read time 5 minutes

The art of being alone

Alone in the garden, I meet myself most honestly. I hear bird song or the hum of bees and come face to face with who I truly am. What exists of me beneath the noise and expectations I place on myself.

It’s in these moments that clarity arises — not from thinking harder, but from simply allowing space. It allows us to tune in to what we really think, feel, or need — rather than what we should think, feel or need.

Being alone in the garden doesn’t mean being disconnected – it connects us to cycles and seasons. The solitude is not a retreat from life, but a return to it. As we spend time with the soil and the sun we begin to move in tune with the cycles that govern all of life — growth, decay, rest and renewal.

In a world that often equates being alone with absence, the garden shows us it is actually full of richness. Nature will continue with or without me. In the slow opening of a flower I see something wise. I guess I too am meant to grow, rest and begin again.

I belong to something timeless here.

How trees reduce anxiety

When you take a deep breath around trees, you’re not just breathing in fresh air – you’re inhaling microscopic life that reduces anxiety and stress.

Your breath introduces beneficial bacteria into your microbiome, which is closely linked to our brain, helping to boosts serotonin and calm our nervous system.

I never knew the science behind it – but it makes total sense – I always feel better being around trees.

Ma (間)

In Japanese, ma (間) refers to the intentional use of empty space. It’s not just the absence of elements, but a meaningful pause that gives shape to what’s around it.

Ma values what’s left open. It reminds us that silence, stillness, and gaps have power. In both gardens and life, ma shows that meaning often lives in the spaces in between.

Reflections from your garden

For the first time, I wanted to share some of the beautiful reflections you’ve sent me in the past week:

I am on a flight home from Japan and just read your email. It was cherry blossom season in Japan and we saw so many trees in full bloom the past few weeks. This morning on my last walk, most of the cherry blossoms had dropped and were replaced with new small green leaves. I thought it was beautiful to see the change. My sister in law was so sad to see the cherry blossoms go, but I admit, I loved seeing the blossoms and I was happy to see the green leaves come out, too. I appreciate your thoughts so very much. It is a reminder to me to allow things to be as they are and change as they need to rather than hang on to them. That is hard to do, but like you said, it is the way of nature and perhaps the way it is meant to be. Sending the warmest of thoughts! – Camille Dromey

This is a lovely, positive and delightful newsletter which I received this evening after a busy day gardening here in New Zealand. – Judith Walker

… and so many others 💚

Reflections from your garden

Your responses remind me how connected we are through our shared love of nature.

If you’d like to share your thoughts, I’d love to hear from you.

Thanks for reading 💚

-Hetty