How to Unwind by Doing Mindful Yard Work

Many of us see yard work as a chore. But what if we shift our perspective and instead see it as an opportunity to practice mindfulness?

Pulling Weeds Mindfully: When you’re down on your hands and knees, pulling weeds, notice the sensations: the texture of the soil, the resistance as roots yield, and the rhythm of your breath. Allow your mind to focus solely on this task. Let go of distractions and judgments. Noticing all the creatures passing through as you work mindfully. Embrace the present moment—the sun on your back, the earth under your fingers.

Cleaning as a Form of Meditation:

Cleaning, whether indoors or in the yard, can be a meditative practice. As you sweep steps and pull weeds, consider it a moving meditation. Each action becomes intentional, grounding you in the now. Remember, mindfulness isn’t confined to formal meditation—it’s woven into our daily lives. I am happy to share my own wisdom! 🙏🌸

With that introduction, here are some steps to mindfulness in the context of pulling weeds:

1. I identified the task at hand (identification)
2. I made a conscious decision to do the task mindfully (intention)
3. I pulled the first weed, trying to concentrate only on that weed, and watch closely as the roots slowly separates from the earth. (mindfulness)
4. I (inevitably) got distracted (acceptance)
5. I re-set my focus and intention and moved on to the next weed (resignation)
6. I repeated the process over and over (repetition)
7. I went inside the house and moved on with my life — ready to have the next moment (release!)

There they are! Some steps to mindful yard work. After one hour, I had a good pile of weeds and a good pile of distracted thoughts. After one hour and one minute, I had to do some yoga. I guess you could say it was a good afternoon. I actually applied a form of this technique a few weeks later to interesting results!

But here’s the thing. I found that a commitment to mindfulness made the task a little less annoying. In fact, having mindfulness as my companion made pulling weeds more…I donno…interesting? Exciting? I know those aren’t words that we generally find in connection with mindfulness or meditation, but how I feel is how I feel!

What’s one task you have to do today that you feel could lead to growth?

Practice:
The next time you’re tending to your garden, picking up trash in your garden, watering the plants, or doing other gardening chores, spend a few minutes practicing mindfulness by slowing down and really being present with the activity and your own body’s movements while you do it. 

Read: The Practice of Cleaning as a Form of Mindfulness by Shoukei Matsumoto, a Buddhist monk and author.