Growing our Juice

my garden

As I thought about this post topic, which continues on from my previous post “Boosting our Juice”, an image comes to mind of growing a garden. 

We prepare the ground, choose seeds or plants and the right time for optimum results, water regularly, then tend and nurture - with hopefully lots of hot sun - until our crop ripens for us to reap and enjoy.

As I reflect on growing my own new garden in the last 5 months I have sometimes felt impatient for it to flourish - but I know that everything takes time to grow into its fullness, just as what we create or intend, for our own lives, takes time to bloom.

So, to develop your own personal juicy essence is really quite simple - a little time to reflect on what is important to you, perhaps make a list, or map of your preferred juicy life. You may not be able to reap all on your list (the same as your garden), but there are a few basic needs that will certainly help you to age with emotional resilience, a loving heart, and optimism.

In preparing for our third chapter we can choose a physical place to live that nurtures us(ie. the Blue Mountains is where I feel my essence is nurtured), choose warm, supportive friends, fertilise our mind and engage in regular physical activities, and most importantly, care for our physical body with healthy live food, water and supplements that will energise every cell in our bodies.

And lastly, some qualities that Jean Shinoda Bolen suggests we cultivate are (though it might take more than a night to grow these):

- We don’t whine, or grovel
- We trust in our instincts
- We meditate, pray, or have an inner life
- We find our fiercely compassionate voice
- We laugh together, and
- We’re grateful for our life

with gratitude on this beautiful summer's day