I was thinking a lot lately about how to connect all my passions together. Didn’t figure it out yet, although the working version is : Meaningful slower living with humans and plants. So this time, I teamed up with my friend Sarirah and she wrote for us really thorough article about the ways plants and nature help us live slower life. I am sure you will enjoy it and if you fancy a read and more slow living ideas, you should definitely check Instagram and sign up for her Free 7 Days of slow living Guide and lovely newsletter on her blog. She has so much wisdom about intentional living and I am glad to share her view on slowing down with plants!
Nature is a slow living lifestyle teacher. Plants are in no rush to grow up. They will take their time growing stable roots and strong stems. Enough leaves and spend energy turning to face the sunlight and only producing flowers when the time is right. (On a much larger scale, trees will wait decades to make their debut at the top of the canopy). Taking care of plants forces you to slow down and work at their pace. Appreciating that some good things take time and when you finally see those beautiful blooms, it’s overwhelmingly more satisfying than you thought it would be. Perhaps, the same could be said for the work that we do and the people we try to grow connections with.
I’ll keep this short for you. Five ways to embrace slow living through the world of plants. Pick one and give it a go this week. And remember, it matters not that we may be approaching colder seasons and the peak of Summer blooms have passed. Embracing the seasonal shift and the wonder each season has to offer is a part of the journey.
1. Clear mind
Indoor plants are more than just their appealing indoor jungle aesthetic. Spider plants, Chinese Evergreen, Bamboo palms etc. are all brilliant housemates to keep the air clean. Especially great if you tend to work with paints and other high-fumed chemicals and materials for work or play. Clean, filtered air eases our breath and helps to clear foggy minds.
2. Growing edibles
From little pots of herbs to looming tomatoes on the vine, growing your own food is an exciting journey and one of many benefits. Imagine stepping out into a little garden area and picking homegrown produce to use in your cooking. The flavours are stronger, the colours more real in their gradients of red, blushing yellows and irregular sizing. The appreciation of knowing how much time and effort and work went into putting that food on your plate resonates. It connects you with your surroundings and reminds of the balance between giving and taking.
3. Plant care
A process that requires patience. Learning to go with the ebb and flow and patiently ride the waves has been one of the harder slow loving struggles for me. And whilst in work or the amount of time I allocate to spend exercising etc. can still have me rushing around, plant care cannot. It’s not possible to rush the care of your plants and flowers without jeopardising the process. Sometimes, it’s taking your time learning the right ways to care for each individual type of plant you have. Or carefully watering, checking for moist soil or a health check. Misting the leaves, wiping them down, pruning. Noticing your surroundings - where has the best light in the afternoon, which way should your plant be facing? All movements of slow, deliberate actions. Perhaps small spaces, little kids running around or curious pets make it harder for you to own and look after a plant family. Whilst there are many plants that require minimal work, these last two are with you in mind.
4. A foraging adventure
Part of embracing slower living is soaking in your surroundings. Slowing your pace so you can notice the small details. Cracks in the pavement, daisies peaking out between the grasses and wildflowers hiding around your doorstep. Next time you go for a walk, look out for any flowers, conkers, pine cones along your path. Perhaps you may collect a bunch of buttercups and daisies to sit fresh in a tea cup next to your morning brew. Or, as Autumn rolls around, forage for the most magnificent fallen leaves in all of their golden and burnt orange glory.
5. Preserving nature
Perhaps your foraged arrangements won’t last long in a little jar on your kitchen counter. Something i’ve loved to do since I was a child is press little flowers and leaves by resting them inside large books. You could even do this with daisy chains. As the next season rolls around, open that giant dictionary or encyclopedia to discover a new dimension of beauty from the once fresh flowers that you picked.
If you want to get in touch with Sarirah you can find her on her Blog or on Instagram where she shares beautiful pictures full of flowers and nature. Share some love and say hi since she made so much effort to write these amazing tips for us, will you?
