By Dr Nikki Judge
The weekend gardener prepares for the harvest long before it begins, as when it is time to harvest having things ready make the harvesting easier and takes less time. Even before the major harvest has begun the gardener is checking the garden to see what plants are ready. The summer squash continues to bloom and push out new flowers, pushing for more and more room.
In our Spiritual Garden of the Soul we need to prepare for our personal harvests. We have to feel we are worthy of that success in order for it to mean something to us; we have to learn to push fears aside, to create an environment that will allow for success. It is the well tended garden that bears the most produce and it is the well tended Spiritual Garden of the Soul that bears the greatest happiness.
Reward
The neighborhood gardener has a very tangible reward – literally the fruits of their labor. The time spent stringing beans has resulted is a bounty of long firm beans ready to be put up for winter fare. The summer squashed are harvested almost every day and are offered to neighbors and friends.
In our Spiritual Garden of the Soul we also are seeing our reward. With the work we have done tending our Spiritual Garden our reward is that we are closer to our center and knowing who we are. We have looked inside ourselves – at both the good and the bad and, hopefully, started to make the changes we see that need to be made.
Now we get to enjoy the rewards of tending our Spiritual Garden of the Soul. We know who we are, we know what we want, we know where we are going and we know how we are going to get there. It is through the process of tending our garden that we are able to realize our true bounty and fulfillment.
Bounty & Fulfillment
The gardener enjoys the bounty of the well tended garden! For the rest of the summer he will enjoy a harvest that fills not only his larder but allows for him to donate a row of food for his local food bank, give to the neighbors and put up plenty of food for several months. Not to mention the pride of nurturing and preparing the garden.
In our Spiritual Garden of the Soul we cannot forget to find the bounty and fulfillment that is there for us! It is in our Spiritual Garden that we reach to find the core of who we are. Knowing our strengths we can celebrate! The trick with Spiritual bounty and fulfillment is that it may come in a manner in which we do not expect. If you are spending all your energy searching for a pre-conceived notion of bounty it is likely you will not feel as abundantly blessed as if you accepted the surprises that come your way.
Well earned
The gardener surveys their garden plot with a sense of satisfaction. Through his/her efforts the garden has gone from a patch of dirt to a vibrant living thing producing food to support many people. Happy with the obvious results of their efforts the gardener is able to feel secure in a well-earned reward.
We are told over and over that “nothing is for free.” We must note however that it is those things without a price tag have the most meaning. Here is where you can take closure for yourself, reward yourself for doing the work to come back to who you are and knowing what is important to you. You can now relax and enjoy the fruits of your labors and the knowledge of who you are.
