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Daily Question, May 17

When I see myself – and all of life – as inextricably connected to the natural world, what opportunities do I feel moved to explore?

  • Gratefulbeing2753

    Maybe go ahead and meditate in the mountains and beaches. Join a chant group and be with them 24*7 in their tours exploring our mother earth and being grateful for this abundant life.

  • Malag

    When I am a part of, not apart from, I can get curious about this “I”. 

  • Hot Sauce

    When I see myself as tied to the interdependent web of existence, I feel moved to learn more about the history of the evolution of the universe, as well as the behaviors of animals and the history of survival and extinction of various species, as I feel that knowing such information can help me to see where I belong as part of the web of existence.

  • Ose
    Exploring with gratitude what could be of help or of service for my fellow people, and the ways are multiple and become more creative. To help healing that what is wounded, in people, or in the soil to the small extent where I could influence the growth of plants in our little garden here, suggesting to simply put nurturing compost around the apple tree for recovery from signs of malnutrition, or helping the rhododendrons thrive to unexpected rich blossoming through adding what they need as bo...

    Exploring with gratitude what could be of help or of service for my fellow people, and the ways are multiple and become more creative.

    To help healing that what is wounded, in people, or in the soil to the small extent where I could influence the growth of plants in our little garden here, suggesting to simply put nurturing compost around the apple tree for recovery from signs of malnutrition, or helping the rhododendrons thrive to unexpected rich blossoming through adding what they need as bog plants.

    Read More
  • dcdeb

    I’d like to get into some gardening..

  • Javier Visionquest

    Ugh. . . that’s exactly how I got into beekeeping!

  • Antoinette

    I’m moved to explore letting go of the false and opening up to truth/love.

  • Toni
    I once volunteered for a few years at a local organic farm. Since covid its is by appointment only. I really enjoyed that when I did it and being outside with all the elements of nature did me well. That's something I have to get back into. There is nothing like planting a seed and harvesting at the end of the season. Also, collecting food scraps and filling the bin in my coop and encouraging others to do the same knowing it is used for local community farms, and public parks, keeping the ...

    I once volunteered for a few years at a local organic farm. Since covid its is by appointment only. I really enjoyed that when I did it and being outside with all the elements of nature did me well. That’s something I have to get back into. There is nothing like planting a seed and harvesting at the end of the season. Also, collecting food scraps and filling the bin in my coop and encouraging others to do the same knowing it is used for local community farms, and public parks, keeping the scraps out of land fills helps. And the swap drives that come up to give away old stuff when the farm holds this service again. That also keeps stuff out of land fills and helps people in need. I hope the farm does that again soon.

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  • Luna Mihee Kwon

    When it comes to the opportunities I feel moved to explore, in regards to the natural world, I intend to explore my comfort within the clouds, the rain, and the peace it brings to my mind! 🙂

  • Patricia

    I am very intentionally teaching my 4 year old granddaughter about birds, worms, fiddlehead ferns, asparagus….(and I’ll do the same with the 18-month-old soon!) … we notice what is around us … we learn something new once a week as part of what we do together. And when I say “I am intentionally teaching” … I’m actually intentionally noticing and learning with her!

  • Holly in Ohio
    I work with the earth and nature quite often, but the question and answers of others reminds me that I have met people who are terrified of the natural world because they haven't experienced it. I remember one time long ago taking a very bright college student from Brooklyn, NY to a cabin by a lake. It wasn't even a particularly wild area, it was more suburban. We were sitting on a patio talking, when our group saw a chipmunk race out of a woodpile across an open space, and the college stude...

    I work with the earth and nature quite often, but the question and answers of others reminds me that I have met people who are terrified of the natural world because they haven’t experienced it.

    I remember one time long ago taking a very bright college student from Brooklyn, NY to a cabin by a lake. It wasn’t even a particularly wild area, it was more suburban. We were sitting on a patio talking, when our group saw a chipmunk race out of a woodpile across an open space, and the college student started screaming hysterically and leaped up on top of the picnic table in panic. The chipmunk wasn’t even close to her.

    I’m afraid everyone else started laughing. We couldn’t help it.

    But it reminds me of millions of children who never get to experience nature.

    A couple of years ago, I had a college student volunteer at my garden. He was from Beijing. He had never seen grass before. He told me his grandparents could never leave their home without masks because the air in Beijing is so constantly polluted and unhealthy. He didn’t know the first thing about plants or soil, but he came to a garden, of his own accord, to learn. We had wonderful times together as I taught him about plants and soil and insects and showed him how to grow food. He got his bare hands in the soil… that was amazing to him.

    Not everyone who votes, and therefore votes on policies involving our natural resources, has experienced the joys of nature. Many kids never get to go camping, or ride a horse, or even play with a friendly dog or cat or bunny or goat. Many grownups can’t recognize food in its natural form, or know how it grows… simple things like tomatoes, carrots, and so on. They can recognize a chicken McNugget but have never been around a chicken.

    I think this is where we have opportunity… to share our love of nature, our pleasure from it, our knowledge of the connection between nature and all the gifts we have in our life from it, to share this with others and bring them into this beautiful natural world. It would be great for them, great also for bringing others in to protect nature. I have met people who won’t walk on grass in bare feet because they are terrified of insects. They don’t know what they are missing. I am moved to help them discover this pleasure.

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    • Michele

      I do miss walking on grass … here in Florida I have fire ants and some stinging nettle in my yard.

    • Trish

      Beautiful response, Holly! Thank You

    • Javier Visionquest

      I don’t think this divergence from our natural world is by accident. In fact, I’m starting to believe that there just might be an agenda, through general bias against self-sufficiency, to gradually separate people from cultural wisdom and traditional knowledge. People inured to an artificial system are easy to control.

  • DeVonna

    We used to live in the midst of a large woods in Michigan. For 20 years if I wanted to connect with nature all I had to do was step out my front door. Now we live in a large city. Our neighborhood connects to the Ocala National Forest. I should take the small effort to explore the natural world around me but I seldom leave my yard on foot. I need to be intentional about connecting with nature, it is like taking a spirit bath when I do.

  • Trish

    I’ve been feeling the pull to touch the earth more~to get my hands in the dirt & plant, pull weeds, nurture trees….I live in an apartment condo & I use that as an excuse. My sweetheart creates ample opportunities to plant & touch the earth. He’s a great teacher & inspiration!

    • Toni
      I don’t know if you’re allowed to do this but I planted roses in the front of my coop. and other flowers and have lemons growing in a container in the back. In the winter I bring in the lemons to the laundry room and no one has complained. I also spoke out in the last board meeting so we can have organic as apposed to pestiside weed killer. In the past I advocated for food scrap collection in bins that sanitation now provides. I tried to get a full compost on site but that did not go well. T...

      I don’t know if you’re allowed to do this but I planted roses in the front of my coop. and other flowers and have lemons growing in a container in the back. In the winter I bring in the lemons to the laundry room and no one has complained. I also spoke out in the last board meeting so we can have organic as apposed to pestiside weed killer. In the past I advocated for food scrap collection in bins that sanitation now provides. I tried to get a full compost on site but that did not go well. There are plenty of opportunities that might work well for you and your supportive sweetheart! Your neighbors might get involved as well or at least be supportive. I also had 13 trees planted by the city a few years ago. That’s free and it beautified the block. It’s a service the city provides all you have to do is call and make a request. I don’t know if every city does that but in NYC calling 311 is a way to find out.

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      • Trish

        Hi Toni,
        Thank You for sharing. I love the idea of the lemons…

        My fella is actually growing several veggies in raised beds on the property of his temple. He also has an herb garden on our fire escape! Creativity….⭐️

  • SK

    My connection to the natural world happened when I became the daughter of a Native American life. When I realized that every movement I do is connected to the sanctity of the earth. I am moved to treat it with kindness; touch and talk to the trees and listen to them; talk to the plants and encourage them to please come back again; to watch the breeze make the chimes sound. I am moved to pick up other people’s trash and create clean pathways.

  • sunnypatti
    Hmmm… I’m not sure that focusing on this perspective ‘moves’ me to explore more. I think having this perspective, which I do, causes me to be conscious of the world around me. When I’m surfing, I can’t help but think about the movement of the ocean, and how the tide, the wind and the weather affect what is going on. And then a wave comes and I get to be in that moment of movement, joined as one with mama ocean, living in the now and so joyful and grateful for being able to do so! Not...

    Hmmm… I’m not sure that focusing on this perspective ‘moves’ me to explore more. I think having this perspective, which I do, causes me to be conscious of the world around me. When I’m surfing, I can’t help but think about the movement of the ocean, and how the tide, the wind and the weather affect what is going on. And then a wave comes and I get to be in that moment of movement, joined as one with mama ocean, living in the now and so joyful and grateful for being able to do so! Noticing these moments, which happen all the time, offers a sense of connection and a certain kind of peace in the soul. It’s all energy, and it’s in us and around us all the time!

    Read More
  • Chester

    The opportunity to appreciate and learn from the rest of the natural world more fully – reflecting for a moment on the cicada path – lives 17 years underground to emerge from its shell and fly for a few months. Although I can’t put it succinctly quite yet, but surely there is a lesson there.

  • Kevin

    The fact that I am inextricably connected to the world doesn’t necessarily move me to explore the world more than I already do, it moves me to protect the world in any way that I can.

  • EJP

    How can I better take care of the natural world, preserve it and hold onto it with grace? These are opportunities that I explore everyday as we are all connected in every way.

  • Dusty Su

    To move into connection with all. To become one. To love. To care. To build and not destroy. To collaborate.

  • Don Jones

    When you stop and think about it, why on earth do we see ourselves as separate from our environment? After all, we are a product of our environment. Being at one with the entire creation (of which we are but a tiny spec) is so liberating.

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