Life Lessons from my kitchen window Orchids...

"So tell me, what's your secret?"

About five years ago (May 2011) I received my first ever Orchid with pure white flowers, as a gift from my friend Danka. I called it my "Omnium Orchid" because at the time we were (and still are) both enjoying the Omnium Universe healing classes.
I had never ever had "green fingers" so to speak. Usually plants never survived in my care as I kept forgetting about them. Sometimes in life you can be struggling enough to take good care of your own self, that proper care for anything else even fails. In that case, plants really do come last place. However, this Orchid felt extra special. I loved it and was in awe at it's unique beauty. Even when it went through a naked period of having no new stems or buds, just plain old stick-looking... I kept taking care of it. I was so amazed when it started to bloom and grow again after a few months, and very pleased that I hadn't given up on it!
This made me aware of the potential it had inside, the power to be restored and blossom with life again.

Lesson 1) Never give up on your inner potential, and always remember that it IS there! (Even when you can't feel it or see it at that time)

From that moment on it seemed to never stop growing and developing new stems, buds and leaves... all year round! Sometimes it even had five blooming stems at a time. People noticed how much I enjoyed my Orchid and so each year I seemed to get a new one as a gift from friends or family. I now have 6 Orchids (excluding my three tiny baby ones) and each of them are in full bloom! I have them all by my kitchen window, and whenever I have visitors they all say, "Wow! Your Orchids always do so well! What is your secret? Mine don't last long at all!". I had no idea what the secret was... so I started to wonder about what it could possibly be. What makes an Orchid last for 5 years and more...?

I rejoice in discovering new growth!

Perhaps it is because I always rejoice in discovering the "new"? Whenever I see new growth I get so excited. Who knows... maybe the Orchids feel my joy and thrive on it.
Maybe it is just because that they are in a really visible place. If something so unique and beautiful has no way of escaping your sight, it will be harder NOT to give it your attention. Kind of like the "out of sight out of mind" thing.

Lesson 2) Keep that which you wish to take care of, IN your sight and IN your mind and heart! Don't just disappear into your own self absorbed world of distractions and being too busy.

But maybe there is more to it, which makes my kitchen window Orchids do so exceptionally well...

​Such a Mystery...

Could it be because of the clear crystal quarts and sun catcher crystals that I place among my Orchids that give them extra power? I wonder...
I discovered something rather interesting the other day. The clear quarts crystal that my grandmother gave me recently had taken on a purple colour. It really was perfectly clear before, and now it had seemed to have absorbed the purple from the Orchid where I had placed it. I held it up in different places just to check if my eyes weren't tricking me, but there really was purple inside of it now.
Such a mystery! Or is it?
Here are just a few of the positive effects of this crystal which I discovered:
"The clear quarts crystal regulates energy , absorbs energy , provides energy and stores energy depending on what is needed in a given situation . Because the crystal is so pure and neutral , it can be charged for each (energetic ) effect..."
So seeing as though it is known for it's absorbing and purifying properties, it's not so surprising that it absorbed the energy of the Orchid and took on its colour. :-)
Mystery solved!

​A shower of "rain"...

Continuing on with the previous mystery of the ever-blooming Orchids, I wondered if it had to do with the way I give them water?  I give them a sort of shower by allowing water to flow from my hands onto the Orchid, splashing the water onto it just like its raining. As I do so, I am always admiring the Orchids and thinking about how beautiful they are. I also once read that rain falling down on the leaves is what awakens the roots to let them know that "food" is on its way so they are ready to absorb the water optimally. Could that be the trick?...

​Nice and steamy...

Is it because they are in the kitchen? The perfect amount of light there by the window? Some people say it is all the steam caused by cooking that is good for the Orchids and keep them bursting with vitality. But then again, my mother-in-law told me a while ago she does exactly what I say I do and also has her Orchid in the kitchen... and it just doesn't work.
My husband just smiles and tells everyone, "She talks to them, that's why".
Well... I don't really "talk" to them. I just think out loud. ;-)

​The final conclusion!

Yes, I have finally come to my conclusion, and you may have to just take my word for it. I believe that the secret of Orchid care is not a secret at all, but a very simple and natural thing. It is the same ingredient needed for any form of life to thrive and grow. It's called "attention".
What we focus on grows, this we know by now is true. Although the attention I am taking about is loving attention. 

Lesson 3) Give your sincere loving attention to that which you wish to see grow beautifully and to it's full potential. Let your attention be sincere and truly from your heart.

You see, you can't fake sincerity. When you REALLY think and feel something, it contains the enormous power of your heart energy, and the effects are truly amazing and wonderful!

You are not saying something just because it seems like the best thing to say or because you want to influence someones feelings.
You are not just thinking something because you were told that if you think it then it will manifest into reality.
You are not just doing something because you want to force a certain outcome.

You are looking at what you see and you are absolutely loving it!
You are thinking thoughts of awe and admiration.
You are feeling amazed, grateful and truly blessed.
You do what you do because you want to and because you really enjoy doing it!

Please take a look at the picture below. What do you see jumping around outside when you look through the window?

Create the time and space for sincere loving attention...

Those two little monkies on the trampoline are my sons. They thrive and grow by the grace of the same loving attention. In fact, everybody that is part of your life will bloom beautifully when given this powerful energy of love. YOU also shine with joy when given this attention by others and also when you are capable of giving it to yourself. I am not even only talking about the spoken words. but also about the thoughts you are putting out there. The thoughts of being in awe, in love, amazed, grateful, appreciative... all those thoughts really do arrive right in the heart of where your thoughts are directed at.

My Orchids show me that sincere loving attention really does have a powerful effect. It feels like a little sign from nature directing us towards realizing the value of doing the same towards our loved ones and ourselves.
Ok, my Orchids don't talk back to me, don't argue with me, don't moan about their dinner... so maybe some people will say there is no way you can compare caring for a plant to caring for a human being. Ok. True. Point taken.
However taking these life lessons into consideration, you may just see the bigger picture here when it comes to quality time, sincere love and focused attention:

1) Never underestimate anyones true inner potential, including your own. Even when you think there is nothing happening, no progress, no hope... keep believing!
2) Keep your loved ones in sight and never be too busy to take care of them, spend time with them, look at them and talk to them. Also make time for yourself and don't loose your own needs out of sight.
3) Don't be a fake. If you pretend to be interested of just do what you have to do because you feel obligated to but don't really feel like it... it will be felt on some level.

Create the time and space to clear your mind, be relaxed, stop what you are busy with, put aside the distractions... and just look. Look with focused attention and take the time to absorb the beauty of what you are looking at. The feelings of love and gratitude and awe will translate into thoughts, and that is what you will be putting out there! Believe me, it will arrive and it will be felt and you will see your loved ones grow and bloom.

Love,
Cosmique Focus Creations.