Garden Like a Yogi By PJ Sharon

Gardening Tip: Garden Like a Yogi

Avid gardeners already know the meditative experience of pulling weeds, digging in the

dirt, and communing with nature. Being a co-creator with Mother Earth can be a downright spiritual experience—especially if you approach it mindfully. Yogi’s have long understood the benefits of connecting mind, body and soul to ordinary, everyday activities, but gardening offers a unique opportunity to practice and reap the benefits of mindfulness. 

Prepare yourself both mentally and physically before you step into your garden, just as you would stepping onto your yoga mat. Dress appropriately by protecting yourself from sun and critters (hat, gloves, sunblock, and insect repellent), be sure to have your water bottle on hand, and set an intention before you get started. For me, this includes having a plan of action by setting a goal for how long I’ll be at it and how much ground I need to cover.

Once I’m in though, it’s all about staying focused on being present. When you remain observant and in the moment; you not only see, smell, and hear the most minute details of nature, you feel the energy of the plants infusing you with renewed life. In this crazy world and through difficult times, gardening can be both a path to clarity and a lovely escape. So, rather than seeing those weeds as a dreaded chore, simply breathe, enjoy, and garden like a yogi.

Christmas in July

Speaking of escapes, don’t you love those Hallmark Movies that celebrate Christmas in July? Sappy love stories and family dramas are my go-to escape any time of the year, but there is something especially hopeful about holidays that never loses appeal. Perhaps it’s an escape from the hot and hazy days of summer, or maybe it’s the call to kindness, generosity, and love associated with comfort food, gift-giving, and family time. Whatever the draw, I think celebrating a bit of Christmas in July is a wonderful tradition.

On that note, I’m offering a sweet beach read in SAMI’S CHRISTMAS WISH LIST, which brings together the characters from HEAVEN IS FOR HEROES, ON THIN ICE, and PIECES OF LOVE in a heartwarming, 28,000-word YA holiday novella. (Get all three novels plus the novella in the GIRLS of THOMPSON LAKE Box Set).

Blurb:

All seventeen-year-old Samantha Owens wants for Christmas is a working car, a miraculous

improvement in her grades, and a boyfriend who sees her as more than just a friend with benefits. But with a single mom who’s struggling to make ends meet, presents seem unlikely, and with legal troubles looming over her head, she’ll be lucky not to be spending the holiday in juvenile detention. When she’s forced to do community service at the local church, she finds that wishing her life was different won’t make it so, and that avoiding her past may be what’s standing in the way of her future.

It doesn’t help that Travis Vance, a freshman in college and intern for a teen drug and alcohol treatment program, is hanging around and pushing her buttons at every turn. Or that her friends are all going through their own dramas—most of which seem far worse than her own. As she struggles to find peace with a choice she’s made, can Sami bring everyone together to save the church in time for Christmas? Or is hoping for a happy ending one more wish that will never be granted?

Read a chapter on Wattpad or find buy links here.

However you’re spending this month of July, I hope you’re taking time out to do something fun!  And of course, that you’re reading some great books…

Peace and blessings,

PJ

Always a pleasure having you visit the garden, PJ.