BLOOMINGTON Shooting stars, wild geraniums and other spring wildflowers are starting to bloom in Illinois Wesleyan University's Multifaith Meditation Garden, just as the idea behind it is blossoming and taking root.

What started out as a senior seminar project became a blend of my passion for nature, people and faith in all of its forms, explained Nicole Chlebek, who graduated from IWU last year with a degree in environmental studies.

Speaking at a dedication ceremony, nearly a year after she planted the garden, Chlebek said it's a place for people to feel grounded and a retreat away from college and their busy lives.

In planning the garden, Chlebek chose native plants that will bloom while students are on campus. They include black-eyed susans and wild bergamot.

As part of Tuesday's dedication, 10 engraved stones were placed around a newly planted redbud tree.

The stones contain passages or meditations from faith-based and secular writings, including Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Bahai, Unitarian Universalist and pagan sources.

The stones were the idea of freshman Isaac Simmons, a religious studies and business administration major from Peoria who is part of IWU's Multifaith Ambassador Program. The quotations were selected by registered student organizations representing the particular faith or beliefs.

Simmons noted that there is a common respect for nature underlying various faiths and nonreligious believers. He said it is sometimes referred to as the Green Rule: Do unto the Earth as you would have it do unto you.

The Green Rule establishes a common ground for the common good, he said.

Multifaith ambassador Carly Floyd, a senior in sociology from Milwaukee, said it was important to include more than just the Abrahamic religions Christianity, Judaism and Islam.

Our university is committed to diversity, she said, which means more than racial, ethnic and gender diversity. Religious diversity is also important.

University Chaplain Elyse Nelson Winger said the Multifaith Ambassador program began in fall 2011. She described it as a student leadership program in which people with religious and secular beliefs learn about each others' traditions through weekly dialog, service projects and a variety of other activities.

My hope is that students who graduate will take these interfaith skills with them when they leave campus, she said.

The garden builds on a wonderful legacy of care and stewardship, said Nelson Winger. It is a place to appreciate and revere the beauty of creation that we might be renewed in spirit and action.

In her remarks at the dedication, Floyd said the garden is a welcoming spot for insects and individuals alike, adding, May it inspire action and advocacy for the Earth we share.

The garden is located behind Evelyn Chapel. Chlebek can see it from her office across the street, where she works as an admissions counselor. She frequently sees people sitting in the garden.

That's the thing that makes my heart the happiest, said Chlebek. I didn't build it for me; it's for others. I wanted it to be a space for anyone to come and feel accepted.

Follow Lenore Sobota on Twitter: @pg_sobota

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Multifaith Meditation Garden follows the Green Rule - Bloomington Pantagraph