In every walk with nature one receives far more than one seeks.

John Muir

Being in nature makes me feel alive and totally in the present moment. There isn’t a more inspiring way for me to wake up than lying in the early morning mist that rises off dewy grass or bathing in the first rays of sunshine that filter through the trees. My heart is most content when I drift to sleep beneath a sparkly starry sky, where my last thoughts of the day mingle with the croak of frogs or the squeaks of bats catching bugs overhead. Sometimes I have the luxury of this being a complete immersion in nature, sitting high on a mountain with clouds floating below me and wilderness as far as I can see. Sometimes I must seek it out in a suburban park with a creek or birds tucked away behind houses. Whenever I allow myself time to be still in nature always it will nourish me.

Every day I am treated to the abundance that nature offers. I can walk among gardens and find many delicious leaves and fruits of plants grown to sustain us. Within each vegetable an invisible magic takes place as they convert minerals of the earth into a gift that we can digest. Every seed that is planted has the same feel of magic and abundance when it sprouts and grows, one plant offering many seeds and in turn many more plants in a perpetual cycle. The sun that shines warms me to my bones and can be harnessed to power our home, just as many other aspects of the environment such as wind, thermal currents or hydro. Trees cleanse our air and give us timber for houses. Everything that we need or that we could create is reflected in nature and usually the earth offers them to us in just the perfect ratio for us.

We are a part of nature, as much a part of nature as the ants and birds. Humans with their roads and concrete are a part of nature. All of nature is connected. Even the root system deep underground is a living breathing ecosystem that is connected and in constant communication. Environments thrive when every plant and animal is getting what they need, oftentimes by being drawn together to support each other: the big tree that shades the fern, the bugs that eat microbes and clean and aerate the soil, the birds that clean the crocodile’s teeth. In the same way, I experience balance between me and the outside world when I have what I need and my boundaries are clear and respectful. If I start to become more concerned about others and their mood or well-being instead of my own then I lose my inner tranquility. We are taught to avoid being selfish and to think and do for others before ourselves, but, because there is a lack of balance, this may lead to tiredness and resentment. 

It is easier to experience an attitude of harmony when all areas of my life are balanced and my needs are fulfilled. When I relax and let myself be a part of nature then I am connected to the whole universe.

It is easier to experience an attitude of harmony when all areas of my life are balanced and my needs are fulfilled. When I relax and let myself be a part of nature then I am connected to the whole universe. 

How to create inner harmony? Find a quiet place, perhaps outside in nature. Relax. Be calm. Stop worrying or analysing. Take a few deep breaths and give yourself permission to feel at ease.

Identify your feelings: What is your gut feeling? What are you being guided towards? What do you feel like doing right now? Plan the steps forward. What actions do you need to take?

Just as rivers flow downstream, nature will adjust until it finds a new equilibrium. And so it is for us. We must continually move toward finding our balance.

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