Ayurvedic wisdom suggests we eat plants as food and utilize plants as medicine to improve our health and quality of life. Late winter and early spring is just the right time to reconnect to green living herbs, vegetables, and house plants, plant a little love. Ayurveda believes in and encourages connecting to plants as part of aligning with the energy of the whole. Here are several ways to plant a little love in your home, align with planetary rhythms, and add sattvic growing life force to your day.
Plant energy, in particular flowers, are sattvic, they have a high healthy vibration. Plants, by design, grow in a decentralized way that allows them to give themselves to support other life forms. They are generous in serving the whole and resourceful in defending their right to thrive. Historically, good contact with plants was an inescapable part of daily life. Plants communicate with each other and us with chemical messengers that naturally help us relax. Now many of us are much more likely to have contact with a cell phone than a growing flower. People can go days without plant connections.
I grow medicinal, food, and display plants in my house and my yard and have for years. It is part of the way I align with the spring season and plant a little love. Growing herbs is fun and gives me satisfaction. I have house plants that have been with me for over 30 years. I take care of them, and they take care of me.
4 Ways To Engage With The Green & Plant A Little Love
Before you bring plants into your environment, please check on allergies and toxicity for people and pets. Cats and dogs, even exotic pets can be poisoned by some house plants and herbs. Make sure you take proper precautions. Learn about the needs of the plants, water, drainage, sun, and give any plants you bring into your environment the best chance to thrive.
Buy and Try New Vegetables to eat
Often time does not allow for us all to be farmers. There are other ways to connect with food plants. I make it a practice to try new vegetables. Not all of them make it into my basket more than once, but I enjoy it and get a wide variety of nutrients into my diet by changing things up. I go to local farm stands, farmers market and buy a membership in a CSA (consumer supported agriculture) group to try new types of plants that grow well in the local environment.
Grow herbs in your house
Growing your foods, even in tiny amounts, is a joyful experience. Many herbs will thrive in your home by a window for food and medicine. Fresh herbs enable you to add functionality and taste to your meals. A few pots by the window and you have ongoing access to fresh herbs. Harvest the herbs for use in food and tea.
Buy plants already potted and overflow trays for the most straightforward option or grow from seeds to engage with the growing process from the start. I use boot trays to protect my floors from dirt and water overflow.
Cultivate Display Plants
Cultivate display plants to add beauty and detoxify your environment. The construction of new homes is tighter than ever before. What I mean by that is they are energy efficient, so they don’t change air by leaking in the ways they used to. New homes have way more chemical synthetics than natural materials. Without active air exchange, toxins can build up in your home from construction products plastics and cleaning products that you use.
Poor indoor air quality is a growing concern. It is a good idea to open windows and blow air through your home when the temperature and air quality are good, but plants can help you reduce toxic volatile organic compounds.
Scientists have studied and documented the ability of plants to clean our air at length. NASA discovered plants’ ability to clean the air when looking for ways to keep the air in airtight space vehicles breathable. Specific plants that grow well indoors are efficient at sequestering compounds like benzene and toluene from the air.
Build a Deck Or Porch Container Garden
Last year I went to a class on container gardening on your deck by Linda Russell at the Herbal Community of Central Massachusetts. The course intrigued me, and I decided to expand from a couple of flower pots. So last summer, I set up two areas with big pots on my deck, which gets a lot of sunshine. I planted herbs, flowers, and greens. It was so much fun, simple to take care of, and productive. I plan to expand my deck garden this year.
Ayurveda knows the wisdom of bringing more plants into our life. Develop a relationship with plants for food and fun. Plants give freely, support our health, and align us with our nature. Plant a little love in your home by adding green living things
Ayurselfcare’s purpose is to educate on the benefits of Ayurveda. This article is not a substitute for professional medical care, treatment, or advice. All the material here is for learning purposes only. Always share strategy and work with your health care team.