Some people in the eco-village say it’s a pity that I wasn’t here in the summer, because a lot more happens in the garden then. I get what they mean. Summer is the season when everything grows and thrives. Surely it must be more rewarding to experience that than to harvest cabbage, cabbage, and cabbage, shovel compost over the soil, and prune branches? Right? Well, I’m not sure.
We tend to focus more on growth. Perceived stagnation makes us uneasy. Why is that?
A while ago, I spoke with Greetje, who is one of our dedicated volunteers. Greetje has for many years been involved in all the plant growth stages, from seed to harvest. She told me that now, after all this time, she is more interested in delving into the beginning and end of the process, where the circle closes. Where the plant dies, is composted, and becomes new soil. She wants to save the seeds and plant new plants.
This resonated so much with me. In fact, I really enjoy watching everything go to sleep; there is something very fascinating about how nature prepares for the next season, and I feel that this stage is often overlooked. We tend to focus more on growth. We want to see the seed grow and eventually produce a harvest. Even as humans we want to “grow,” don’t we? We want to reach new levels of insight and success. Perceived stagnation makes us uneasy. Why is that? Do we think we are standing still just because we don’t see any growth? Do we think nature is standing still as we walk through the icy cold winds of winter?
Winter may be like the Death card in a tarot deck. It signifies that something that no longer serves you needs to end.
I believe that the process of decay is at least as interesting as the process of growth. While spring and summer are times for birth and movement, autumn and winter are about letting go and gathering strength. Winter may be like the Death card in a tarot deck. Some become scared when they pull that seemingly ominous card. However, Death is probably the most misunderstood of all tarot cards. Instead of representing a violent death, it represents the end of a cycle. It signifies that something that no longer serves you needs to end.
I used to feel resistance to endings. I hated them. Scared of the unknown, I would hold on to things. Now I feel that there is something liberating about endings, even when good things come to an end. Sometimes life is about wilting down, waiting, and resting. We can’t be up and running all the time, we also need time to reflect and just be. It’s not stagnation; it’s transformation.
I can feel quite clearly right now that I am approaching an end. Obviously, my volunteer project in the Netherlands ends on January 15th, which is less than a month away. But it’s deeper than that. I also have ongoing processes within me that are coming together right now; I can just feel that. I’m slowly composting, and eventually, a new seed will grow. There is so much more to say about that but for now, I’ll leave it at that.
So, no. For me, summer is no more impressive than winter. I’m happy to be here this season and am possibly even more fascinated by rebirth than by growth. I also feel like I, through the garden, am in touch with the cycle of life in a way that I haven’t before. It’s as if we are one.
For me, summer is no more impressive than winter and I am possibly even more fascinated by rebirth than by growth. Through the garden, I am in touch with the cycle of life in a way. It’s as if we are one.
Greetje has also reached an end, by the way: she will in fact stop volunteering at Ecodorp Bergen, at least to the extent she is working now. I hope she finds joy in her new focus!