 |
A
Soulful Garden
by Nancilee Wydra |
A garden connects us with the
wheel of life in a direct, measurable way. Because our
endeavors are only in part influenced by our input, we
experience that effort doesn't always equal reward.
Sometimes, weather patterns, creatures or what seems
like the whims of fate deal us a bad hand. Be certain
that the process is as satisfying as the sought-after
result.
While "now" is the
only moment we have, we are trailed by the sum of our
past and are connected to the future by the force of
effort and inspiration. In both cases, the leap is
propelled by energy transmitted through what surrounds
us. We can benefit by being encircled by positive
messages.
The Chinese would describe this
process as the Tao, (the way things are and the way they
work.) We are no more separated from the sum of our past
than we are from the potential of our future. Although
we cannot see what lies ahead, the way we seek to propel
ourselves into our future influences the outcome.
Creating gardens to express our heart's desires connects
us the energy and opportunity of all things. The
unlimited potential of the Tao is expressed in every
moment we share with a garden.
A garden can be both a catalyst
and a mirror of our personal energy. Creating a garden
helps balance our lives. To be outdoors involved in an
activity that requires physical and mental activity is
sorely needed in a culture that orchestrates most
activities indoors. Time spent outdoors gives us time
for contemplation, time to refurbish our path with those
ingredients likely to propel us towards happiness.
A garden of the soul transforms
the moment and shapes the future.
In my book Feng Shui in the
Garden, I help you understand the principles of creating
eight gardens which fulfill deep seated needs. Here's a taste of one.
A Lover's
Garden
(Compassion,
Liberation, Devotion, Consecration)
A garden for lovers is one that
is heavy with fragrances and layered with a mélange of
colors, while tucked away in a setting of privacy. Love
is being able to lay bare one's soul without concern for
ridicule or recriminations. With full acceptance we can
dare to be who we genuinely are. Privacy gives us
permissions to be comfortable and reveal our inner core.
Creating a garden to honor love
is a testament to life's highest purpose. A lover's
garden is the mirror we hold up to reflect what we give
hence what to anticipate receiving.
Let's walk though the
experience of this garden.
Just beyond the path's curve or
a door's swing, is a gateway that springs from the
earth. It is an enticing threshold that attracts you
like bees to flowers. If with a loved one, you are
compelled to grasp their hand, and duck underneath this
first arbor, in the same way as square dancers crouch
underneath the upraised hands of other dancers as their
wend their way around a circle. Emerging from the
threshold, you are surrounded by slender stalks that
roll in the breeze and strain to greet you. The air is
filled with fragrances as you follow this path until
reaching the next threshold, which is thicker, lower and
more mysterious. Inside the second chamber is a square
clearing edged with thick, full vegetation that
guarantees privacy. In the center is another garden
called the circle of two. Whether the circle of two is
large enough to lay down in or whether it is so small
that it contains two single plants is less important
than the fact that you see a place to perch and
contemplate. Be it a bench, a velvety blanket of grass
or a boulder, there is a place to reflect inside this
inner sanctum. A place to spend time with thoughts of
the appreciation of love. Thus, this space calls you to
its embrace and your love is reinforced by the magic of
nature.
|
To
uncover the secrets of the eight layouts for gardens of
the soul, enjoy a signed copy of Nancilee's book, Feng
Shui in the Garden, by e-mailing her at Windwater8@aol.com.
|
Nancilee Wydra, Feng Shui
Master and most published American author of feng shui,
will be traveling around the world in 2000 lecturing and
consulting. She is the founder of the Feng Shui
Institute of America that has developed the first
nationally certified professional training program on
feng shui in the country. Visit Nancilee’s website at:
Windwater.com
or e-mail her at NancileeWy@aol.com.
Some
of Nancilee's Book Titles:
|
