Ah gardening, the age old activity of caring for plants, nurturing them from seedlings to full fledged plants. This Spring, it suddenly occurred to me I could make a balcony garden for the townhouse I live in. This would be a chance to add some colour and lovely scent to my outdoor revision sessions.

 As I planted my first set of flowers, I realised how peaceful and calm by mind and whole body was. I wasn’t in any hurry to finish what I was doing, I wasn’t picking up the pace to ‘get it over and done with’ – I was relishing the stillness inside me even though my surroundings were busy. Gardening for mindfulness seems to be a new trend, but I believe this to be the essence of gardening – being connected with nature, helping to grow another living life force with a calm state of mind.

 If you don’t have a garden, aren’t into gardening or don’t choose to make time to garden (I specifically use this phrase because we all have the same amount of time, it’s how we choose  to spend our time that differs) then I 100% recommend investing in a low maintenance plant such as aloe vera, or even a cactus that you can put inside, in your bedroom or desk, to practice mindfulness every day.

Here are some mindful activities you can perform with plants:

·       Study the intricate patterns of the plant itself, it’s leaves, colouring and the way the plant grows

·       Water your plants with great attention to the soil, see how the soil changes colour and texture when it is fed

·       Speak to your plants, give them kind, empowering affirmations such as ‘You’re growing into such a beautiful plant’

 Did you know speaking to your plants has been scientifically proven to help plants grow faster and stronger. If you don’t believe this scientifically verified old wives tale, take this activity as a moment to release positive energy into the universe, and it will come back to you in abundance. If kind words can encourage plants to grow, imagine the impact kind words can have on other people, including ourselves!

 Overall, mindfulness is a very individual activity. It involves being present in an activity that you both enjoy and calms the mind – which is why an outdoor activity is so perfect. There are a few guidelines for mindfulness though – you can’t mindfully watch TV, well at least not in my book, since it’s basically frying your brain cells, instead of letting them have a rest!

 I have tried to practice mindfulness for many years now, and it is only once I have started trying to meditate again that my mindfulness practice has been effective for me. Keep practising, it is a discipline that requires focus, but one that has fantastic mental, physical and emotional health benefits 😊