There is No Spring Without Fall
June 21, 2024
I’ve always loved a beautiful, thriving garden. Sure, vegetables and fruits, but I’m talking about flowers and other plants. A space you can walk through and sink into. A space that begs for reverence and slowing down. These spaces fuel all of my senses. Visually taking in how all of the plants meld into each other and yet exist so beautifully separate. Different scents envelop you as you glide from one area to the next.
The sound of wind in the trees, birds, the crunch of gravel or grass beneath your feet. What do you end up touching? The smooth or rough tree trunk? A feathery fern reaching out into your path? The grass as you sit to enjoy a picnic? I enjoy paying attention to what emotions come up as I navigate my way around the space.
I yearned to make my garden a similar experience. Tap into your senses. What do you see, feel, hear, smell? How can you interact with your surroundings? And, how does this interaction change your state? I want to help you let go of the world and allow this space to nurture your heart and soul like it does my own.
There’s something amazing about the vibration and tone of a giant gong.I had the pleasure of experiencing one in a healing community space in downtown Salt Lake. In that energy shifting moment I knew I would one day have one in my own space.
It took a trip to Thailand for massage training and a not so impulse buy along, with navigating international shipping to bring her to you.
You slowly climb up the ladder. It feels like you’re rising into a hidden space filled with wonder and excitement. The world falls away as you step foot on the solid foundation nestled in a protective canopy hiding you from the beings below. It’s perfect.
A rocking chair to relax in while you stare up into the leaf laden space above you awaits. Or curl up in the net and watch the water lazily flow by below. Perhaps it’s time to journal and reflect or maybe a snooze is the perfect activity for this moment.
For me? The treehouse is childhood. Imagination and Joy. It’s safety. A loving hug and embrace. A welcome home, of sorts.
Whatever you choose, the treehouse is waiting.
Have you ever been to a Japanese rock garden? They have these spaces of rock which have been carefully raked and beautifully created to evoke a thoughtful pause.I always wanted to create those images in the sand and yet they were off limits to the public. Only special people had the privilege of pulling the rake meditatively through the stones or sand.
I wanted to be special enough. And in believing I’m special enough, that means everyone is special enough. The crazy thing is, once we were finished building it and I began raking… it taught me lessons I wasn’t expecting.
Raking is a required slow down. An intentional breather. A sincere call to be fully present in the moment and lose yourself in walking, pulling, moving. Where will you put your next step? How will you create the image emerging from your heart? Realize and acknowledge that every. Single. Thing. Is temporary, impermanent. It can and will change. All it takes is time.
The rake is ready. The sand is too. A brush and canvas so to speak. They’re waiting for you, for your expression, your creativity, your process. What picture will you paint?
I don’t remember the first time I met singing bowls. I DO remember how I felt. The unique tones resonated in different areas of my physical being. It was fun to play around. You start slow and easy. Patience is the name of the game. Being present in the moment and allowing it to come. Sometimes I couldn’t get the metal bowls to sing. They were a little more stubborn… or maybe that was me;)
I moved from the metal bowls, so beautifully created, to the crystal ones. The tones hit me in different ways than the metal ones. I love them both. So, it’s only natural I have some here for you. Come play. See what they do for you. How they alter your state of being and wash away the weight you’ve been carrying.”
Fountains: It may be because I’m a water sign. Then again, it may be the calming yet joyful sound. Fountains have the ability to drown out all of the background noise and pull you in to the soothing, rhythmic moment. When I stop to listen, the world stops too. My thoughts clear, my heart opens and I find a moment of peace.
Regardless, I’ve always loved the sound of rushing water. A river or stream, thunderous ocean waves, my breathing always deepens and my muscles relax. Which means… I’ve gotta have some in the garden. If I’m in a landlocked state I will create my own sanctuary complete with flowing waters.
In my personal meditations I often find myself in a cool cave. I’m protected there as I commune with my guiding spirits. I didn’t know how much I wanted to recreate the experience until the idea was presented by the landscape designer. He’d always wanted to build one and my space provided him an opportunity. Little did I know how much it would be a gift to me too.
The intentional placement means you’re always in the shade and protected. The large rock fountain outside the entrance helps drown out the world. A protective space to release and relax in the moment.
The grotto has been called a place of truth and honesty. It’s a safe space to spill what’s in your heart and allow the water to wash it away or cleanse it to continue moving forward. It’s also a place of hope and healing. There are river rocks and markers waiting for you to write an intention, hope or dream on it. Then nestle it into a space within the rocks and know your heart is now nurtured and connected to this fertile space.
My grotto calms my mind and spirit. It brings me immense peace and I invite you to feel it too.
Let’s be honest. I could have created this with simple concrete and let it speak for itself… but what’s the fun in that?!
Yin and Yang. Dark and light. Masculine and Feminine. There is always a bit of one within the other. As one fades the other expands. Fluid, contrasting, complementary and beautiful.
I really wanted you to be able to feel the difference.
Yin is softer which means the pebbles in it are rounded river rock. You sink in as you feel the space. Let it hold you and invite you to be introspective and calm.
Yang is sharper and more intense. You don’t sink into these rocks and they aren’t as inviting to the souls of your feet and yet they speak volumes as well. It is light and you can see what is there. What needs to be seen can also be acknowledged and healed.
When we first moved onto the property spirit spoke to my heart about the need for a firepit. We needed a space of cleansing and healing through the gifts of the elements and so I asked where it should be created.
We made one with rough flagstone bricks and held ceremonial fires within its space. You could feel the spirits of the past moving on and cleansing the space. The wind would gently chime in while the water bubbled and the earth cradled us in the shift.
When we finally worked through creating the gardens now present, my pit was determined to occupy the same space. Requests were repeatedly made to shift it here or there and yet I could feel the energy pushing for the same blessed location. This insistence meant the capstones would be surrounded by soft grass, wind could nurture us as the earth continued to cradle the transformation within.
It’s my favorite place to release what I no longer need to carry.
The garden at The Beam and Bell is an exploration into what soothes your soul. It’s a chance to embrace the freedom to choose. What calms your mind? What feeds your spirit? What nurtures your soul? How can you gift yourself moments of reflection, growth and self-care? Start your journey here and enjoy a safe space to connect with your inner truth.
with love,
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