My Grandfather, Rev. Chauncey J. Pobanz, had thoughts that are still applicable in today's world. I found today's post in his notebook: "Poems & Sayings", this one with author unknown.
"A Co-Operator's Garden"
First, plant five rows of "p's"...
Next, plant three rows of squash...
Then plant five rows of lettuce...
No garden is complete without turnips...
What will you plant in your garden this week?
Look upward: Set thine eyes upon the heights
And striving ever towards the distant goal,
Faint not, but have the faith supreme to know
A glorious destiny awaits thy soul.
Margaret Boswell
From the notes of Chauncey J. Pobanz, "Poems and Sayings"
There is a huge shift in the air. I have felt it in my own life. A move to a new home - that is always a major shift. But even more, I have been drawn to focus more on children - to bring information to their parents, their grandparents - information that can help them help their children have healthy, productive lives.
In the past 15 years I have seen a lot of people affected by the environment they were living in. The things that have stayed with me the most were those homes where the parents did not realize that where they placed their children's bedrooms, and what they placed in and outside of it, had enormous potential for health impacts on their child. I've seen children with all sorts of illnesses, many which we concluded were a direct result of the environment.
It could have been elevated electric fields; it may have been the water quality. It possibly was due to the paint and carpeting in the child's room - or perhaps it was the materials that their toys were made out of. It is difficult to pinpoint the cause after the result is in place - and this led me to realize that I need to do whatever I can to educate before the results go in the wrong direction.
So now I am on an exciting new journey. I've embarked upon a journey to find those families that want a healthy life for their family, especially their children. There are many directions that I can go in to reach people and this - this requires goal setting and mapping out the path.
This leads me back to the poem that started out this blog, at the top of the page. My Grandfather, Chauncey J. Pobanz, a man who became a Methodist minister in mid life, kept a journal that I am fortunate to have in my possession. This particular poem reminds me that all of my goals are being directed by my soul. And that, my friends, is glorious.
Feng Shui gardening considers the garden itself as a separate space. It begins with the location of its formal entry. Through a rounded archway/ trellis - ideally made of wood you could have a beautiful entry way Another idea is to have a pair of pine trees along the side marking an entry (pine is a symbol of eternal friendship and long life). Perhaps a moon shaped entry could be considered There should be a sense of transition between your home and the garden. This area of transition is known as the Ming Teng. It is ideal to slow chi down with yin qualities but, not to stop it. The garden should be of interest all year round.
There are 4 Major directions in a garden:
3.The South represents the Phoenix or "Red Bird" area of the garden. It represents the summer, the element Fire and the color red. This area is the height of yang energy. Materials to consider in this location include: brick, pre-cast concrete with interesting openings, wood, post and rail, bamboo, trellis. Statutes in this area might include a bird such as a peacock or pheasant. This is an area where herbs can be planted, and small shrubs. Do not densely plant in this area. A gentle slope can be employed. The Phoenix area would benefit from the introduction of lighting (Fire), torches. Lighting is best below eye level to allow one to be lead through the garden. This is an area where angles are also appropriate, Plants with more angular leaves could be used here.
4. The West is known as the Tiger area. Its seasonal representation is fall, and the element is Metal. Items that best represent this include benches, urns, garden tools. It is an area of slowing down; yang is slowly moving toward yin. It is one of the best location for flowers, especially in pastel colors.
The Center of your garden is ruled by the Earth element. You can use pottery, the color yellow and maintaining a sense of stillness here to best represent the proper Feng Shui elements.
Shapes have different meanings in a garden. One of the best shapes for a garden is round. This is because ch'i likes to flow in a circular pattern, continuing this pattern would be ideal. Thus, consider: circular lawn areas, winding paths, rounded edges on the flower beds, etc. Straight paths can be used to direct energy into corners.
The garden should not slope down from the entry to the rear. Instead, it should have gentle hills or mounds. Overall, the rear should be higher than the entry. Chinese garden walls are often in the shape of the dragon, curved, with a dragon head at the end. Topiaries are not recommended in gardens as they distort the natural design of a plant. Nothing should be forced to grow in a rigid line. Plants should be allowed to grow into their natural state.
If you want to include seating in your garden, consider round and curved seats as they will slow down the chi. Square or rectangular seating will speed up the energy. Materials are also important. Bamboo is considered very auspicious. Pathways should ideally be made of natural materials such as stone, brick, gravel, grass, tile, wood, concrete. If concrete is used, brick edging might be incorporated. Perhaps if two pathways go off in different directions, they could be of differing materials. Any trash containers should be built out of natural materials and fit into the environment.
The element of surprise is a common focus in a Feng hui garden is to. It is good to anticipate, and never be sure if walking around a corner might reveal something beautiful and unexpected. Everything should not be exposed at one time. There should be some areas that are wide open, and others that are hidden or screened. Gardens should also be able to be viewed from above, as well as on the ground.
The concept of borrowed views should be considered. This is the ability to look through an opening/window, and see a scene that may not necessarily be in your own garden. Or, looking out a window, a perfect picture might be framed by a window.
Flowers, birds and fish are often imbedded as pictures of stone or tile emblems in the ground. Small water features are appropriate. If a path is going to be long and straight, break up its length with interruptions of small circles along the way.
In summary, the main points to consider in creating your garden are the entrance, the 4 main directions, shapes, materials, and including the element of surprise. Think of all the pleasurable hours you and your guests will be able to enjoy!
You can learn more and listen to this on Mp3 at: Understanding Feng Shui Elements in Your Garden on http://www.energyofthespirit.com/?p=716
The past week was a challenging one for my family. My nearly 85 year old Mother was taken to the hospital by ambulence one week ago, at midnight. A call at midnight from my Father is never a good sign - for he is in bed by 8-9pm every night. Even worse, when it is a medical emergency, I am not nearby so I have to learn and communicate by phone to stay connected. My sister lives nearby, and bless her soul, went and picked up my Dad to meet Mom at the hospital. Not that my Mother recognized or could even talk to them - she was off in the land of TIA's, seizures - no one knew.
So what do people do from afar to manage the care of their loved ones? I am the POA, so I quickly emailed docs to make sure they were readily available, called the ER nurse, then the ER doctor, and tried to fill them in on medical history. Within 24 hours, my Mom was transferred to one of the new hospital rooms in the new suites - private room, on high alert. Being a healthy building fanatic, I was relieved that she was in one of the new healthy wings. Overall, the nurses and doctors were quite pleasant - quickly returning calls to keep me in the loop.
One of the things that I have done for my Mom in the past (yes, this was a repeat episode) was to bring in Mozart for the Brain - Don Campbell has a series of healing music CD's. I thought I would overnight one to her room, and asked a nurse if someone could bring in Mom's CD player so she could listen. "Oh, I already put the healing music chanel on for her", she said. Wow - I was thrilled. And so, apparently was my Mother, as by the end of that day, she was responding and by the next day, talking in sentences.
Low fat, low salt meals were the next stage, once she was taken off of IV feedings. Within 5 days, she went home, followed by home care, nurse's aids, etc. She's a little weak, but on the mend. I am grateful for the trend in hospitals where they are incorporating healthy materials and ideas. Every patient, and the staff deserve it.
How healthy is your local hospital? Check it out - good to know before you or a loved one goes for a visit. It is also good to know what your options are when choosing your new home!
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