There are so many lessons to be learned from working in the garden or just from having plants.
I can't speak enough good about how growing really save my life. There was a time when my mental health was unbalanced and in total disarray. It was literally the grace of God that guided me back to the garden. Since then I've worked through my depression and got my anxiety (mostly) under control.
If you have experience with plants you know how therapeutic they can be. Not only do they hold benefits like cleaning the air in your home, creating an outlet for mindfulness, and offering opportunities for self-sufficiency and sustainability, it can also help us to reverse the negative impacts we as humans have had on the planet. I really could go on and on about the benefits of soil and plants, but I won't!
As many of you know from my work through @princessgardenswarmfarm (check me out on IG) I have this thing for soil and honestly I'm not sure how/where it began. (Maybe it was passed down to me from my ancestors!) I am a strong believer that all life begins in the soil. One day I sat thinking; if soil is the home to the food that nourishes our minds bodies and souls, just how big of a role does it play in our overall wellbeing.
I allowed myself to travel down a rabbit hole and get lost as I tend to do with anything that I have interest in. What I came back to the surface with is going to blow your mind so keep reading.
It turns out that soil has bacterium living in it that can protect us from stress and can even help us to treat depression, PTSD, and other mental health considerations. The action of digging in soil has been proven to release serotonin which is a natural antidepressant. Soil also helps strengthen our immune system and in this day and age we need all the help we can get. There are a ton of books and articles that share extensive research and outcomes on the subject matter so if this interests you I'd encourage you to look it up and do a little bit of reading of your own; it's really quite interesting.
Not only do we have these benefits through gardening and growing plants, have you ever notice how good you feel after walking on the earth barefoot? This is called Earthing; it's another way that soil can help us to live a more grounded and connected life.
I think without our connection to nature, the earth, the soil it can be extremely challenging to balance ourselves especially for people in the BIPOC community. We once shared a special relationship with soil that was disrupted when the land was colonized and enslavement took over. It's time for us to get back to what helps us thrive.
I know we all aren't able to have large gardens where we can grow our own food, but here are a few ways you can reconnect with soil and reap all of its benefits.
- Get a house plant or two... or three!
- Start a garden in your yard
- Start an herb garden in your home
- Compost
- Create a balcony garden if you live in an apartment
- Grow/volunteer in a community garden
- Practice earthing
Spring is right around the corner making this an excellent time to think about how you will spend more time getting your hands dirty while putting you mind at ease.