding the location and size of your mandala. The size will determine the amount of time you’ll need. Creating a mandala does not have to be a long process, but you do want to allow enough time to appreciate the plants and the experience. Creating a large mandala will require more time and plants (or larger pieces of each plant). For a solitary mandala, a circle one to three feet in diameter is a good start.
If you are creating the mandala directly on the ground, string or chalk can be used to define the outer boundaries. A piece of solid-colored fabric or cardboard can also be laid on the ground as a canvas to help define the space and make the design stand out. If kneeling or sitting on the ground is difficult, a mandala can also be created on a table, either indoors or out.
You can approach this activity in one of two ways:
1. Collecting all your plant and natural materials first, then creating the mandala
2. Collecting materials and creating the design simultaneously
I prefer the first method: gathering all my materials before I begin creating the design. It allows me to create a palette of colors, textures, and fragrances. Then I move to creating something on my canvas.
Practicing intentionality and awareness as you collect your plants and create your design is what makes this a mindful activity. When collecting plants, give thanks to each plant as you snip off parts to be included in the design. Be attentive to other objects in the garden that could be included in the design: stones with unique shapes and colors, twigs, dried stalks, tree leaves, etc.
As you create the design, each choice of plant and placement is a conscious decision. You are not throwing a design together, but instead honoring a green space and allowing the plant energies to help you decide on placement.
Be attentive to the texture and fragrance of the plants. Notice how the design shifts and changes with each addition. Keep your attention on the flow of moments.
There will be a point when the mandala feels done; you’ve placed the last plant and there is a feeling of completion. Sit with the mandala and tune in to the energy of your co-creation. You may want to meditate near your mandala or record the process in your journal.
Depending on where you’ve created the mandala, materials can be left for the wind and rain to disperse, or you can add materials to a compost.
Creating a Group Mandala
I often include the creation of nature mandalas in mindfulness workshops as a silent group activity. Participants love handling the natural materials and watching the design come to life. The added aspect of creating with a team allows us to practice mindfulness while interacting with others, a great skill for all of life. Group mandala creation can be incorporated into rituals, celebrations, and memorials as a way to deepen group connection.
Tips for creating a group mandala include:
• Think about the number of people involved and map out a large enough space.
• When done as a group activity, it’s easier to have the plants and materials chosen ahead of time. You can invite people to bring materials with them, but be prepared with enough for everyone.
• If you live in a hot and dry area, plants should be kept cool and moist so they maintain their structure after they are picked and before the mandala creation.
• Include plants with different textures and fragrances.
• In winter, use the stems of plants that hang on to their unique fragrances like sage, lavender, and lemon balm. Include natural items from the supermarket like carrots, carrot tops, celery, and various colors of dried beans.
• Steer clear of plants that are common allergens.
• Some of the easiest plants to collect in abundance are considered weeds. They are plentiful and many have interesting leaves, flowers, and shapes. Do use common sense when collecting weeds. Some cause skin irritation or allergic reactions. If you are not familiar with the plant, look it up or don’t include it.
• Rocks, sticks, pinecones, and other natural products can be used in addition to garden materials.
• Choose some meditative instrumental music to play as a soundscape for the activity.
• When you are ready to create the design, items should be spread out and visible as a palette for artists to choose from.
• Provide everyone with information about the mandala creation before beginning. If you are sending invitations, provide information about the mandala creation and why you are choosing this activity. Don’t assume people will know what you are trying to accomplish or how to participate. Include information like:
• This is a mindful practice.
• This is a silent activity—participating without talking will allow everyone to be more present with the plants and the experience.
• Cell phones should be turned off.
• When the mandala is completed, everyone should take some time to just be with their creation. View it from different angles and notice all the intricacies. Often at workshops, people want to photograph what they have created. That is fine, but I encourage people to simply be with the mandala before bringing out your phones.
Whether you are creating a solitary or group mandala, something new emerges in these moments. Take some time to be conscious of that.
Exploration
Making Herbal Tea with Fresh Herbs
Type of Exploration: Culinary creation
Supplies Needed:
• Scissors
• Teapot or one-quart glass canning jar
• Strainer
• Teacups
• Journal or paper
• Pen or pencil
• Agave, sweetener, or other tea additives (optional)
Ideal Setting: A garden space where you can collect herbs
Child Friendly: Yes
When I was a child, I remember my friends and I making potions by picking lots of wildflowers, adding them to water in a pail, and stirring. This might be a developmental stage that children go through, as my children and grandchildren invented similar games. Plants seem to call us to pick, mix, and stir. When you think about it, what is herbal tea–making but a kind of potion brewing?
The word tea originally referred to a hot water infusion of the plant Camellia sinensis. However, it is now used for herbal infusions as well. Some herbalists make a distinction between teas and infusions, with teas being brewed for a shorter time and considered more pleasant to drink. Infusions are brewed longer, have a stronger taste, and are usually intended as an herbal remedy.
Any of the following garden herbs make great teas: lemon balm, spearmint, chocolate mint, chamomile, anise, fennel, bee balm, raspberry leaves, and sage. They can also be combined to make your own unique blends. Tasting and comparing flavors can be its own mindful exploration.
Assemble your teapot, strainer, and cups before you head out to your green space. (A one-quart glass canning jar, available in most supermarkets, makes a good teapot if you don’t have one.) Once you are outside, take a moment to ground yourself. You may already know which plant(s) you are using for tea, but if not, walk through the garden and observe the available plants as you decide. Then thank the plant(s) and begin harvesting. Pay attention to the touch and fragrance of the plant(s) as you do. Stay focused with an intentional statement such as: “I am tuning in to each plant I choose for tea making.”
For each pot of tea (using four cups, or a quart, of water), you will need about ¾ cup of fresh leaves. This is not an exact science, so experiment to see what works best. Herbs can be rinsed in a colander if they have dirt or dust on them, then pat them dry. At each step, take your time and stay focused on the task at hand.
As you measure out the appropriate amount of water for your tea, be mindful of how this clean water came to you. Do you live in a city that pipes water to your home, or do you have a well that provides you with water? Where did the water come from originally? Be aware of the cycle of water on the planet that supports all life. Be thankful for the water as well as the plants. Also consider how you are heating the water. Be aware of the gift of whatever energy source is allowing you to heat the water to make tea.
Begin boiling the water. As you are waiting for the water to boil, pick up the leaves and tear them into small parts to release their flavors and extracts. Be present with this process as you pull apart the leaves. You can use a focusing phrase like: “I am preparing leaves and flowers to release their flavors into this tea.”
When the water is boiling, add the leaves. Let brew for ten minutes. One advantage to using a glass canning jar or any glass teapot is that you can watch the water slowly change into tea. Pay attention to this transformation. I love this part. The plant is giving up its flavors and essential ingredients to the water, making tea for you. If you don’t have a glass teapot, this can still be a period of mindful awareness. Focus on your breath and the fragrance. Know that tea is being made.
Once the tea has brewed, pour it into cups, paying attention to the color and fragrance and the flow of liquid. Let the tea cool for a few moments, continuing your mindful attention. As you bring the cup to your lips, allow yourself to take in the fragrances again. Take a deep breath and sip your tea. Let the feel of the cup touching your lips, the fragrance, and the first taste wash over you. Continue drinking.
Record any thoughts you have in your journal. How was this experience different from your usual tea making and drinking? What did you discover?
Exploration
Harvesting and Preparing Food
Type of Exploration: Culinary creation
Supplies Needed:
• Scissors or knife
• Colander for washing plants
• Journal or paper
• Pen or pencil
Ideal Setting: A garden where you have permission to harvest plants
Child Friendly: Yes
Sometimes people will tell me they don’t have time to practice mindfulness. While it is true that a sitting meditation practice provides good experience to take forward into our lives, it’s also true that we have innumerable ways to practice mindfulness with our everyday tasks.
Harvesting, washing produce, and chopping vegetables all are great activities to practice presence and gratitude for the bounty. They are simple, easily accessible activities and they have a deep connection to the garden. However, don’t assume you will be mindful just because you are in the garden. Set an intention about the number of minutes you will stay focused. If you are new to mindfulness, start small. It is better to build on small successes than to tell yourself you’ll do an hour and get distracted.
Probably the biggest challenge with these activities is that we have done them hundreds of times before and it is easy to slide into inattention. Take the time to ground and center yourself before you begin, and use focus statements to stay alert to the process: “I am thoughtfully preparing food from my garden. I am grateful for the garden harvest and the time to prepare it.”
After you have harvested and prepared food, record any thoughts you have in your journal. How was this practice different from your usual practice of harvesting or preparing food? What did you discover?
A Word About Big Harvests
I will confess that the times I am challenged with staying mindful are when too much of everything needs to be harvested immediately. The big producers in my yard are currants, raspberries, tomatoes, and squash of every kind. I am always thankful for the amount of food I get from a few plants. However, I can sometimes slide into feeling frazzled about harvesting them all. I don’t want any to go to waste.
What helps me in those situations is first reminding myself that I am not a farmer and my livelihood does not depend on the harvest. I can consciously let go and bless the birds and wildlife with some of the produce, which they will happily accept. I can also invite friends over to share the harvest.
Another tool I use is consciously refocusing on what is happening in the garden rather than the task of harvesting. I turn my attention to the magic that has just taken place in my yard. Here in this space, I took a tiny seed or plant, placed it in the ground, nurtured it, and together with sunshine, water, and care, the plant is providing me with real food, full of vital energy and nutrients. I am grateful for this backyard miracle.
If I still feel frazzled, I work with a reminder phrase like: “I am thankful for this plant that is providing so much bounty for my family and friends.”
Exploration
Engaging Routine Gardening
Tasks in a Mindful Way
Type of Exploration: Creative craft and sensory
Supplies Needed:
• Gardening tools, depending on the activity
• Journal or paper
• Pen or pencil
• Timer (optional)
Ideal Setting: A garden
Child Friendly: Maybe, depending on the child
Soil preparation, sowing seeds, mulching, watering, and weeding—the routine tasks of tending a garden can all be embraced in a mindful way. I placed this exploration in this chapter because tending the garden itself is a creative endeavor. Like the previous entry about harvesting and preparing food, the goal is to be present with our usual garden chores.
Engaging routine tasks in a mindful way is one of the easiest entry points for mindful practice because they are something we do often. They are also challenging because we think of them as rather mundane. The familiarity of the task makes us discount them. Because we’ve done these things hundreds of times, it is also easy to slide out of mindfulness. We put our body on autopilot and our attention drifts to the grocery list or the phone call we need to make.
Another challenge is that routine tasks are part of our to-do list. They are things we need to get done. Most of us feel some pressure to accomplish the tasks on the list and move on. If there is a lot to do, it can be harder to focus.
So how do we turn a regular task into a mindfulness activity? With intention and commitment. To begin, define what task you’ll be doing, then decide on a specific time period that you will stay mindful to the work at hand. Remember to let go of your electronic connections. It’s common practice to listen to music or a podcast while doing routine tasks, but turn those off for the mindfulness part of your task. If you are weeding, take five minutes to just pull weeds. Experience what it feels like to focus on the garden and the task at hand.
Success contributes to more success, so start small. Starting small allows us to stretch our mindfulness muscles and then let them relax. If we do this continuously, we become stronger with our attention, just as we do with our real muscles.
Begin with deep, connecting breaths. When you start gardening, be attentive to the whole experience: the touch of the seeds, soil, or rake; the experience of using your body to move the earth or leaves; the air on your face and the sun on your body. See how long you can ride the flow of present moments—even if it’s just for a short time—before being thrown off course.
Whenever your attention is pulled away, gently refocus yourself with a statement like: “I am pulling weeds” or “I am planting seeds.”
Please try this one! Head out to the garden and fully immerse yourself in one gardening task for five minutes. Record the experience in your journal. How was this different from your usual garden tasks? What did you experience? What did you discover?
Reflecting on Creativity
There are countless ways to engage mindfully and creatively with the garden. As you explore the ideas in this chapter, you may be drawn to some activities more than others; start with those and see where they take you. You may also have insights on how to change an activity to deepen your practice and awareness. Listen to your internal suggestions. Remember as you dive into these activities that creativity is not the sole domain of professional artists. Humans are an inventive and imaginative species. When we are open to inspiration with a mindful focus, we can step back, let go of judgment about the final product, and experience the flow of creating.