What is Soul Tending?
Where to begin? The soul is elusive, yet real to me. What does it taste like, look like, feel like? How can I tend something so elusive?
My mind is bothered; peace, peace. If the mind is in fact an empty vessel, what do I fill it with? Being drawn to something, knowing what it is. Creating the space for it to grow. Creating a supportive environment to grow in. All these are things a gardener does.
One of my favorite sayings is: “Have time to smell the roses.” Whenever I am confused about how to tend to the chaotic life and times we live in, I spend time in nature or a garden. I weed, fertilize or start something from seed. Soul tending is very similar to caring for a plant. The seeds we plant matter, the soil matters.
Letting the busyness of body, mind and emotion settle, enables me to listen to the soul. This can happen when I take a walk in nature, sip a cup of tea in the afternoon, dance my heart out, play with children, make love and create space. Connecting to the soul gives a bird’s eye view of the personal life, a place to rest and to recuperate. Most of all soul tending can give us perspective, show us what’s really important in life and how to redirect our own life in case it’s off course.