From a young age I always thought of myself as someone who could tame any animals and make any seed grow. It seems like that was the only thing that was important to me as a child. As I’ve grown from child to maiden and now into a childless mother phase of my life, I’ve noticed that I can’t tame every animal I meet and that I suck at making plants thrive. My green thumb has slowly withered and my ability to animal whisper has become clouded with ego.
If I had stayed mindful and aware of the environment and contributing factors I would have been able to retain these qualities of tamer of beasts and light of the garden. I would have noticed, that dog was being territorial and that the air was unusually dry or the window was too cold for that plant. All I had to do was pay attention.
Foolishly I was glamoured by the newest piece of technology, clutching to it as a raccoon would something shiny even in death. That technology, which I thought was going to help me learn more about plants and animals, actually took me away from what I loved so much as a child.
I have now learned to be more mindful by using my brain by its lonesome to think about the research that the technology provided me coupled with the current environmental factors and my own life experiences with the plants and animals. I made the conscious decision to become more mindful, to think for myself instead of letting the technology do it for me.
Through observation of my environment through my own eyes, instead of technology’s, I have seen changes in my body and in others. But the best part of being mindful has been seeing my green thumb come back little by little, and see the language of the animals come back into my life. Returning to Mindfulness to become Tamer of Beasts and Light of The Garden once more has been a beautiful journey.
