SPIRIT SPIRIT OF NATURE
I love not man the less, but nature more.” ~ Lord Byron, stanza from Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, 1812 “What shall we do with a man who is afraid of the woods, their solitude and darkness? What salvation is there for him? God is silent and mysterious.” ~ Henry David Thoreau, journal entry, 1850 The current global crises have in large part arisen over the past few centuries, particularly in the past 50 years because of weakened relations with spirit/divine, within and between communities and the beings and ecosystems that sustain us. Transcending this limiting consciousness and conceptions of what it is to be fully human requires in part that we explore the spiritual dimensions of our lives, especially our connection with the Earth and life that sustains us. Spirituality can be viewed as an inner experience and/ or belief that provides deeper meaning to your life, an experience of connection to something greater than your own life that breaks the ordinary boundaries of the day-to-day ego self. So what is a spiritual experience in nature? It can be many things to many people, just like the ideas of beauty and virtue. In essence, it often arises when feeling a deep connection with or wonder toward something in the non-human environment, a landscape, mountain, animal or tree, for example, in which there is an expansion of the ego self and an awareness of some greater non-physical force, a consciousness, all-pervasive intelligence underlying reality. This form of connection arises when you become fully present to your experience of reality by being fully attentive to and perceiving what is around you. It requires getting in touch with your true nature by going into nature, by stepping away from your normal roles and responsibilities and becoming infused by nature in its infinite expressions. It is part of the process of cultivating your highest potential, of responding to the ultimate question, “Who am I?” A deeper sense of spiritual connection and understanding of identity arises as you increase your circles of engagement. As poet Rainer Maria Rilke beautifully expressed it: “I live my life in widening circles which spread out to encompass all things. I may not bring the last one to completion, but that will be my attempt.
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“I circle God, the ancient tower, circling and circling for thousands of years, And don’t yet know — am I a falcon, a storm, or an immense song.” In coming into a relationship with the spirit/divine when encountering nature, we interpret our world from a higher or wiser perspective that is inclusive, tolerant and accepting. You are more likely to become more caring about the world you inhabit when you hold something as sacred or meaningful or sentient. As author Stephanie Dowrick has similarly written, “As we engage more deeply, any sense of disconnection from others, or from the sacred within life or ourselves, diminishes; we are freed to care.” Experiencing a deeper, more meaningful relationship with nature does not just improve your psychological health; it also helps you become an inquisitive, humble explorer of the landscapes you inhabit and a more likely protector of the natural world.
EXPERIENCING SPIRITUAL CONNECTION WITH NATURE Experiences of a spiritual orientation can arise spontaneously as well as through practice. As Blake implies in his poetry, we may with the right perception and attention perceive a hidden world in a grain of sand and heavenly beauty in a wildflower. In other words, the sacred can be intuited within all things — if you can perceive it in a way that opens you up, that in a sense “intimises” you. The sacred through intimate connections is yours to be explored. This down-to-earth spirituality is experienced not by leaving the world behind but by becoming physically and psychologically immersed in the world around you. By becoming more present to the wonders of this world, wonders that lie not just in exotic places and beautiful sunrises but within the mundane and taken-forgranted landscapes in your daily life, you can enter into a more conscious relationship with the divine, the sacred. But how can you create the situation where such experiences may arise? You may be thinking that you go for a walk every day along a river or coastline, through a forest or park, and nothing “spiritual” happens. There may be no sense of the spiritual at all. That’s fine, of course, because there are other benefits you get while being in natural areas. But spiritual experiences
are there for the taking, a sliver of consciousness away; you just have to shift your mental perspective and begin to perceive the world anew.
SEEING WITH FRESH EYES To really know something closely requires a direct, relational experience of that thing. As you spend sufficient quality time in a place or relating to something, such as a tree or animal, you begin to connect with it, to relate and deepen your awareness of it. The I/it divide becomes permeable, diffuse. You become intimate through opening up and fully engaging. If you want to increase the chances of having a spiritual experience that by its nature is not subject to your conscious control, you need to cultivate your awareness so the seeds of spirit or the sacred may germinate and sprout into your consciousness. So why not, during one of your walks or outings in nature, take time out to cultivate a spiritual experience? Here is an outline of the approach I use and instruct my participants in during nature connection sessions. Mindfulness Becoming more aware of both your surrounds and your inner states requires a state of mindful consciousness, which I have described in a previous article (Walking the Inner Landscape, WellBeing #150). Bring your focused attention to bear on your state of mind and body, what you are doing, on the rhythm of your breathing, on your perceptions and the flow of inner experience, such as thoughts, feelings, observations and past and future imaginings. You need to become fully present, which occurs when you deeply look or hear or touch another being (“deeply” referring to moving from the surface or obvious to the subtler depths of a perception). Within the depth of encounter you’ll find a sense of oneness or union with the numinous, with spirit. It’s difficult to be quietened and fully self-aware if you are “lost” to the external world. Just observe your inner and outer worlds without judgement and experience nature like a child might: in the moment, with a touch of enchantment and open-minded curiosity. Remember: be patient, without expectations. Engage with mind & heart When you are in nature, express an affirmation of your love of the Earth, life and the place you are in. This opens up