Lesson #4: Pathway of Nature
Introduction
Nature is the fourth Pathway of Spirituality. Humanity is an integral part of Nature. Nature is the grandeur of the spiritual world made manifest in our consciousness. It is only a preview of the Greater World of Reality. We are blessed to be a part of this Nature experience. We were never meant to dominate our environment, but to enjoy, appreciate, protect, and learn from the stars, sun, moon, wind, rain, flowers, birds, fish, snakes, wolves, from everything that is created in this sacred space.
Nature is made of the five elements: fire, water, air, earth, and spirit. Some teachings add metal or space. These are considered the building blocks of Nature from a single grain of sand to the immense galaxies. Our bodies are also made from these elements.
Every being in the kingdoms of minerals, plants, and animals is our teacher. Each has a special message for our Souls. Mary Vinyard said, “Our most sacred scripture is the ‘holy book’ of nature.” It is our responsibility to listen and watch attentively and to learn the lessons. Nature is our best teacher on how to live together in harmony and balance; how to share our abundance; the importance of family and teaching our young; and how to sing the Love of the Divine.
Our Soul wants us to awaken to the call of Nature, to venture out and feel the Love of the Divine in Nature. We are part of this wondrous thing called Life and Life is all around us.
“The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe, to match your nature with Nature.” – Joseph Campbell
Prayer for Nature
O Divine Spirit, your heart and your voice call to us from the natural world. May we humbly listen with new ears and feel with new hearts the messages you send through the flowers, trees, rocks, and mountains. May the sound of the wind and the water flow into our being and uplift us to remember that we are a part of this wonder of Nature. And so, it is. Pau.
Affirmation for Nature
Nature is my teacher. I will listen and open my eyes to Truth.
Meditation: Claiming Your Nature
Sit quietly outside in a peaceful and sacred place. Calm your mind and emotions and let your body relax. Breathe deeply a few times and bring yourself to your Center of Peace. Be still and listen. Open your consciousness to hear and see the natural life around you. Expand your inner senses to become one with the element, plant, or mineral being which is there with you in that sacred space. By doing this you claim your part in the natural world. Let your Soul receive the message from the Divine through this tiny part of Nature. Be grateful for the blessings of Nature in your life and for the message you have received. Bring yourself back to this place and time with a new respect for the natural world.
Spiritual Practices
Week 1 - Nature: Wonder Walk. Take a Wonder Walk to open your eyes to new sights around you. Be mindful of what is above your normal line of sight. Look up at the tops of the trees, the clouds in the sky, the birds in flight. Look straight ahead and note anything that you haven’t seen before. Look down at the tiny life that lives closest to Mother Earth. Feel yourself a part of the Great Circle of Life.
Week 2 - Nature: Research Nature. Choose an animal, bird, fish, or plant you know nothing about and research it. If possible, be in the presence of your life form to feel its essence. If that is not possible, reach out with your inner senses to touch its life essence. Do this every day for a week and write down what the life form tells you about life. The message may not come in words, but in feelings and spiritual truths. Prepare to be surprised.
Week 3 - Nature: “Not-Naming”. This is a practice in “not-naming.” As you go about your daily life this week, be mindful of all the names you use for things and feelings. The object is to pay attention to the thing or feeling without naming it. Feel the essence of the object without the name. Use this practice with your loved ones and your friends. What is their natural essence? This is their true self.
Week 4 - Nature: Elemental Mindfulness. Go to a different space each day. Sit or stand for a while and be mindful of the elements active in that space. Where is the Fire or energy located? Be aware of the Air around you? Is the wind blowing? Does the Air smell fresh? Where is the Earth? How does it feel under your feet? Hold some in your hands. Is there Water in this space? Can you hear it, or touch it? Is there any Metal around? Finally, where is Spirit here? How does Spirit feel in this place? Write down your experience in your Journal.
Extra Spiritual Practice - Nature: Earth Day. On Earth Day join an Earth Day clean up team in your community or choose a part of the Earth to clean up. You could clean up your own backyard. Join as many Earth Day activities as you can. Honor Mother Earth with your own sacred ceremony and prayers.