Shifting reality…in a garden

Serenity gardens are places where you can stop and shift your reality….
Sounds a little odd, yes? But an outdoor retreat can help us to become more grounded and relaxed which aids in changing our perceptions. Additionally, a serene outdoor space helps us to see that our thoughts and feelings directly affect the world around us. As the writer, Anais Nin said, “We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are.”

This is what serenity gardens are all about: changing the outer scenery in order that we might change the inner scenery which, in turn, changes our perception of the outer scenery… No wonder we are always rearranging the living room furniture!

I love the idea of ‘shifting reality’. It is a little like changing the radio dial or channels on the TV, only here it is about altering attitudes or perspective. I will never forget, while doing a short stint teaching Sunday School to 4 year olds, one little boy, tired of the lesson, said to me, “change the channel…”

Here are a few ways to shift your reality – or change the channel - in a beautiful outdoor space…

1. Pay Attention to the exquisite happenings in the garden and your nascent ‘vivid awareness,’ as Alan Watts called it, will help you savor the natural world around you.

2. Appreciate the garden’s delights and you bring more good things your way. Being grateful for your incredible setting, no matter how small, ‘magnetizes’ more light into your life.

3. Energize Yourself by breathing in the atmosphere of nature. The oxygen rich air will, no doubt, elevate your energy. Breathing techniques like visualizing breathing in love and expelling negativity will always uplift…

4. Reverse Negative Thoughts – Serenity gardens can help negate destructive self-talk. Learn to dialogue with the universe in a garden and insist silently on reversing each negative thought that enters your mind…this positivity may seem alien to a mind that dines on negativity and judgment but affirming good things consistently in a peaceful setting will absolutely remove harsh and vicious influences.

5. Feel Interconnected with everything and everyone. Beautiful, serene gardens can certainly promote this overall feeling of connection and make you more aware of the unity of the universe.

6. Visualize What You Desire to experience in your life – understand deep down that thoughts actually create reality and dreams do come true.

7. Let Go and release your dreams! Do not dwell on them - they can then be pure energy waves that go out to manifest the outcome….

8. Think with Your Heart and remember that when you choose to replace feelings of stress, fear, or anger with the breath of love the more your reality will shift. Love, as we have been told, is all we need….a serenity garden is love in another form.

These ideas were inspired by Cynthia Sue Larson’s excellent on line article, “Top 10 Ways to Shift Reality”

Comments

  1. lam5991January 31, 2010 at 6:02 PM

    This makes me long for spring more than ever! Your articles help me plan so that I will be ready to create a serenity garden of my own!

    ReplyDelete
  2. MBA, author, and spiritual life coachFebruary 10, 2010 at 12:47 PM

    Thanks for the link to my "Top 10 Ways to Shift Reality" article... I really like the way you've adapted the ideas to gardening! And the photographs from the garden are simply stunning. This is a lovely, inspirational post!

    ReplyDelete

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