Bonsai deserve to be appreciated and cared for, thanking those who care for them in the form of benefits for their mental health, harmony and well-being.
In Latin America, there is a great taste for oriental therapies, such as reiki, shiatsu and yoga. What is talked about the least, but which also acts as therapy, is the cultivation of bonsai. If you like to follow the growth and development of plants, growing a bonsai will certainly bring benefits to your mental health and well-being.
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What is Bonsai?
Bonsai is a way to grow large trees to miniature size. Contrary to what many people think, there is no bonsai.
Seeds or seedlings of common trees are used, but the planting and the whole cultivation process, such as pruning, is done in such a way that it remains in miniature size and in the desired format.
Benefits of growing bonsai
Nature is splendid. You see, you can have trees over fifteen or thirty feet tall, grown in a vase that will fit on your coffee table. It is the same tree, which is huge in the forest, with all its beautiful details, but in miniature, inside your house.
Nature lovers and admirers can already be impressed just by looking at the miniature trees. But when you grow these plants, especially when they need pruning, the connection is even greater.
This connection is between you and the plant, in a moment of care where you need to observe it, imagine in which direction you want its branches to grow. And then cut it, wait for it to heal and continue to grow.
By caring for bonsai, you also come into contact with its essence. It is a moment of silence, of appeasement of body and mind. Reflect, appreciate nature, life, the present moment.
Therapeutic
Caring for a bonsai can be both a hobby and a therapy for those who love it and have the time. In an interview with UOL Equilíbrio, Carlos Eduardo Leite, university professor and bonsai practitioner of the Bonsái e Ciência project, explains that “Culture allows daily contact with nature, which promotes well-being and calm. In some cases, they bring back memories and feelings that lead us to positive experiences and happiness.” .
And the benefits go further, as psychologist Rachel Góes, who works at the Onofre Lopes University Hospital of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, says: “Taking care of the bonsai goes beyond a moment of relaxation, this attention to the plant strengthens or rewards its guardian, having a direct impact on its self-esteem. And it’s also a way of training mindfulness, quite common in meditation..
By Priscilla Riscarolli. Article in Portuguese