From: joann@ariadne.SLAC.Stanford.EDU (Jo Ann Malina)
Newsgroups: alt.pagan
Subject: Forward from group alt.co-evolution
Date: 13 Aug 92 06:36:39 GMT

I thought people might enjoy this article about paganish-sounding methods
of gardening.

+From: toma@hyperion.gsfc.nasa.gov (Tom Atwater)
+Subject: Re: Perelandra ( was Re: a newsgroup for Whole Earth...)
+Date: 11 Aug 92 12:42:09 GMT


+Lawrence.London@bbs.oit.unc.edu (Lawrence London) writes: 
+ >I'm very interested in their [Findhorn's] organic gardening 
+ >methods. I am an organic market farmer building an extensive system
+ >of raised beds on my six acres... [more very impressive stuff]

+Well, we are sort of at opposite ends of the spectrum :-). I live in
+a townhouse in the DC suburbs. My wife and I have a garden of about 60
+sq ft, consisting of a few tomatoes, cukes, beans, broccoli, peppers
+and assorted herbs.

+ > >There is a place in Virginia called Perelandra that is similar.

+ >I've heard of it and seen 2 books on it. One is "Behaving As If the
+ >God In All Life Mattered" A New Age Ecology, by Machelle Small Wright.
+ >1987, Perelandra Ltd., P.O. Box 3603, Warrenton, Va., 22186, $9.95; 
+ >the other is an organic gardening primer.

+ We have been using the ideas in Wright's "Perelandra Gardening
+ Workbook I" to develop our garden this year.

+For those unfamiliar with Wright's work, she runs a center for
+research into cooperation with nature spirits and devas, or beings (if
+you prefer that term) that provide the non-physical intent and essence
+behind vegetable and flower gardens. It is like Findhorn, except that
+it is essentially a one-woman operation, whereas Findhorn is a
+community.

+In the co-creation of our garden, we followed the deva's advice in
+matters like what to plant, where to plant it, and what fertilizers to
+use (e.g. bone meal, dried blood, etc.). Our method of communication
+is a Ouija board, through which the answers to our questions come
+through very clearly.

+The results have been very good. For the first time in our experience,
+we grew good heads of broccoli. Some of the cukes were very large, and
+the tomatoes are good-tasting. The most important result to me,
+though, has been the good feeling I get from doing this. I just know
+it's the right thing to do. My wife is somewhat more skeptical than I,
+but she has kept an open mind about it, which is all anyone can ask
+for.  We will be attending Wright's annual open house, and a few of
+her workshops.

+So how do you feel about all this? Ever feel that you are in touch
+with something deeper while gardening? Could be just a nagging
+feeling, or an impulse you can't ascribe to your conscious mind, or
+something. Any thoughts?