Welcome to Divinya’s garden and its vision
One important step towards the self-sustainability we ultimately want to achieve at Divinya, is our permaculture garden. The garden is enriching our living experience in so many different ways. It allows us to come closer to our bodies and to the life in our ecosystem in a profound way. It feeds us not only with nourishment but with natural wisdom every day.
We choose to aim for becoming independent from the currently existing food industry. In our societies we might not be aware of the actual impact food has on our physical and mental well-being, neither of the destructive consequences it has in the world. The global industrial food complex is based on the exploitation of human beings, animals and entire ecosystems. This is why at Divinya we are eager to make our way of living part of the solution itself. We wish to sustain our life based on the values of caring, sharing and participating. Only by living and learning together we can create a new experience and a new reference for life. Taking active part in the whole food process, from making the garden beds, seeding, transplanting, observing and caring, to harvesting, preparing, cooking and eating together, makes this experience whole. As an expression of a collective experience, we maintain the garden as an open space, where everyone is welcome to participate and to take care with a sense of collective ownership and responsibility.
When we eat something we absorb a whole living experience. Energy is always flowing. Whatever we give out through our thoughts, words and actions will move on and have some effect in this world. This is why, when we work in our permaculture garden we make sure to always act with peace and love. After all, these vegetables will reach our plates and our bodies, passing on to us all the information they have collected during their lifespan. They were allowed to grow under the sun and in the fresh air, purely, without any pesticides or any financial interest involved. What is more, we put so much loving care into them, both in the garden as well as in the kitchen. As a consequence, they nurture our bodies not only with the energy from the sun and the soil, but as well with the information of freedom and love. Whenever we sit down for a meal we become aware of this invaluable blessing we receive.
Experiencing the plants in the garden, growing through all the different stages of existence, reminds us that there is a cosmic order which every being on this planet follows. The processes of sprouting, blooming, ripening and regenerating are connected with the four seasons. According to the respective cosmic constellation, certain fruits and vegetables are present in our ecosystem at particular times of the year. The cosmic movement creates not only a movement in the ecosystem but also in our bodies. We naturally long for food that belongs to the same ecosystem we live in and exactly at the time of their ripening. For example, if it is the season for apples to be ripe in our region, our bodies will long to eat apples. We come to know that we too belong to the same cosmic order. If we mix food from different regions we confuse our physical system. The more we separate ourselves from the food we eat, by importing it from far away and not being involved in its cultivation process, the more we alienate ourselves from this planet.
Being present with all our senses
Inspired by the Teachings of Guruji Sri Vast, which are the foundation of Divinya’s philosophy and vision, we are invited to see the glittering joy in every detail of nature, and to become present to this moment through all our senses.
“When you look at a blooming flower, and you become part of that flower blooming – it is so beautiful. When the flower pulls you and when you allow yourself to be pulled by that joy, something is happening inside of you. Such a joy is experienced by the flower, and when you are able to experience that joy, you and the flower become one – you are not separate in that blooming moment. Many things can come – tears, laughter, silence, dance, poetry, songs – So many things can come, if you allow it. Suddenly the flower and you are not two different expressions of this moment anymore.” Guruji Sri Vast
By being present and opening our senses to the godliness of the whole composition of the present moment, we start to realize that nothing else can substitute this pure and subtle joy which is expressed everywhere and in everything. It also reveals that we, with our domesticated backgrounds, need to be patient to become part of this natural order again. We witness and celebrate the entirety of the ripening process as the fruit slowly reaches its full potential. Even if it might be tempting to harvest the fruit a few days earlier, the experience only becomes complete if we allow the whole process to evolve naturally. The same with overripe food – its nurturing properties of aliveness is expired. We are becoming more and more aware that everything we eat creates an experience inside of us. When we eat unripe or overripe food, we are not only taking away the opportunity for the strawberry to reach or be enjoyed in its full potential, but also denying the experience of completeness and aliveness within ourselves.
The garden also offers a healing space for us, due to its calm and peaceful atmosphere and the mesmerizing beauty of all the plants and the design of the garden itself. Designing the permaculture garden was a dynamic process, co-created by the whole community. One aspect is the grand scale of the garden which contributes to an atmosphere of space and freedom. We studied sacred geometry and the effects and functions of different shapes and compositions, and in what way they contribute to express beauty, freedom and sacredness.
Gardening as a spiritual practice
When we are engaged physically in the garden, using our hands to feel the soil, letting our feet touch the ground, sensing nature’s beauty, feeling the wind blowing through our hair and the sun and the rain touching our skin, we are in touch with all elements, preparing ourselves to reclaim the relationship with nature and unite the body with the cosmic realm.