I love to garden because, immediately, it brings me to the Eternal Now. I am no expert on plants, but I don’t let that stop me from creating a spiritually nourishing garden every year that speaks to me, deeply, about the beauty of creation and the cycles of change - whether I am conscious of them or not.

A Forgiveness Garden can offer an experience of peace and wholeness, no matter what form it takes, because a garden holds within it powerful signs and metaphors of the Divine Eternal in us and in all of creation in the Eternal Now.

Imagine a welcoming garden in your mind. For most of us, it will hold plants and elegant structures of some sort for the vines and climbers to grasp onto and travel along, seeking the light of the sun. Many may imagine a water feature of some type, with the tranquil sound of flowing water, perhaps casting a rainbow in the mist it creates as it moves.

The elements of gardens hold the promise of change and the Eternal Divine in the essence of how life emerges, becomes full, and returns to Source to begin anew.

Forgiveness works in all of us when we recall our Divinity, and in a garden when we are present as our Eternal and Divine Selves alike to all of creation. Plants bloom and die and set seed, and bloom and die and set seed; they are sustained by the Divine cyclical energy of life that exists all around them, whether it be the soil, the sun, the water, or a gardener’s care of them.

As we interact with our gardens, we bring our Divine Eternal energy into a sacred process of creation and change in the Eternal Now. We need not have to directly garden, as even our mind, body, and spirit embrace the phenomenon that is a garden; we become part of its energetic existence.

I invite you all to consider using your own existential energy as a Divine Eternal Being; to experience yourself and all of creation in the Eternal Now. Look deeply into the flower and see its perfection through symmetry, function, and evolutionary symbiotic purpose, while existing in harmony within the chaos of continuous change. You are that; you are the universe as you manifest in everything in creation.

I often visit my local Conservatory for wonderful inspiration to feed my Divine Eternal Self. Here, the aroma of the soil and the exotic flowers waft over and around me, reminding me of the Divine and the present moment. I sometimes enjoy music during this experience, though, to me, plants have a music all of their own.

If you wish to plant a Forgiveness Garden, reflect on forgiveness to bring you to your Divinity and allow it to express itself through your choices. Let your Being-Consciousness and Ego-Consciousness find their own dance in your garden, without repression or hesitation. Take the opportunity to have fun and laugh with glee for the Divine within you that creates and stares in wonder with the innocence and excitement of a child.

Forgiveness Gardens don’t have to be big and grandiose, they may even be created in a small area inside your house, where you can see and experience your indoor garden. Others may be in your yard or on your patio. If you can’t create your own Forgiveness Garden, find one somewhere, anywhere you like - another’s garden in your neighbourhood; a community park; a scene in the closest wild space to you; the screen of your computer or your phone; anywhere - any one of these can become your Source, and you may choose to embrace as many as you like.

I recently shared the idea of a Forgiveness Garden with a woman who was involved in planning a new hospice. She became excited at the thought of its value for those who would be navigating change in their lives Just imagine how wonderful it would be to have Forgiveness Gardens in hospitals, cities, workplaces, airports, etc., all as a reflection of the Divine Eternal of All?! I can even see a Forgiveness Garden being a theme at flower shows.

So, I leave you to reflect on what a Forgiveness Garden may mean to you and yours, and I wish you peace and wholeness in your own Eternal Now.