If you feel like you require a little mindfulness in your life, you’re not alone. In today’s hectic world, it’s hard to find a place for yourself where you can simply relax, unwind, and think about life.
The good news is that you can create a place like that in your own garden! Why not create a Zen space for yourself that you can use to meditate and reflect on life?
While it might sound outlandish at first, it’s a perfectly doable task. Here are some ways you can help mould your garden into a Zen refuge.
Decide on the size of your refuge
When it comes to creating your ideal Zen oasis, you first need to decide on its size. How big should you make it? How much space do you need to feel comfortable within your Zen refuge?
It’s important that you don’t feel cramped in your safe space, so making it roomy should be one of your top priorities.
The most obvious limitation in this part of the process is the overall size of your backyard. If you want your Zen space to cover a large surface, you will have to dedicate a big chunk of your backyard towards this goal.
If there’s a lot of room to work with, this shouldn’t be an issue. However, if your backyard is relatively modest, you could end up turning the whole thing into a relaxing oasis. This wouldn’t turn out too bad, either.
Before you get to work on your backyard Zen refuge, you might want to consider starting smaller. It’s not just about creating the largest possible oasis to vibe in, you need to have a zone you can relax in on a mental level.
Your Zen oasis can start with a small plant placed on your work desk to soothe you. Turn it into a small table garden you can appreciate and then consider moving up to the backyard.
Practice makes perfect, and you’ll be able to better create a Zen atmosphere with a little experience.
Introduce some sturdy bamboo
Bamboo is an iconic plant that is found throughout various Asian countries. It’s famous for its toughness and resilience.
It will sway in the slightest breeze while remaining firmly rooted into the ground. Its many positive spiritual attributes make this plant an ideal pick for your Zen garden.
There is a Zen saying that goes: “Bend but don’t break. Be flexible yet firmly rooted.” It’s a saying that was inspired by the resilience of the bamboo plant.
“Firmly rooted” is an understatement. It’s pretty difficult to uproot a bamboo plant, and even harder to get it out completely.
Some would even call it impossible to get rid of traces of the plant when it’s been put in the soil. This isn’t necessarily a drawback, especially not for a well-maintained Zen garden.
The great thing about bamboo is that it’s one of the perfect symbolic plants for a personal Zen oasis. Whenever you feel shaken to your core or not exactly rooted in reality, you can remember the bamboo plants you’ve introduced to your garden.
Their strength can help guide you through your issues. They remind you that you can sway and shake under pressure, but your strong roots will keep you safe.
Feel the tranquility of moss
Moss is a very interesting kind of plant. It occurs naturally in many types of gardens, including the Zen kind. However, it only appears when specific conditions for sunlight and moisture are met.
At least, this applies when you want it to grow spontaneously. You can always plant it in your garden to make it feel softer and more tranquil.
It’s one of the more tenacious kinds of plants, so you don’t have to worry about maintaining it much. You can place moss on rocks and brick details to soften them and create a more relaxing atmosphere.
The softness of moss gives it an ideal edge over other plants in your Zen garden. Any rough surface can be made more comfortable with the introduction of moss, so consider applying it wherever you can. It can be a great counterpoint to the less natural…
Continue reading the article about gardens on Tammy Broccas’ blog.
