Urban Flowers of Emptiness: Sunyata Meditation in the Condominium Garden
I wake up at dawn, observing from the window of my apartment in the suburbs
Urban Flowers of Emptiness: Sunyata Meditation in the Condominium Garden - AI Image by Author (Microsoft Designer)
I wake up at dawn, observing from the window of my apartment in the suburbs how the sun is just beginning to colour the sky in shades of pink and orange. I think about how soon I'll step out into the small community garden of our condominium, my bare feet touching the dew-wet grass. I imagine breathing deeply, savouring the aroma of damp earth and wildflowers growing between the cracks in the asphalt. I've decided that I'll soon have a special experience: a sunyata meditation with edible flowers from our urban garden.
I visualize how I'll stroll among the rows of vegetables and aromatic herbs we've planted with the neighbours, observing with gratitude how each plant grows lush, nourished by the soil of this suburban district. I'll stop in front of a marigold bush, its bright orange petals like small urban suns. Gently, I'll pick some flowers, silently thanking the plant for its gift. A little further on, I'll also pick some nasturtiums and some fragrant violets that grow spontaneously between the buildings.
Hands
Holding the flowers carefully, I'll head to my favourite corner of the condominium garden, under an old tree that survived urbanization. Its gnarled roots emerging from the ground will remind me of the importance of being well-rooted, and connected to the Earth that nurtures us, even amidst the concrete.
I'll close my eyes and breathe deeply, letting the morning quiet envelop me, interrupted only by the distant noise of city traffic. I'll listen to the song of birds that have made our balconies their home, the buzzing of bees among the flowers, the rustling of leaves moved by a light breeze that winds between the buildings. All around me will be life, movement, and a constant flow of interconnected energies, just like the social fabric of this suburban neighbourhood.
Miracle
I'll open my eyes and take a marigold flower between my fingers. I'll observe it, admiring the perfection of its petals, and the delicacy of its stem, amazed to find such beauty in an urban context. I'll think about how this small miracle was born from a tiny seed, nourished by the sun filtering between the buildings, by the rainwater collected in our bins, and by the soil of this often undervalued suburb.
Slowly, I'll bring the flower to my lips and taste a petal. I can already imagine how the flavour will be slightly spicy, with a hint of sweetness. As I chew gently, I'll focus on the sensation of the flower dissolving on my tongue. I'll reflect on how this act of eating will be a profound expression of connection with nature, on how the flower will become part of me, nourishing my body and spirit, just as this suburb nourishes the city with its hidden vitality.
I'll continue to eat the flowers one by one, with presence and awareness. With each mouthful, I'll feel I'm absorbing not only nutrients but also vital energy, the strength of the sun, and the wisdom of the earth. I'll feel part of an infinite cycle of giving and receiving, of birth, growth, and transformation, a cycle that manifests in these places on the margins, in the provinces and small towns, too often forgotten but rich in life and possibilities.
Universe
As I meditate, my mind will open to the concept of sunyata, emptiness. I'll realize that these flowers, like everything in the universe - from the skyscrapers of the centre to the low houses of the suburbs, from the small provincial towns to the metropolises - have no fixed or permanent existence. They are a continuous flow of energy, constantly changing. At that moment, I'll imagine extending this practice beyond the flowers, visualizing how I could "eat" everything around me: the concrete buildings will dissolve on my tongue, the streets will melt like candy, and the streetlights will transform into sweet grass stems. This surreal vision will make me smile, but it will also remind me that everything, from the smallest violet to the most imposing skyscraper, is part of this cosmic flow, equally transitory and interconnected.
This understanding, instead of frightening me, will fill me with a deep joy and sense of freedom. If nothing is fixed, then everything is possible, even in these seemingly marginal places. If I am interconnected with everything around me, then I am never truly alone, even in the midst of urban chaos. I'll feel an immense love spring from my heart, a love that will embrace not only these flowers and this garden, but all of creation, including this often-forgotten suburb, the lively neighbourhoods, the quiet provinces, and the small towns full of history.
Miracle - AI Video by Author (Luma Dream Machine)
And…so?
As the meditation draws to a close, I'll feel deeply grateful for this future experience. Grateful for the earth that will support me, for the sun that will warm me, for the air I'll breathe, even if filtered through city smog. Grateful for the ancient wisdom enclosed in these simple urban flowers, for the teachings that nature continuously offers us, if only we have eyes to see and hearts to feel. And grateful for this suburb, for the neighbourhoods, for the provinces and small towns, which are truly a new world, or perhaps always have been.
I'll slowly open my eyes, feeling renewed, more connected than ever to the world around me. The sun will now be high in the sky, and its rays will filter through the leaves of the tree and between the buildings, creating plays of light and shadow on the ground. I'll rise slowly, stretching like a cat just waking up. With my heart full of love and gratitude, I'll prepare to face the rest of the day, carrying with me the anticipation of the peace and wisdom I'll find among the flowers of our urban garden, in this corner of the suburbs that is truly the beating heart of a new world.
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