QUESTION: What is a prayer garden? I saw a sign for one at the hospital the other day but didn’t have time to go visit it to see. – Elise M
ANSWER: A prayer garden is a beautiful space created with the purpose of peace. It’s an area that you fill with plants that you love or find peaceful.
In return, this space becomes an area that you can go to when you want to pray, meditate, find peace, or simply relax.
Prayer gardens are not necessarily Christian. They can be intended as spaces where someone of any religion is welcome to use the space, or they might be specific to a religion or denomination, like a Buddhist prayer garden, an Islamic prayer garden or a Catholic prayer garden for example. So when you see a public prayer garden, it could be specifically for a certain religion or open to all and will usually say with some kind of sign.
Some gardeners like to create their own prayer gardens at home. When creating a prayer garden, it’s important to select a location that has both sun and shade. This allows you to grow various types of plants.
In some cases, gardeners incorporate a focal point in the center of their garden. It could be a statue such as the Virgin Mary or a cross.
In other cases, you may choose to add a favorite plant, a stone, or a water feature as your centerpiece. No matter what you’d like to focus on, the idea is to have something that you can look at to keep your mind in a peaceful state and away from the things which might be bogging you down.
It’s also a good idea to add a sitting area in your prayer garden. Some people find it relaxing to meditate or pray while working in their prayer garden.
However, there may be times when you just need to sit and shed the load you’ve been carrying. If so, it’s wise to have a bench or chair near your focal point to make your garden more comfortable.
If you’re considering creating your own prayer garden, try to see if you can incorporate it into a space near a window.
This way, when the weather isn’t ideal for sitting in your prayer garden you can still sit next to your window and look out over it.
It won’t be as secluded as being in the garden, but it might still help you to focus.
In short, a prayer garden is a space created with the purpose of having a designated area for peace around your home.
If you need a calming space, and you enjoy gardening, consider adding a prayer garden to your property. It might become your new favorite spot around your home.
More About Prayer Gardens
https://holmes.edu/events-of-note/r-d-waters-prayer-garden/
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