(click on the photos for a larger view, these were taken in my own backyard)
“Connecting to Nature”by Mary McAndrew2-4-08
“If you’re feeling tired, stressed out or sort of ‘disconnected’ today, consider taking time to visit some place of natural beauty, a place that fills you with a sense of awe and wonder.The ocean, a river, canyon or forest would be great because they carry their own energy of power to marvel at. Let go of worrisome thoughts and just immerse your mind in the beauty around you. Our problems fade away when we are in the presence of such wonder; our mind and spirit expand and open.
Actually the more you experience these great feelings and positive feedback, the easier it will be to draw the memories up when you need them.You don’t have to visit a grand forest or the Grand Canyon for that matter, to experience this, just take a walk out your back door for some fresh air.Even a dead looking yard in winter can hold beauty and life. Find a place to sit or stand quietly and close your eyes, just listen, feel the breeze on your face and hands, smells of the earth, rain, snow; the sounds of birds or leaves blowing.Let them visit you, touch you and enter your being.Feel the warmth of it entering your heart space, a beautiful green color glows within.Did you get a shiver?That’s the energy moving through your body, it’s a great thing!
If you can’t get out to nature, sit and quiet your mind and breath slow, let yourself wander out an imaginary door to the places you’ve really been before. Remember the sounds, sights, smells and feelings you had when you were there. Let yourself smile and see how it changes your feelings or mood!
If you can, next time you do go to a beautiful place, take a journal or sketchbook with you.Write how you feel, paint some colors or do a drawing of an interesting or beautiful plant.Memories will stick with you so much deeper if you write about it or draw it, the thoughts going from a deep place within you, to your head, to your hand, your pen then the paper.Look back on these notes and sketches on a day when you feel you need to connect with nature and you’ll be surprised how the feelings and memories will come back to you!“
I suppose I am very fortunate living in the countryside in that there is hardly a day without going for at least one walk in a scenic spot. But I have special places where I visit, quiet places distant from others were I can observe nature and feel truly contented. Even though I have often a busy schedule working for myself, I will always find time in the week to go to these places and chill out. Your comments remind me of that “Keane” video for the song “Only We Know”. The singer laments a friendship lost with someone who shared his special place deep in the woods. It is very touching at the end, when because he now feels alone the spirits of the place come out to express their sympathy and consolation. Either that or it was a drinking den, ha!ha!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmXY2MSrguE
It is only when you are quiet and still are you able to truly observe the natural world around you.
“What is this life if full of care
We have no time to stand and stare?
No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep, or cows.
No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.
No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.
No time to turn at Beauty’s glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.
No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.
A poor life this, if full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare”.
William Henry Davies 1871 – 1940
Wow, camulus, thank you for that poem! I am truely inspired by poetry, that one was beautiful! I’ll have to copy it and someday maybe do a painting for it. Many of my Goddess paintings (on my website http://www.marymcandrew.com) are inspired by poems by a Dutch poet friend of mine.
I’ve never heard of that video, but I’ll have to try to visit the link. It does sound sad.
thanks for the comments!
Mary
Wonderful post. It is so important to sometimes pause and just be.