With my work in Film Production, writing and other activities, I spend a lot of time in front of a computer screen. I am doing budgeting, scheduling for feature films. Or I am working on a novel or screenplay. In any case, screen Purgatory has its shortcomings.

To break this hideous glow screen monotony, I started going out more and more to the garden. Most of the time, this work in the garden deals with picking weeds, trimming the plants, and making sure that I stay ahead of the house upkeep game. That is how my gardening fix started at least. Maintenance.

Gardening and Getting Grounded

First Realization

Initially, I enjoyed taking a break and being outside in the garden. After all, I got fresh air and some great Vitamin D sunshine which depends on a number of factors like

• Time of day.

• Season.

• Latitude.

• Altitude.

• Skin color.

• Weather conditions.

• Air pollution.

Quite a list, huh? But that does check off my Better Health To Do off the list.

I am also moving around - reaching, bending, raking, cutting, etc., - so I can get physical exercise. I get up on the roof to pick lemons. I climb a ladder to trim the pomegranate tree (great crop this year!) I have to organize the cutting of the sago palm fronds to get them all in the green container. Work.

Second Realization

Working outside, I felt a certain sense of calm, appreciation in satisfaction with the work outside. After all, when I'm working at the computer I am basically sending electrons somewhere around the world with her it happens to be a budget, a script, an answer to my course or other correspondence. Well the work is certainly there in time consuming, I don't get to see it outside of the Electronic light world. Seeing the physical manifestation of my work such as on a tree, a bush or some kind of garden vegetable plant gives immediate satisfaction. I am actually helping a life form grow with care.

Think about that one. Helping a life form grow with care.

Now, helping the beets, tomatoes, grapes and peaches along isn’t exactly changing the world. But there is profound human connectivity and energy in the exchange of our human species with the Earth and plants. Profound. Like my friend has said for years, we can all the coolest electronic gadgets in the world. You cannot eat gadgets.

I have often said to my friends that the Irish should not be far from the Earth. I have half-Irish heritage (County Tipperary and Galway thank you very much). Perhaps the tragic notion of the induced Irish famine which caused my ancestors to sail to America that I have this feeling with the Earth. Indeed, it is a feeling and not an intellectual response.

A peaceful and calm feeling. Accomplishment. Presence in The Now.

And here’s where - away from the darn computer screen - I come up with some great ideas. One reason I keep my grid notebook handy. I come up with a business question or a creative question and write it down. Read it a half dozen times over the few hours before going to the garden.

That’s when, just working on the garden, did I get all sorts of answers, ideas, strategies, insights and surprises about this particular question. The key is to write them down right away and see if there are dots to connect or just more ideas let's sit there on the page. Then I continue on with a little more gardening, finishing up and almost always coming up with some great ideas about a question or a business situation or a creative direction.

Third Realization

Humans are Energy. Yes, we have intellect, will and heart. But Energy.

I have told my friends that I feel ‘grounded’ working with the Earth. One day, I was working in the garage and saw the ‘grounding’ pipe for the house. This pipe attaches to the house’s electrical system to supply the grounding for the house. I read this article about electrical house grounding:

If a wire connection becomes loose, for example, or a rodent gnaws through a wire, the grounding system channels the stray current back to ground by this alternate pathway before it can cause a fire or shock.

So, my thinking goes, better that I am grounded before some ‘rat’ (think pest, anxiety, frustration, etc., ) eats the wire in my brain to cause my brain to short circuit into a fire or shock. Quite a stretched metaphor but, at the moment, this made a lot of sense to me.

When I researched the article on ‘electrical house grounding’, then I also found articles on human health grounding. One article about ‘Grounding’ talks about going barefoot in contact with the earth to get a physical grounding effect. Water was also mentioned such as wading in a pond or swimming in the ocean. Humans were directly in contact with the earth for hundreds of thousands of year. Direct contact.

Here is a snippet from the article.

There have been several studies done that show that when we practice grounding (sometimes also called Earthing) it normalizes our daily rhythm and improves the way we sleep. There are many benefits to grounding including:

• Speeds healing

• Reduces inflammation by neutralizing positive electrons

• Relieves muscle tension and headaches

• Increases energy

• Improves blood pressure and blood flow

• Greatly improves sleep

• Lowers stress by reducing stress hormones

• Lessens menstrual and female hormone symptoms

• Protects the body from EMF’s

• Reduces or eliminates snoring

• Supports adrenal health

Humans walked barefoot, worked the fields and slept on the ground. Now, we we walk with our rubber soled shoes. Now I don’t garden barefoot but touching the earth with my hands still has an effect on me. "

This effect is called “Earthing” which you can read about also in the Deepak Chopra site. “Grounding the Human Body: Healing Benefits of Earthing.”

Now, I am telling you right now that I feel this effect - but couldn’t quite explain it. I feel centered, solid, strong and less stressed. I have to read more about electrons. One more reading assignment on the list. Sigh.

Final Realization

You may not be into gardening but you can find an activity which gives you flow. Where time goes by fast. Where you are mentally and physically engaged. Fixing an old car. Arts and crafts. A friend of mine who was (and probably still is) a very dangerous Special Ops guy loves to bake. And you better finish any cupcakes he hands out!

In ‘discovering’ this ‘grounding’ (more about discovering what I need than what exists!), I realized how such wonderful diversions (learn about diversions here) has also become a Dedication toward better mental and physical health. How this meditative practice of ‘being in the garden’ has given me great insight and shifted my values in a very positive manner. What are these?

Simplicity.

Grow. Nurture. Harvest. A bit like working toward one’s goals.

Focus

Grow what I want to eat. Don’t waste time with somebody else’s goals. Go after mine.

The Now

Be Present with my thoughts and give them a chance to become Great Thoughts. Happier? Yes.

And Grounded.