In The Dirt

by Carol

"Sit beside a mountain stream, see her waters rise.

 Listen to the pretty sound of music as she flies."

Paul McCartney

"Mother Nature's Son"



Have a listen while reading....
The Beatles - "Mother Nature's Son"
(right click and follow)

I have been hugely busy at work lately, and when I finally arrive home, my mind is still with my work. I don't work with numbers or products, these are real people I am working with - how can I just set aside their struggles? How can I not mourn their losses? And yet it's that old adage about using the oxygen mask before helping your child - if I don't feed myself, I won't be creative enough to find a solution for them. Yet, somehow this week, running out the door to take a walk after work became one more thing to cross off my list, rather than the relaxing interlude that's meant to bring me back to my true self at the end of the day. So, I'm wondering how to combat that? I've been reading about meditation, and relaxation and my goal this weekend is to put some of what I'm reading into practice.

We all know we should walk, and deep breathe, etc - but what to use on the days when you just can't? I thought about times when I've gone through crises and I considered that when a real, undeniable crisis hits, you find the time for everything you need to do. Suddenly, you have the time to get to the hospital, or to look for a new job, or to administer medication, or just to get that procrastinated stress-inducing project done. Why do we need a crisis to see that?

I think part of the route to success here is to believe in your own control. Don't underestimate yourself. Stop attending to the fear and anxiety that stop up your power like a bad drain, and pay attention to the other spheres of your life. I recently discovered this website, and I love their quote:  "peak performance is an inside job." Their analogy is that "you are the pilot of your own life." After your pre-flight check list (basically ruling out medical issues causing your distractions) go to your "emergency first aid kit."

   1. Deep breathing and aerobic movement bring clarifying oxygen to your brain
   2. Listen to music. It engages a whole different section of your brain to bring calm to the system.
   3. Look at or engage in art - your brain holds great  resourcefulness in the area that processes art.
   4. Being in or looking at nature shifts your brain to neutral  and allows open consideration of new     things.

We came from nature - our bodies are attuned to nature subconsciously, even when we are not consciously listening. We are all about our "fight or flight" reflex and it's relationship with our stresses. Consider the following quote from a wonderful resource on the effects of nature and technology on your brain and body: Your Brain on Nature by Selhub and Logan. They say that playing outside as children brought us;

 "The fragrance of pine and flowers; the sounds of rushing creeks,waterfalls,and ocean waves breaking; and the sites of fireflies and other interesting animals captured our minds. As time passed, our responsibilities and adulthood pursuits left less time for nature immersion.....Our individual stressors, personal anxieties, and the overwhelming demands of contemporary life would ultimately bring us back to the medicinal aspects of nature."

 I encourage you not to wait until you need nature's "medicinal aspects." Run to Mother Nature now before the crisis hits!

Now,if you will excuse me, it's Saturday morning at the beginning of a 3 day weekend, and I am going to get myself to the nursery and then come home and dig in the dirt - and my camera will be with me, and I plan to play my Eagles CD on my porch speakers. I hope to complete my day tired and dirty, and full of vitamin D from being in the sun. And I plan to flop into bed at the end of the day and fall effortlessly into a fulfilling sleep! What are your plans today?

Music of the earth . . .

by Kim

"Flowers are the music of the ground
from earth's lips spoken without sound."
- Edwin Curran

A seed is planted, it sprouts, and a plant is born.

It continues to grow with the nurturing help of the sun and water and the nutrients in the soil. Stems will rise above leaves and the roots will reach further into the soil.  And as it continues to grow, a tiny bud will begin to form. The bud will continue growing until it matures enough to start opening. And as it begins the process of opening, petal by petal, its personality will finally be revealed. But at some point, it will lose its luster and the petals will fall.

A flower is born, a flower dies.

We, are like flowers. Each one of us a different color, shape and size. Some are playful, or mysterious, and while some are bold, others tend to be soft, like a whisper. We are all beautiful in our own right, but unfortunately some will go unnoticed altogether.

We, are like flowers. Except that we don't judge flowers. We accept them just the way they are, flaws and all. Although we don't call them flaws, we call it character.

We too, are like the flowers . . . we too are the music of the earth.

And each one of us holds the same importance in regards to making that beautiful music. We need to be careful though, that we don't make the same mistake as Pythagoras by discarding the fifth hammer. Because it is almost always the ones we least expect that are responsible for the harmony. They are the secret to the entire sound of the music precisely because they aren't perfect.

A seed is planted, it spouts, and a plant is born. With a few essentials, we all have the possibility of blooming, and we should remember that it takes all of us to make harmony possible.

Here's to a musical day,

Kim xo