You can tell how healthy people are by looking at their gardens. Not just their physical health, but their mental, spiritual, and emotional health too. If they’re flourishing, maikai (good)! If they are weedy, drying, or less neat, then perhaps something is out of balance.* Whenever I pay attention to my garden and take care of the aina (land), my family is rewarded with an abundance of food and beauty. Tending my garden is a way I meditate.
My family is committed to growing some food, eating healthier, and living well. This year we invested in good soil mix, planter boxes, bird netting, a worm farm, and natural slug repellent. The late summer months into September have yielded a small but satisfying crop by the studio. We were blessed with Manoa lettuce, bok choy, long squash, sweet potato, papaya, mango, avocado, noni, basil, garlic chives, rosemary, olena (turmeric), calamondin, mint, dill and cilantro.

Avocado

Bok Choy

Eggplant

Hayden Mango

He'e (Octopus)
To Native Hawaiians, the aina includes the sea. One recent morning while walking along Kaaawa beach, I saw this bounty of freshly caught octopus hanging out to dry. Wow!
Mahalo e ke Akua!
Copyright 2009 Rebekah Luke
* Reiki can be a powerful way to bring things back into balance. Click on REIKI HEALING BY OELEN on the menu bar for more information.
[…] Gratitude for my abundant garden September 8, 2009 […]