Benefits From Observing Nature

We connect with spirit in many ways. Art expresses your inner self while music may transport you to realms of new insights and self discovery. Observing nature also opens horizons of new perspectives and reasons for living this particular life, whisking you on to the very core of your spirit and soul.

Connecting with nature through observation provides countless opportunities to learn, grow, gain new wisdom, receive guidance, and resolve difficult situations. Observations of nature become more active and less passive when you integrate, partner yourself with nature instead of being apart from nature. For example, when you pause in a garden, simply letting the cares and concerns of the day slip by, you may find yourself visited by a butterfly, bird, or small woodland resident like a chipmunk or squirrel. Stay a while longer, sit on the grass among the flowers, pick out one personal concern in as concise a manner as possible then put it out to the universe. For example, “What can I do to begin improving my life”? Then, let the thought go, and return to simply watching and observing the butterflies, birds, and chipmunks. Nature becomes your partner as you observe the inhabitants, watching them with not only the eyes of an observer, but the eyes of a participant. Watch closely, seeing if any of them or anything new presents itself, particularly if they do something unusual. Then ask yourself and the universe how this may or may not relate to your question.

A dear friend of mine often said, “Remember to look to the little things”. Maybe the butterfly lands on your nose followed with the thought, “The answer is as plain as the nose on your face”. So, you move on to the next level, by seeking further insights. Suddenly a crow comes up and starts “cawing” interrupting your solitude… but is he? He comes back a few more times, nothing else happens, so you decide to leave the garden and attend to the day’s activities.

For some reason, you begin to think about that old crow interrupting your wonder-filled moments of solitude by coming back time after time cawing and cawing, sometimes close enough to slap. Curiosity causes you to study crows. Your study leads to a book that moves beyond their physical characteristics and on to their spiritual qualities. You discover crows depict personal truth.

The answer rings clear, all the pieces come together as the answer to your question reveals itself. “What can I do to begin improving my life”? Begin by being true to your self or walking in your own truth instead of someone else’s.

Another example with the same circumstances, but this time you just want to sit in a garden for relaxation. Without posing questions to the universe, being quiet and alone are your only goals… but the crow still keeps coming by. That afternoon, the next day, or a week later, something happens, causing you to return to those moments with the crow in your mind. Perhaps you found yourself in a situation where you know you should have followed your feelings and “spoken your truth”, but you didn’t. Then you did the same research and found the same reference of speaking your truth, honoring your truth, or practically speaking, be true to yourself. In the first instance, you sought guidance in the second, the universe provided the crow to teach an important life lesson. Nature provides countless examples when you take time out of your day to simply enjoy the being a part of nature.

Learning to look beyond the academics of species and genders opens up our hearts and spirits to infinite lessons and practical teachings, transforming us into better people. Consider a tea rose. The tea rose is classified as flora, plant life, a flower. Certain specific characteristics classify it further as a rose then, depending on who identified or created the strain, the specific group and type of tea rose is determined. That is one view. Our senses begin to awaken feelings. Focusing on the gentle fragrance blended with delicate beauty we are transported to another dimension of appreciation. Like the aroma of fresh baked bread stimulates our physical appetite for physical nourishment, the little rose stimulates spiritual nourishment. The spiritual applications are endless, limited only by our current needs in life. This takes us to the next step.

We may be facing a dilemma in life that may appear complex, layered with countless alternatives. A walk in the garden seems an appropriate tonic for our muddled confusion. While walking, we stop short of stepping on a small tea rose, still in its budding stage. For some unknown reason, the little bud calls us toward a closer look. We observe enough of the little rose to see shades of pink blended with a bit of pastel yellow. Scrutiny adds a delicate aroma to our observation. Looking around, we see it is alone in the dirt, with no apparent support or help.

Then a warm feeling inside begins to envelope us like a warm and tender hug from a loved one. This little rose will soon become a beacon of beauty out of the dirt. Creator will help open the petals, so it can become what it is meant to be. Then… a practical application blossoms, presenting an answer to our dilemma. If Creator can unfold petals of beauty out of just a root and some dirt, what can happen in our lives if we stop trying to do everything for ourselves? If we relinquish control to Creator and the Universe, what beautiful creation can come from the apparent dilemma? We return to the dilemma with another view. We claim a renewed assurance that circumstances can work themselves out and hopeless situations fade. All this comes from watching and observing a little rose… paying attention to a seemingly insignificant part of nature; watching a little thing. Think of the other treasures that await our discovery.

Several avenues transport us into the environments providing opportunities to get away from the ruts of life and back to nature. A hike in the woods nearby, caring for the small garden in an urban setting, or weekend volunteer ventures that benefit nature. Take your choice, but begin by walking slowly and enjoying simple truths taught through nature.

We desire to learn how to become better people or better souls. These desires can be met through observing nature. The cliché “getting back to nature” suggests something has been left behind or ignored from life. Perhaps we should reclaim the wealth of knowledge available to us through taking time to observe nature.