Yoga & Gardening work in tandem

 The gardening season is in full swing, but it’s not too late to get your body in better shape for it. Gardening demands heavy and sustained work at times, yet many of us who are gardeners are not necessarily in shape to do it. If you move your body well, you can use gardening as a way to improve the “core muscles”.

There's something very therapeutic and wonderful about being outside and playing in the dirt. It's not unlike the experience yoga mat. Most days my garden is my yoga. It’s a joy and an ongoing reminder of impermanence and the cycle of birth, growth, flourishing and decay.

In a garden, it’s all about the soil. It needs to be well-fed with just the right amount of nutrients for plants and flowers to grow well - and so too for us.

For yoga practice to work its wonders, our body needs the best nourishment we can give it – fresh, high-quality food in the right proportions, adequate water, plenty of rest and tender loving care. Over time through consistent self-care, we begin to notice positive shifts in our physical, mental and emotional health, just as a plant begins to thicken its stalk and produce branches. 

Here are five similarities I've found between gardening and yoga:

1. Practicing mindfulness. It takes a keen awareness to notice the subtle signs of growth (or lack of growth) in plants. Noticing when a plant is too dry or not getting the right amount of sunlight is a challenge I'm still honing. Not to mention the feeling of being in the present moment when you notice the sun on your skin and the earth under your knees. It's not unlike the awareness you build as you notice subtleties in the poses and in your body's response to them.

2. Finding connection. It's incredibly gratifying to watch plants grow and bloom, and knowing I had something to do with helping that to happen makes it even more amazing. In yoga, we're taught that there is a sacred connection to the universe and all life around us. In nourishing something and helping it to grow, I feel even more connected.

3. Pulling weeds. In order for a plant that you're trying to nurture to grow, you've got to make sure the surrounding area is free of weeds or other plants that might take nutrients from the soil. In order to thrive in my yoga practice, I've had to learn to banish distractions and expectations (and sometimes even when I think I've pulled them up by their roots they still grow back later).

4. Seeking balance. A beautiful and healthy garden is one with a variety of colors and types of plants. Too much of one thing can not only throw off the aesthetic of the garden, but it can also affect the balance of nutrients in the soil. Yoga is all about balance, too. Too many active poses can be exhausting or cause you to overheat, while too many passive poses can cause sluggishness. It takes a good mixture of both to create the desired result.

5. Dirty work. Yoga doesn't work unless you're willing to put in the work. There are times when it's uncomfortable to hold a pose for as long as your teacher asks you to or when you feel too tired or rushed to do the practice. But if you come back to it again and again, you'll see that the results far outweigh the occasional discomfort. I'm finding gardening to be the same way: I might not always want to get my hands dirty (and it's pretty frustrating when I feel like my efforts aren't paying off) but I know I will be incredibly proud when my plants thrive.

Tips for healthier gardening:

1. Keep long handled pruners close to the body instead of reaching away too far to save shoulder tendons. If you cannot avoid this break up this
task or bring the shears closer when you can.

2. Stand and arch your back if you have been bending for long periods.

3. Keep your wrists flexible to prevent elbow pain.

4. Use good lifting practices.

5. Transport heavier loads with a sturdy cart or wheelbarrow.

6. Use light weight containers.

7. Keep your tools sharp and clean.

Both gardening and yoga are about connecting us with nature and noticing things just as they are. And they are the perfect fit when it comes to reconnecting us with our true, inner nature - that's calm, content and blissful.

Happy Gardening and happy Yoga!