our terrace as seen from Niki’s Pension

As Ungaretti would say, “here we are like leaves on trees in autumn” (si sta come d’autunno sugli alberi, le foglie). Our terrace, now cluttered by leaves that have fallen, reminds me that change is inevitable. Why is it that this impermanence makes me melancholy?

One of my favorite places in the Whole Wide World is our terrace here on Paros. I like to go there first thing in the morning with my coffee and our cat, Volver. Sometimes I take a book or hand sewing hoping to be productive . But, more often than not, I just sit there and absorb the atmosphere as if my body were a giant sponge soaking in plant vibrations.

Everything that exists vibrates. But not everything vibrates with the same frequency. Some frequencies are good for us, others bad. The vibration of plants is so good for us that it’s often used as a means of healing.

Since prehistoric times, plants have been used to cure people. But plants not only cure the body, they can cure the mind as well.

For example, plant scent has been used for centuries to cure mind and emotion. Ancient Greeks wore rose garlands as a remedy for headaches. And rosemary to strengthen memory.

In 1798, Dr. Benjamin Rush documented how working with plants helps improve the conditions of the mentally ill. He called it horticulture therapy. And today many hospitals and prisons have gardens for the purpose of recuperating what has been lost in terms of both physical and psychological health.

So, even if I sit on my terrace and apparently do nothing, I am practicing eco-therapy, biophilia, and eco-psychology!

No wonder my terrace makes me feel so good!

I’ve already written about our terrace HERE.

Volver on the terrace

Related books I hope to read soon: The Earth Has a Soul: C.G. Jung on Nature, Technology & Modern Life + Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder + The Voice of the Earth: An Exploration of Ecopsychology + Nature and the Human Soul: Cultivating Wholeness and Community in a Fragmented World + Ecotherapy: Healing with Nature in Mind

Related links: Sheriff donates produce from jail farm + The Garden Project