We all know the feeling this time of year. Walking out the door of a morning to the realization that yes, it is well and truly winter. Even though your plants aren’t doing much in terms of growth, it does not mean that you as a gardener should hibernate. Many things can be done in Winter, so that you can get the most out of your garden in Spring and Summer. Winter is ideal to prepare you garden, and to catch up on the tasks you have been putting off. Use the time to add new additions to your garden, perhaps some new plants, an installation or a transplant – be creative! So where to start? Even though autumn is the best time for planting, winter is nearly just as favorable. The main contributors to successful planting are watering and soil aeration. A plant going from a pot (that gets watered every day and has good soil aeration) into garden soil that may be dry for extended periods of time, and be compacted with low aeration, may cause severe stress to the plant. It is true … [Read more...]

Sthira-sukham asanam (Yoga Sutra II.46) The connection to the Earth should be steady and joyful In this Yoga Sutra, we are told that our connection to the Earth should be steady and joyful. Sthira means steady or stable; sukham means joyful, centred; asana is the seat or connection to the Earth. It is the term used to describe the physical yoga practice of taking different shapes with the body but also can be taken in the broader sense of our interactions with the planet itself and all beings we share it with. Around 10,000 years ago humans began the great agricultural project, which has brought us to the critical juncture we find ourselves in today. We started to domesticate animals and grow crops. We stopped following herd animals and found ways to corral control them. We began to shape and control and change nature to suit our desires. What we didn’t understand is that we humans began to domesticate ourselves along with the animals we came to call livestock. We slowly … [Read more...]