Therapeutic Benefits of Gardening
Gardening and Free Daily Exercise
One of my favorite exercises and hobby is Gardening. From a young age, my father used to encourage me to get out in the garden and have fun using my creativity. He gave me a small piece of our garden to plant, weed, move things around, turn the soil – yes, that is what we do in Lebanon because the ground can get really hard. So, every Spring, we add compost to the garden right when the perennials start showing up and turn the soil, mixing the old with the new soil to soften the old hard soil. I am so grateful my dad encouraged me to play in that little plot of the garden. Now, I love it and always feel great after working a few hours in my garden. I feel better than after working out for an hour in the gym. The reward is when all the colorful perennials start giving me these beautiful bouquets of colors and gorgeous flowers to decorate our house and share with friends and clients…
Why is gardening so great for our bodies and mind?
Here are Some Therapeutic Benefits of Gardening:
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Getting the fresh air and the Vitamin D even if the sun is hiding behind clouds.
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The yoga movements that happen during the work: forward bending, twisting, reaching forward, kneeling..
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The joy and nourishment of our hard work harvesting flowers, fruit, berries and vegetables.
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When I am tired, just walking around my Zen Garden and enjoying the beauty of it makes me feel great and brings a smile to my face and soul.
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Sitting with a book or a cup of tea out in the garden or eating a meal surrounded by all theses beauties and the magic of nature is priceless.
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Watching nature coming to me in the form of butterflies, hummingbirds, the singing of the birds, my cat massaging her fur and back on the pebble alley and grass is such a pleasure.
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Sharing my garden with friends and neighbors to inspire them, to enjoy relaxing times together.
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Sweating is a good natural way of detoxing when gardening.