Sep 2, 20203 min read

The yoga of farming. {Week 16 CSA}

We thought we were yogis before we became farmers, but then we realized it's all the same.

Despite the West’s persistent association of exercise and bodily postures with the term “yoga,” the real meaning of the word travels much deeper. Yoga is an ancient Sanskrit word deriving from “yuj,” meaning “union, to join, or to yoke.” It traditionally refers to specific meditative practices aimed at uniting an individual's consciousness with Supreme Consciousness—the awareness beyond reality as we know it.

In this view, each of us are like waves upon the ocean, never apart from the sea of consciousness we come from, but often existing on the surface without realizing all that lies beneath. Working with hands in the soil, bathing in the elements of each day, and often only accompanied by the silent, small (and often buzzing) inhabitants of the land, offers a unique sense of closeness to that limitless ocean. In the space between our movements, the rhythm of the land can just barely be felt. A deep, undulating hum of forever dynamic life.

However odd, farming lends well to philosophical considerations. Perhaps it's being close to nature’s unfathomable intricacies that makes it difficult to resist. As our minds pause to allow us the quiet, rich appreciation of summer’s first melon, or autumn’s apple, we naturally develop a strong gratitude for these gifts. And farming—despite its many challenges—is so very ripe with gifts.

But this appreciation of, and closeness to, the giver of gifts is not reserved for those of us with perpetually dirty fingernails. Instead, it seems offered to those who stand firmly, humbly, and graciously in their role in life, no matter the label or the job at hand. There is an underlying appreciation when we don't resist the cards we're holding and within this acceptance lies our opportunity to relish life's offerings. Working with the land cultivates us as much as we cultivate it. We pull weeds in full recognition of the symbolism at hand: to harvest the best of ourselves, we must weed out the habits threatening our growth. It's a daily practice of humble acknowledgment and as we progress, the fruit of our labor is a deep, resilient gratitude. The kind that rests calmly behind the dramatic motions of human life, offering us wide spaces within to accept it all.

We find it easier to harvest this kind of gratitude outside. Maybe it's the way four walls confines us to a fabricated reality of chores and blue screens, but whatever the reason, we notice our bodies and minds instantly soothed by the sun on our skin and fresh air in our lungs. Many of us have experienced this perspective-giving power of the outdoors. We sense the subtle unwinding that occurs under bright stars, tall trees, and expansive vistas. And we’re fortunate to not have to travel hours in traffic to enjoy it.

It's been said that love isn't the fabric of reality—beauty is. And love is actually our experience of recognizing beauty. If we accept this, our pursuit for love (from ourselves and others) rests on our ability to witness the beauty within and without. It asks us to take a few steps back and watch the incredible precision of life and our own mysterious role within it. As we slow down and savor our moments (no matter their flavor), there always seems to be something new awaiting our awareness and appreciation.

In these last few weeks of summer, as the seasons turn from warm to cool, we’re enjoying the vision of slower days ahead. Juicy tomatoes might be brightening our meals right now, but all things apples and pumpkins await our relish. May we all find some slow enjoyment as summer fades, sinking into this magical and delicious journey we share.

Indeed, beauty is everywhere.