Nature is Life
The Garden is where Nature lives
Nature IS The Garden
Welcome to THE GARDEN
All manifest kingdoms in The Garden exist in a symbiotic relationship - the Mineral -, the Fungi -, the Plant -, the non-Human Animal - and the Human Animal Kingdom. Each individual kingdom complements all the others and has the capacity to nurture, sustain and heal all other life forms - animate and inanimate. Conversely, the opposite ensues when one kingdom gets thrown off balance, all others will be affected. We Human Animals are the stewards, entrusted with the welfare of all fellow sentient beings that have contracted to selflessly serve us on this plane.
This concept does not just apply to our Planet - Mother Earth, Gaia Sophia. It can also be observed on a cosmic level, where planets and their moons, as well as the stars, co-exist in a predominantly harmonious way, forming a Garden In The Sky.
Closer to home, our bodies - physical, mental, emotional and spiritual - can be seen as parts, or areas, of our own personal Garden. In turn, each cell in our physiology represents a miniature form of our unique internal Garden design.
As Above so Below. As Without so Within
the elements
Nature cannot be conceptualized without mentioning the Elements, Her powerful allies.
Every keen gardener knows nothing will grow in the garden without a growing medium, water, sunlight and seed dispersion. Seeds are sown into soil, then watered and protected from harsh winds etc. The warmth of the sun's rays gently spur on the growth process of the seedling. The physical elements of Water, Fire (warmth/heat), Earth and Wind are essential for plant life to grow and flourish.
From a METAPHYSICAL perspective, the four classic Greek Elements are equally as important for Life to function on the non-physical plane. Astrology incorporates the Elements in the birth chart, as does the Tarot. Numerous noted thinkers, philosophers, alchemists and traditional healers of the past acknowledged the Elements as archetypal forces.
It is when we go back to Egyptian roots of the Mystery Teachings, we encounter the 5th Element - the Quint Essence.
The Emerald Tablet of Hermes (synonymous with the Egyptian God Thoth) states:
"Its force is above all force. For it vanquishes every subtle thing & penetrates every solid thing"
In other words - Quint Essence can be seen to be Ether, Spirit and/or Love, the very essence holding together every part
that constitutes THE ALL.
Tending the Inner Garden
Keeping the terrain of the inner garden in a state of good hygiene requires paying meticulous attention to the array of life forms that inhabit this sacred place. An ideal system would be adopting a metaphorical bio-dynamic form of permaculture - a self-sustaining practice which, after the initial well thought out set up, basically needs very little effort to achieve great long-term results. In my perception the Tibetan monks, in monasteries high up in the Himalayas, tend to live a lifestyle that affords them the time and dedication for cultivating their Inner Garden with full focus.
How many of us though, in the Western world, consistently aspire to lovingly care for what we plant, nurture and grow in The Garden of our mind? Of late, our attention has increasingly been drawn to the importance of looking into the health of our gut microbiome. We could not wish for a more potent allegory! The functioning of the gut microbiome mirrors the design of the actual garden environment. The metaphorical Inner Garden is merely the higher octave, expressing energetically.
The link between the actual and the symbolic Garden is scent. Natural fragrance allows he mind to access the depth of soul.
The emphasis here is on natural. Conversely, synthetic fragrance has a damaging effect on neuro-transmitters, particularly in the endocrine system.
We all have experienced how profoundly a fragrance can provoke associations with memories. Or how even a fleeting whiff of an aroma can instantly change our moods. For the task of gardening our Inner Landscape - the sanctified ground that is home to our Soul, it is mandatory to work with plant essences of the highest vibrational frequencies available.
It has always been, is, and shall be my ongoing solemn oath to the Natural World: I will not compromise on quality for the sake of quantity.
The Paths of the Infinite Garden "must be traversed by the body, the heart and the mind as one..."
The Essene Gospel of Peace