Show Me The Harmony

What Can Nature Show Us When you sit in nature and witness it, it has many lessons to teach us that we have forgotten. I say ‘forgotten’ for this is our natural state. We are it. We have conditioned ourselves; to the point that we can no longer hear or see what our inner-sense wants us to recall. But it's not too late to change and we surely must. Our ‘normal’ is no longer ‘natural’, and I doubt it has been for a long, long time. This applies to individuals and collectives alike, for one is comprised of the other. Try sitting on a beach and watching the ocean and the shore, and see what you see. Try observing a forest of trees or animals living out their lives, and see what you can learn. It’s fascinating! We tend to walk through and past such magic each and every day without allowing ourselves to feel it. Open, open, open to its deep messages! The Ocean Just Is The ocean can change its colour or outward appearance depending on the energies it is exposed to – the sun, wind, and tides all result in great waters expressing themselves in various ways, each temporarily. But deep down the ocean does not change. It is immovable. It is sovereign. It is powerful. The oceans of the world also connect with one another and to the rivers. They are truly one. They sustain life and accept all beings, no matter how they interact with its life-sustaining waters. The ocean responds to the gravitational pull of the moon. It doesn’t question why or resist this. It doesn’t ignore gravity because it can’t see or touch it. It just is the way it is. Acceptance is all there is. We might measure the tides on our clocks and watches, but the ocean doesn’t care about time. It moves with the rhythm of the universe. Its waves land on the shore in a constant rhythm. They may change in intensity, but they do not stop coming. It hears that one song, and it dances along. The ocean does not care if you go to the beach to observe it, or even if you like it. It will be there no matter what you do or think about it. Humankind may influence it with global warming, but it doesn’t try to take revenge. It just is. When you stand on a beach, at the water’s edge, you are in a rare place. Here we are exposed to the four physical elements of nature: fire (the sun), water, earth and air. This is one reason humans seek to live near oceans. It offers not only sustenance and recreation, but recreation. The four elements coming together enable us to feel more natural. They remind our minds of our natural ways of being. If we care to listen, they help us to feel alive and free, higher in vibration and connected to that one song. The song is love. Oceans give us energy and allow us to feel free. It’s like Spotify on steroids. The Forest Just Is When you observe trees in a forest, there is much to see if you feel into what’s present. Trees grow as tall as nature allows. They don’t compare themselves to each other, and don’t need to be the tallest in the forest. They grow at the speed they need to. Trees are fully present where they meet the earth. They grow where they are, not where they hope to be! Trees provide shelter and safety for other animals and insects, but they don’t charge rent. They give and take in equal measure. They are influenced by the natural flows around them – the sun and water – but they don’t demand the presence of either. They purify the air that we breathe, but they don’t expect a reward for doing so. They simply do it, for it is part of their purpose on this planet. We need them. They don’t need us or our chainsaws. Can our egos cope with that? A tree loses its leaves with the changing seasons. They don’t set their alarm clocks for autumn or get upset if their leaves drop off earlier or later than other years. They just accept what arises. Trees move with the wind, for this allows them to survive the changing weather patterns. If a tree stands too rigid in the wind or a storm, it will break. It needs to be strong, but nature knows that total resistance to the changing conditions is unhelpful. When a tree dies, or is knocked over for some reason, it does not complain. It accepts its situation and moves on to its next role in the forest. It could create warmth and light in a fire, or rot into the earth to be composted as new soil. Trees don’t take revenge if we cut them down, yet human studies have shown that plants are influenced by the moods of people. We often cut them down to make money or add value to a property. I know I did, and I regret it. Did you know that, on a cloudy day, sunflowers have been observed to turn towards each other to brighten the other’s day? If only we did more of the same! Animals Just Are They say that animals live by the law of the jungle. This law doesn’t change or take away individual freedoms. It is governed by the universal laws of nature. Animals go about their lives as their instincts tell them. They don’t generally eat what they don’t need (although our domesticated animals might, living in our world of normality). Animals make noise when they feel they need to, not for the sake of it. They live with their own kind, but accept the other species around them. They go about their own business, not seeking recognition but just being in the moment. They are alive in presence. They don’t regret. They don’t protect themselves all the time, only when they sense danger is present. And yet they never stop sensing. Animals adapt to their environment as it changes without complaint. If you have ever seen animals living in the city, like birds, you will know what I mean. They just find the best way to survive, no matter what happens around them. If you chase a bird away it doesn’t come back and try and get even. Your family dog doesn’t hold a grudge if you leave it alone all day; it simply wags its tail when you get home, because it is in the moment. The past has gone. Perhaps we could try this! Animals don’t observe time, they respond to the energies around them. Nature determines what they do and when. They don’t consult with other animals and keep a diary. Animals just are in the moment, which makes them fully present. We may see them as less evolved, but in many ways this is a falsehood. They are pure. Are we?