Gardening: The Secret Form of Meditation

With all the distractions of our current world, one must dedicate time each day to find peace and bring focus back to their mind. A great way to do this is through gardening. One could even say that gardening is a secret form of meditation.

There are many benefits to meditation, with mindfulness, stress relief and improved focus on the forefront. Meditation can also help reduce depression and anxiety, create a sense of calmness in stressful situations and increase your self-awareness. 

Gardening as Mindfulness Practice

Mindfulness can be described as a state of being present in the moment and aware of our thoughts, emotions, bodily sensations and surroundings through a more nurturing perspective.

Gardening can be a great way to get in touch with your inner self and achieve a state of mindfulness. By paying attention to the plants in your garden, you can learn to focus on the present moment and clear your mind of distractions. Gardening helps you focus on a single-hand task – watering plants or removing weeds, for example. Furthermore, gardening requires two essential skills: care and control. It forces you to take care of your plants as if they were sentient beings while also allowing you to control what happens to them in the future.

Gardening as Stress Relief

Some studies have shown that people who garden are less stressed, happier and have better mental health. These are the same outcomes we get from daily meditation.

Gardening can create a space where minds are distracted by the surrounding nature. This allows us to redirect our attention away from ourselves and our problems, relieving stress and boosting positivity in our minds.

Gardening can also be a more physical activity with its own health benefits. Physical activity greatly reduces stress and can also be looked at as a moving meditation.

Gardening as a physical activity is amazing for all ages because it doesn’t feel as exhausting as going to the gym, although it uses a comparable amount of calories.

Some people don’t even have to leave their homes to garden because they can have a small outdoor space specially designed for gardening and flower planting.

Gardening to Improve Focus

Mental health is one of life’s most important aspects. One way to improve mental health is to reduce social media consumption and reduce the time spent on screens because excessive screen use has been linked to diminished goal-driven attention. Reduce your screen time, and you’ll be better focused. You can reduce screen time by engaging in other activities that require more physical movement and attention, which gardening is perfect for.

 Gardening isn’t just a terrific method to reduce screen time; it also helps us focus on the right things. By nurturing plants, we can create a more positive outlook toward life. Taking care of a living being and seeing it flourish can create a sense of fulfillment. 

Gardening is a great way to slow down, take in the surroundings and cultivate a healthier lifestyle away from a digital life and social media, which have been shown to have many adverse mental health effects such as isolation, depression and anxiety.

A Parting Reminder

Gardening is an excellent way for anyone to stay mentally healthy. Just like meditation, it can be calming and therapeutic. Planting flowers and other plants in a garden or on your porch can lead to a calming environment and a calmer mind. The wonderful color of the flowers, soft, soothing sounds from the birds and even the dirt under your fingers can lead to a meditative state of relaxation.