Cultivating Care, Self-Reliance, and a Better World

In creating the Living Ground Project, my vision revolves around self-reliance and a profound sense of responsibility for the state of our world, our soils, and our fellow humans. Imagine a community where we share tools and knowledge that empower us to be self-sufficient, where we come together to dismantle the barriers that discourage our growth. This is an ambitious endeavor, and frankly, I often stumble and struggle to propel this project forward. Recently, someone told me that this project was harming me, that it was fostering negative traits in my character. That was a painful realization—a stark reminder of my vulnerabilities. It forced me to confront why it hurt so much and prompted a deeper reflection on what it means to truly care and place love at the center of our actions.

When we talk about love and care, we often use these terms casually, without fully grasping their weight or implications. If we genuinely mean the love we profess, how does that manifest in our relationships and the way we interact with the world? What does it mean for our gardening practices, our treatment of ourselves and one another, and our relationships with the more-than-human beings that share this planet with us?

The Essence of Love

What does love truly mean? It goes beyond mere sentimentality; it is a force that should guide our actions and interactions. Love is not just an abstract feeling; it is an active commitment to the well-being of others. When we cultivate love in our lives, we awaken to the understanding that’s articulated clearly in our everyday interactions. It requires us to relinquish our obsession with power and domination, embracing instead an ethic that values the freedom and dignity of every being.

Consider how love could transform our communities and even the soil we tend. Love is about nurturing life—starting with ourselves and extending outward. Too often, we view love as a commodity, something we need to fill a void or fulfill a desire. Phrases like “I love nature” or “I love gardening” sometimes contain an underlying sense of need. What can nature or a garden provide me? Peace, inspiration, a sense of belonging… This perspective treats nature as an object to possess rather than a partner in a relationship of mutual enhancement.

Instead of asking, “What can I gain from this relationship?” we should be asking, “What can I give back?” Love shifts our focus from ownership to contribution. It’s about how we can enrich life, foster growth, and embrace a philosophy of mutual flourishing. This journey into love urges us to surrender our need for control and acknowledge that all beings strive for life and nourishment.

The Significance of Care

Alongside love, care plays a pivotal role in shaping our interactions. Care is not limited to the physical or emotional support we provide to one another; it encompasses a broader social capacity that nurtures life itself. The very act of caring is intertwined with our ability to thrive collectively. Care recognizes our interdependencies, emphasizing that we are inherently connected to the world around us.

The current state of our world screams for a radical redefinition of care—one that isn’t confined to traditional hierarchies. We must embrace a “promiscuous” ethics of care, widening our circles of concern to encompass all forms of life. This requires us not just to care for one another, but to value and support all categories of being, human and non-human alike, according to their needs. This vision calls for a radical egalitarianism that uplifts all members of our shared community.

When we place love at the center of our lives, care naturally follows. We can care for someone without loving them, but once love enters the equation, care becomes essential. Love and care are inseparable; where one exists, the other must flourish. If we truly love something or someone, our instinct is to care for it.

Gardening as a Love Practice

When we apply this understanding of love and care to gardening, it transforms the act into a profound expression of our values. In settings where love and care are absent, gardens can become oppressive microcosms of domination—a reflection of the broader societal issues we face. We often find ourselves in a culture marked by materialism, where greed and overconsumption overshadow compassion and connection. A garden must reflect the ethos of love and care; otherwise, it can easily devolve into a battleground for dominance rather than a sanctuary for growth.

Gardening, in its purest form, should be a dialogue—a reciprocal relationship between us and the earth. This creates an environment where every being is invited to flourish. Instead of demanding resources from our gardens, we should be asking how we can enrich them. Questions such as “What does this garden need in order to thrive?” or “How can I support this ecosystem?” become essential. We’re called to be both caretakers and nurturers of life.

True gardening is not about asserting our will over nature; it is an act of love—a commitment to support the aliveness of all beings involved. When we cultivate this mindset, we nurture a community and an ecosystem that thrives on reciprocity and mutual respect.

Serving Life through Love

As gardeners and caretakers of our environment, we must consider how our practices embody this love. It’s crucial to shift our perspective from what we can extract from our gardens to how we can actively serve them. This selfless approach emphasizes that life transcends ego; it’s about serving the collective vitality of the world around us.

The concept of service can evoke apprehension in us, likely due to our cultural conditioning to prioritize self-preservation and individualism. However, service does not equate to self-neglect or codependency. Instead, it entails the active pursuit of life—supporting growth for both ourselves and others while recognizing our interconnectedness with all living beings.

Love as a practice requires intentional actions. It’s characterized by hard truths and an unwavering commitment to support one another. It entails asking difficult questions, listening deeply, and arriving fully in the present moment. This is also true for our relationship with the land. We can engage in acts of love that foster growth—not just for ourselves, but for the earth and its ecosystems.

A Call for Healing

The pressing need to heal our relationship with the planet is evident now more than ever. To make this a reality, we must place love and service at the forefront of our actions. This shift means prioritizing love over profit, self-interest, and material gain. By doing so, we not only foster healing within ourselves but also contribute to the broader tapestry of relationships that sustain us all.

An ecology rooted in love creates a nurturing environment where every being has the opportunity to thrive. When we engage in practices that celebrate life and relationships, we enrich our communities and bolster the resilience of our ecosystems. This notion extends beyond gardening; it embodies a holistic worldview that can address the complexities of our existence on this planet.

We have the opportunity to manifest this love in tangible, expansive ways. By nurturing ground not just for our own growth, but for every life form around us, we weave a network of relationships that uplift us all. In doing so, we take a significant step towards creating a world centered on care, respect, and flourishing—one that honors both the earth and all beings who share it. This is the essence of the Living Ground Project.

When we commit ourselves to living with care and love, we pave the way for a more resilient, vibrant, and interconnected world: a place where the soil nourishes us, the plants thrive, and every being plays a role in this beautiful dance of life. This ideal is not merely a dream; it is a blueprint for action. Through collaboration, reflection, and unwavering commitment to a life-giving ethos, we can cultivate a future worthy of our hopes—a future grounded in the ideals of the Living Ground Project.