An artist, when working on her masterpiece, loses herself in her work. She may paint for hours, oblivious to the world around her as she immerses herself in her painting. She may forget to pick up her daughter from school, so engrossed is she in the world she is viewing on her canvas. A musician may stay up all night creating a tune on his piano that he hears from some place far away. He may spend days writing the lyrics to the music he hears inside his head and be completely unaware that he is hungry. A runner, training for a marathon knows only the sound of his shoes striking the pavement and focuses only on his breath and the rhythm of his stride. A mother, caring for her newborn child, knows boundless joy as the two gaze into each other’s eyes in a private world known only to them.
We have all experienced those moments when we are transported out of our bodies to a place that feels most like ourselves. It is that quiet, peaceful state of bliss where we become our truest self, unencumbered by ego or by fear. We become so immersed in the moment, in the task at hand, that nothing outside of us seems to exist.
I have often found myself in moments such as these. I spend much of my time there in fact, as those are the times when I can silence my ego. Whenever I am caring for swans, feeding birds, taking care of my cat, or watering and grooming my houseplants, I become absorbed in the NOW. I find that one of the quickest ways for me to reach that zone is when I am gardening. It makes no difference if I am gardening in my head (planning) or if I am outside actually playing in the soil, accompanied by plants, birds, insects (and my cat.) This is when I enter into my artist mode, where I can create harmony by planting the right plant in the right place, providing it with plant companions, proper soil/food/water, and adequate sunlight. Then I add the finishing touches – the mulch, to ensure they are protected. The time that I spend in the garden is nothing short of artistry.
