When Soiling Yourself is a Good Thing!

 

                                                                    The Sower Francois Millet 

Do not fear, O soil;

    be glad and rejoice,
    for the Lord has done great things!
22 Do not fear, you animals of the field,
    for the pastures of the wilderness are green;
the tree bears its fruit;
    the fig tree and vine give their full yield.

                   Joel 2:21-22

1 We plough the fields and scatter

the good seed on the land,

but it is fed and watered

by your almighty hand;

you send the snow in winter,

the warmth to swell the grain,

the breezes and the sunshine,

and soft refreshing rain.

All good gifts around us

are sent from heaven above;

we thank you, God, O holy God,

for all your love.

Voices United 520 

Yesterday a two-chamber dump truck backed carefully up our driveway to deliver loads of garden-mix soil and mulch. I was a little daunted by the mountain which resulted but several hours and 45 wheelbarrow-loads later the driveway was clear. I even wheeled a portion of the mulch to the neighbours next door.

We wanted the soil for a new vegetable bed alongside our existing raised beds which have been a wonderful source of produce over the years with nary a drop of pesticide. In order to create that new bed I had to excavate the area because 50+ years ago our suburban yard was backfilled with clay, and rock, and even chunks of cement. I may have said words not found in the Book of Common Prayer as I toiled away. Once the rocks and roots were removed the dirt (I can't call it soil because not even a worm was evident) was added to our compost bins to be mixed in with other organic material and revitalized. 

I've been getting mysterious emails from an organization called Save Soil which is dedicated to addressing soil degradation and restoring soil health around the planet. The go-to person in this initiative is someone named Sadhguru who heads a spiritual foundation in India which focusses on yoga and social wellbeing. A little snooping suggests that while he has done a lot of good some of his principles and practices are sketchy. 

There is no question that promoting healthy soil is really important and I like that there is a spiritual connection. In our Judeo/Christian tradition we affirm that we are formed of the soil (Genesis) and in our funeral liturgies we conclude with "earth to earth, ashes to ashes, and dust to dust." When we went to the cemetery for the committal of my aunt's ashes ten days ago I suggested that we all take a handful of the red soil and place it in the hole, which everyone, young and old, chose to do.

In scripture, both in the older and newer testaments there are references to the health of soil and Jesus told a parable of seed scattered on both inhospitable and fertile ground. 

This is the time of year to get your hands dirty, to soil yourself, in a good way. If you are inclined to plant in the days ahead, consider what keeps your soil healthy. It is the responsible and the spiritual choice.