Mindfulness and Yard Care is the topic of today’s episode. Taking care of the yard can have a strong element of mindfulness to it, and that’s exactly why I decided to focus on the mindfulness of yard care for today’s episode. I’m talking particularly about looking after your plants and flowers.

I still spend a lot of time looking after my yard today, and I find it to be quite a mindful experience. It involves planting and watering the flowers and trimming bushes and shrubs.

If you’re practicing mindfulness while doing a task like grasscutting, your safety is the most important element to be concerned about. Wear steel-toed boots and long pants to be as safe as possible. Your mind should always be first and foremost on the task at hand. For today’s episode, I will mostly talk about planting and caring for flowers around your property.

1/ Focus on Sounds

• Maybe you’re hearing birds, crickets, cattle, or chickens, or maybe you’re in a town or city environment where you’re hearing traffic or children or construction sounds.

• Enjoy the colors of the flowers or bushes you’re working on. Are there vivid reds and yellows or various shades of greens?

• Be one with nature by being aware of the air around you. Are there pleasant aromas and scents in the outdoor air? Do you smell the grass or certain plants?

• Decide to do nose-breathing; in for 7, pause for 2, and out of the mouth for 5.

• Notice the color, texture, and movement of the clouds as you work away at each of the particular tasks.

• Say an affirmation over and over to yourself as you work on your yard work. Something like, “I am so happy and fortunate in this present moment to be surrounded by nature’s beauty.”

• Allow yourself to enjoy the look of the flowers, bushes, and hedges you’ve been working on.

• Book: RHS Gardening for Mindfulness by Holly Farrell

Help Yourself To A Life Well Lived With Dr. Ellie Katz

The Feng Shui of Mindfulness; Paula Brown

Nature and Mindfulness Weekends With Bruce Langford and Hilde Larsen