Did you know that there’s a natural antidepressant in the soil? https:// www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/antidepressant-microbes-soil.htm. It’s true, Mycobacterium vaccae is the substance under study, and it seems to work like Prozac. The bacterium in the soil may stimulate the production of serotonin, which is responsible for making you happy and more relaxed. Lack of serotonin can lead to depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive behaviour, and bipolar problems. https:// www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/antidepressant-microbes-soil.htm The bacterium appears to be a natural antidepressant without any side effects. It may be as simple as playing in the dirt. So take those gloves off and get dirty.
Most enthusiastic gardeners will tell you that their garden is their “happy place.” It is the place they go to reduce stress and find the peacefulness that we all seek. The fact that there is some science behind it adds credibility to these gardening claims.
Antidepressant microbes in the soil cause cytokine levels to rise, which results in the increase of serotonin created. When tested on rats, the results were increased cognitive ability, lower stress, and better concentration.
Gardeners inhale the bacteria, have direct contact with it, and it can get into the bloodstream. The natural effects of soil bacteria can be felt for up to three weeks. So get out into the dirt and play, and it will improve your mood and your life.
This increasing disconnect from Nature we all are experiencing because of the increased digital world and the automation of our lives is harming us. No matter how hard we try, we can not intellectualize Nature. It is important to disconnect, get back into Nature, feel her energy, and become genuinely rejuvenated. It is an act of humbleness, silence, and listening to her, bringing yourself back into harmony.
When we talk about the energy that your garden needs from you, it looks like it is very much a two-way street. You need the garden as much as the garden needs you. Gardens never struggle with self-esteem or depression. Gardens are always happy places full of positive energy. It naturally draws people to that positive area.
So when we go to the garden, we find peace and happiness, but there is a purpose for that peacefulness. It opens up your spirit to listen, not with our ears, but with our inner listening. Nature is not exclusively in the physical realm. As we attune to the quietness, there becomes a knowingness, an awareness of the needs of the garden.
When we acknowledge this interconnectedness, that is a two way street of give and take gratitude and prayer; in doing so, we connect ourselves to wholeness.
We learn to be silent, rest and listen.