What is a garden of theMind?

The stock dictionary definition might be ‘a piece of land in which fruit, vegetables or flowers are planted’. But the people who dreamed up the gardens I have just mentioned would give a very different answer. To them, gardens were – or are – not merely places of beauty but places of meaning. To the modern mind the idea of gardens as conveyors of meaning is an unfamiliar one. Yet a garden can convey meaning in the same way that a building can. To visit one of the great medieval cathedrals such as Chartres is to experience not just a building but a kind of book, a text written in carved stonework and stained glass, which makes a statement about medieval theology.

Gardens of the Gods: Myth, Magic and Meaning

Cosmology and values – indeed about the whole order of things as the medieval mind saw it. Similarly, to visit, say, the garden of Versailles is to catch a glimpse of the world order as it was seen by Louis XIV and his court. In other words, a garden can be a metaphor, used to convey a world view, a mood, a thought or an ideal. A whole book – or many – could be devoted to the garden as a metaphor in literature and art. We shall of course touch on this aspect of the subject. Primarily, however, we shall focus on real gardens.

What makes gardens such potentially powerful metaphors is the way in which they bring together nature and art. This combination allows for enormous variations in emphasis, depending on how nature is viewed in particular cultures. For cultures that live inseparably from nature the concept of a garden can have no meaning, since a garden is by definition something that is set apart. For some cultures, such as those of ancient China and Japan, a garden is a refinement of nature. The modern city dweller is likely to see gardens as places where a lost natural beauty can be recreated.

Then again, a garden means one thing to a dweller in an arid desert environment and another thing to someone from a damp and verdant region. By the same token the individual motifs that appear in gardens vary greatly in the meanings attached to them – woods, for example, are traditionally sacred in northern Europe but grim and perilous places in the south (see ‘Trees, groves and woods’ below). On the other hand, there are certain motifs that appear to have a universal or widely shared meaning that crosses cultural boundaries – the fountain, with its life-giving water, is one example. Some would see these shared
symbols as belonging to the store of images inherited by all of humankind and accessible through the ‘collective unconscious’, as the psychologist C.G. Jung believed. Ultimately of course anything in a garden can take on the character of a ‘symbol’ if the observer chooses to see it that way: a bee gathering nectar from a flower, the dance of sunlight filtered through foliage, the pattern of freshly fallen autumn leaves on the ground, a spider’s web hung with dew – and an infinite number of other things. ‘Reading’ a garden is therefore no simple matter, and no garden can be seen as a text with a fixed meaning.

A garden, like a good poem, contains many levels of meaning and draws a different response from every individual. There are, however, enough shared images and symbols (either within or across cultures) to make possible the existence of a language of gardens – or rather many languages, in fact an almost infinite

The symbolic language of gardens

It would be impossible to learn all of these languages – in any case, many are lost to memory. Nevertheless it is possible to identify a common structure to these languages, which has three basic ingredients. First, there is the form of the garden as a whole. This includes the lines traced by the perimeter and the internal divisions, which can be straight or rounded, symmetrical or asymmetrical. They can incorporate significant numbers or special geometrical shapes. Compass alignments can also be important. The formal aspect would include the question of what proportion of the garden is left to nature and what proportion is shaped by human hand.

The English gardening tradition, for example, prefers to leave more to nature than the French tradition with its preference for symmetry and formality. Japanese gardens employ a sleight of hand, which creates a natural appearance that is in fact carefully contrived. Questions of form, shape and compass alignment are particularly important in gardens based on the feng shui tradition, which will be discussed in detail later. The second basic ingredient of the language consists of the objects that are created or placed in the garden or the existing landscape features to which specific meanings are attached. These might be natural or man-made hills, rivers, ponds, caves – not forgetting the animals that live in the territory or have been introduced there. Such features might also include fountains, statues, reliefs, topiary hedges,
labyrinths, pavilions and gazebos.

The third ingredient of the language relates to the plants in the garden and the meanings they are given. A plant has of course a large number of different meanings and associations depending on the region and the culture. Its meaning can be determined by physical characteristics, such as colour, shape or chemical properties. In some cases the astrological attribution is an important factor. Among the herbs, for example, rosemary corresponds to the Sun, mint to Mercury, thyme to Venus and sage to Jupiter. Then there is the whole field of religious and mythological associations. We can think, for instance, of the laurel, sacred to Apollo and symbolizing glory and poetic inspiration, the willow sacred to Hecate, goddess of witchcraft, the oak, sacred to Jupiter, and ivy and the vine, sacred to Bacchus. A more extensive list of plant meanings can be found in the appendix to this book.

These are, so to speak, the three main ‘parts of speech’ in the language of gardens. The vocabulary of that language has no end, as 4 Gardens of the Gods: Myth, Magic and Meaning it has been reinvented many times in history and continues to be created. Nevertheless, just as the origins of many European words can be traced back thousands of years, so many of the meanings attached to garden features stem from the very earliest civilizations that are known to have created gardens. At this point it might be helpful to look at some of these recurring motifs before setting off to explore the sacred and symbolic gardens of specific regions and periods. The list of motifs that follows is not intended to be exhaustive, and the order is intuitive rather than logical, with certain motifs grouped thematically together.

"Help me". Depression hurts indeed, and it can be a challenge because depression has some fantastic ways of protecting itself.

Chronic Depression is also known as Dysthymia. This illness can be serious although not as severe as bouts with Major Depression. Someone who knows you may have chronic depression, but you have no idea. Having a regular life is very possible for people with this condition. They go to work or school and go about their day to day lives without as much as creating a ripple in the water. This is due to the fact that the problems caused by this illness do not appear on the outside of the body but on the inside. The effects are mental and physical.

Shaking, dizziness, or a fever won’t result from Chronic Depression. You will not typically develop a rash. But you may well feel helplessness, worthlessness and hopelessness.

The afflicted may experience problems with sleep patterns like insomnia. This illness can leave the victim with a constant sad or empty feeling that threatens to consume them .

Death and suicide are considerations that a patient will have . Usually people with chronic depression do a good job of hiding these signs. When mental illness exists you have to look very closely for signs and symptoms. They’re not always clear .

When you are approaching an illness such as Chronic Depression there are a few major options for treatment. One of the most popular approaches is Psychotherapy. You deal with mental illness with a mental approach. Through psychotherapy the doctor seeks the cause of depression and to create a positive outlook for the patient. Anti-Depressants that help to stem the spread or worsening of the condition are another option. In many cases the answer is to utilize both options to bring about a positive result. Major Depression is often a result of Chronic Depression. As with many illnesses, early detection is one of the most powerful tools in fighting this.

When Chronic Depression cause problems in day to day life, it has become a problem. It’s really time to act when employment or other outside activities begin to suffer. It’s not time for a straight jacket for people who suffer from Chronic Depression. It takes a great deal of care to approach the problems that cause this disease. Anyone can become a victim of this disease. Having knowledge about it may one day assist you or someone you know in facing it.

There is no success in a mind of chaos.  One needs to attain peace and calmness in the mind in order to encourage positive thoughts.

Normally one finds it very difficult to manage and control the mind. Sometimes, one may feel that the mind is similar to a balloon, blown by the wind, taken to any direction and circumstance the wind takes it. When things come out well, the mind is contented, but when things go badly, instantly the mind becomes very unhappy.

Because the mind and one’s emotions are connected, a disturbance in one will distract the coordination and harmony of the two. For instance, when one gets the result or the relationship that he wants, such as a partner, a job promotion or a new car, one bonds to it very tightly.

However, because often, these possessions and relationships are uncontrollable, the moment that one is separated from all these causes so much pain.   And all the negative emotions causes chaos.

Such mood fluctuations arise for the main reason that one is closely attached with the outside situation. However, when the mind is relaxed, one makes an inner room and clearness which enables one to control and manage the mind despite the external situation.

Gradually one develops mental balance, which is a state of the mind that is happy and positive always; confused mind moves back and forth between the intemperance of despondency and excitement.

In meditation, one can achieve a peaceful and calm mind that is free of worries and anxiety, so one can experience happiness, encouraging and attracting positive behavior; a chaotic mind, only attracts negative feelings and behavior, therefore it is a barrier to setting and achieving goals.

With a chaotic mind one will have a hard time experiencing happiness, even when one is already in the best of circumstances.  Constant meditation trains the mind to gradually be more and more cheerful and peaceful, eventually experience balance and happiness, being able to stay positive even in the most complicated or worst situations.  This is a state of mind that is very crucial to achieving success.

The mind is like a station, sending out energy or power signals (your beliefs and thoughts). These energy and power patterns are then grasped by the subconscious mind that is responsible for creating the circumstances, situations and events to assist one in achieving what one’s beliefs, thoughts and goals are.

The subconscious mind never distinguishes what is bad or good for you; it only acts on what instructions it receives from the conscious mind, meaning what your thoughts and beliefs are.

So while there is that desire in you that you want to accomplish a certain goal, if you do not truly believe and truly trust that will be able to, if you, with your chaotic mind constantly think about the reason why you can not achieve something rather than why it will be easy for you to do it, then you will be sending instruction to your “subconscious mind” to establish certain circumstances in which it will be difficult for you to accomplish your goals.

This is the reason why negative thoughts should be eliminated and only entertain positive thoughts, all the time.
Constant positive affirmations likewise attract positive situations, and influence the subconscious to create a situation favorable to you.  Affirmations are positive thoughts spoken with great trust, faith and absolute power that what you say, you will accomplish.

Remember, first and foremost to keep a focused mind and never entertain negative thoughts.  However, should a negative thought enter your mind, block it off with positive thinking and never, never affirm it.  For like the chaotic mind, verbal affirmations can greatly affect your attitude towards accomplishing your goals.

Never be a prisoner of the chaos in your mind.  Release all those hurts, frustration and anger that you feel deep inside. Look at the world in a different point of view and believe that you can accomplish anything as long as you have faith in you that you can.

There is no success in chaos, and chaos will not lead to success.  It is balancing the mind, releasing all stress that the mind feels, letting go of all negative thoughts and making a clear image of the life that you want to live, can there be success.

Now “conation” is almost wholly the business of will, but of will stimulated by emotion: for wilful action of every kind, however intellectual it may seem, is always the result of interest, and interest involves feeling. We act because we feel we want to; feel we must. Whether the inspiring force be a mere preference or an overwhelming urge, our impulse to “do” is a synthesis of determination and desire. All man’s achievements are the result of conation, never of mere thought. “The intellect by itself moves nothing,” said Aristotle, and modern psychology has but affirmed this law.

Hence his quest of Reality is never caused, though it may be greatly assisted, by the intellectual aspect of his consciousness; for the reasoning powers as such have little initiative.

The etheric body, in the vast majority of humans, is the vehicle or the instrument of astral energy. The mass of humanity are still Atlantean or astral in their nature. The etheric body is composed of interlocking and circulating lines of force emanating from the many levels of consciousness of our planetary life. These lines of energy and this closely interlocking system of streams of force are related to seven focal points or centers to be found within the etheric body. Each of these centers are related to certain types of incoming energy. When the energy reaching the etheric body is not related to a particular center, that center remains passive; when it is related and the center is sensitive to its impact, then that center becomes vibrant and receptive and develops as a controlling factor in the life of the man on the physical plane.

The dense physical body is held together by and is expressive of the energies which compose the etheric body. These energies appear to be of two types: the energies which form, through interlocked lines, the underlying etheric body, as whole and in relation to all physical forms. This form is qualified then by the general life and vitality of the plane on which the Dweller in the body functions, and therefore where his consciousness is normally focused. Another type of energy is the particular energies by which the individual consciously chooses to govern his daily activities. As attitude, attainment and comprehension shift to higher levels, the etheric body will be constantly changing and responding to newer energies.

The etheric body interpenetrates, underlies, and occupies the entire physical organism. It extends beyond the physical form and surrounds it like an aura. According to the point in evolution will be the area which the etheric body covers beyond the outside of the physical body. It may extend for a few or many inches.
Within the physical body, the network of the etheric body is to be found permeating every single part. It is particularly associated at this time with the nervous system, which is fed, nourished, controlled and galvanized by its etheric counterpart. This counterpart is present in millions of tiny streams or lines of energy, to which the Eastern occultist has given the name “nadis”. These nadis are the carriers of energy. They are in fact the energy itself and carry the quality of energy from some area of consciousness in which the Dweller in the body may happen to be focused. According to the state of consciousness and the psychic state of awareness, so will be the type of energy carried by the nadis, passing from them to the outer nervous system.

It must always be remembered that the seven energy centers are not within the dense physical body. They exist only in etheric matter and in the etheric so-called aura, outside the physical body. They are closely related to the dense physical body by the network of nadis. Five of the centers are to be found in the etheric counterpart of the spinal column, and the energy passes through the spinal vertebrae and circulates then throughout the etheric body as it is interiorly active within the physical vehicle. Three head centers exist, one just above the top of the head, another just in front of the eyes and forehead, and the third at the back of the head, just above where the spinal column ends. In practice, the center at the back of the head is not counted in the initiation process, any more than is the spleen, so we have then seven centers to examine.
The powerful effect of the inflow of energy, via the energy body, has itself automatically created these centers or reservoirs of force; the effect of these seven centers upon the physical body in due time produces condensation or a state of what is called “”attracted response” from dense matter, and thus the seven major sets of endocrine glands slowly came into functioning activity.
The whole development of the etheric body falls into two historical stages. The first stage is that in which the etheric energy, flowing thorough responsive centers and creating endocrine glands as a consequence, gradually begin to have a definite effect upon the blood stream; the energy worked through that medium solely for a very long time. This still remains true, for the life aspect of energy animates the blood, through the medium of the centers and their agents, the glands. Hence the words in the Bible that “the blood is the life”. Secondly, as the race of men developed, and consciousness grew greater and certain great expansions took place, the centers began to extend their usefulness and to use the nadis, and thus to work upon and through the nervous system; this produced conscious and planned activity upon the physical plane.
The energy tubules, or nadis, pass to certain areas of the body in three ways:

1. Through the seven major centers through the twenty-one minor centers
2. Through 49 focal points scattered all over the body
3. The physical body, therefore, is triple in design. There is the etheric body, the nadi system and the dense physical body.

“Fast” brings back the image of the Roadrunner zooming past the obstacles laid out by Wily Coyote.

Speed may allow you to arrive at your intended destination; but along the way, were you able to take note of the things that you may have missed while speeding along the fast lane? As in driving, zooming in fast does not give enough opportunity to see and enjoy the view. The same can be said about learning.

Much of what you learn can be acquired through reading. The simple activity of getting in a comfortable position and start reading a book of your choice opens a new world for you. Reading enables you to tap into the minds of great people.

The more you read, the more you know. In the hope of reading more books, some attempt fast track reading. It is believed that the faster you read, the more you cover.

Fast track reading may involve reading by phrases and concepts compared with the word-for-word method. Fast track reading enables you to cover more pages with the same rate. However, one limitation of this method of learning is that you tend to remember only a small portion of the main idea. There is danger that you might miss the important details in the book.

There is a solution for this. Few people are aware of this seldom-talked about technique in fast learning. This is based on the principle that the mind thinks in pictures.

Learning is accelerated when you “see” the whole idea of the write-up or book.  Seeing “live pictures” of ideas and thoughts of the writer makes reading experiential and unforgettable. When you see nothing while reading, you learn nothing. Fast reading becomes useless.

This technique is called visualization. Visualization is vital to quick learning. Visualization in reading is like constructing a jigsaw puzzle where pieces are put together to form the whole picture. The whole thing not only “appears,” but actually “comes alive” before you. All of these happen in the realm of the mind.

Just going through the motions of fast reading can give you a hazy picture of the subject matter. But like a mist, this picture often quickly evaporates into thin air. Fast reading without visual pictures often informs but very seldom impresses.

Impressions last while information changes with time. Past information is easily forgotten in favor of new ones. Impressions change you, and these are stored permanently in the mind.

For learning to become effective, it requires brief pauses to be able to visualize and reflect. Effective learning is not about how fast you can finish reading a book. It is more on how you effectively comprehend the ideas brought forth by the writer.

Visual pictures provide lasting impressions. Go after ideas and how it will enrich people’s existence. Go for lasting impressions and insights that will mold you into better individuals.

ALL-OR-NOTHING THINKING: You see things in black-and-white categories. If your performance falls short of perfect, you see your self as a total failure.

OVERGENERALIZATION: You see a single negative event as a never-ending pattern of defeat.

MENTAL FILTER: You pick out a single negative detail and dwell on it exclusively so that your vision of all reality becomes darkened, like the drop of ink that discolors the entire beaker of water.

DISQUALIFYING THE POSITIVE: You reject positive experiences by insisting they “don’t count” for some reason or other. In this way you can maintain a negative belief that is contradicted by your everyday experiences.

JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS: You make a negative interpretation even though there are no definite facts that convincingly support your conclusion.

MIND READING: You arbitrarily conclude that someone is reacting negatively to you, and you don’t bother to check this out

THE FORTUNETELLER ERROR: you can anticipate that things will turn out badly, and you feel convinced that your prediction is an already-established fact.

MAGNIFICATION (CATASTROPHIZING) OR MINIMIZATION: You exaggerate the importance of things (such as your goof-up or someone else’s achievement), or you inappropriately shrink things until they appear tiny (your own desirable qualities or other fellow’s imperfections). This is also called the binocular trick.”

EMOTIONAL REASONING: You assume that your negative emotions necessarily reflect the way things really are: “I feel it, therefore it must be true.”

SHOULD STATEMENTS: You try to motivate yourself with should and shouldn’t, as if you had to be whipped and punished before you could be expected to do anything. “Musts” and “oughts” are also offenders. The emotional consequences are guilt. When you direct should statements toward others, you feel anger, frustration, and resentment.

LABELING AND MISLABELING: This is an extreme form of overgeneralization. Instead of describing your error, you attach a negative label to yourself. “I’m a loser.” When someone else’s behavior rubs you the wrong way, you attach a negative label to him” “He’s a Goddamn louse.” Mislabeling involves describing an event with language that is highly colored and emotionally loaded.

PERSONALIZATION: You see your self as the cause of some negative external event, which in fact you were not primarily responsible for.

It is helpful to have visual goals. whatsoever that is you are working towards, make it visual. It maybe something material like a car, or a vacation you have been looking forward to for the longest time.

Take or cut out a picture of it and post it at a conspicuous place at work or at home where you can see it often. So that when you feel discouraged, this will remind you of your goal and will help you keep your spotlight.

Make a contract with oneself. According to motivational researches, people who write down to-do-lists are far more triumphant in achieving their intended goals than those people who just keep mental lists instead.

Putting something in writing somehow makes it more powerful psychologically speaking. This may also be the basis why most cultures have such a high regard in honoring contracts. In the contract, you may also include a certain reward that you will give yourself once you have accomplished the task.

After all, everyone likes to be rewarded for completing a good job. Even a simple pat on the back, “good job”, or “thank you” may do the trick to give the person the additional push to carry on, but unfortunately, these may not always be readily available. Considering that these are also essential in keeping oneself motivated, you must learn to find a way to get that encouragement on your own through pleasing yourself.

Abusive people lower your self-esteem and bring you down. Get these negative people out of your life. Surround yourself with positive people. Imitate their example. Smile amply and think happy thoughts.

These will give you a brighter outlook and lets you see a clearer picture of what you really want and a fresh mind to know what steps to take to get there. Rather than wait for things to happen, try to be proactive and MAKE THINGS HAPPEN. Inactivity idles the brain and stagnates your potential to reach your goals.

Read inspirational books and literature. These will help you improve your attitude and heal your mind. A book of success stories also proves to be encouraging. You will not only learn from others’ experiences and derive confidence boosting insights from them but the story will be instrumental in motivating you to go for your goal and move ahead with your plans. If this still seems to falter, get training or education.

Oftentimes, not knowing how or where to start is frustrating. Knowledge is power. Having a clear understanding of how and where to start is empowering and it will provide the extra drive needed to hit the mark you are aiming at and follow it through.

Having enumerated all these tips and tricks to attain self-motivation, but still you seem to feel lacking that much needed drive, there is one last thing that you must try.

Whatever it is that you have been meaning to do, or wanting to achieve, JUST DO IT! Keep on aiming high and go for it! Actually getting your hands dirty best solves the problem of motivation. By “forcing” yourself to just do it, your momentum will pick up gradually as you go along and before you know it you have finished the task or have finally achieved your goal. Divide and conquer is the key.

Break down the apparently unattainable activity to small doable steps. Not only does it become less overwhelming, but seeing the “in the meantime” results will further your confidence that it can indeed be done.

Lack of motivation happens to us all, but if you do not encourage yourself to accept opportunities and be challenged, no one else will. It is most important to keep your eye on the goal, find ways to keep going, and in no time, you shall reap its benefits.

And if at the beginning you were just doing it for the material reward, you will also learn to realize that the fulfillment, satisfaction and self-achievement you derive from reaching your goal is a much enjoyable high that will keep the drive within constantly burning.

Starting a seed is the most important part of the process when you are first learning how to grow crystals.  There are many different methods, but the two basic ones that everyone uses are either the string method or the evaporation method.  Both of these methods are similar and it is up to you which one you want to go with.  I prefer the string method because it is easier and requires fewer steps.  Many people looking to display their crystals prefer the evaporation as there will be no string with crystal afterwards.

The string method is extremely simple.  Once you have your solution completely salinated simply take a string and drop it in.  Make sure to secure it off the side of the jar floating down in the middle of the solution.  The surface of the string is far rougher than the edges of the glass so the salt will collect on the string and begin to crystallize.  You need to simply keep an eye on it and continue to add salt and water and keep the solution up.  As you do this the crystal on the sting will grow and grow, simply let it do its thing and take it out when you are ready.

The second way to grow crystals is the evaporation method.  Take a little bit of the saline solution you created and set it in a small plate.  Put the plate out and let the water evaporate.  Do this a couple of times until small crystals develop on the plate.  When you are ready, take the crystals and place them into the jar.  You must be absolutely sure that the solution is completely saturated or your crystal seeds will dissolve.  Keep the solution saturated and watch your crystals grow.

St. John’s Wort

This is one of the favored holistic herbs among herbalists because this holistic herb has been used to treat depression (mild and moderate cases) for thousands of years. Not only can St. John’s Wort help with depression, but it can also help with insomnia and anxiety. This herb should not be taken if you are taking drugs such as warfarin, digoxin, or some drugs that are used to treat HIV. If you are on any medication, consult a doctor before you begin takig St. John’s Wort.

Passionflower

Passionflower is another holistic herb that is commonly given to those who are suffering from depression. This herb has a tranquilizing effect on the nervous system for most people. This is usually prescribed for insomnia and anxiety, but can also be used for depression. It is a non habit forming herb, so this is good to use for people with symptoms of withdrawal from alcohol and nicotine. It is very gentle and should be the one of the holistic herbs that you consider before beginning to use Valerian

Valerian Root

This is one of the most pungent holistic herbs that are still be used today. It smells very strong and is known for being a plant that the drug Valium was derived from. You should not take Valerian root for more than three weeks for depression or insomnia. It is a potent herb and should be used with caution. Too much Valerian Root can disrupt your deep sleep, which will lead to tiredness even if you are getting a good amount of sleep each night.

Holistic herbs can help alleviate symptoms of depression, but if your depression gets worse or you have suicidal thoughts, you will want to seek the help of a medical professional immediately for further treatment. It is up to you to let your doctor know any previous treatments you have tried.