Spirituality and Occupation: Garden Musings and the Himalayan Blue Poppy

Spirituality is a key dimension in occupational therapy models of practice, but definitions of spirituality and its relationship to occupation have eluded us. Nevertheless, if the writings of people who are deeply involved in their occupations are examined, we discover that spirituality can be expressed through our engagement in occupations with personal meaning in our lives. In these reflections, the author examines spirituality as it is expressed by gardeners in their garden musings, and suggests that this occupation has the capacity to enrich spirituality in everyday life. Further study of the relationship between specific occupations and spirituality may illuminate the construct of spirituality and demonstrate the ways in which occupation can be used to facilitate a richer spiritual life for individuals and communities.