seeds, seedlings and gardening

last week i went to citizen's for a better south florida to start my practicum. i spent all day in the nursery being with the plants, transplanting them, doing surgery on them as Juan would say, making sure they were healthy and that all their needs were met and if they needed any support do something to provide that for them.

i have been reflecting a lot on the energy of seeds. in the mayan calendar, i am a yellow galactic seed. i know i have inside me the gift of blooming and flowering, however seeds can also be dormant for loooooooong periods of time.  i would like to be a seed that is permeable, that has a shell, a seed coat that protects me, but is ready to let life emerge, ready to bloom at any time, at the perfect time. i would also like to not hide behind my seed coat, to be open, gentle and giving.

as i was transplanting some gumbo limbo trees. i encountered a live oak seed that had germinated and was starting to grow, it was one of the most beautiful things i have ever seen in my life. i really respect plants and i often wonder how life feels for a plant.

as i was transplanting different kinds of plants, gumbo limbos, wild coffees, jamaican capers, i started to realize how different plants are and was trying to tune in with them to figure out what they wanted for their new home. as i transplanted them, i was trying to make sure the plants would have enough space to grow to their highest potential, to make sure the space they had felt open and rooted enough.

then, i started to see how important taking it is to take care of the plants around us. we spend so much time taking care of our possessions, cars, houses, doing laundry... how much time do we spend taking care and being grateful for the elements that sustain us and that without them, there would be no life. our plant friends not only provide oxygen for us to breathe, they are also the at the base of the food chain ensuring that we get the food we need. plants prevent erosion holding the ground together for us to have a place to be. i think that taking care of plants is one of the best ways to be in tune with our environment with the elements that shape us and to take care of ourselves, our health and to check in to see how connected are we with the world we live. in

getting my hands in the soil has been a wonderful way to transition back into city life and still feel connected with the earth. as i learn and really experience plant life, i uncover things about myself. getting my hands on the soil helps me be grounded as i transition from place to place, as a i transplant and begin the process of building a new house.