Insights from Nature

 Recently while I was taking a walk, I was listening to the songs of the birds and had this insight – birds does not discriminate singing to me. Birds were just hanging out and having a good time sharing their sweet voice. Birds don’t judge whether I am rich or poor or whether I am a saint or sinner. Nature does not think or judge and discriminate like humans do. Whether it is the sunshine or sunset or moon light or air or water or stars – they are available to all of us irrespective of our status or position or our abilities or our possessions.

Spending time with nature can give us lot of insights. If you look at the plants, trees and animals in nature, they spend their life effortlessly. They don’t worry about their past or future. They just experience life as it comes. They don’t compare themselves and judge who is greater or lesser. They only consume whatever is needed for their survival and don’t hoard on to things. We can learn so many things from nature. One of the insights I learned from another teacher, through nature is about courage/vulnerability. If you look at a strongly rooted tree, it appears to be strong compared to a grass, but when a storm comes the tree gets uprooted easily, compared to grass. Grass seems to be vulnerable in a bad weather condition, yet it bends itself in storm and remains rooted. We can learn to be vulnerable and grounded in our inner strength as opposed to external strength that comes through power, position and status.

Apart from gaining insights, spending time in nature can give us inspiration. We can connect with the unity/wholeness in nature. We can connect with the pure intelligence that flows through everything in nature. We can connect with the infinite expression of intelligence in the colors, fragrance, sounds, forms and shapes found in nature. We don’t have to be told to spend time in nature, we all instinctively know that connecting with nature nourishes us. By immersing ourselves regularly in nature, we can gain inspiration, insight, energy and joy and use the nourishing experience to fulfill our life’s purpose

Peace,

Venkatesh