Garlic & the Vibration of Confidence

Happy Full Moon August 11, 2022

The Vibration of Confidence

Garlic is on my mind. I’ve just wrapped up my garlic harvest and am thinking about the varieties I want next season. If you are new to gardening you may not know that garlic is planted in the fall (just like many other bulbs) and then is harvested next summer. Online sellers are currently taking orders for fall planting. They sell out of many varieties so now is the time to plan your garlic crop for next year. (If you’d like to learn more about growing garlic, the Garlic Store has lots of information and a great selection of garlic varieties. Also check out the classic book Growing Great Garlic  for everything you need to know to get started.)

But what I really want to focus on here is garlic’s energetic signature of confidence. One of the reasons that garlic makes a great companion plant and is so wonderful in the kitchen is that it announces itself clearly. The fragrance is unmistakable. It exudes an air of confidence. Confidence is about knowing who and what you are. It’s about showing up as your authentic self.  Garlic doesn’t hide its light (or its fragrance) under a bushel. Because garlic announces itself so clearly, it is a kind of energetic role model for confidence. If we embrace this energy of garlic we can allow our own unique selves to shine through.

Confidence is About Personal Healing

Additionally, confidence is connected to one of garlic’s other energetic correspondences – healing. Garlic has many physical healing properties from regulating blood sugar to reducing the risk of heart disease. It also is antiseptic and anti-microbial. Garlic was used on battlefields during World War I to reduce infections. All of these are wonderful properties, but personal healing extends beyond the physical.

Many people have had their confidence eroded – possibly in educational systems, bad jobs, or bad relationships. It can be an empowering and healing step to find one’s voice and embrace one’s authentic self. And here’s the thing – it is not an all or nothing proposition. We can flex our confidence muscles by trying it out in small venues that feel safe to us – and even begin alone with a mirror to find our voice and speak our truth.

Mindfully Aligning with Garlic’s Energy of Confidence

Garlic can be an inspiration for creating and building self assurance. As you cook or garden with garlic, allow it to remind you of its self assured and confident energy.  Make a conscious choice to align with that energy.

One way to sync with that energy is through journaling. Writing is a powerful tool that can shine a light on core issues around self doubt. Begin by identifying places and situations where your confidence is shaky and examine the reasons. Lack of experience or knowledge can be remedied with study and practice. We simply need a dedicated plan.

But the more insidious kind of lack of confidence is about fear that others will judge. And we certainly live in a culture where people feel they need to comment on every aspect of other’s lives. Garlic energy will not make that go away – but it can make us stronger in the face of it. As you write, explore the fears and how to successfully move through them. As a hint, ask yourself why it matters what others think. And a second hint is that having a strong group of friends and allies is super helpful, but you’ll discover your own ideas as you write.

Embracing the fiery energy of garlic helps us be comfortable in our own skin, with our own unique stories and gifts for the world.

Be like garlic!

Lunar Blog Post Series

This post is part of my lunar blog series.  Each full moon I write about one of the plants featured in my book, Growing Mindful.  Each new moon I write about a topic related to gardens, mindfulness, and spirituality. For more details and a list of past lunar blog posts, click here. 

Check out the notecards based on plants featured in my book at my Etsy Store – click here.