Why would you want to connect to nature? Why is it important?
Connecting to Nature is more important than ever in our face paced hustle culture society. I know I sometimes feel that I'm a reluctant passenger in a bus that's hurtling along at breakneck speed and I'm screaming to get off. When I feel this way, I stop working and get outside for a walk or a ride on my mountain bike.
Connecting to nature if the cornerstone of a happy, joyful, value-filled and successful life as it connects us to something more than ourselves, the power of the beating heart of the Universe.
First of all, there is no nature and us. We are part of nature, we belong inside the web of life. But is there something deeper happening than creating calmness and relaxation when we take time to admire a hilltop view and wander in a grove of trees?
Let’s give some background on this ‘why’ question. Undeniably, we have some
problems in this world. From climate change, and plastics pollution to social disharmony and increasing mental health problems, particularly in the younger population. And I am convinced that our disconnection from nature is an important cause of these problems.
Our economics, for example, are driven by the maximization of profit, instead of respecting all values, not only money. Our businesses include only production costs in their prices. All other costs, such as waste, pollution, health problems of people, and many more are costs for our societies.
Responsibility is no longer connected to our actions. And the consequences are felt more and more clearly.
The solution is a change of worldview. From separation to connection. We cannot just maximize a part, we need to optimize the whole. This is called holistic thinking, systems thinking, and systemic design. E.g. Fritjof Capra wrote about it in his book ‘a Systems View of Life’.
The world is not made up of separate parts, all these parts are connected. If you touch a piece of fruit, it is connected to the rest of the world. It connects to the tree, which connects to the soil with its roots, to the air with its leaves, to the sun to make its photosynthesis work, etc. We breathe the oxygen that is produced by the trees, who in return eat CO2 to produce cellulose for their stems.
We need to shift from a consuming generation to a restoring generation before we can start enjoying the abundance that is nature’s gift to all.
So there is hope. People have created our economic system of unlimited growth, we can also change it. And by people I mean us. Small, insignificant us. Real people like you and me. Small gestures can have big impacts.
As a spiritual entrepreneur, I have a vision for wealth that leaves a legacy not just for my family, but for my community, for the environment and for wider society. Mahatma Gandhi said it wisely: “Be the change you want to see in the world.”
And we can start by reconnecting ourselves to nature. Because we are part of nature. We belong to this beautiful, very intelligent, innovative web of life. And it brings me such joy every day to dive deep and feel it!
I am very lucky, I was born into a farming community, and I have spent most of my life living in rural locations. I spend my childhood roaming unchecked in the Countryside, climbing trees, playing in lakes, and developing a deep connection to nature spirits and more-than-human consciousness. I know I am blessed to be a seer, to find slipping through the door unto the unseen realm as easy as I do. But regardless of whether you can see it or not, the benefits of connecting to nature are true for all of us.
The times I have become disconnected - through urban living, and my abusive marriage – had a hugely negative affect on my mental, emotional, physical and financial health. I wasn’t functioning at my best so neither was my business.
As soon as I took steps to reconnect, it all changed. And the result is that my intuition works much better now, my health improved, and my work and relationships flourish because of inner peace and deep listening skills.
I am able to communicate with the soul of my business, the soul of my home and all the nature spirits where I live to ensure I am an integral part of the many nest energy ecologies in which I live.
What can you do to reconnect yourself to nature? Here are some suggestions.
1. Notice where the sun rises and sets where you live. Greet the Sun each morning and say goodbye at night.
Our sense of place, of belonging, has been lost to most of us. Do you know if your desk faces the west? Or north? Are you aware of what direction you are driving in when you have the sun in your eyes?
Knowing the cardinal directions gives you awareness of the place you are in, the steps you are taking in your life, and the connection to the sun, moon and mother earth. It is the first action you can take towards being aware that every step counts, every thought counts, and every action counts.
2. Choose a GAIA place and spend time there every day
A GAIA place is a place where you can observe the earth and her creations.
Choose a place close to your door, so it will be easy to reach and visit often. It can be a spot with just a tree or a wall with mosses or a bush. And spend time at this spot every day. You can sit there, watch a bird or an insect, or just muse. You can meditate or do whatever you like.
After a while, you will start to notice things you didn’t notice before. For instance, you will notice small things about the blackbird that distinguishes him from others, so you know it’s the same bird. You’ll notice his specific voice or his way of flying up when he’s fed up and wants a change of scenery. Give him a name. Get connected. And most of all: enjoy it!
3. Meditate outside
Meditation is a great way of calming your thoughts and emotions. In the beginning, your thoughts will be all chaotic and confusing, but after becoming familiar with meditation, your thoughts will quiet down.
They will never disappear completely, that’s not the point. But the more you train yourself to watch your thoughts and emotions without getting carried away, the more space will be created for intuition and an automatic connection to the web of life.
Meditating outside has the positive side effect that you can feel connections to the environment. You will start to feel the tree you are sitting under or you will feel the little feet of a beetle on your hand.
4. Lie in the grass and feel the heartbeat of Mother Earth
A very simple exercise: lie on your back in the grass, close your eyes and feel where your body touches the earth. Just follow your breath for a while and feel the heartbeat of Mother Earth.
When I realize that the earth has existed for 4.6 billion years, all the time changing and feeding and cradling every living species, I can only feel awe! Respect!
An ant might walk over your arm, just feel its feet. If you feel fear, just feel it, don’t press it away, just observe and breathe. The fear will lessen with every out-breath and new joyful energy will enter with every in-breath. Enjoy your connection.
5. Take a silent walk and open all your senses
A silent walk is a great way to connect to nature. Open all your senses and hear, see, smell, taste, and feel. You will be surprised at how much you will notice that you didn’t notice before.
You will hear different birds’ voices, taste the leaves of a dandelion, smell the fragrance of soil when it has just rained, and feel the texture of bark or of sand flowing through your fingers. And you’ll see colours and shapes you have not been aware of before.
6. Be outside in the dark
Our eyesight is the most dominant sense we have. So if that sense cannot be very active, we will deepen the experience of our other senses.
Our hearing will be more intense and we can hear the call of the owl. Or the rustling of mice through the dry leaves. We can smell, taste and feel many more nuances and gradations.
Also here, fear can kick in. We can feel vulnerable without our eyesight. But when you have got used to this feeling of vulnerability by just being in the dark in your own backyard, you can go one step further and stretch the territory to a place you know well in daylight.
And if you then want to go deeper into the experience of being alone in the dark in nature, you can consider doing a Vision Quest and step completely out of your comfort zone.
Good luck. Enjoy the exercises and enjoy sharing your experiences. Nature will welcome you…