The heart and mind of awakening love is a very powerful energy, in Buddhism that motivation is called bodhicitta, this is a deep aspiration to be at one with Mother Earth and all that inhabits it. It is the energy around us that gives us the will and understanding to overcome anything, it also allows us to go deep into the roots of our garden, our hearts, our spirit, and our mind to build beautiful gardens based on minerals, plants, trees, and wildlife. When we nourish the bodhicitta or our garden of love, “our heart centre” we overcome anything becoming eroded away by the way we live by nourishing our gardens on a daily basis. In my holistic practice and Buddhism, understanding and love are one. If we do not understand our garden of Eden, or our loved ones we will not be able to love what has been created therefore our time spent expecting something different is wasted. Bodhicitta can be translated as the “understanding of the heart and mind” or the “heart and mind of love”. My motivation to be a monastic and laywoman for my Monastery is to assist those wanting to create a garden not just in simple forms but to build gardens based on the five elements, “Earth, Fire, Air, Water & Ether”.
From the day I became a Buddhist at age three until now my bodhicitta has never wavered, along that path I have encountered as a practitioner and teacher difficulties or many things that could have made me dispirited, pessimistic, and lose faith, having a strong” bodhicitta” and faith has meant it was never taken from me no matter what I faced. I enjoy working with individuals/clients to build their gardens to suit their needs and support those with a disability who need support and encouragement to look at things from a higher perspective. This book is a collection of all the worldly places I have worked as a gardener and experienced as a practitioner in my training school. My only wish is for you to gain insight into looking at your garden of love from the heart. When you select the environment, you wish to live in or surround yourself with, take your time in finding that, the same if you are moving home give yourself at least six months to determine if it is the right place, the right environment along with what plants, minerals and trees you can plant there, this in return will nourish the very essence of your core, you heart spirit and soul.
A lotus blessing & love, Isabella Rose
Excerpt of book “Temple Garden of Love” / training diploma available in print August 2023
