6 Dec 2007 —
Question
Q26: Trees, Plants & Flowers?
Question 26:
“How much time do you spend in touch with trees, plants and flowers?
Describe briefly…”
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To post your answer, click on ‘Add Comment’.
Question 26:
“How much time do you spend in touch with trees, plants and flowers?
Describe briefly…”
———————————
To post your answer, click on ‘Add Comment’.
i always loved nature. mountains, trees, flowers. i go for long walks for enjoying the greenery in the residential society where i live. earlier i used to just feel joyful seeing the beauty of the tall trees, dancing creepers, sweet smell of flowers. but after meeting Amma i understood that God is present in even a blade of grass. and no two blades of grass are the same. same is applicable to human beings too. Divinity in Diversity. i try to see One God manifesting in the variety of plants and flowers. even a small flower which may not have fragrance or be noticeable is beautiful in its own unique way. from a small blade of grass to the tall tree everything is beautiful in God.
I’ve always loved being outside with nature. I spend as much time as I can, though it gets rather hard around now when it’s freezing cold out and there isn’t any snow.
We (Mom and I) have a pretty big back yard for our little town, so we have a large colony of rather tame squirrels and a lot of birds. When I go outside it’s hard for me to walk on the grass especially now, when the grass is starting to die, because I’m stepping on Kanna! I always thing ‘Krishna, Krishna’, when I’m walking so I don’t insult the grass by stepping on it and squishing it. I try to see God in everything, down to the smallest piece of dirt, to the big tree.
We are that. When we see the flowers at Amma’s feet, a fulfillment comes. And a desire also comes to become cores and cores of petals again to fall on Amma’s feet again.
Currently when I think of Plants – I only think of the Tulsi plant at my home blessed by Amma… I pray for its well-being in this winter season with not enough sunlight and warmth… I worry about it and hope and pray Amma to give it the strength…
Back at home in India… I used to spend time admiring the flowers and plants in my backyard… It’s such a pleasurable experience and it brings so much of peace within to be with them…
I love nature and I remember Amma when I’m around trees. How amazing is it that Mother Nature provides such beauty for free? God created such a wonderful present for this world. I love nature. Although I’ve been very busy lately, I love my Mother Nature and want to protect her as much as possible. The simple elegance of the flowers. The beauty of the way a tree hangs. So glorious.
Every morning when I open my window, I feel happy admiring the large tree standing near the building …its branches have stretched towards the window. Lots of birds come and sit on the branches …lots of squirrels and butterflies ….a very wonderful and beautiful view to remind me of AMMA’s greatness. Whenever we get time, we friends go for a walk enjoying the serene beauty of the campus which is surrounded by the Western Ghats. It’s AMMA’s blessing to be in such a lovely place like Ettimadai 🙂
In fact it’s true that I do not spend time with Trees, Plants and Flowers, I believe I was asleep till 47 years of my life, I think I was khubhkarna. After Amma came to my life I see myself as a new born baby. When I go for morning walks I feel that there is life in the trees, plants and flowers, and that they also are also chanting Amma’s name with me. I daily pluck a flower for Amma from the garden.
As Amma always says trees and plants have feelings and it is so true: when I talk to them, I can feel a cool breeze caressing me. There may not be a single soul which doesn’t adore the beautiful smiling fowers. Hail mother nature who has offered us these trees, plants etc. and it is our duty to protect them.
Unless one sees Amma, the Creatrix, in the Creation, falling in love with trees, flowers and other beautiful things of the world leads one to bondage only. Enjoying trees and plants is fine, but nurturing them is altogether a different matter and often less done.
When I had first learnt IAM technique, the first advice Swami gave me was, do Yoga and IAM technique and focus on the beauty of nature. The beauty of trees, plants, and flowers helps in stopping the unwanted thoughts that arise during these physical pratices.
Naturally, during such practices which take an hour or more, I love to spend time looking at trees, plants and flowers absorbing their pure energy.
It is not possible for me to spend any time with trees and flowers now. But I cherish my memories during my childhood when I used to grow lots and lots of plants in our garden. Nurturing them was one of the activities which I really loved after finishing my studies.
I am unable to spend much time with trees, flowers etc. but something tells me that their fragrance/nature is out of this world. They serve all without asking for anything, like Amma!
I would love to live with plants, trees and flowers; and I was really enjoying this during my childhood. But, now Amma sent me to work in the desert….. Amma Sharanam.
Trees and Plants are part of my life. When i feel stressed out after a day’s work, in the evenings, i just take a cup of tea and walk around trees and plants in my garden. looking at the leafs that sprouted recently, the flowers that just blossomed, the life in each tree and plant, the small animals… each tree is so alive, buzzing with energy… after 20 mins i am ready to go back for more work…
Plants and trees are a Divine blessing from the God….
While within a full conscious day I am always in touch with the above mentioned ‘nature’ of this world. We are ever a part of this surrounding consciousness as we look out of our eyes and percieve and feel.
I bow at your feet Blessed Amma Om Om Om
Whilst I know how much trees, flowers and plants offer themselves to us, the sad thing is that I can only watch them and not touch them. I am one of the unfortunate ones who kills plants. So many tulasi plants have found their way to our home, only to end up dying 🙁 So; to do no harm, I only watch them and not touch any plants. I have been fortunate that my neighbour plants flowers for me in the spring and and I get to enjoy them. When they bloom, I take them into the puja room and place them at Amma’s feet.
There is however a tree I watch from the window of my office and at each turn of the season, it reminds me that there is hope and that life is after all a cycle.
Amritapuri has many gardens of potted plants that flower frequently. One, right at the south entrance, has a wonderful multitude of flowering shrubs and bushes. I always stop and admire their beauty. In the West, I would seek out the small gardens and green spots while riding my bicycle through Philadelphia. One of my favorite places, though, was about 10 miles outside the city. There, the expressway that I use passes by three large hills covered with trees – not a house or building in site. It lasts for about 30 seconds as you pass, and then civilization returns.
Yes, the vitality of the plant world is wonderful. For years i have lived across the street from a park, and a Grandmother Tree has lived there for many years. She is around 200 years old, the park history says. It is part of my morning and evening sadhana to have a walking meditation, to say prayers to the four directions with her.
Over ten years ago we had a micoburst that took out many of her branches, and the Park authorities put a big red X on her to be taken down, but somehow the X got a bark colored paint job, and remained alive. About every two years the Park authorities return and put a big red X on her, but somebody kept the bark colored paint, and Grandmother continues to hear the prayers of many of the park children.
Some 13 years back i used to spend lot of nights sitting by the “aal maram” (peepal tree) in front of ashram… One night, Swamiji was Tuning a new bhajan (vyadha ariyikkan) in the old library which is now turned to the shop… i was listening to this new song… it was a calm and quiet night the only sound was the beautiful voice of Swamiji. I looked at the tree, no leaves were moving as if the tree was also listening to that song. The tree was so still that my mind also stopped (almost).
nowadays when ever i get a chance i sit near that tree and remember that night……. that song and swamiji’s beautiful voice ……. it always brings a tear drop… that tree might have had many nights like that… lucky tree !!
The beauty of nature whether in the form of a blade of grass,dried leaves , tiny yellow flowers among the greenery has been a question of awe!!! Then I got opportunity to experience the dessert…. mountainous , rugged dessert.While trekking through, by AMMA’s grace I could behold in awe the majestic multilayered and multi- shaded earth, the wind carved profiles. ….The brown trees that dotted the vastness, growing without any trace of water truly beats the will of man. What shall I say but, “Sarvam Brahmamayam!” Om Amriteswariye Namah!
I do love to watch the greenery that nature provides whenever possible… As Amma says, I could get answers on lots of occasions by observing nature… It is a daily routine for me after having bath in the morning to water the two Tulasi plants at home, bow down to them and kiss them as if I am doing these to Amma’s lotus feet…
Mother Nature and HER abundant beauty has always been very close to my heart. I try to be with plants and tree for as long as possible. When we are watering or nurturing the potted plants or tree, how subtly and beautifully they communicate by their delicate touch, which is so refreshing. Also when they flower and bless us with their delicious and nutritious fruits; how delighted we feel! I wish i could be with tree and plant all 24 hours and be a loving child of Mother Nature and Mother Earth!
Talking of plants and trees, I was a witness to an unfortunate event yesterday. The tree in front of our house was cut down because our landlord requested since it was uprooting the sidewalk. I don’t spend much time with trees and plants though I do go out to the Orange tree in my backyard and talk to it/just be near it sometimes.
maybe once a week
I just try to be in nature as much as i can when i have the chance …Sometimes i go on hikes on Sundays and spent the whole day in nature away from the city. I love connecting with trees, flowers, water and the sky…I feel god’s presence everywhere. I feel peaceful and energized!
Whenever i am out i enjoy watching trees and plants. I used to touch and talk with them. They also like me.
Butterflies are really wonderful. What soft and colorful feathers they have! No human designer could make such colorful combinations. Only the Nature’s designer does it. Eventhough their life time is very short how much they enjoy it! Remember Amma’s words: living in the present? They fly from one flower to another and take only the nectar.
So little. The day is filled with things to do that keep me away from the plants that grow on my balconies. But I water them and look at them now and then, thinking how full of light (God) they are. Maybe they call out to me in the midst of something before I actually look at them. During my walks I look at the trees and their flowers. Last year, once, I saw more than a hundred butterflies on a red-flowering tree. Day before yesterday I climbed up a couple of branches on a tree and sat there for a while. It was a great feeling to be able to do that. Outside, my windows there are some trees that catch my attention frequently. One bald tree is always full of parrots and eagles which again remind me of Amma.
During my growing years…my biological mother emphasized the importance of loving plants and I loved watering them.. But, after marriage, kids etc. and moving to the West, I totally forgot all these until Amma just unfolded these early impressions and now I water and make my daughter kiss our plants that my wife maintains.
Plants, flowers grows in our garden and i spend every day at least 30 mintes. When they bloom, I take them into the puja room and place them at Amma’s feet. Amma always says “living in the present” and enjoy the movement. Butterflies and bees fly from one flower to another and take only the nectar,which shows ‘learn good things from people and ignore the bad ones.