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October 22, 2024 49 mins

In this episode of 'Jump Start Your Joy,' join Paula in a rich conversation with Christopher Freimuth, a Yale Divinity School student and owner of CF Gardens in New York City. The episode unpacks Chris's journey from his rural upbringing in Connecticut to becoming a professional gardener in New York City, with a focus on the spiritual and ecological significance of gardening. Chris shares how he employs gardening to create ecological habitats and foster a connection to nature for his urban clients, emphasizing a meticulous approach to sourcing materials and plants.

In this coversation, we talk about:

  • Christopher Freimuth's journey from rural Connecticut to professional gardening in NYC
  • Gardening as a spiritual and ecological practice
  • Chris’s transformative work on the Yale Divinity School Labyrinth
  • The historical, cultural, and inclusive spiritual significance of labyrinths
  • A reflection of the Minotaur's story from a queer perspective, inwhich Chris finds deep meaning in asking why the Minotaur was cast from his family and pushed into the realm of "other"
  • What we can learn from embracing our "inner minotaur" (or those parts of ourselves that feel more difficult to embrace)
  • Navigating life’s complexities through the metaphor of a labyrinth
  • Practical ways to cultivate joy and community through public gardening initiatives

Resources:

CF Gardens website: https://cfgardens.com/

The Well Gardened Mind by Sue Stuart-Smith

Walking a Sacred Path, Rediscovering the Labyrinth as Sacred Practice by Lauren Artress

Walking the Labyrinth: A Spiritual and Practical Guide by Sally Welch

Join me for the next Compassion Quest retreat, in person at San Damiano Retreat on November 23, 2024.

Others:

Subscribe to Jump Start Your Joy for free on your favorite app by clicking here.

Labyrinth Information, and Free Labyrinth Walk Guide

Check out Jump Start Your Joy's back catalog and resources: JumpstartYourJoy.com

Sign up for the free labyrinth walk guide: https://jumpstartyourjoy.com/labyrinth-basics/

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