To the East, over Lake Michigan a mile or so away, the sky is navy blue, even now. Last night, more than 12 hours ago, the forces of nature — wind, lightning, hail — created a dramatic light show. Great forks of lightning illuminated the sky. The power of nature was palpable as the hail flung itself against the windows.
So grateful, then, to be inside, in our house. Outside, some of the plants in the garden of Shangri-La took some damage. From my office window, I spot a few holes in the plate-sized redbud leaves. The ligularia, not under the protection of a tree, was torn to pieces. Lots of leaves came down in the heavy winds and hail. I’ve taken a sweeping-meditation break to move them into piles to pick up on the next break. All in all, we are grateful for the minimal damage.
The power of nature is dramatic, yet embracing it as a partnership not a war can make for an experience of integrity, wholeness, oneness. The prepositions are important here: with Nature; in Nature; of Nature. And *not* against or over Nature. That’s the misstep.
We as a species are still learning, and there remains much we do not know. Mysteries remain that the scientific method (sorry to tell you) will not unravel. And yet — these mysteries, this other kind of knowing and knowledge, can be accessed in other ways.
How? Those prepositions are the key. It’s starting with the heart, the compassion for all on the planet and the planet herself, Gaia. We, and all beings, both seen and unseen, are worthy of our places here. And notice that we are here together. We are here together at this time for a purpose. Our mission is to engage within that continuum of relationships in all the many manifestations.
We are moving from the old model of “power over nature” to partners with Nature, learners and students in Nature, beings of Nature. Yes, we experience AWE in the raw power of nature, while at the same time, consciously engaging with the Earth and her creatures to listen for the lessons we are now able to hear and perhaps even embody.
If tapping into the messages from the animals is the way that best draws you into conversation with nature, I’d like to introduce you to David Wodtke, aka Pine Tree. His focus is on Earth-Service over at: http://earthservice.blogspot.com/ David shares messages from the animals that offer powerful ways to learn from the wisdom of the creatures.