NATIONAL GARDEN MEDITATION DAY; MAY 3

National Garden Meditation Day is celebrated every year on May 3. It is the practice of taking time out from one’s hectic routine and going to a garden, picking a nice spot, and then meditating to relax your mind and body. Meditation gardens are exclusively designed to cut you off from the outside world and allow you to focus on your inner peace. They are natural spaces with natural triggers like gentle trickles of water, which help to calm your mind and help you focus. The day provides a reminder that people need a time out now and then to relax, be rejuvenated, and get in touch with nature.

HISTORY OF NATIONAL GARDEN MEDITATION DAY

The concept of meditation is ancient. Evidence of its existence and practice date back to the 5th and 6th centuries in the South Asian cultures of Hinduism and Buddhism. In the 19th century, when Asian cultures spread worldwide, the concept of meditation was among the fastest to be adopted by people from western countries.

With meditation came the idea of making spaces that are conducive to meditation. As a result, people started designing traditional landscapes like exotic gardens with ponds, wind chimes, and soft music. The essence of garden meditation comes from the Chinese and Japanese cultures, and their gardens have often been displayed in western countries. Asian texts on meditation are considered the most notable.

The fact that garden meditation became an annual practice in the U.S. is thanks to C. L. Fornari, who is also known as ‘Garden Lady.’ Fornari is a gardening artist who believes that gardens and gardening help us to connect with ourselves and with nature. She pointed out that caring for plants, planting seeds, and simply talking to plants help us connect with our inner selves and bring us a deeper understanding of ourselves and what our minds and bodies need to feel better.

Although the actual origins of this day are unclear, and there is not much need to figure it out. It would be fair to say that National Garden Meditation Day has been celebrated since at least 2000. As the awareness of garden meditation spreads, more and more people will be drawn towards it.