Cultivating Wonder and Joy

Greetings on the Last Full Moon of the Year – December 26, 2023

It is easy to get lost in day to day responsibilities and the stream of difficult news, but mystics and seers have always tapped into wonder and joy even when things around them were dark. Tuning into wonder does not mean ignoring responsibilities. It also doesn’t mean disregarding needed action to right the wrongs in the world. It does mean that we can cultivate a continuous appreciation of the uniqueness of each moment and the magical nature of our world.

Cultivating wonder and joy is an intentional practice. It begins by paying attention.

Begin in the Garden & Green World 

The garden is one of the easiest places to discover wonder and joy. You don’t have to be a gardener. Simply take the time to tune into the green world. Choose to be curious and attentive.

Start with shapes and colors. You may think there is not much to notice in the winter. Summer gardens are bright and bold and almost demand our attention. In the winter there is beauty all around us, but it may be more subtle. Take the time to notice.

Head outside tonight on the full moon and look up at the sky. Consider that the light from the moon is a reflection from our shining star, the sun. And the sun provides light, warmth, and the possibility for life on the planet.

Resources to Cultivate Wonder 

Another way to cultivate wonder and joy is by exploring how the green world functions. There is an intricate dance of energies and substances that create life and nourishment on the planet. When you tune into these complexities it is hard not to be in a state of awe. Here are some suggestions on where to start:

Seeds – Exploring the importance of seeds and how they co-evolved with humans is a fascinating story. Thor Hanson’s book, The Triumph of Seeds: How Grains, Nuts, Kernels, Pulses, and Pips Conquered the Plant Kingdom and Shaped Human History focuses on specific plants and how their history is interwoven with ours.

Photosynthesis – Green plants take energy from the sun and turn it into food. Stop and consider that for a moment. It is not something humans can do. This process creates most of our food. For an explanation of this life giving process check out How Light Makes Life: The Hidden Wonders and World-Saving Powers of Photosynthesis by Raffael Jovine

Water – This element works together with the sun and plants to make our world habitable. Stopping to appreciate water and how is supports and shapes our world is an entry point to wonder.  The Greenpeace Book of Water, by Klaus Lanz  is a beautiful appreciation of water.

Fungi – In the last twenty years there has been research and more understanding of the importance of fungi. Mushrooms that we see are only the fruiting body of a vast underground network that creates partnerships with plants, making healthier soil and distributing nutrients and water. To dive into this topic, check out Merlin Sheldrake’s book, Entangled Life: How Fungi Make our Worlds, Change our Minds, and Shape our Futures.

Expand out into your Life

You can choose to expand this process by seeing the world with fresh eyes. Imagine as you engage with life that you are seeing

things for the first time. And in truth, you are. Each moment is new. The people and things in it may be familiar, but they are not the same since you saw them last. Everyone and everything changes in subtle ways. Holding this knowledge in your awareness helps foster deep appreciation for each moment.

It bears repeating that cultivating wonder and joy does not mean we ignore challenges. We can choose to simultaneously address challenges and still tune into the things that invoke awe. They are all around us when we take a moment to notice.

Lunar Blog Post Series

This post is part of my lunar blog series.  Each full moon I write about one plant, many of them are 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.