The Healing Power of Spiritual Gardening

by Deb Bowen, MSW

In ALL NATURE the Spirit of Creation is EMANATING!

- Edgar Cayce reading 345-2

Mr. Cayce understood that all beings on the planet are deeply connected to each other, and that all beings resonate from the same energy source. This, of course, includes the plant kingdom. When we humans join our energy with that of the plant kingdom, we help to bring about healing for all of Mother Earth.

If you’re like me, right now you’re itching to get your hands in the dirt and greet spring with joy and hope. Now is a great time to consider your relationship with plants that surround you, not only in a physical sense, but in ways that resonate deeply in your spirit.

Plants teach us how to be in the world. Plants teach us how to spread our roots into the soil of our soul, how to reach outward for love that sustains us, and how to radiate joy from within us. The key, of course, is learning how to connect to the messages that plants give us so that we too are grounded in the soil of our soul, the love from above us, and the joy within us. The concept is deceptively simple, the actually doing it, much more complex.

I grew up on a barrier island on the Atlantic Ocean, where growing flowers was left to the few ladies of the local garden club who had the stamina to fend off ocean winds and salt spray. (My mother was not among them.) I didn’t know anyone who had a vegetable garden.

When I moved into my own home in my early 20s, I began reading that plants have consciousness, and delved into the notion that we could communicate with each other. I dug a fern from a roadside ditch, planted it in a pot, and begged it to live. It did.

The fern began to share information with me, and I began to listen. Not only did the fern teach me the best ways to care for its physical needs, but equally important, how to care for its emotional and spiritual needs – what brought it joy, what frightened it, with what other plants it wanted to share space, and more.

From that fern, and from many other plants with whom I’ve lived, I’ve learned about stewardship. I learned that the plants with whom I lived weren’t “mine,” but rather I’d become a steward of each of them, and, in a broader sense, of all Mother Earth’s beings.

Each plant can teach us how to connect with its unique vibration, how to see beyond its physical being into its spirit, and how to conceptualize a world of connectedness that has no hierarchy among the beings who inhabit it. In this way, we are able to see the oneness of ALL life, of all creation, as Cayce points out.

Our connection with the plant kingdom can lead us to connections with the Devic realm – the world of elves and fairies and sprites. We can work with the elements, the four directions, the mineral kingdom, the phases of the moon and more. We truly are all related in a deep sense of the word, and it is that deep connection that helps us heal ourselves and our planet.

Cayce said:

Don’t be afraid to acknowledge that you see fairies as ye study, for you will nurture these experiences. Don’t be afraid to say that you see the gnomes which would hinder peoples at times.

- Edgar Cayce reading 5359-1

All I’ve discussed above can be put into practice in very concrete ways. You truly can sit with, sense, see, and hear information from the energetic forces of plants. You can create sacred space in which plants will flourish and be happy, whether you have one plant in a pot on your balcony or acreage.

About the Author: Deb Bowen is a retired academic educator who also has spent the last 15 years teaching people how to embrace, awaken and strengthen their intuition. Each week on the popular Psychic Teachers podcast, co-hosted with Samantha Fey, she takes listeners on an exploration to help them discover their authentic gifts and to trust the still, small voice within.

Her courses on an array of metaphysical topics are interactive, fun, informative and filled with handouts, practical exercises and quizzes students can use right away to fully step into their light and do the work they came here to do.

Deb is author of A Good Friend for Bad Times: Helping Others through Grief (Augsburg Publishers), and several short stories. She has a novel in editorial review. Learn more about Deb’s work at www. debbowen.com

Put the “Spring” Back in Your Step with These Herbs

Dill – This fragrant herb has a distinct flavor and is used for pickling. Dill enhances many dishes, dips, soups salads and stews. The health benefits of dill have been known to help with gallbladder ailments, nerve pain, fevers, coughs, colds and insomnia.

Cilantro – There are those who love cilantro or hate it. The fact is cilantro has many outstanding health benefits. Cilantro has a strong flavor, but can be added to salads, various Italian dishes, including pizza. Benefits of cilantro have helped with lowering blood sugar, and has been known to enhance the health of skin and hair. Cilantro has been reported to be a powerful herb to ward off cancer cells.

Parsley – This beautiful Spring herb is used frequently in restaurants to decorate many dishes. For just a little herb it packs a powerful punch in helping to improve your health. Parsley can help to treat bladder and kidney infections, kidney stones, and even anemia.

Basil – A good stress buster, this herb has anti-anxiety effects and anti-inflammatory properties, basil stops bacteria growth, fights viruses, infections and flu. It is a very effective herb for maintaining a healthy heart and is excellent for nourishing the skin and hair.

Facts and research about these herbs and spices are not intended for diagnosis or to treat a medical condition without consulting a professional