The True Nature of Tending
You may still be wondering: but what is tending?
To me, it is looking after yourself at the deepest level - being present with yourself. It is accepting yourself as you are. It is allowing your nature to grow. Think of it like a gardener tending to the soil, nurturing it and then repeating the benefits when it bares fruits, flowers and vegetables. You are in service but not sacrifice; there is reciprocity.
When I truly sink into the energy of tending, I am transported to the Baekyangsa Temple in South Korea, home to the Buddhist nun Jeong Kwan. Jeong has lived in the temple as a Zen Buddhist since the 1970’s. Netflix feature Jeong Kwan in their award-winning series Chef’s Table (series 3). When I first saw this episode I was mesmerised by the beauty and depth of the tending. Although Jeong Kwan describes herself as a monk and not a chef, she is the cook at the temple. ‘Discovered’ by chef Eric Ripert (who is himself a practicing Buddhist) her food has been revered for its elegance and spirit.
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