Connecting with Nature {Shared Exoeriences and Exercises}

Through all my research and discussions on meditation and all things metaphysical, I have repeatedly been told about the benefits and power of connecting with nature. It was only until yesterday that I really understood how (insert any adjective you wish because I can not currently think of one that encompasses the experience) it can be. I chose this board because I wish to have a discussion about connecting with nature on a metaphysical level. [atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/50e8dd50be07.jpg[/atsimg]

The human race is so obsessed with materialism, profit, and growth, that we have lost our age old connection with nature. It is something the ancients cherished and made a part of their everyday lives. I'm sure anyone can agree that our current model of growth can not be sustained without destroying the earth. We are coming to a crossroads where an important decision will have to be made. Reconnect with mother earth or become extinct.

There is something profound about mans connection with nature once we can remember and experience it. For example, I walk by nature every day but find myself too busy to notice it. I may be paying attention to my thoughts and the beauty of the world gets drowned out.

Yesterday, after reading a book that dealt with the subject, I chose to meditate for 1/2 hour and go out and experience nature. The effect was absolutely transforming. It is one thing to take a walk in the park consumed by thoughts, and something completely different to become one with nature. Its like reconnecting with a long lost love. Every sense was enhanced. Colors were more vivid, smells consumed me, and the sounds kept me in a meditative state throughout. Its funny how 2 people can be walking side by side and can have an entirely different experience of their 5 senses all together. Its all about state of mind.

If anyone has had an experience such as I had, I ask you to please share. At this point in our evolution, I believe reconnecting with nature is the most important thing we can do. There is so much to be learned. Just taking in the essence of a rock with out labeling it or relying on preconceived notions of what a rock is, can change you forever.

I will continue to update this thread with experiences, insights, and exercises that can be done to have an experience such as I did. We have forgotten that we are part of this massive living organism floating through space and its time to wake up and remember.

To be continued...

I haven't really had such an amazing experience as you had, but here lately I have started noticing nature more than I ever have. It is more vibrant, and like you said its almost like my senses have had a little boost when dealing with nature.

I am currently an undergrad who hopes to get a degree in biology/ecology. Right now I am taking a course on evolution and learning about how everything is descended from a common ancestor which has really helped me to understand our interconnection with all things. If one thinks about it, the term species is just relative. We only name species as a tool for organizing the living beings that we see. In reality, all of us are just modified forms of something ancient. We are all modified fish, which are descended from more ancient ancestors which descended from the first cell like organisms. The products to make life came out of the materials on Earth. The materials on Earth came from the sun, which was created out of hydrogen or star dust, which in turn originated from the big bang.

Seeing the interconnection of all things is a very peaceful understanding. I am a small part of the universe that is concious of itself. When I look at the night sky, nature, or anything beautiful, what runs through me is that I am really looking at myself. When I look at other people, I see myself, anything I look at.

A few weeks ago, I went to a local forest preserve where there is this wetland where you can sit on a dock. I sat on it for about an hour and just stared at how the sun reflected off the water. The tiny waves would make diamond glimmers from the sun. It was so pretty and relaxing.

Unfortunatly, I live in the Chicago suburbs so there isn't a whole lot of wild lands left except for the forest preserve districts. Housing developments and retail strip malls dominate much of the land and most of the open space consists of corn fields. Still, I try to visit and volunteer at these places as much as possible.

Thanks for posting this thread, I have flagged to come back

reply to post by CaveMan TeK


eta: I am addressing the "get back to nature" message in your thread. I hope I am not derailing or too far off what you were hoping to discuss.

I wish we could. Let me rephrase: I wish we would.

We, in the Western and developing world (which is more and more of the globe increasingly), have strayed far from our roots. We have built up a system of advancement through destruction.

Our way of life is vampiric; we find strength, power and renewel by stealing it and destroying the host. This doesn't have to be the way, but it is the only way we know --or rather, the way we know how.

It would take a great leap in worldview in order to become proper stewards of our planet while still allowing ourselves to advance and prosper...

...that or some cataclysim will stick force us back to nature, and without the accomplishments of the millions of striving minds that came before us.

I feel we are meant, as an intelligent species, to advance and explore and discover. I wish we would all take a second and realize that we don't need to kill the planet, or ourselves, to do it.

To the OP: You should read "Star Maker" by Olaf Stapledon. You would love it, I think.

[edit on 4/17/0909 by spines]

Hello there, this is my first post here. i have been wandering around this site for about a year now. Im from the UK!

I also believe we have lost our way. i look around and everyone is consumed by technology. Dont get me wrong technology is great hell im using it now.

I try to go outside as much as possible, i always feel better when im outside with nature. i feel connected when im outside. its a shame because the weather is usually rubbosh in the UK

Cheers

MTT

In reality we've never been disconnected to nature, we just don't really understand what is connecting to what. It's like we became divided on so many different levels and now we are becoming aware of them again and their interrelations. It might feel pleasent at first because otherwise we wouldn't want to become aware of all the negativity we've done to ourselves, maybe the good feelings you are receiving now is so you can cope the many hidden trauma's which put you in a state of sleep in the first place.

reply to post by bringthelight


I guess i'm just lucky that i always have appreciated nature and my environment. I swear i get high off a sunny day and how it makes everything look so alive. My favourite time of day is the end of day, when the sun touches everything with gold. Foliage and greenery appear different shades of green, depending on the time of day/type of day.
I feel so lucky living in the countryside and cannot take a walk or drive without being in total awe of my surroundings.

Coincidently though, i posted the below in a thread of my a few weeks ago, so as you wish us to share our experiences, here is mine

My childhood had a fair balance of tv/music/computer games but the larger proportion of my playtime was spent outdoors (65% aprox), from the age of 5 i was making hedgerow dens with my friends or even on my own, i'm sure everyone one had there own secret place. No one told us to do this, not our parents or tv? It seemed just a natural thing to do? Do kids still do this, i guess it depends on where you live? This were i'm sure my kinship with nature started. I do wonder though if people are brought up and are not exposed to the wildlife in their own environment that they may never truly develop a bond with nature, and sense of respect for it.

taken from:
www.abovetopsecret.com...

Heres a pretty good website with some ideas for feeling the connection.

Connecting Natures Spirit

Steps Towards Experience While nature is the teacher, healer and inspiration, the role of the outdoor educator can be to help manifest these experiences – to guide the students along a pathway towards the possibility of touching the sacred. Several books list a number of exercises for building relationship with nature - James Swan’s Nature as Teacher and Healer; Ruth Baetz’s Wild Communion. Experiencing Peace in Nature.; the marvellous autobiography by Paul Rezendes entitled The Wild Within; and the on-line nature connecting courses of Michael Cohen – www. pacificrim.com; www. ecopsychology.com; and www.rockisland.com.

Most begin with simple physical exercises - something as basic as standing still and breathing. Beginning loose body movements and warm up exercises. Getting people to connect with their bodies in some way. How do we feel in different naturescapes and ecosystems – is there a difference between how we feel in a dark rainforest or open desert, a cave or mountain top, an ocean or city park, a sunny or rainy day, the different seasons? The next step is to explore the senses further – to awaken the smells, sounds, feelings, by touching, sniffing, looking (really looking!), listening (even to the silence and the sounds of your own body), tasting (if appropriate).

Find a special place in nature and spend time there. A place that calls you. Take a notepad and paper if you like. Write feelings, ideas, poetry. Be aware of the movements in nature – wind, spiders climbing, bees flying, waves lapping etc. What attracts you? What seems to call you? Reflect on the experience.

[edit on 18-4-2009 by bringthelight]

Spines - I agree with the vampire point you made. If you look at human civilization from space, it looks like a virus or fungus sprawling across the globe. Just recently have i realized the importance of returning to the connection with nature.

Like McoG said, we feel it most as children. I used to go down to cape cod and spend hours by myself exploring the marshes and the various forms of life. I got lost of nature and thought of nothing else. That's what it is all about for me, and I want to have that feeling again.

Dragon fly...I loved when you said we have never lost the connection we have just stopped understanding it. Right on. We are connected whether we remember it or not, its just understanding how deeply connected we truly are and feeling that connection on a deep level. It can be absolutely amazing.

I guess my question is what brings out this feeling of deep connectedness for other people. Whether it be walking meditation through a park, sitting with a pad of paper and writing or drawing, leaning against a tree and feeling its energy, Im interested in hearing how others make this connection.