In the Garden With Mary

by Jennifer Baltz

Four years ago, I stood on a hilltop in Epheseus, Turkey. I was there on pilgrimage, to discover myself, my past lives, and integrate my spiritual information with my physical life.

One bright morning, we visited Meriamana, a shrine entrusted to the care of a group of monks. It is purported to be the last home of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Although the sacred spring was buried underground in an earthquake years ago, many still come to light a candle for their loved ones, and pray to Mary for healing and wisdom.

A Message from Mary

While walking through the church built on the site of the house, I lit a candle at the shrine, and said hello to Mary, asking for her advice and communication. I felt a gentle energy touch my mind and heart, and a voice said "Go into the garden. You will find what you seek there." Obediently, I headed out into the garden on the property, noticed the fall flowers and wondered what more there was to find. It was a beautiful garden, but I didn't get any more telepathic communication. Disappointed, I still made a resolution that whatever she meant would come to me in time.

As time passed after the trip, I found myself doing more and more gardening. It dawned on me one day that Mary was referring to my garden, not hers. At the time of the trip, I had considered myself a black thumb, a flaming Saggitarian with no information about green and growing things. As a city dweller, I felt disconnected from the earth and her mysteries. Since standing in Mary's garden four years ago, I have created my own garden wherever I go. Perserverence and patience have paid off. I have discovered that if you listen to the earth, you can learn tremendous things about yourself.

Communicating With The Earth

In many religions and cultures, talking to plants and animals is accepted and understood. Most, if not all, Native American cultures will ask first before they take an animal or plant for food, and thanks are given to the spirit of the animal or plant for the harvest.

Most store-bought food is processed and pre-packaged and at least three days to several weeks or more away from its original source in nature. The essential life force is greatly diminished, and it is difficult to see or hear it, even for an experienced clairvoyant. Growing things is a way of re-establishing your connection with the essential life force that pulses through us all, and through every living organism on the planet.

As I have gardened over the past few years, I have been learning about myself, about my own joy and my own connection with the planet and with all living things. Mary's communication may not have made sense to my head, but my body heard and understood, and answered with a need to feel growing things and earth between my hands.

In the garden, I have learned about life and death, about creation and harvest, about how to manifest my dreams into reality. I have learned about God. It is an amazing growth space. You can see infinity in a blade of grass.

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