.....relationship

Yogis,
Recently there was an article in the Washington Post about plants. The discussion was whether it is possible to have a relationship with a plant. There is scientific research being done to determine if plants respond to human touch and voice……since we tend not to trust anything until proven by science (but that’s another whole topic.)

These type of studies have been going on as long as I have been alive as demonstrated in my middle school science fairs. Inevitably at least one student would have conducted an experiment growing plants from seeds, each being raised with different stimuli. Some were sung to, some ignored, while others even yelled at. The potted plants, in different states of growth would be displayed on a folding table with charts, usually next to the kid who had saved his baby teeth and soaked them in Coke.

I remember even at that age having absolutely no doubt that plants benefit from our company…..or that Coke was bad for your teeth.

Fast forward to adulthood and a snake plant someone gifted me about 20 years ago. If I recall, it had four or five stems which were each about 18 inches tall, and was in one of those standard dark green plastic pots. I had a few indoor plants at the time and admit I did not pay them a whole lot of attention.

Five years later we moved next door and I put the snake plant in the basement guest room next to the window. I would go down to water it every week or two, but otherwise, unless we had guests, it sat alone.

The stems grew slightly taller and began to flop over from their weight. I put a wood stake in the pot and loosely tied them upright. I would give it a pep talk and head back upstairs. Until one time when I went down and walked in the room, I swear it looked over at me and said, ‘Are you serious? You are going to leave me in here forever?’ Sigh. Upstairs she came and I placed her next to my ficus in the reiki room.

Recently a client walked in for her first session and exclaimed, ‘that is the biggest snake plant I have ever seen!’

She is now taller than me, has been transplanted three times and is probably comprised of over 50 stems. It is hard to even water her since she is so thick. Then a few years ago she started blooming annually! Who even knew they bloomed?

I talk to her. I play music. I light candles. People come and lie on a table right next to her as we slow our heartbeats. I teach breathing classes in there. She receives my exhales and in turn transforms them into new air for me to breathe. The room has amazing energy and she plays a role in creating that.

Do we have a relationship?

A relationship must flow in both directions. All I know is I finally gave her the environment and attention she needed to flourish and in return she cleans my air, beautifies the space and makes me smile.

Do you have a plant friend? I would love to hear about her.

In a relationship,
SARAH