How do you go from gardening on a ‘hum drum’, or even ‘horrific’ piece of land to creating the garden that you never dreamt possible on that same property?
Is it possible? Or is it the stuff of fairy tales?
I know for a fact that it can be done because that’s exactly what I did.
Thanks to the laws of quantum physics.
If you think I’m bonkers, then feel free to stop reading the article.
But if there’s something intriguing to what I’m saying, then please read on.
This is a true story.
For those of you who are familiar with my book, Digging Deep Unearthing Your Creative Roots Through Gardening, you already know how I transformed an aberrant shaped and barren piece of land into my own personal paradise. The book shares the creative process I used (7 Stages of Creative Awakening) in revamping my property as well as the process I used with clients in helping them unleash their own creativity and design a uniquely personal garden.
But what I didn’t know when I wrote the book, or a decade later when I wrote the 10th Anniversary Edition, is the underpinnings of quantum physics that is taking place every moment; in us, through us, around us ……and throughout the universe, galaxy, and into infinity.
It’s only since this past spring when I was turned on to the work of Dr. Joe Dispenza, read his best selling books Breaking The Habit of Being Yourself and You Are The Placebo: Making The Mind Matter and attended a workshop that he was teaching in Greece that I discovered the world of quantum physics and how it is constantly in play and responding to every thought we have.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with quantum physics, here’s a quick summary:
In the world of quantum physics, Einstein, along with other physicists, discovered that matter didn’t always behave in the same way. They observed at the subatomic level that the fundamental elements of the atom didn’t obey the laws of classic physics the way that larger objects did.
Yes, when Newton’s apple fell from a tree onto his head, its mass accelerated with a consistent force. But electrons, as particles, were found to behave in unpredictable and unusual ways. What physicists also discovered was that when electrons interacted with the nucleus of the atom and moved towards its center, they appeared and disappeared, gained and lost energy, and showed up all over the place without any regard to the boundaries of time and space.
“What quantum physicists discovered was that the person observing (or measuring) the tiny particles that make up atoms affects the behavior of energy and matter. Quantum experiments demonstrated that electrons exist simultaneously in an infinite array of possibilities or probabilities in an invisible field of energy. But only when an observer focuses their attention on any location of any one electron does that electron appear. In other words, a particle CANNOT manifest reality—that is, ordinary space-time as we know it—until we observe it. ” 1
Right about now, you’re probably asking: “So what does this have to do with me?”
Plenty.
If you agree that these subatomic particles, electrons, exist as pure potential –which means that they are everywhere and nowhere—until they are observed, then it follows that your personal physical reality exists as pure potential.
As Dr. Joe DiSpenza writes in his book, Breaking The Habit of Being Yourself:
“In other words, if you can imagine a future event in your life based on any one of your personal desires, that reality already exists as a possibility in the quantum field, waiting to be observed by you. If your mind can influence the appearance of an electron, then theoretically it can influence the appearance of any possibility.”
To put it simply, if you can imagine the garden of your dreams and continue to focus with intent on what you want with heightened emotions, the probability of you getting/creating it is increased dramatically. Some physicists and neuroscientists would say that it’s inevitable.
Although I didn’t know at the time, in hindsight, I now understand that it was the law of quantum physics that empowered me in creating the garden of my dreams in the suburbs of Pennsylvania.
Here are 5 tips:
1. Imagine
When I look back at what my property was, even after I spent money with landscapers on the front yard as well as building retaining walls in the backyard, it was still ugly. I lived this way for 10 years after building my home.
But throughout those 10 years, I was digging in the soil, experimenting, learning, and becoming passionate about gardening.
When I knew that I had reached a dead end with my garden and that I had to make a change, I interviewed landscape architects hoping that they could figure out this puzzle of a landscape. But not one even came close to doing so.
I finally realized that the solution had to come from me.
I treated my landscape like a mathematical problem that needed to be solved. I would look out my window in the back, over a cup of hot tea during the winter months, and wonder. I pondered, totally perplexed.
Even though all I saw in front of me was a huge hill with plantings and a few narrow beds filled with flowers, I was able to think about the magnificent gardens and places I had visited over the years and what the specific elements were that made me love them so.
Throughout this entire phase, I was constantly imagining and dreaming. Some might say that I was obsessed. For me, it was pure passion that kept me going.
2. Open To Possibility and Discover Your Deepest Desires
How to do it?
I think that one of the most fun and effective ways is to compile a portfolio of elements from gardens/landscapes/ settings that you’re drawn to.
When I did it years ago, I pulled photos out of magazines and divided them into different folders categorizing them as: overall design, structures, plant material, accessories, style, pathways, etc.
Today it’s much easier with Pinterest and other destinations on the internet to bundle together different elements that you’d like to have in your garden on the computer.
But if you’ve got a slew of home and garden magazines, feel free to rip out those pages where you find something that appeals to you and place aside.
The process of selecting what speaks to your soul can be very freeing if you don’t censor your likes and dislikes. Don’t question why you like something. Just go with your initial instincts.
Maybe you’ve always thought that you wanted a traditional property to complement your colonial styled brick home. You may end up being surprised that you’re drawn to a more romantic type of landscape. This is critical information to have at your fingertips if you’re intent on truly designing your own personal paradise.
If you want more detail on this exercise, you can find it at the end of the chapter on Discovering in my book, Digging Deep.
3. Change Your Beliefs
This, by far, is the most challenging step.
If you look at your backyard and see the same-old, same-old, each time you step into it, how can I expect you to believe that you actually can create the garden of your dreams?
Here’s the answer. You’re just going to have to trust me. Or stay stuck where you are. Or any of several other options.
The truth is this though.
You’re not going to change your beliefs by thinking about them.
The only way to change your belief system is to literally change your mind and open up to the infinite possibilities that are waiting for you.
Dream about what it is you desire with intent and heightened emotions.
This doesn’t mean that you ‘think about what you want’ your dream garden to look like.
It’s not about deceiving yourself into believing that if you ‘want’ something badly enough, you’ll attract it and it will miraculously appear.
Not at all. What I’m suggesting is no small feat for most of us.
Changing how you think takes commitment, discipline, and faith.
You literally need to enter an altered state and envision your dream garden. Some folks do it through meditating; for others, auto-hypnosis or a deep type of day dreaming works.
4. Practice Envisioning Your Dream Garden On A Daily Basis
This is a critical step.
Set aside at least 15 minutes each day (more is better) to sit in a quiet place, with your eyes closed. Transport yourself to your dream garden. BE THERE. What does it look like? What are the smells, touches, sounds? Who is with you and what are you doing? The more detail, the better.
As importantly, how does it feel? Are you filled with joy and feelings of gratitude? Do you feel inner peace? Excited? Remember, there is no one right way to feel. On different days, depending on where your consciousness, you’ll experience a variety of emotions.
By the way, your dream garden will most probably change and grow throughout the process.
Remember, you are planting the seeds of possibility.
Like most things in life, the more that you practice, the more skillful you’ll become.
5. Be Relentless and Focused
If after a few months, you still haven’t been able to consolidate the vision of your dream garden, not to worry. Each of us works at our own pace.
I’m presently meditating each morning about my next personal dream garden. I’ve been doing it for the past few months. I still don’t have several of the details flushed out.
In my Bryn Mawr, Pa. garden, it took me 2 years to do it. But I never gave up. I viewed it as a challenge.
Meanwhile, I continued gardening on my tough patch of land and pulling together elements of landscapes and accessories that spoke to my soul.
I was dreaming about the magnificent dry stone walls that I had seen on trips to England and in magazines. I voraciously read books by top garden designers –both past and present. I visualized the gardens at Great Dixter, Sissinghurst, Hidcote Manor, and Montisfont Abbey in England. I envisioned fields of lavender in Provence interspersed with elements from my childhood garden that I so loved — peonies, roses, and lilacs.
Guess what? My answer came to me one day when I received a copy of the new House and Garden Magazine with a photo of a restored Gertrude Jekyll garden with a series of amazing, stone retaining walls.
I finally knew what I wanted.
But how would I, on a limited budget, pull together enough money to build those types of walls in my backyard (let alone remove tons of dirt?)
That’s another story for another time!
I will tell you this though, the answer has something to do with quantum physics.
In Conclusion
I know that I’ve thrown a lot of information at you that may be difficult to digest.
If you have questions, please feel free to write me in the comment sections after the article or on either the GardeningGoneWild FB page or my Fran Sorin FB page. I will be checking in every day.
Want to try this practice but feel that you need some guidance and accountability? You can use me as your ‘accountability coach’, to make sure you follow through every day, you can contact me at: fran.sorin@gmail. Put in the subject header: accountability coaching.
If you have any personal stories of how you created your own dream garden, I would love to hear them.
As always, if you’ve enjoyed this post, please share with others on social media. It’s good karma….With love, Fran
P.S. If you’re interested in learning more about quantum theory, I suggest starting with this documentary below.
Quantum Theory Documentary with Brian Greene
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1LRY6HIRMw
Endnote
- Bohr, Niels, “On the constitution of atoms and molecules.” Philosophical Magazine, 26: 1-24 (1913)
Fran is the author of the highly-acclaimed book, Digging Deep: Unearthing Your Creative Roots Through Gardening, which Andrew Weil, M.D., recommends as "a profound and inspiring book."
A graduate of the University of Chicago with Honors in Psychology, she is also a gardening and creativity expert, coach, inspirational speaker, CBS radio news gardening correspondent, and Huffington Post Contributor.
Learn more about Fran and get free resources that will help you improve your life at www.fransorin.com.
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