Making Peace With the Natural World
“The care of the Earth is our most ancient and most worthy, and after all our most pleasing responsibility. To cherish what remains of it and to foster its renewal is our only hope.”
~ Wendell Berry
Each day, I awake, look up at the rising sun against the treeline and dream of harmony. And as the sun sets its burning self against the canvass of purple-pink clouds and deep blue sky, I dream of lasting balance. A world where all of creation recognizes and cherishes this profound gift of Life and the planet that makes it all possible.
Alas, we are off this course.
As a community of supposed intelligent beings gifted with consciousness and a moral compass, we might know better. As a species born out of the womb of creation and connected so deeply to its natural rhythms, we should not have forgotten this part of ourselves.
But we have.
Our intelligence has failed us. Our ingenuity has led us astray. Our innovations have only seeded the quest for more. A quest with no end; a bounty that will be unattainable; a hunger that cannot be filled by material things.
One need only look to the natural world to find the answers to most of that which we seek: Simplicity, harmony, balance, community, peace. Nature has architected and engineered itself perfectly with no need for tinkering or tweaking. When left to its natural course it thrives, providing ample sustenance to all its creatures. Indeed, Nature is our Mother.
What We Face
For many humans though, Nature has become a commodity. A thing to be bought and sold; pillaged and profited from; beaten back, tamed and exploited for selfish gain. Nature is that thing out there, outside. That stuff that’s icky and gross. Those ugly trees, those stinky animals; that worm-filled dirt and the water so bitter on the tongue.
We have forgotten that every single thing that we consume comes from this beautiful little planet. The clothes, the gadgets, the cars, the knick-knacks; the so-called food shipped half-way around the world; the energy for our homes and offices; all that must-have-it-now-because-it’s-on-sale stuff that the legions are flocking to the malls for right now.
We have forgotten that every single living being on this planet is made from the same basic building blocks of life. And because of that, we are connected so deeply — and deliberately — in this Community of Life. Woven into our DNA is a compassion for all that is living; a gratitude for the nourishment of mind, body and spirit that we all provide for each other.
We have forgotten our role as caretakers and stewards of this gift we all have been given. The natural world would go on just fine without us. But alas, we are here and we have a responsibility to ensure it continues to thrive in both the short- and long-term.
Return of the Prodigal Ones
2011 is our opportunity to make peace with the natural world. To realize that the course we’ve been on will not result in that which we seek; to return to that innate and beautiful relationship we once had; to dwell each day in the love and majesty of creation.
While a laundry list of to-do could fill pages, there are two simple things that we all can do to sow these seeds of peace with the natural world:
The first is the practice of mindful consumption. To be mindful of everything we do and its impact — good or bad — on the planet. Seeing the connections between what we consume and the vitality of the natural world from where it comes.
When we practice mindful consumption we take concrete steps towards not only transforming ourselves, but transforming our relationship with Nature. We reconnect with that forgotten part of our being that yearns for that love and fellowship. It’s beautiful. It’s life-changing.
The second is simply to be with Nature — embracing the experience often and deeply. Spend time outside whether its sipping your morning coffee or taking a mid-day walk; planting a few flowers or a garden full of vegetables; playing games with the kids or experiencing the silence of a hike alone in the woods.
When we engage Nature with all of our senses, its energy and vibrancy begins to seep into our pores and fill our being with that simple happiness and contentment. When we stop to quietly observe its miraculous workings, we deepen our appreciation and respect for what it provides. This eventually leads to the epiphany of our Oneness with Nature, leaving behind the notion of separateness that modern culture has fostered.
And the up-tick? We shed all those things — all that stuff — in our lives that is unnecessary and complicates our ability to live deeply each day. We embrace an intense simplicity of thought and action. We rekindle relationships and community. We don’t spend time and money needlessly on impulses, allowing us to focus on following our passions and transforming how we spend each day.
As we step into 2011, I continue to welcome you to join me and this growing community of followers who are creating and living their new pursuits; making peace with all the Life that call this planet Home.
Be well,
Bill
As always, your help in sharing The New Pursuit is greatly appreciated. Taking a few seconds to email to a friend or share via Twitter or Facebook is fantastic. Subscribing to receive future posts for free is amazing. While you’re here you might also enjoy these posts:
- What Three Days in the Wilderness Will Teach You About Life
- Sowing the Seeds of Happiness (Or the View From My Patch of Peace)
- Nature as Mentor: 6 Life Lessons Gardens Can Teach Our Children
[image: jasontheaker]
Mindful consumption is one of the keys to a successful future. We must pay attention to what we’re doing and how it impacts other people, creatures and systems.
I’m enjoying living the new pursuits that my simple, deliberate life brings to me.
Gip
This is beautiful, Bill. I’m often filled with wonder at how quirky, marvelous, and surprising this planet is…and sadness that we can be this intelligent, have this much information, and still behave so callously towards the only planet we have. I used to go for weekly walks in the wood and have fallen out of the habit with the rainy season. I went this week, even though it was muddy and cloudy, and it was gorgeous — a quiet, misty day filled with new grass, clean air, fallen leaves, and even a vibrant (probably poisonous) mushroom or two.
Thank you for posting this, Bill. It hits close to home. I wonder when the day will come that people look at their computers, only to wonder what bits came from which part of the earth, rather than wondering if their MacBook is better than their neighbor’s.
I find one of the best things is to simply be with nature – but how many would really be able to experience their connection with nature, plucked straight from the urban jungle? It will probably take repeated exposure, and a willingness on the part of the individual to open their minds and hearts to the possibility of connecting with nature.
Thanks, Lynn. At the end of the day, I really believe it is about seeking out and making this peace with Nature. For me, it’s profound; for others, they might not understand it (yet). Who knows, a few might even think I’m off my rocker…
I just happen to read about a Denver-based non-profit called Big City Mountaineers that is doing just what you’re talking about — only with kids. Sounds awesome. As the human population climbs and more and more people flock to urban areas, it will be even more important to foster these connections.
Thanks again. Be well.
Thanks so much, Jennifer. So glad you got out for that walk! Making time to spend outside, if even for a few minutes each day, is so important. Good for the mind, body and spirit. I think it’s a good dose of earthly karma!
Here’s wishing you many more walks in the days ahead! Be well!
Gip — I couldn’t agree with you more. Not only successful, but survivable as well. The cover of the new issue of National Geographic gets it across quite well: 7 Billion and counting. With so many more people, there is no option but to curtail our consumption or face some dire consequences. Mindful consumption is the perfect mix of minimalism, mindfulness and sustainability in my eyes.
Wishing you well in your practice!
Hi Bill
Thanks for writing this. I hope many people read it.
This year I hope to follow your advice and get out more. There’s a connection between my heart and the natural world ‘outside’ that fires up when I’m ‘out there’ (not preoccupied ‘in here’). It’s refreshing and exciting, although it doesn’t appeal to my ego intellect (that could be a problem).
Please inspire me
I need it. My imagination regarding all this is so lacking… my desire for a quiet life prevents me from getting social about it like Lynn does.
On a practical note, I hope that supermarket products can include more information about their ecological footprint, so consumers can start to make better decisions. I’m sure a low footprint will start to attract a premium and be seen as worth it, and our nature based economy will start to flourish in the right direction.
Things like embedded water content, land cleared and tilled, greenhouse gasses produced, even if just as a rating or something.
Ali
This is beautiful, Bill. I’m often filled with wonder at how quirky, marvelous, and surprising this planet is…and sadness that we can be this intelligent, have this much information, and still behave so callously towards the only planet we have. I used to go for weekly walks in the wood and have fallen out of the habit with the rainy season. I went this week, even though it was muddy and cloudy, and it was gorgeous — a quiet, misty day filled with new grass, clean air, fallen leaves, and even a vibrant (probably poisonous) mushroom or two.
+1
Thanks, Ali — for the compliment and the push to do more
What you bring up — that ‘connection’ between your heart and Nature is so innate in all of us. It’s that connection that I feel modern society has conditioned us to forget (I dare not say bred out of us). I suppose it’s akin to concepts of ‘grace’ or ‘Buddha nature’ — it is something we’re born with and just have to rediscover.
Your point about transparency within our food system is fantastic. I’m not well-versed enough on the details (or whether something at the industry level is in the works) but I imagine one of the toughest parts would be getting all the stakeholders (growers/producers, distributors, stores, etc.) to agree on some sort of standardized measurement and reporting methodology. I think about what’s happening in the U.S. with the ‘certified organic’ label — several different organizations stamping their approval; the U.S. government considering tweaking (read: loosening because of pressure by Big Ag) their standards. It becomes a mess.
That’s why I love shopping at my local mom & pop grocery store. They proudly display both the origin of the produce, but also feature big pictures and profiles of all the local farmers they source their produce from. It makes a connection; you feel good about supporting that. Why? There’s that face and name on it all.
On a final note, please keep pushing me and TNP to deliver what you’re looking for! I’m thinking about asking all my readers the same questions.
Talk soon,
Bill