Читать книгу The Woman's Book of Spirit - Sue Patton Thoele - Страница 12

PLANTS ARE WONDERFUL SPIRITUAL TEACHERS. When we pay attention to their simple needs, they respond by growing and bringing beauty and lifegiving oxygen into our presence. Plants silently make us aware of their needs by wilting, yellowing, or failing to thrive. Equally silent, but often less obvious, our soul-needs can go unnoticed for long periods of time. If the needs of our spiritual self are ignored too long, drought conditions occur, leaving us feeling dried up and lifeless.

Luckily, both flowers and spirits are very resilient and respond beautifully to a little nurturance. Recently, I was all wrapped up in my work and totally forgot that my potted geraniums and impatiens were sweltering in a heat wave. By the time I noticed them, the impatiens were already crispy. Plying them with fervent apologies and much needed water, I urged them to revive. Miraculously, they did. Given a little attention and tender loving care, our spirits are just as forgiving and equally as anxious to re-green and bloom as were my flowers.

What does your soul garden look like? Are the plants and flowers green and happy? If not, what will quench their thirst? What attention do they crave? What tiny little step can you take right now? What miniature bloom can you attend to soon?

When you listen attentively, you'll know how best to serve your soul's needs. It's very important, however, that we don't try to do too much at once or we set ourselves up for failure and become discouraged. When we consistently sow one small seed, water a single vase, till a square inch of soil, the entire garden reaps the benefit. Taking little soul-seconds—one small prayer, a few-minute meditation, a short burst of gratitude while appreciating nature—helps immeasurably to revive our thirsty spirits.

We don't have to join a convent or live in a cave to attend to our souls, although I admit that it sounds appealing sometimes. Luckily, our souls flower and grow when nurtured with consistent rays of attention interspersed among the busy hours of our days.

I pay attention to the needs of my spirit.

I make time to quench my soul's thirst.