As the creators of reality, most of us have found something in our lives to help us feel our essence. Let us feel vivid and connected, comforting, and inspiring things. When life becomes chaotic, uncertain or scary, we turn to our meditation, whether it be music or art, or fishing or dancing to help us return to normal. For me, it is planting plants. I like gardening all my life. This is my meditation. I have always been fascinated by the miracle of nature, it can take a small seed and turn it into a mango tree, or a tomato plant or giant mahogany. As a gardener, I felt part of this magical process because I worked hard to create an environment that allowed this process to work.

In the early days of my gardening hobby, I chose organic because my goal has always been to be part of the natural process, not to believe that humans have found a better way. The use of synthetic pesticides and herbicides has proven to reduce our environment and turn fertile productive farms into wasteland, polluting our drinking water, rivers and lakes. Although I don't have scientific evidence, I believe that foods grown with these synthetic pesticides and herbicides contain a small amount of toxins that will affect our health in the long run. More importantly, for me, the use of nature requires me to learn the natural processes, help me to be closer to nature, to be close to nature, and to enhance the health of the planet.

For those who might think that life is nothing but an accident, take a good look at your garden. Have a clear command of things. Have you noticed the pressure to make the fruit grow more fruit? I learned this when I was attacked by the World Trade Center in 2001. Immediately after that event, the postal service department stopped shipping large boxes in accordance with federal government orders. I was running a nursery and organic tree farm in Guam. I ordered several fruit tree seedlings from California before 9/11, and these seedlings were hung up by postal services. Six weeks later, my box of fruit tree seedlings came in. Each small seedling about one foot tall will produce a bunch of tiny fruits. It is as if these trees are trying to breed before they die. Later I learned that by emphasizing mature trees, you can induce reproduction and increase yield.

I am also fascinated by the grafting and air level. I once grafted five different varieties of lemons onto a tree, all of which survived. For those who may not know, air stratification is a method of spreading a piece of limb from a tree, wrapping it in plastic and peat moss until it produces roots. You cut the root ball and the plants. It will grow into a productive tree in a year or two. Nature is amazing.

For me, nothing is more comforting, relaxing, and meditation than sitting on the floor of my garden. Work with my hands in the soil, smell the sunlight of plants and herbs, and feel the vitality of life around me. I know that other people will feel the same when they play music, go out to sea, paint on canvas or sing in the shower. We all have meditation that brings us closer to our inner self.

Meditation is not just sitting in the lotus position, breathing slowly, staring at the candle to calm your thoughts. For me, meditation is the process of linking my externality to the inner self. My external self is that I "think" about my role. My inner self is the creator of that character, and it is part of my experience of the whole creation. When you do what you like, you know that you are closer to your inner self, because the source and essence of the inner self is love.

Gardening as a meditation was originally published on Spring