What Gardening can teach us about happiness

It is said Gardening is one of the best ways to be happy, what can gardening teach us about the art of being happy?

Be Patient

For a seed to germinate, sprout and flower can take several months. As gardener's we do not expect instant success. In modern life we often expect and desire things as soon as possible, and when they feel to materialise, we feel miserable. We often lack the patience for things to arrive at the due time. However, if like a gardener, we can cultivate patience we will be able remain cheerful at all times.

Happiness in life I need.
But alas, without patience,
My happiness remains always
A far cry.

- Sri Chinmoy [1]

Value the Journey not just the Goal.

A gardener enjoys the whole process of gardening, from planting seeds to watching the plant grow and flower. If a gardener only got joy when plants flowered, he would miss out on a whole aspect of gardening. In life we should not just aim for results or achievements; we can get happiness from our participation and preparation. Happiness comes not through being dependent on outer success and receiving things; happiness is dependent on our attitude to whatever we are doing.

Everything has its season.

Sometimes we want to capture a moment of happiness. We think that happiness is something to be treasured and held onto.When our happiness is dependent upon this kind of attachment, we are doomed to experience frustration and disappointment. Nothing in the world is permanent, everything comes and goes. However, this does not mean we cannot remain happy. In autumn a gardener does not become despondent because plants die back. He knows that this is what is expected; he also knows that next year will bring new life and new growth, possibly better than the previous year. The great spiritual teachings teach us to retain an attitude of detachment at fluctuations of the world.

For everything there is a season,
and a time for every matter under heaven:

a time to be born,
and a time to die;
a time to plant,
and a time to pluck up what is planted;

Ecclesiastes 3:1-18; NRS [2]

From Winter Comes Spring

At times life may feel like a barren desert, but no matter how bad life may seem it will not remain like this forever. Sometimes dark periods come and it is hard to see a way through; however, all periods of darkness are temporary. To get through these periods of unhappiness, we can let go of negative thoughts and concentrate only on positive thoughts. We should not contemplate on the present fallow period but look forward to the brighter future.


Tolerance

The qualities of trees and plants are self giving, patience and beauty. No matter how people treat a tree, it continues to offer its shade. When offering its qualities of shade and patience a tree doesn't judge.

How to achieve happiness?
Not by giving, not by talking,
But by being.

- Sri Chinmoy [2]

Similarly, if we avoid judging others we will benefit from much greater happiness. When we judge others we bring in the critical mind, it is hard to cultivate happiness when the critical mind dominates.

references

[1] Excerpt from Twenty-Seven Thousand Aspiration-Plants, Part 224 by Sri Chinmoy.
[2] Ecclesiastes, NT
[3] Excerpt from Seventy-Seven Thousand Service-Trees, Part 4 by Sri Chinmoy.

Related posts:

The Art of Happiness
What Gardening has taught me about Life by Debra Moorhead