THE MYSTERY GARDEN:CORE STRUCTURE,ALLIES,REGULATION,DEFENCE AND PATHOLOGY
ABSTRACT
The Mystery Garden
Model offers an integrative framework for understanding mental health,
conceptualizing the mind as a unique, self-regulating ecosystem. The model is
built upon the Soil (Character), which nurtures Core Plants (Unique Talents),
and is protected by Boundary Plants (Trusted Relationships), whose
effectiveness is relative to time, circumstances and situations. And the garden
is maintained by the playful watering of the plants by our inner child.These interactions regulate the Mind Weather (six emotional components) that produce the full spectrum of Navarasas (nine
moods). This regulation is neurobiologically grounded in established evidence
demonstrating that the quality of social interaction actively modulates and
balances the four key hormones: Serotonin, Dopamine, Oxytocin, and Cortisol
dynamics.
Vulnerability arises when Boundary Plants fail, creating Hollows (Wounds) that become infested by Vices (Maladaptive Traits) such as Ego and Envy. These psychological traumas are processed in the Subconscious Layer (Humus), which is closely linked to the Nervous System , guiding the formation of Thorn Trees (Defense Mechanisms). Healing and protection are achieved through firm but flexible Walls (Emotional Boundaries), maintained by the Rainwater of Introspection and Journaling that connects the individual to the River of Intuition, which originates from the subconscious, nervous system, and Pineal Gland. The ultimate purpose is Self-Actualization, achieved by using Dissection and Analysis (Metacognition) to identify the unique Signature of Every Soul. Finally, the model concludes with an ethical imperative: recognizing that a person's immediate mood is only a fleeting glimpse of their complex inner world, and thus advocating for Empathy, Kindness, and Love as prerequisites for a better society.The model further illuminates the generative cycle of the garden, where the Inner Child utilizes Sublimation to transmute internal emotional energy into Garlands of Gratitude for loyal allies and Social Advocacy for collective issues. It concludes that the love and energy invested in relationships are never lost; even when social bonds are severed, these 'garlands' decompose into the Subconscious Humus, enriching the individual’s psychological soil through Post-Traumatic Growth and ensuring an enduring generative legacy for future generations.(or a detailed technical and neurobiological analysis of the metaphors used in this model, please refer to the Key Definitions section in the Appendix )
INTRODUCTION
Mental health is
one of the most important aspects of health,at the same time,most overlooked
part as well. Physical health manifests itself in several forms that can be
observed phenotypically but mental
health signs are visible in the form of emotions
and random thoughts. Each mental state of us comes
packed in the form of many layers,
but many times
the unfolding of the various
layers becomes difficult. Mental state is the most vulnerable part of our
health as well since it is exposed
to social conditionings and needs good emotional anchorage, good care of the inner
child(Bradshaw, 1990) to sustain a
good mental health and good emotional intelligence(Goleman, 1995).
These things
are prerequisite to be a good human
being who can make the world a better place to live in. This article is aimed
to give the readers a tour of the inner landscape of our mind, which can help
them to maintain a good mental health and live a good life.
The mind is like a mystery
garden. Each one of us has some good seeds
of wisdom planted
in us by God. The Soil of our mind is our character, which is the Core
area.
The garden is guarded by peepal trees and sunflowers . These people are often our parents or the people we trust (best friends, Partners, colleagues,mentors). These trees cleanse the garden Soil, removes all toxicity & gives nourishment.
The Core plants are the unique virtues a person has, which shapes them and their careers thereby. During the time of birth the seeds are sown and till the time they completely grow to mighty strong tree pillars they remain in quiescent stage.
The Inter boundary space is an interaction area between the boundary plants and the core plants . It is also the place where the boundary plants grow properly giving shelter and nourishment to the core plants. The boundary plants also help to neutralize the effect of weeds and carnivorous plants( people with malicious and deceitful intent and ego) and harm the garden and its environment.
The perfect
weather conditions are given by the lessons
from boundary plants who help to
regulate temperature, humidity, precipitation, pressure, cloud cover, and
sunlight.
The six components of mind weather
are( love,empathy,sadness,anger,pressure, depression. Where sunlight = love ;
humidity = empathy ;sadness = cloudcover; anger = temperature; pressure =
pressure;precipitation= depression)
Just like nature has six seasons:
( summer(Grishma), monsoon(barsha), autumn(sharat), pre
winter( hemanta), winter( sheet), basanta(spring))
Similarly these
six components of our mental
health give rise to the 9 seasons
or 9 types of mental
states or moods in the human mind(Rao, 2012).
1. Shringara(love)
2. Hasya(Joy).
3.Karuna(compassion)
4. Raudra(Anger)
5.Veera(courage)
6. Bhayanaka(Fear).
7. Bibhatsa( Aversion)
8. Adbhuta( wonder or amazement)
9. Shanta( tranquil
peace)
And when these moods
or mind states
are regulated and cherished efficiently, the sky of the
mind garden blooms into a beautiful rainbow having all the nine mind states in
appropriate proportions. And the owner of such a mind garden lives a happy ,
fulfilling life.
Just like environmental conditions are regulated by 4 components:- Air, water, soil and sunlight similarly mind weather is
regulated by 4 hormones:- Serotonin, Dopamine, Oxytocin and cortisol.(Kosfeld
et al., 2005).
From time to time, we need to give fertilizer to the plants in the form of books, consuming good content, and listening to good songs to maintain good growth of core plants. These factors together help us to maintain this colourful garden through all seasons of life.
The person who maintains this garden is our inner child who plays in this garden, stays here,waters all the plants regularly, gives them nourishments with his/her tender hands.The more playful our inner child is the more beautifully arranged is our mind garden.(Bradshaw, 1990) It is very important to take care of our inner child by nurturing our hobbies,humming songs, engaging in creative expression of art, (Stuckey & Nobel, 2010). listening to the inner cues and random thoughts and consciously cultivating radical creativity(the most proven origin of innovation).(Amabile, T. M. (1996).
We also need to give good pesticides, weedicides or nurture healthy boundaries. Sometimes the garden gets infested with too many carnivorous plants and weeds( malicious deceitful people, who makes the weather of the garden unpredictable. So to protect the garden from such interference strong walls( emotional boundaries) are made. But due to fear of deception these boundaries becomes so high that the mind prefers to shut down its emotions( becoming emotionally unavailable or numb) but there might be more sunrays, sunflowers,peepals waiting to get accepted in the garden.Here literature give the window to study the garden in detail and learn about its various mysteries. Through this window rain water of introspection, reflection, journaling(Pennebaker, J. W. (1997)). enters into the garden which with regular practice turns into a small stream which softens the walls yet keeps it firm. This practice of dissecting one's own feelings into layers( small stream) gradually connects us to the river of intuition( which originates from the subconscious mind,nervous system and pineal gland).(Axelrod & Dinh, 2012).
If nurtured properly, each mind can bloom into a beautiful garden of heaven which can thereby provide shelter to many young plants or people and make the world a better place to live in.
Just like nature faces storms similarly mind gardens face storms as well. In nature these storms are overcome by the strong anchorage by roots of peepal, banyan . Similarly when exposed to harsh societal winds, these mind storms of anger, frustration, and depression are overcome by the presence of people who give emotional anchorage to our mind with roots of love, trust,security and faith going deep into the soil.(Bowlby, 1969).The presence of such trees also needs to be maintained with water of unshakable faith,loyalty and clarity because if the roots of these trees get weakened due to lack of careful introspection then even the strongest garden gets shattered in the life storms.
When a person is young, the boundary plants( parents,family members,friends, close ones,partners) of their minds are also young in respect to their interaction or relative age, so some may fail to develop deep roots and get uprooted. In some cases even old boundary plants, which don't grow well( due to their own circumstances and situations they can't grow deep enough roots of love and trust), get withered leaving hollows in the interboundary space of the mind. In those hollows( wounds) pests,virus and fungi (insecurity,inferiority complex,envy,lust,greed and other vices) which gives rise to unpalatable weather inside the mind(mental disorders and problems). These wounds link to Schema (Maladaptive) thought patterns (Young, Klosko, & Weishaar, 2003).
The prevention of this lies in the sowing of seeds of good plants( interactions with good persons) in ample amounts and application of pesticides and fungicides( knowledge,awareness, boundaries). The sowing should be done in ample amounts as not all plants will survive, so if done in ample amounts some will definitely grow into healthy boundary plants and the gathering of ample knowledge will help to keep the soil clean and free of pathogens . In this way the serotonin, dopamine and cortisol levels are also maintained. Positive interactions with people increases serotonin and reduces cortisol(stress hormone) levels. Romantic relationships and close relationships maintain oxytocin and dopamine levels.
Each mind is unique and so are its core plants(unique talents and virtues). Each mind is destined to bloom into a garden of its one kind. The nature of core plants determines the type of garden the mind blooms into. The problem is that we often can't identify the true potential of the core plants or are unable to identify the plants totally(as the nature of some plants are still not identified or in the process of identification). Some of these plants take time to bloom, so we need to keep the windows of our mind open and irrigation intact so that they can get their unique nourishment. And to identify the type of plants the core plants are, some fruits, flower and leaves of each of the plant should be cooked separately(fruits with fruits, petals with petal, leaves with leaves that is dissecting each talent in layers and analysing to know their nature to know their type and destination) to identify the true flavour of the core plants and take these virtues to their unique destination or career niche.This systematic analysis is called Metacognition (Flavell, 1979)
This unique destination or garden type is the Signature of Every Soul and its very unique in nature.
After the conscious part of mind comes the subconscious part. It is the layer of fertile humus beneath the top soil layer of the garden which provides nourishment to the plants. It is formed by the thorough decomposition of unfulfilled emotional relationships,baggage, past traumas, good memories,loving friendships, and relationships over many years.(Freud, 1923/1961).
It is the part very closely linked to the nervous system(Porges, 2011) and the origin of some conditioned human reflexes. It guides the intuition part as well. This layer makes sure our mind is well protected to any invasion by intruders(hurtful behaviour,verbal abuse) and is responsible for growing of some needed amount of thorn trees(defence mechanism)( Coping Mechanisms (Defensive) (Vaillant, 1992)) around the core plants from the imprints of wounds left on the nervous system and releasing unpalatable substances(verbal response in accordance to the verbal abuse) to protect the mind garden from any harm.
But sometimes these thorn trees also need to be kept in check,because presence of too many thorn trees inhibits inner child from playing freely in the garden and can prick her and isolate her(emotional unavailability)from the garden((Gottman, J. M., & Katz, L. F. (1989)).These thorn trees growing from the humus are good only til they can recognize between outsider and insider. Whenever the texture of the humus layer(subconscious) gets tough enough to not allow any rainwater penetrating and seeds germinating((Van der Kolk, B. A. (2014)) and deliberately grows ugly thorns of anhedonia,alienation,avolition(Vaillant, G. E. (1992)) to hinder the interaction of the inner child with other components of the garden (due to decomposition of some past trauma), then these tendencies need to be checked with the trowel of emotional awareness.
Emotional awareness increases aeration, allows
more penetration of water, and killing of the
some unnecessary ugly thorns from the roots.(Siegel, D. J. (2010)).
The inner child rewards the boundary plants who stayed loyal,safe and consistent to her and helped her survive the storms and tumultuous weather of life with garlands of flowers freshly picked from her core plants(creative gifts) as a token of gratitude and appreciation for them(Fredrickson, B. L. (2001)). The practice of expressing gratitude for all the good things one have in life, keeps us grounded to life's mainstream,makes us feel safe, gives us hope even in uncertainty, preserves belief in life's miracles(various good connections,opportunities,events)elevates our dopamine and serotonin levels. This also motivates us to live a good life with mindfulness purposefully, dress beautifully,maintain high dignity,self image and hold onto life even in adverse situations. These should be coupled with some level of clarity and discernment(guided by intuition and principles) and flexibility(ability to adapt and adjust with circumstances. These are the important prerequisites to live a satisfying serene life . She also uses her garden flowers to form flagging garlands(Vaillant, G.E.(1977))for increasing social awareness for societal and environmental problems which deeply affect her (Stuckey, H. L., & Nobel, J. (2010)). Even if some boundary plants don't survive the test of time or the problems affecting her don't remain after a certain time, but her creative gifts serves as an asset not only to her(helping her to process,neutralize and decompose negativities and emotions in a healthy constructive way) (Vaillant, G.E.(1977))but also to the various generations of plants that are around her in the society and the generations who are yet to come(Erikson, E.H. (1963)). The garlands given to boundary plants who gradually get uprooted(due to various winds of life), stay in the garden, decompose and get converted to form layer in the rich humus(subconscious), thus contributing to the good health of the garden.(Tedeschi & Calhoun, 2004)
We often observe various types of moods in the people we encounter or interact in our daily lives. But that is only just a glimpse of their inner weather or inner world. It's like observing the sunshine through a window,the background behind the sun whether it is a clear sky(tranquil happiness) or dark cloudy sky(depression) is not so clearly visible . So it's important to not judge any person seeing his/her immediate mood and be kind because one can never know what the person is going through. Empathy,kindness,love makes the world a better place to live in.
APPENDIX:KEY DEFINITIONS
1. Navarasas (Nine Seasons) - Indian Aesthetics/Psychology
The nine fundamental emotional states or moods
(Love, Joy, Anger,
Fear, etc.) derived
from the six components of
Mind Weather. They represent the full spectrum of emotional expression in the
human mind.(Rao, 2012).
A key neurotransmitter regulating mood, happiness, and well-being. In the model, it is one of the four hormonal regulators of the Mind Weather, vital for stable emotional health.(Kosfeld et al., 2005).
3. Dopamine - Neurobiology/Hormone
A neurotransmitter associated with reward,
motivation, pleasure, and motor control.
In the model, it helps
regulate the Mind Weather, influencing drive and emotional
responsiveness.(Kosfeld et al., 2005).
4. Oxytocin - Neurobiology/Hormone
Often called the "love hormone," released during bonding, empathy, and trust. In the model, it is a key regulator of Mind Weather, essential for nurturing the relationships with Boundary Plants.(Kosfeld et al., 2005).
5. Cortisol - Neurobiology/Hormone. The primary stress hormone, regulating the body's fight-or-flight response. In the model, it helps regulate
Mind Weather, specifically relating to Pressure and the response to external societal winds.(Kosfeld et al., 2005).
5. Emotional Anchorage - Psychology/Therapy
The process
of grounding one's emotional state, typically provided
by the stable roots (trust, love) of Boundary Plants during
Mind Storms (anger, depression).(Bowlby, 1969).
7.(Insecurity, Inferiority Complex,
Envy, Lust, Greed,Ego)- Vices -Psychology/Ethics
Examples of Maladaptive Psychological Traits and Character Flaws (Vices) that represent negative drivers. They are the "Pests, Viruses, and Fungi" that infest the Hollows (Wounds), giving rise to mental disorders.(Young, Klosko, & Weishaar, 2003).
8. Emotional Intelligence - Psychology
The capacity
to understand and manage one's own emotions
and perceive and influence the emotions of others. Essential
prerequisite for sustaining healthy mental health and effective interaction
with Boundary Plants.(Goleman, 1995).
9. Nervous System
- Neurobiology
The body's
complex network (central and peripheral) that transmits signals between the
brain and the rest of the body. In the model,
it is closely linked to the Subconscious Layer, carrying the imprints of wounds, and forming the
basis of conditioned reflexes and defense mechanisms.(Porges, 2011).
10. Pineal Gland - Neurobiology/Endocrinology
A small endocrine
gland in the brain that regulates sleep patterns (via melatonin) and is
traditionally linked to consciousness and spiritual intuition. In the model,
it is cited as one of the physical origins of the River of
Intuition.(Axelrod & Dinh, 2012).
11. Intuition - Psychology/Cognitive Science
A core cognitive
process (the River of Intuition) representing the immediate, instinctive
understanding of something without conscious reasoning. In the model,
its stream originates from the Subconscious Layer,
Nervous System, and Pineal Gland.(Axelrod & Dinh, 2012).
12. Dissection &
Analysis - Metacognition,Cognitive Psychology
This is "thinking about thinking." It provides a high-level technical
term for the complex process of layered analysis and
self-reflection required to identify one's Core Plants (Talents).(Flavell, 1979).
13. Hollows (Wounds)
- Schema (Maladaptive)Cognitive Psychology
This links your "Hollows" to established cognitive
structures—deeply held patterns
of thought (often formed
by trauma/neglect) that influence future
reactions.(Young, Klosko, &
Weishaar, 2003).
14. Thorn Trees - Coping
Mechanisms (Defensive)-Psychology/Therapy
This formally
connects your "Thorn Trees" to the recognized psychological concept of defense or coping mechanisms that arise
to protect the self from future harm.(Vaillant, 1992).
15. Inner Child - Psychology/Attachment Theory
The playful, emotional, and authentic part of the self responsible for the care and maintenance of the Mind Garden (e.g.,
watering plants, providing nourishment). Its level of playfulness directly
correlates with the overall health and "arrangement" of the
garden.(Bradshaw, 1990).
16.
Radical creativity - Cognitive Psychology & Innovation
The generation of ideas, solutions, or artistic expressions that represent a significant, non-linear departure from established
norms and habitual actions. Unlike incremental creativity, it involves
"breaking the mold" through high levels of intrinsic motivation and
exploratory cognitive flexibility. Within the Mystery Garden Model, this is the primary engine used by the Inner Child to solve complex ecosystem challenges,
innovate within the "Core Plants" (talents), and drive the overall
evolution of the garden (Amabile, 1996).
17. Maladaptive Thorn Trees (Over-generalized Defenses) - Clinical
Psychology & Therapy
Defense mechanisms that have become rigid and lose the ability to
distinguish between safe "insiders"
and threatening "outsiders". When these "immature" or "neurotic" defenses
over-grow, they isolate the individual from reality and healthy
relationships, effectively "pricking" the Inner Child and leading to
profound emotional unavailability. (Vaillant, G. E. (1992))
18. Subconscious Texture
(Trauma-Impacted Humus) - Neuropsychology &
Trauma Studies
The
layer of the mind formed by the decomposition of past traumas and unfulfilled relationships. Significant trauma can
physically change the nervous system, making this "Humus" layer "tough," impermeable to the Rainwater
of Introspection, and unresponsive to new
positive experiences (Anhedonia). (Van der Kolk, 2014).
19. The Trowel of Emotional
Awareness (Aeration) - Metacognition & Interpersonal Neurobiology
A deliberate mental tool used to perceive
and monitor the mind's internal
workings. This process "aerates" the Soil
(Character), breaking through the hardened crust of suppression to allow for
mental "integration" rather than "isolation," enabling the
uprooting of unnecessary thorns. (Siegel, D. J. (2010))
20.
Emotional Unavailability (The Pricked Inner Child) - Attachment Theory & Developmental Psychology
A defensive state where the Inner Child is isolated by excessive thorn
trees and "pricked" by internal inhibitions. This results in a lack
of "Emotional Meta-emotion," where the individual becomes unreachable to themselves and others, hindering the playful maintenance and healthy
"arrangement" of the garden.( Gottman, J. M., & Katz, L. F.
(1989)).
21.
Garlands of Gratitude
(Social Reciprocity & Broaden-and-Build):
These
represent the tokens of appreciation offered by the Inner Child to loyal
Boundary Plants. This illustrates the Broaden-and-Build Theory
(Fredrickson, 2001), where
positive emotions like gratitude expand an individual's
"momentary thought-action repertoire," building enduring personal and
social resources. By gifting from the Core Plants, the individual reinforces
the security of their social ecosystem.
22.
Flagging Garlands (Sublimated Social Advocacy):
The use of creative
output to raise
awareness for societal
and environmental issues.
This is the process of Sublimation (Vaillant,
1977)—a mature defense mechanism where internal psychic energy is channeled into pro-social, constructive activities. It reflects
the role of the individual in Social Advocacy and Art Therapy
(Stuckey & Nobel, 2010), using personal "blooms" to address collective
problems.
23.
Intergenerational Assets (Generativity):
The creative
"blooms" that remain
as a resource for "generations yet to come." This is grounded in the theory of Generativity
(Erikson, 1963), which is the drive to establish and guide the next generation.
It posits that the creative output of a healthy garden becomes a permanent
societal asset, providing "shelter" and guidance long after the
immediate "Mind Storms" have passed.
24. The Transmutation of the Garlands
(Internalized Growth &
Persistence of Value):
The process where
the love and creativity invested in others (the garlands) stay in the garden
even if the recipient (the plant) is uprooted. This aligns with Post-Traumatic
Growth (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 2004) and the Persistence of Internalized
Objects. Even when a social bond is severed, the capacity for love and the
creative effort expended do not "leave" the garden; they decompose
into Manure, enriching the Subconscious Humus. This ensures that the
individual's "investment in love" is never lost,
but is instead recycled into personal wisdom
and fertile ground for future resilience.
REFERENCES
Axelrod, J., & Dinh, L. (2012). The Pineal Gland: Anatomical and Functional Relationships with the Nervous System and Other Endocrine Organs. Academic Press.
Pennebaker, J. W. (1997). Writing about emotional experiences as a therapeutic process. Psychological Science, 8(3), 162-166.
Author: Atreyee Saha
Atreyee Saha is a Biotechnology Masters student with a deep-seated interest in the intersection of psychology and literature. A poet at heart, she explores how psychological insights can be bridged with literary tools to promote healing and well-being. Atreyee emphasizes the vital role of reflection, journaling, and engagement with literature,introspection in maintaining a good mental health. She is a strong advocate for nurturing radical creativity, viewing the cultivation of hobbies and artistic expression as essential pathways toward self-actualization.
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