Botanical Garden Breathing


 


I recently visited the Denver Botanic Gardens and found that I truly needed it. Ever since the pandemic happened, our lives were turned inside out - we lost lives, we lost ourselves, we lost everything. And we also gained quite a bit . . . but that's another post. Now that we have vaccines, the proverbial light can finally be seen. As I walked around the gardens, I noticed that there were others who wanted to enjoy a day being surrounded by the myriad faces of botany. Flowers of every colour, an area designated for bonsai, Victorian-styled gardens, Japanese-influenced garden spaces, and above everything else, a chance to relax and breathe. Plus, there's a killer Salvador Dali exhibit that gives attention to his flower and fruit drawings. Meditation doesn't have to take place in some faraway monastery. The ability to slow down and focus on one's breathing can happen anywhere you desire. For me, nothing means meditation more than to walk through a botanical garden and appreciate the quiet beauty of the world. I had no reason to hurry or "get somewhere". All I did was stroll, breathe deeply, study the different flowers and plants, and people watch. My flaneur abilities are kinda rusty (grin). As I walked along, another thought came to mind - this is my home now. Denver is not just a place I'm visiting. Denver is my home. Colorado has a quiet intensity about it, reminding me of New Mexico and Arizona. If anyone had told me that I would be living in Colorado, I would have said they were very, very, very wrong. How wrong I was. The snow-covered mountains, the tall spruce trees that remind me of guardians, and above everything else, the feeling that finally, I belong. If there is a botanical garden in your area and it's open, I highly recommend you visit it. Inspiration can come at any time. For me, it was a double-dip. 


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