Although life is easier than ever thanks to modern conveniences, we remain stressed, unhappy, and unhealthy. Fortunately, spending just 20 minutes a day out in nature can have a profound impact on both your mental and physical health.
Gardening is an ideal way to spend more time in nature to soak up some vitamin D, breathe the fresh air, and reap the benefits of practicing mindfulness and meditation to improve your overall health. Gardening is one of the few activities that allow you to fully immerse yourself at the moment using all five of your senses. Gardens are filled with beautiful sights, peaceful sounds, pleasant aromas, interesting textures, and delicious fruit and vegetable plants.
Gardening is a powerful meditation tool to reduce stress and alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression. Common gardening tasks such as weeding, watering, digging, and pruning are repetitive and often meditative activities. During each task, you can allow your mind to rest as you focus on the present moment and concentrate on your breathing and mindful movements only.
If you find yourself having trouble concentrating, suffering from brain fog, or feeling anxious, upset, or irritable, take some time to recharge in the serenity of your garden. Just exposure to sunlight will increase your serotonin levels, boost your mood, and make you feel more relaxed and focused. As you step outside, take a moment to close your eyes and notice the warmth of the sun on your skin. Notice how the rays fill you with a sense of peace, calm, and happiness.
As you make your way through each task, be mindful of your movements and how your body is positioned. Move slowly and put yourself into a state of flow. Each activity stimulates your senses in new ways and offers an opportunity to practice mindfulness. As you water your plants, notice soothing sounds and the visual of the water trickling down the leaves. As you’re digging, feel the texture of the soil and the connection you have to the earth. Appreciate the unique colors and textures of each plant as you prune and pick flowers, and enjoy the taste of the fresh herbs or tomatoes you’ve grown from seed.
Even when you are not immersed in gardening activities, you can still use your garden as a space for relaxing activities such as reading or yoga. Since yoga eases stress, it is a perfect activity to enjoy in the tranquility of your garden.
Your garden is an ideal space to practice mindfulness, meditation, and other relaxing activities. In our fast-paced and stressful world, we all need a retreat we can escape to in order to rest, recharge, and reconnect with nature.
