Part 1 - Nature’s Attraction

Most people feel drawn to nature in some way. Some of us are die-hard nature lovers, attracted to anything from a potted plant to a remote, beautiful wilderness. Others may be drawn to a specific aspect of nature; water being one of the most popular. And the sight of a wild animal will usually attract anyone’s attention.

What is it about nature that draws us? Exploring this for yourself can lead to some valuable insights, so let’s take a look. Take a moment and imagine you’re having your favorite nature experience. Notice the “feeling” that comes when you think of this, and enjoy it for a couple of minutes before we go on.

If you have trouble connecting with a nature memory or visualizing it, try being with the accompanying photo, thinking as little as possible for a few minutes, with the intention of receiving it in your heart. It’s best to do this in a quiet place, without distractions. (Maximizing your browser window might help if you don’t see the whole photo)

Naming the “feeling” is not particularly important, but often it might be described as peace, stillness, unity, joy, love, etc. While all these are pleasurable, I think there is a lot more to our nature attraction than a pleasant feeling.

Throughout our travels and backyard wanderings, Ariel and I have felt we were “feeding our souls” with nature, replenishing something that had been drained away by dealing with life in the “civilized world” of human society.

I have recently come to realize another aspect of our attraction to, and need for, nature in our lives. Here it is (thunder roll please): Consider the possibility that Nature reminds us of aspects of ourselves we’ve lost touch with, or forgotten. In other words, the good feelings we have when we’re around nature are naturally part of who we are. And these feelings, as good as they are, are probably only a faint glimmer of what is really there.

Helping Us Remember
The brilliance of the sun,
the vastness of the sea,
a translucent crescent moon,
a soft green meadow,
nature’s symphony of sounds,
the depth of her stillness . . .

Touch deep our hungry heart,
calling us to wake
from our raucous slumber,
our frenzied rush.

Gently reminding us of
our magnificent Soul,
the forgotten Truth of Who We Are.

Deep in our soul rests a memory of our connection to Spirit, the Essence of Who We Are, beyond the confines of our body and mind. Here, we are whole and complete, without need for the conditional approval of society. We embodied this awareness as young children, but gradually lost it as we were trained by those around us to see ourselves as separate from God, Nature and each other.

Most of us have forgotten this early experience because of the strength of our developing mind and our culture’s belief in this separation. Our preoccupation with the apparent demands and distractions of the world also drew our attention away from this natural state.

Spending quiet time with Nature is a way to nurture this essential aspect of ourselves; keeping our batteries charged and our hearts connected to what is real and meaningful for us.

Even if you do not resonate with this idea, there are many benefits of spending time with nature in your favorite ways, particularly those which foster slowing your pace and quieting your mind. This, by itself, is known to relieve stress and improve health & well-being. You don’t have to be a card-carrying tree-hugger to receive some goodies from the trees!

Support Your Health & Inner Peace with this Regular Practice

The necessary ingredients are:
• Yourself
• A willingness to take time out from your usual activities, and allow yourself to be still.
• A quiet place in natural surroundings - it helps to have a spot or two close to your home where you can easily go for brief periods.

Open your heart as best you can to appreciation of the beauty and life surrounding you. Make it your choice to engage with Nature, instead of the many thoughts that are likely to come, demanding your immediate attention. That stuff can wait 20 minutes, can it not? Use whatever time period works for you – anything is better than nothing!

No words or mental concepts are required. In fact, words and concepts tend to get in the way of your deeper experience of your heart, which your mind cannot know. Your mind can only think about your experience – it cannot have it.

See if you can drop beneath thought and words, and simply feel what is in your body, your heart, and the earth upon which you sit. If it’s difficult at first, it will get easier with practice.

Give this mini-vacation to yourself as often as you can, and notice how your mood and life experiences change as a result.

Blessings,
Dr Dane

Go to: Part 2 - Cultivating Stillness

Go to: Part 3 - From Head to Heart