There is something about gardens that is so appealing and uplifting that in many religions a garden of flowers depicts paradise
A refreshing walk in the garden has the power to put us in touch with our inner self and connect with the higher power. Whether it is the fresh air, fragrance, water forms such as ponds, waterfalls, and fountains ― they all help in connecting with the divinity within us. Mother Nature is no less than Divinity and when we walk we connect with her and she uplifts us to a space beyond the physical realm. For those who don’t feel such connections, the very fact that they have taken time from their busy schedules to unwind acts as a booster.
There is something about gardens that is appealing and uplifting, so much so that in many religions a garden of flowers depicts paradise. If we imagine this entire world to be a garden then we are all flowers inhabiting the earth. Let us explore what a garden can convey.
Observation: When we first look around, we notice a variety of flowers, each with its own distinct fragrance, colour, shape and size and beautiful in its own way.
Introspection: Regardless of the diversity exhibited by the human race, each one of us is unique and we are all one family, children of one God.
Observation: Flowers spread their fragrance unconditionally until they wilt.
Introspection: I am a special flower in this world garden and spread my fragrance of pure elevated thoughts, positive vibrations and good feelings unconditionally to make this world a true garden of spiritual flowers.
Observation: Gardens blossom under the tender loving care of a gardener.
Introspection: God is the spiritual gardener tending to all His children to blossom under His loving care. I am flourishing under His care.
Observation: A lotus in the water pond blooms above the mud and dirt in which it grows; drops of water slide easily off the petals.
Introspection: The lotus is symbolic of purity that is my true innate nature. I have the power to stay above all the impurity around me; detached and unaffected by the happenings around me.
When we firmly plant our self under His canopy, we will not wilt. We will stay fresh for eternity, if we continue to be on the path of goodness and loving kindness. Once we see our self as part of one big family, we will stop living in a jungle of thorns and stop hurting each other. On a more subtle level, we can extend the garden analogy to that we are all divine flowers ― elevated souls in God’s garden.
This spiritual intoxication of the non-physical consciousness helps us come out of body consciousness and see each other as pure souls, connected through one Source.
To sum up, each time we walk in a garden it feels like we are revisiting paradise and giving ourselves a taste of the unending joy that awaits us in the afterlife. At the more tangible plane, a garden is the pathway to healthy living ― it helps to re-establish the link between the body, mind and spirit.
The author B K Swathi Prasad belongs to the Brahma Kumaris.
Brahma Kumaris is the largest spiritual organisation in the world led by women. It was the founder, Prajapita Brahma Baba, who chose to put women in the forefront. Founded in India in 1937, Brahma Kumaris has spread to over 140 countries and has had an extensive impact in many sectors as an international NGO. However, their real commitment is to helping individuals transform their perspective of the world from material to spiritual.