Gardens for Spiritual Renewal

Alfred Savinelli writes in his book, ‘Plants of Power’: 

“To bring our lives back into alignment with the cosmos, to reconnect with the source that deeply feeds us, to remember that life is but a dream and we are, collectively, its dreamers, requires vigilance.

We must keep remembering”

‘Remembering’ to him means we recognize “the spiritual aspect that lives within and behind all forms and structures that we take for granted” (Savinelli, p 6).

Native Americans and aborigines use ritual to remember their connection to the plant spirits and sky gods. Churches and temples conduct prescribed ceremonies to remember transcendent stories and events.  Buddhists and monasteries use chants and meditation to illuminate the unseen world around them. 

Gardens, too, can be quiet places of spiritual ‘remembering’.  Through careful selection and placement of walks, plants, water, rocks and features we can create a garden space that will help us view Nature – and our time with her - a little differently.

 A garden designed with intent can “remake ordinary time and space into sacred time and space” (Savinelli p.6).  It is here amid the pathways, pools of water and thriving plants that we can feel the aliveness of this ‘dream’ that we all share.  

Once we become attuned to the energetic world around us we will understand the essence of a garden. It  harkens the 'stop time' moment we all seek. 

 As Lily Tomlin said, 'For fast acting relief, slow down'.