Would you like to know the secret sauce for well-being? How about a panacea for the worlds problems? Perhaps just a worthwhile activity that you may have been missing.

No, I’m not talking about dance. Although, as I’m sure you well know, that equally fits the bill. In fact, what I’m talking about could be considered a form of dance in and of itself if you zoom out a little further.

It’s one of the few things that you can do that puts you directly in the nexus between humanity and nature. It’s been the key to our advancement as a species for untold millennia. It’s as close as your backyard or the kitchen window in your apartment. and it takes no special skill or training, in fact, your intuition and your innate ability to tap into a higher dimension of consciousness is all you need.

What might I be talking about? Well, if you haven’t guessed it already, it’s gardening! From the simplest cutting in a glass of water on the windowsill to large agricultural operations, the underlying principle is the same. You, a human being, are applying your physical activity to the natural world to facilitate the growth and flourishing of plant life.

Now, I can hear some of you already. “But I don’t have a green thumb!” “Plants don’t like me!” “I hate getting my hands dirty!” Yeah, yeah, sure, we’ve all heard those excuses.

What statements like that are really saying, is that there’s a lack of confidence in ability, or even simply just a lack of patience. Not everybody can grow everything, nor is anyone meant to. You have to discover your own affinity.

What do I mean by that? If, at first, you don’t succeed, try, and try again! Unless you live in a cave, you have some amount of the most essential ingredient to growing plants, that being light. (and if, in fact, you do live in a cave, there are always mushrooms!)

Aside from light, plants need some thing to grow in. At the very least water, but more often some soil and if you really want to get fancy some plant food. (and if that’s too complicated, you could always go a tillandsia, known as the air plant. It requires nothing more than a little misting or a bath in the sink once in a while.)

I could probably link to at least a dozen articles and research studies that point to the benefits of having plants in the home for mental health, decreasing indoor air pollution, or even psychologically tricking your visitors into believing you have a cleaner house.

The same goes for gardening outside if you have even a patch of dirt to scramble around in. It takes some trial and error to figure out what grows best where, but if you just keep trying, something will thrive.

Caring for plants is like dancing with nature. The only difference is you have to exercise a lot of patience, they are moving a lot slower than you are. but if you make it a habit, you’ll find their incremental progress to be a source of great satisfaction.

Whether you start with something simple and foolproof like pothos, or venture into the more exotic worlds of orchids, succulents, or cacti, your dance with the world of flora is as close as your fingertips. And it’s easier than ever nowadays with the internet here to answer all your questions.

So tune in, dig around, and sprout out! Your green friends large and small are just waiting for your attention!

Much love till next week!

Much love!

M+

Mark Metz
Director of the Dance First Association
Publisher of Conscious Dancer Magazine