Page 27 - NAMAH-Oct-2023

Namah Cultivating an Ecological Consciousness

temperatures and 40-45 Celsius summer picked one in his neighbourhood and started
temperatures. Bewilderment: you’ve tried it planting. When the fruits and vegetables
all — full shade, full sun, semi-shade, filtered grew, he told people anyone could take them.
sunlight; water regularly, water only when If they wanted to help him, they could come
the top two inches of the soil are dry, water with a shovel. This had many salutary effects
only the leaves, water just the base; provide on the community. Work done voluntarily
more nutrition, add more sand or perlite for is itself a source of joy; it is fulfilling, non-
better drainage; and yet some plants don't judgmental, and enhances one’s life with
do well. I have liberally stood in front of my new meaning. The youngsters who could
Senecio Rowleyanus and asked her, ‘What have become gangsters worked the land
do you want?’ Awe: when you see the mind- to produce food. It is an act of creation as
boggling variety of plants? Admiration: the fulfilling as producing a painting. Ron Finley
way a seedling struggles up through the soil. calls himself a graffiti artist. His medium is
Pity: when my tomato plant was attacked by the soil and plants his paintings. Not only did
four pest varieties all at once.” crime reduce in the community, the people
became physically and mentally healthy.
Working the plants helps one tune in to the
subtle vibration of plants. Gradually this
becomes a numinous connection that touches
the soul. Healing then occurs spontaneously.
Those who have difficulty associating with
people begin to relax and communicate at a
deeper level with others. They feel a sense
of achievement which brings self-confidence
with it.

The first government sponsored community
gardens in the United States were called
Community action ‘Victory Gardens’, grown by veterans who
returned from the World Wars after the victory
At the community level, common gardens of the Allied Forces. They were employed to
have helped entire communities thrive. The bridge the food gap, but greater benefits were
food benefits are the least of the benefits. discovered in their overall state of being. Now
There is a variant of community gardening there is research evidence to prove how PTSD
called ‘guerrilla gardening’. Ron Finley, from can be treated by communion with nature —
a depressed neighbourhood in Los Angeles, be it gardening or hanging out with nature (8).
tells in his TED talk how he became a guerrilla Community gardens are used to train youth
gardener (7). The people in his community in growing plants. This training helps them
were suffering from curable diseases because appreciate the effort that goes into planting,
they could not buy good food. They were growing, harvesting and transporting food
paying more for medicines than healthy food. to their homes. It makes them conscious of
Los Angeles has a lot of empty plots. He not wasting food. It also encourages them to

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