Three stages in life, what an absurdity, how can life be split into stages? Life is life and a transition from birth to death, but this journey could be broken down to view life from another prospective. Let's break the journey into three, good a number as any, could go to nine, maybe so, but three will do for just now.
We'll call the first stage infancy and growing up. We're connecting ourselves to our surroundings. The second or middle stages of our life may see us expanding, taking in and adjusting to our surroundings for what it offers. And the third or later stages in life when self indulgence, reflections on our past, seeking new directions and re connection occur. Generally people entering this later stage in life seek reflection and self indulgence and become more interested in re tuning themselves into their surroundings. Where am I taking this?
In Harmonious Chi Gardening, stages in life refer to the person using the garden. The 3 stages indicate where you are in life and willingness to connect with your surroundings. For example, it's very difficult to 'connect' with one's surroundings if most time and energy is given to wealth creation, raising families and holding down jobs. Maybe influences where health and happiness hasn't yet come into play and consequently they suffer at the expense of others. It's very difficult to keep all in balance at any one time. For example, a mate of mine absorbed himself in wealth creation and personal indulgence at the expense of relationships and consequently, his wife left him. Maybe he should have downgraded his wealth aspirations and given more time to relationships. One tends to be dominant over the other. A balance somewhere would have been more useful to him
The garden can fit into one's stage in life when we 'feel' a need to connect to something akin to the stage of life we're in. Connecting is about self and surroundings, maybe nature calling and us beckoning, a slowing down and reflection. Maybe we're maturing when we reflect and recognise we're part of our surroundings. Taking on a bit of Zen or a touch of Buddhism and finding compassion? A walk in a park or along a beach offer ways to connect.
When I wander around a garden with some hapless gardener seeking some advice, I try to ascertain where the gardener is in their 'stage of life'. We all display a signature for those who are prepared to read our signals. A good example is the fortune teller who reads us through the way we dress, mannerisms, facial expression, speech and the like. A composite of our character is presented and provides a profile for them to fill the gaps when they start asking us questions.
The garden also expresses something of our personality. A thoughtful, considerate, sensitive person seeks surroundings which are soft, colourful and receptive to their care. Conversely a dominating male interested in career alone usually is represented in a garden of discipline, straight lines and lacking diversity. These are interesting areas for discussion and take the lid of a can of worms.
