Cultivating Life and Garden

It has frequently been emphasized that humanity's greatest riddle is itself. Both natural and spiritual science ultimately try to solve this riddleR12;the former by understanding the natural laws that govern our outer being, the latter by seeking the essence and purpose inherent in our existence...Rudolf Steiner

January is closing in, which seems to bring in waves of reflection not only about what I have accomplished but how I have accomplished it. Along with these thoughts, is added the responsibility to my higher self in how I have acted through this last year of social, physical and spiritual minefields. My internal work has been about building a stronger foundation. Which includes most things. Working out, losing weight, discipline (used to be an evil word for me) meditation time, budgeting and healthcare, to name some of my loose ends. While all the time doing this, manage in keeping an open heart. I continue to climb up the heavenly tree, one branch at a time.

About two years ago and by coincidence when I started the garden, it was clear to me, that there was a lot in my life that was still sloppy. The way I was communicating, paying my bills, leaving time for myself; I wasn't doing it well, it was bugging me. With this awareness, the universe began to line things up and soon I found myself on an accelerated path of...everything. As various realizations were made, it became clear that if I kept my mind cluttered with all the things that weren't working i.e. how much money is in my bank account, then I really couldn't move my thinking forward in any real way. With that, I began to step up the pace. Even with all of the work I have done, believe me, there are plenty of frayed loose ends left. For instance, I have to improve my communication skills when I have a problem with someone (I tend to just walk away) and on top of that, because things have been so accelerated, it has been hard for me to honor my word in all that I have promised to do, causing me to have to go back and apologize while pulling out with broken commitments. I try not to be too hard on myself and focus on the improvements that have been made, which I must say, have been achieved with the help of incredible teachers (cosmic and in the flesh), loving friends and an incredible husband. It takes a universe to raise a human.

And it takes a universe to grow a garden. The foundation of building a healthy environment is how it all begins. The minute you try and skip a step - plant too many seeds in one area, not pick the right spot or time to plant; forget to water or water too much; not have the proper nutrients; all leads to the fact that you will not achieve the end result you were hoping for. But not only what you do see, what about what you don't see. When working with this magical process of Sun, Moon, Earth (heck, all of the cosmos) and elements to grow something for you to eat, you begin to ask yourself some pretty big questions. What about the spiritual well-being of the garden? Isn't the garden connected to all that surrounds it? Can we afford to dispense with the mystery and magic of the awesome enigma of living existence? What breathes the breath of life into the substances of this world? How does a plant rise above gravity and lift matter up from the earth? Can we work with these forces of levity? Can we grow food that will truly nourish the life forces of our bodies? Can we grow food that will fuel the fires of the human heart, mind and spirit? Is the garden any different than us?

Rudolf Steiner asks many of these same questions. (Mr. Steiner is the creator of Biodynamic agriculture as a practical application of the spiritual science known as anthroposophy, anthropo (human) + sophia (wisdom). Anthroposophy is a comprehensive study that tries to seek, understand and nurture the truly human which lies at the heart of all anthroposophical pursuits). He believes the need to consider the cosmic as well as the earthly environment includes many elements; being in rhythm with the cosmos - the seven planets and their influence on plants; restrained and enhanced by water and warmth; and the relation of planetary rhythms to the life span and quality in growing plants.

Rudolf looks at the farm as an individual "standing on its head;" the soil as a diaphragm and the planetary forces active in the "head" (below ground) and in the "belly" (above ground.) The interchange between below and above; the difference in the four elements below and above; form and chaos in plant development; the morphology of the plant and the role of the planetary forces; how these forces are affected by different soils; significance of having the right animals on the farm; the influence of the planets on animal form and development. Along with this holistic view he adds cosmic and earthly forces working through substances of the Earth, along with the spiritual nature of the elements and the interaction of these substances. This is an involved and declared process, which we can be an integral part of allowing what we do to become what we are. or is that the other way around?

There is also a declaration with the habitation of the body that we inherit. We build up our body, over the years, from our inherited DNA and from our self. (I am I). We meet ourselves, each other and the world inwardly and outwardly. We have an inner life of meditation, reflection, imagination and learning. We also have an outer life of social, expression, growth and responsibility. We find our humanity consciously standing with heart and mindfulness in the middle of these two realms of being. Which, I find incredibly challenging at the best of times. We are beings of will, feeling and thought. To be a person of balance I know I must strengthen and integrate each sphere. For instance, my thinking needs to be guided by my heart; my heart must lead me forward with wisdom; and I must have the will to stay the course of self-knowledge, growth and doing. This is more than conceptual. Our nervous, rhythmic and metabolic systems are superbly developed and severely stretched and challenged in our modern times.

Challenged in modern times, is understating it. Most people are just trying to keep their head above water let alone finding the time to improve oneself. Heck, how can you care about your neighbor or the country on the other side of the world or the health of the people in worldwide catastrophes? I'm just trying to pay my rent. I keep these issues/questions in mind while I pick away at each problematic gopher when they stick their heads out of holes as I run around trying to plug them up. "Fixed this behavior, whoops, what is that over there? - another gopher?" But in this race against hole-plugging, it has caused me to realize the fact that I am the hub of the wheel. There's an old farm saying: the most important fertilizer is the farmer's footsteps. In other words, the farmer is responsible for helping the farm with its "I am I." I am the solution. I am the problem. I am the garden. The garden is me.

We are all farmers of this beautiful planet. Farming healthy ideas, compassion, love, improving ourselves, being kind and loving because it is the right thing to do and keeping our eye on the prize. Adding fertilizer to the need of recognizing the subtle interactions with nature and ourselves. If I can bring the shovel, hoe and spade of the universal consciousness and seek the purpose of my existence, I could consider the work of being human a pilgrimage. The pilgrimage between inhaling my first breath and exhaling my last. Between these two breaths I live and breathe and have my being. It is during this journey, becoming an "I", morally developing and contributing that can take up questions of the mysterious. It seems being human is as solid as the Earth and magical as a breath. With these actions I can then cultivate the most important of all ideas - the cultivation of the connectedness of all things.

From my garden to yours...