When we learn to live in the moment, it is like taking a holiday from the thinking mind. It is taking a moment of leisure, away from the work of worry and the toil of thought. During our holiday, stress falls away and we can breathe deeply, immersed in perfect peace. When we learn to take momentary holidays from our mind, throughout the day, we find that the peace we feel at those times begins to accompany us most of the time. Each time that we take these mental holidays, a tad bit of light finds its way into the depths of our being, which is later reflected when we return to the world of thinking and doing. The more often that we take a holiday from thinking, it becomes easier to balance doing and being.
I have always been one of those people who have trouble sitting still. I have an incessant need to be “doing” something. In most cases, I either enjoy whatever it is that I am doing, or I do not mind doing it. When I am gardening, for example, I become lost in that magical, peaceful place where I am doing, but not thinking. Recently, scientists have discovered that breathing in the Mycobacterium vaccae, that is found in the soil, boosts our mood. The microbes stimulate the production of serotonin in our bodies, which helps us to feel happy. I have stated many times that I am “addicted” to gardening. Now I know why.
Winter has arrived and the decreased light will have a negative effect on some people. Gardeners; however, have figured out how to survive the long, depressing winters. They began potting up plants and bringing them inside for the season, and they invented greenhouses. While I have not as yet known the joy of having my own greenhouse, I have always managed to find ways to play in the dirt, even in the dead of winter. After all, I have numerous houseplants, and I have seeds and windows…
Regardless of the frigid temperatures, the brutal winds, and the falling of snow, I will take frequent holidays from the tormenting thinking mind and I will take all of the comfort I can get, from the green plants and the soil that fill my home.
