Series; The Sanctuary Of The Soul

From early in life, I embodied the role of the gardener. I made it my responsibility to care for my garden - a space we might refer to as “our wellbeing”. Experience revealed that this maintenance was constant hard work. Thus, after trial and error, I learned skills to make it less of a struggle. Furthermore, it then felt natural to me to expand my field of work. With this harvest of knowledge, I was convinced it was my task to care for all gardens. “I ought to practice as a versatile gardener” and hence my realm expanded far past my own picket fence. With that responsibility and the demeanor of a good girl; keeping other gardens well became a higher priority than maintaining my own. In this piece, my aim is to discuss wellbeing in the metaphor of a garden. My reflections evolve around how all organisms of a garden can reflect aspects of selfcare, and in those ideas I found similarities which led me to a profound reverie of how I will take care of me! In addition; making sure you are thriving will still affect the other gardens you wish well. As cross-pollination; a great outcome if we manage to focus on the plants we planted ourselves.

Firstly, I would like to share my definition of “your - or my - garden”. Please envision it as your own personal sanctuary, your truth of the uttermost serene. This place - a botanical construct in my preferred case - is a representation of personal peace. With that - quickly comes the desire of making it the only place your mind lets yourself be. This is very important to me, it shall not be somewhere you seek refuge, no - rather a place you permanently stay. No matter your obligations nor situation; everyone deserves tranquility and a loving environment where the soul can be free. If this is only in your mind, please make that to be! The limitations can be many, yet I am sure our imaginations can be more powerful - no matter the troubles in which we sleep. Even in a garden, there are infinite factors we can not do but please. The weather or season will never be in our control, yet, if we have the ability for acknowledgement, it will relieve us of the stress, and we can do nothing but adjustments…Often that is how life goes; forward in the acceptance the creation is not of our hand. Thus how we react, and save the plants might be the change which stands.

As I drew this outline of my desired realm, I started with the components that make botanical life go on. Firstly, there is soil. In the context I have placed this example in; I wrote soil to be the culture of your garden. Second, there are plants, which I made to be abilities, feelings and skills. Lastly, I pictured water as a source of influence. In addition I added weeds (outside of my garden though)...Yet weeds can be impostors, with the purpose to irregulate the harmony you have built.

Of soil, plants, and water, I figured that soil comes first. So even before I can plant the seeds to new liberties, I have to make sure the culture of my environment is going to encourage these beginnings. Crucial in human culture, I see attitudes and beliefs. How, and what you preach is the first priority. Easier to say than to do…Self talk and how we accept and have compassion for ourselves, makes the difference in the motivation for growth. Sprinkling that soil with good-will, a solid assent that the weather will be bad - and sometimes the plants won't grow in your demand…is the foundation of it all. Secondly, when you have come to terms with this, nourishment is established for these creations. What plants you choose might differ from the start, and especially once you have gained knowledge. To keep in mind, some plants are complex - in addition to that they all need steady care. So, please be mindful of your pick, and also how many; with the time and expertise on your hands. When these creations are birthed, watering must be on the plan. Thus, what water should they receive? Please make sure it is clean. Be consistent and steady, with the nurture you give. Unless, the stress of surprise, and uncertainty - can trigger the plant's progression. The quality of this elixir must be good, with a close eye to the temperature, and making sure it brings healthy nutrients. Finally, there are several opportunities for weeds to come. It can be that they are already underlying in your soil, and even in innocent attempts to adjust the soil, the dominant plants can come along. In the empty spaces too, they might see it as a possibility for a coup. Furthermore, they are nature's way of indicating an imbalance in the soil, how disturbing…and fitting…I know. This deficiency in the soil will weaken the other plants, and sadly the weeds will get through. In this time you will have to face the weeds - and most importantly, the problems occurring underneath.

So lets imagine, we have got a solid foundation of soil - one we are aware and acknowledge to keep our affectionate gaze on. Then, we decide which plants to grow. A case relevant to my own experience, are the plants of friendship. It is one I have got much experience with, as life has gotten more nuanced. My view of the plant and how to treat it has drastically differed. One of the main revelations I discovered is if the plant will fully bloom, I have to be intentional. If the resources are there, and we imagine the flowers grow; let's pretend each flower represents a friendship. Then, I now know, I can only take genuine care of a few. If I start to plant all these seeds and occasionally sprinkle some water, my findings are that the connection to the flower does not feel as intimate, nor truthful. Often, this can also lead to a decay of the blossom. Hence, I have come to terms with a certain amount of flowers, which I know I am capable of giving my all. Besides that, there are hobbies or talents I would like to spare some time and energy. Those I would also want to be deliberate about, in the purpose of achieving quality. Even with all the time in the world, our energies are not infinite, and they have to be delegated well. It does count, even if you think it is just a little thing…another “no worries” quickly turns to a pattern, which long term will irregulate your foundation. Perhaps it is simply another showcase of “quality over quantity”.

If you stay in your own garden, perhaps you will manage to make your flowers bloom to the point of excess! The wind will take your pollen, and bring with it the happiness! How would you want to risk them bringing the bad seeds of weeds, and spread your unconscious mess? For both yourself, and the other gardens, do not run around in distress.

In advance, sorry for the cliche - If a flower is not doing well, you would ever blame them? Perhaps, you would rather focus your gaze on the environment, and find the reasons that this creature can not bloom. For yourself, I wish you to have the same maternal gaze. It is not your fault. Rather, it might be the culture of the soil, or the quality of the water - those two factors indeed affect your flowers' abilities, and the opportunity for weeds to grow. If you are occupied with someone else's garden, these errors you will hardly know, and once the flowers are dead, hence the feelings and skills you own, there will be little for you to go on…Rather make your garden so great, it gives you serenity, and it surely will cross-polinate. In the process of growth, I have become aware there is so much I truly can control. Trim, or even cut the stems! Remove the weeds! And never let poisonous water meet your pure hands! At the end of the day, this sanctuary will keep no one else than yourself. So out of self-love, let's make this a haven where you can be content. My last addition to this piece, a beacon of hope so to speak - an abundant garden will attract - yet that will be for the continuation of my beloved garden scenes, perhaps a series…

There is a culture of intense hustling, and an immense reward for the hustle. We are taught that the path to victory is one where we have to run and jump past every hinder in a hurry, and forcefully remove obstacles if it is needed. So often referred to as the rat-race, this is an infinite pursuit - often against the internal cries - and rather for the external expecting sighs. This consensus has been stated a thousand times, and even in awareness, we keep on running - afraid life will pass us by. It is this hurry; where I want to implement a small change of mindset to all the overworked minds. My wish is for people to go on - live their lives in demand to whom they choose - thus, slow down at the times they are offered to do so. These pauses, handed in formats of delayed transportation, or late friends - that is the moments which are blessings; given to you with the chance to attempt to comprehend. Perhaps, try to notice where you are, how the clouds move slowly above…and where you suit this collective, undefineable, ever-evolving community you are so stressed to ever be apart from.

Is it in the stress of being unproductive; that you sigh, breathe heavily, and scroll - when you are awaiting whatever which is so major to the couple of minutes on your own? I wonder to myself, why do we take these small trials as opportunities to show how incredibly quick we can accelerate our irregulated nervous state? The disappointment of awaiting, set-backs, and holds should be felt, thus, we can turn that into meditations of gratefulness anyways? So, if our mindsets are set to this - optimisation of the precious time we have - lets visualize how this would be. Because, in the midst of chaos - with cars, buses, or other people continuing on with their plans - when yours are halting - can be distracting. Still, if you let your breath guide you in, and fully turn your focus within; you are already at the exact place where you can contribute to a long-term win.

Serenity is a state of mind, as so many other places - you can go there wherever you are - as long as you are set into introspect, and abandon the fixated outrospect for a short while. Personally, the one factor that makes this a grounded practice is to let the phone lay in my purse. I do not pick it up, as long as there are new means of transportation on the way, or my belated friend did say yes to be here today; then I am sure I do not have to communicate. Hence, I take a deep breath through my nose, and hold it at the bottom of my belly. From there I release, it brings down my tense shoulders, and the jaw is unreleased. I tune in to the natural music of Mother earth; that little bird across the street singing to his friend who is eagerly eating the morning crumbs. Acknowledging the small wonders, and letting your worry go, is a testament to most importantly - self love. This is also an acceptance of faith, and a response to all the unpredicts that sometimes might come your way.

This little bird, and his friend - listening to their songs is a strong reassurance to your nervous system. A friend of mine once told me “birds only sing when they are safe”, and that piece of information made me appreciate their little sounds, and let them heal the uncertainty raveling inside of me. Separated from the traffic and fragments of phone calls; that little creature provides you with the message that there is no immediate danger, we are safe right now. Direct communication to our nervous system; which lets the heart know to beat slower, our muscles to relax, and to shift our energy away from the four survival responses.

This might be an opportunity for you to reset your nervous system; a time to process the information your body and mind has absorbed throughout the day - before it gets piled up into the mess of stimuli which your body never gets the time to work out. Stimuli have been keeping your senses on their toes, so please let your sensory faculties have this time to focus on the simple wonders of nature. Just a tiny fraction of time out of your day to acknowledge safety rather than novelty. Our nervous systems are so irregulated these days, and they deserve more care than the current standard. Quick inattentive habits and usual responses have the power to build up chronic stress, and truly damage us. Here - you can prevent further disaster - if you don't activate your stress responses when they are not necessary. Even with just the bustling of cities and screens, it is enough which our systems can't be up to date with. Imagine how quickly the world around us develops, and even without scientific data and references to professors - it is not bold to assume that we do not update simultaneously with the newest cars or software. Nevertheless, we do know nature; the creations looming behind the vibrant inventions and noise.

Here we are; not bothered by the unconventionalities; we are smiling to ourselves of this little luck to take time to remember where we are. Once something so negative…did we attempt to make it positive? In a silent protest - where society would want us upset - we are in a recreational little mindset. As a firm believer in the propaganda of distraction; this is a way for us to reclaim our peace. Reassure our inner voices that we surely can speak. Our internal state is one place where no loud nonsense shall not interfere! Because it would definitely gain many - our oblivion to connection with the earth and our inner self - nevertheless, we should not defeat - we can still search for our own - intuitive beliefs. So laugh a little, most of the importance of events is simply a societal construct. Let the silence fall inside yourself; create peace instead of being a contributor to the stress and overwhelm. At the end of the day; you are the only one solely in gain of appreciating, and taking care of yourself.

Religious, spiritual or atheist - we can all agree that pauses may be a gift. So please, for your self, I beg - practice this! If we take a second to imagine the world if all changed their mindsets to this…When your life gets delayed; it is a golden moment to stay. You can't change what is out of your control by expelling frustration and distress - thus, you can make the delay count. There is a reason this show, which in this occasion is your life - has to be set on pause. Simply, the plot is overworking itself - and not even the viewer - we might give them the position of the universe - can keep up. Lets believe this moment is intentional, a time for you to…gather your insanity. Give your nervous system some appreciation for attempting to keep up with a world so confusingly anew…Recognise the familiarity, finally your mind can unravel the undefined it has been indulging in for quite some time…

To adapt this metaphor to how this dilemma stands in the current society - I would picture the tree to be an infinite and virtual one. The display of opportunities and stories of success are endless, hence “infinite”. Yet, the creation is not substantial, and the proof of possibilities are exhibited in a parallel reality. Lastly, the fig tree is still in our consciousness; expectations and desires towering over our pretty, wobbeling, overwhelmed heads…

In the attempt to establish a ground to reflect upon the ideas of the metaphor, I shaped a collection of quiet ideas which I would state is a global consensus. The current world which is our foundation is a combination of a substantial - and virtual world in the parallel. Two different realities, strongly intertwined. Thus, the synthetic world is dependent on the tangible one to exist - the tangible one will survive without the synthetic one. Furthermore, I will discuss upon a question which encapsulates my internal discussion on this matter. How can we transform the infinite virtual fig tree to a substantial reality, where it is possible to reach for our destiny?

The combination of these colliding worlds have challenged me in understanding; where do I exist? In which world I am the most present, if in any? I can’t help but wonder - where does my physical reality end, and where does it bridge onto a constructed one? My mission is to figure out my own stance, and make sure my feet have a solid stand somewhere I truly matter.

The simulation convinces us that we are a unity. We are persuaded that what we see through the media is ours too. In spite of this community - I am not pleased. The illusions are not within my reach! Perhaps my eyes can find comfort in resting upon these promising sights, yet my mind is restless because I can not feel the connection…shake the hand…hold the fig - how can one be glad about a reality served to us on a silver platter, where it was never meant for us to eat? I would like to taste the fruit, to wonder if it is any good, instead of getting the verdict presented to me. With a pretendful playness, that I should believe…even if I know; regarding the waiter with the silver platter will not fulfill my hunger - my dreams will simply defeat. May I escape the await for a synthetic reality? Can I find another way to let my taste buds work…I would like to meet the future - with genuinity.

When the time is right to intertwine the two worlds, I would like to be satisfied with the demand of yearns. To stand on the ground, knowing who I am in reality - that would be my priority, before I step into the simulation with vivid colours and surfaces of blasphemy.

Let's return to our starting point; the infinite virtual fig tree. Online, the illusion might be the most dazzling - yet, the roots are not in the same earth where you live. The roots in the simulation are never as deep as yours - nor the fig trees in the botanical gardens - the ones you should visit more. It might be easier to see what is directed at us with frantic efforts, on a hypnotizing vivid thing - yet, please ask yourself - are the screens…the windows…even real? How will one ever be successful in a chosen path if it is on a synthetic road? Yes, the process might be less convenient and dreamy on the dirty soil, thus, won't it be rewarding? The truth of knowing how to stop, feel the grass, and always have a stance where your feet were once buried in the ground - in front of the fig tree - where you can return home?

The vastness of the media shows what they want us to see, not necessarily what we can achieve. The seeds they plant make this simulation we are placed in - never our reality. So, that brings me to the major stake the individual has in this “perfect-play-pretend” - was this what you wanted, ever before you sat down in this blue-lighted cell? To ever make use out of your potential, there has to be a certainty of where your motivation lies. It might be many places - then make sure the ideas are some to hold - grasp them - and taste. Ambition will rot if there is never any opportunity to try. Of course, in pursuit of creating an idea - the dopamine will increase - yet for no end. The constant approach of disappearing into glamorous schemes, some far away from what we even think we can be, nevertheless we entertain the falsity. We might be content staring at the ideals of perfect fruit, thus, dearest reader - we both know that they are made out of plastic - and the drooling will never have us fulfilled.

My arguments and ideas are many, they might contradict and confuse, yet the base of my mission is of common use - how to stay to what is tangible - and build on that, on the grounds of a genuine call. To not confuse with the simulation which is built to distract and disorient, rather be present in the concrete. Growing up from the rough ground of the soil, we do have real, delicious, and most important of all - tangible - fig trees. The effort will have to be there, you can not simply seek it through a screen. A valuable, real, and rewarding life demands genuine efforts and attempts, yet it will not let your potential remain unseen.

The purpose I hold is to limit the endless world into a space where we can actually be. Please, take my word and encouragement to abandon the ever expanding illusion of hope…first, at least, find what is true and genuine. From that point on, when you have yourself, then go to a place where you can truly smell and view the figs. It might be hard to pick, yet take a taste or two - it is better than to let time swoon, and build upon what exists.

We can transform the infinite virtual fig tree to a substantial reality, and reach for our destiny. No change is needed of what is already made up to be. The tree on the screen will always capture you and bound you - meanwhile figs grow ripe, outside of your window, right in your field, and you are not even aware of the chances you are missing. The present is here, it is now. It starts at your feet, and ends where you decide to stop walking. Your destiny could be at the end of the road, by the side of it, or perhaps it was always right by your toes?

Remove yourself from the simulation, and re-learn what you truly know. It is here, much closer than it could ever be in the parallel world - one which will never be clear.