It’s here! On May 3rd we recognized National Garden Meditation Day. As early as 2500 BCE, Chinese gardens were designed to encourage meditation and quiet reflection. Zen gardens in Japan date from 600–900 CE. In 16th century India, Mughal gardens were arranged for contemplation and relaxation. Apparently, life’s demands have always led people to turn to their gardens for renewal. It’s the 21st century, and when we want to recover from the demands and pressures of life, we, too, turn to our gardens.
Perhaps now is the perfect time to add a meditation space to your garden, or maybe simply create a meditation area on your deck or patio. You don’t need much space. Let me review with you the (1) DESIGN of a meditation garden, (2) IMPLEMENTATION of your design, and (3) adding a BONSAI to your meditation garden.
DESIGN GOAL: Create an area that reminds us to slow down and meditate or reflect.
- The 4 elements to incorporate into our meditation gardens are: earth, wind, fire, and water.
- Choose or create an area that is quiet, shady, and private.
- Include focal points in our plan: a Buddha, a fountain, a statue, or other item that will invite us to rest our eyes, linger a while.
- Keep it simple; the design should be low maintenance. We don’t want to feel guilty about stray weeds when our minds should be at ease.
- For privacy, a grouping of shrubs or a screen, perhaps of bamboo, will be needed. (Do not plant bamboo in your garden. Its rhizomes/roots will choke out everything in its path.) Here’s where you can impress your friends and landscaper: When you discuss your plan for the meditation garden, reference the “Law of Significant Enclosure.” That “law” asserts that a cozy space will have walls/privacy barriers that are 1/3 of the height of the horizontal/length of the space. So, a 12’ long meditation garden would need privacy walls approximately 4’ high.
- Seating. Traditional meditation gardens often have raised platforms where one sits (ideally cross-legged.) Instead of the yoga position, a comfortable, small bench may suit. (Avoid seating that appears to invite more than one person.)
- Paths are lovely, usually curved. If your garden permits, add a simple path of pebbles, flagstone, or wood chips.
IMPLEMENTATION: This portion of the project should be relaxing and not stressful.
Incorporating the 4 elements:
- Earth: this may be the soil among the plants or fine gravel on the path. Building a cairn as a focal point, earth as stone, is another beautiful option.
- Wind: windchimes are lovely ways to honor the wind or breezes. You’ll want to carefully select for sound quality and volume. The same will be true if you choose to suspend a grouping of bells.
- Fire: there are so many interesting light sources appropriate for a meditative space. Candles, scented or plain, lanterns, solar torches, or even a fire pit—though I fear that’s a bit too much of an activity rather than a simple point of focus.
- Water: a small fountain can serve as a focal point in a meditation garden. A simple shallow bowl of still water is lovely too. The Japanese see bridges as water elements. A bridge symbolizes passages and unification. The bridge need not cross water; it can simply be a lovely feature to contemplate.
Fragrance: our olfactory senses can help us relax. Consider:
- Fragrant plants: planting lavender or jasmine is ideal, but they require quite a bit of sun. If your meditation garden is shaded, these dears won’t flourish.
- Incense: keep a water-tight container with matches and incense sticks. Set one stick into the sand or earth and let it burn down. In addition to the relaxing scent, its burning can serve as a timer: You’ll meditate until the incense stick has burnt down. (We have to train ourselves to slow down.)
Easy maintenance: plan your garden so you needn’t face chores before you can settle in and relax.
- Cover the seating with a tarp or sleeve or keep the cushions indoors until needed.
- Keep a small hand brush or broom nearby to remove the leaves that might gather, and a mid-size basket that can hold your sweepings. The trick is to avoid having to run around doing housekeeping when you want to meditate.
- … and that’s all the maintenance you’ll need.
BONSAI: These miniature trees and shrubs are often used in meditation gardens. They’re symbols of harmony, balance, order, and peace. (There are amazing bonsai gardens at the National Arboretum in Washington, D.C.) If you’re interested in adding bonsai to your garden, here are a few pointers.
- Usually, we buy bonsai that have been trained for 3–5 years; that means the roots and branches have been pruned to create a specific formation.
- Bonsai are grown in pots or bowls, usually simple in form and colors.
- The tree or shrub will be comfortable outdoors in your meditation garden, as long as the temperature is above 40 degrees F. It will need 4–6 hours a day of sun and/or diffused light.
- Moisture is important. If you have a fountain, place the bonsai nearby or set the bonsai on a bed of damp pebbles. Remember to watch that the pebbles remain damp. Water your bonsai when the soil feels dry. (You might check that the drainage holes in the bonsai pot are clear.)
- Finally, the most popular types of bonsai include: Chinese elm, Bristlecone pine, Dawn Redwood, Jade, Beech, Azalea
You may find your bonsai becomes a sweet focus point for your meditations. And, before too long, meditating may become an essential part of your time in your garden.