While looking for quotes for the Spirit Shrine & Sanctuary page, I ran across this wonderful quote from Christopher Forrest McDowell:
Sanctuary, on a personal level, is where we perform the job of taking care of our soul.
I loved the message itself and it seemed relevant, but I didn't know much about the author so I Googled him. What I found surprised me! When we speak of sanctuaries, it often conjures images of grandiose churches and mystic temples; for some, it's the solitude of meditation or a sacred space. However, it never occurred to me that a sanctuary could also be a vegetable garden!
The quote that I loved so much was taken from the book, "The Sanctuary Garden" by Christopher & Tricia McDowell. Like so many who find gardening to be a peaceful and meditative act, the McDowell family believed that it was not just a utilitarian effort but it also served as a reminder of the connection that we share to the land and animals that inhabit this world with us. Using design elements such as water, colors, natural rock features and incorporating artwork into the garden, we can change a simple garden into a beautiful habitat for humans and animals alike; something that we can share with each other and with nature in a positive and healing way.
The McDowell's realized that by planting and nurturing a garden in a respectful, organic and sustainable manner, we not only create opportunities for survival and nourishment, but we also honor nature and create a bond that ties us to all living things. We become stewards of the earth and of each other, and in return, the gardens we maintain give us the focus and peace to feed our bodies and our souls.
In 1985, when the McDowell family first created the nonprofit Garden Stewards Project, they envisioned it as a way to share their passion for gardening while teaching others to create sustainable, nourishing gardens to feed their family and share with their communities. At that time, the McDowell family produced and distributed free of charge, easy to follow brochures and instructions on creating healthy gardens and respecting the earth. Over the years, they continued reaching out to assist communities and even acquired volunteers and businesses to support and assist with creating gardens for low-income citizens, seniors, women's shelters and neighborhoods in need. Eventually, they dropped the nonprofit status in order to continue their efforts in producing practical, low cost materials but their mission to educate people on the importance of gardening, composting and nutrition continued.
Christopher Forrest McDowell and Tricia Clark-McDowell live and work near Eugene, Oregon and are the founders of the world-renowned Cortesia Sanctuary and Center for Natural Gardening and Healing. To learn more about this amazing project and these two beautiful people, please visit them using the link below. Peace
Christopher Forrest McDowell, The Garden Stewards Project
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