What does raspberry jam have to do with the division of labor in a marriage? The answer and a bounty of other life lessons lie within the pages of The Spiritual Gardener: Insights from the Jewish Tradition to Help your Garden Grow, the award-winning book from avid gardener Andy Becker.
Calling a home garden “the antithesis of conflict and violence” and a “reservoir of peace,” Becker seamlessly blends passages from the Torah, the Midrash and the Chasidic Masters with tips for growing a thriving garden. Along the way, practical wisdom for living a vibrant life surfaces organically through Becker’s relatable stories of the human experience.
“I wrote The Spiritual Gardener to encourage people to get outside, smell the dirt and make friends with an earthworm,” Becker said. “People are stressed out, too busy and addicted to their many electronic rectangular devices. Home gardening is really fun, helps us connect to nature, grounds us and removes stress.”
Becker’s observations about dealing with weeds, lawn envy, “damn wabbits,” the bitterness of horseradish and the sweetness of raspberry jam are both profound and poignant, and will leave readers inspired to transform an unused plot of ground into something beautiful and productive—to dig in the dirt and marvel at the miracle of creation.
Gorgeously illustrated by artist Abigail Drapkin, The Spiritual Gardener is the first book in Becker’s Spiritual Garden series. Book two, The Spiritual Forest, describes the importance of trees, forests and environmentalism. The series is capped off with the joy and blessings of family and growing grandchildren in Grandy, Let’s Play!
Ultimately, The Spiritual Gardener is a reminder of the human connection to the natural world and reveals the ways in which a flourishing garden feeds one’s spirit and contributes to a more fulfilled life.
“Why not ground oneself in the reality of the earth’s abundance?” Becker asked. “A home garden projects an inner comfort where one dwells, an actual warmth that can be found within the gardener. The lusher the garden, the more respectful all those who pass by or enter.”
About the Author
Andy Becker is a writer, gardener and lifetime learner who lives in Western Washington with his wife, Donna, and their two dogs, Nova and Splash. A successful small-town lawyer, Becker found respite from the vicissitudes of fighting for the little guy against insurance companies by gardening, hiking and camping with his family, and by expanding his spirituality through Judaism. His writing has been directly fueled by his lifetime experiences and influenced by Chassidic philosophy.
In addition to his Spiritual Garden series, Becker is the author of Cracking an Egg, funny, early childhood vignettes that he wrote as a love letter to his mom, and The Kissing Rabbi, an award-winning novel inspired by an actual #MeToo scandal that rocked the Tacoma community.
During his early years of gardening, Becker was often frustrated by rocky soil, hills and too many surrounding trees, slugs and deer. Despite these challenges, he has never failed to grow flowers and vegetables every spring and summer. His garden currently includes 8 raised beds, a 30-yard vegetable bed and 40-yard stretch of raspberry beds.
For more information, please visit https://andybecker.life, or connect with the author on Facebook and Instagram at andybecker.life.
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