A Nature Meditation
Today I want to share with you a few of my favorite things about nature.
-The way the light shines through the trees in the morning, making them seem like they are made of gold.
-The way that no matter what season it is, nature is always changing and there’s something new to explore every time you walk outside.
-The way that nature helps heal our mind and body, with all its scents, colors, textures and resources. The thoughtful process of creating this blog post was therapeutic for me as I walked around my neighborhood collecting fresh ingredients for dinner! And just this morning I heard two cardinals singing their beautiful song in a tree near my window.
-The way that nature brings us closer together and reminds us that we are all connected.
Every time I walk outside, whether it’s to go grocery shopping or just to take a quick walk with my dog, I try to find something new and exciting. It’s too easy to get stuck inside our own world of screens, but when we open our eyes and see the wonder from nature all around us, we can be inspired in so many ways.
Kimberly Salmonson in "Tarot for Life" writes about the card: "The natural world is one of cruelty as well as beauty. Nature is never cruel to the innocent. Nature protects the young and weak. But, when the time comes, nature will exact her payment from those who have abused its gifts. Be mindful that nature is sometimes inimical to what we think is good for us."
The Devil card also shows us that beauty can be pernicious as well as useful. Its message is a warning against manipulating nature for our own selfish ends.
Aphrodite, who protects her subjects by sometimes appearing as the beautiful seductress, was frequently represented on Greek vases in "the guise of a woodland goddess" (Jill Litherland), and was usually identified with Artemis, who gave her name to the moon.
What is Nature and Why Should We Love It?
Dr. Sandra R. Witchey - The American Museum of Natural History - April 2011.
The American Museum of Natural History launched the "What Is Nature?" campaign in 2001 to connect people with nature and educate them about it, as well as to raise awareness about conservation issues facing the natural world. The campaign, which ends on April 30, 2012, has received generous support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, with additional support from the Bill Gates' and Carole Moseley-Brenner Foundations, The David Bohnett Foundation and Gund Foundation. Thanks to these generous supporters and the Museum's more than 4.7 million visitors a year, The American Museum of Natural History has been able to save more than 3 million acres of land. The campaign seeks to raise awareness about nature and its importance in people's lives. Through public service announcements, exhibits and special events, the Museum hopes to engage visitors in a conversation about nature and inspire them to take action by becoming advocates for conservation of this resource for future generations.
The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is asking its millions of supporters around the world to become "advocates for conservation"—people who've made their voices heard on what actions needed to be taken on behalf of the planet. NRDC is asking their advocates to share two things: first, that they can't wait any longer to take action on the environment and second, they must support the NRDC's timely advocacy efforts in their cities, states and countries. Running on the theme of "Eating Local," this campaign features a beautiful poster created by New York based artist David Hamer. At least three friends or colleagues should be willing to join you in your goal to "Share Your Voice" (when viewed together, they make a heart shape).
According to NOAA, more than half of all U.S. freshwater is contaminated by fertilizer. This is a serious issue and we have to find a way to solve it. The solution comes in the form of educating people about our over-reliance on fertilizers and the damage that they do to our fragile water sources. The solution comes in the form of taking steps to reduce our use of fertilizers, which will help solve two big issues: one, more water can be used for human consumption, and two, more land can be put back into production under natural conditions rather than chemically altered ones.
The U.S. Geological Survey has created an easy to use website where people can learn more about American's water supplies and how we are affecting them: www.waterwatchusa.gov. This site provides information about our water supply and the damage we are doing to them through our agricultural activity and droughts. They have teamed up with the NRDC, Environmental Defence Fund, Save the Rivers, American Rivers and Clean Water Action Council to create this resource because they are concerned about how we are using our water supplies.
We can be heroes in saving our natural resources by making small changes in our everyday lives that will help conserve them. Staying informed is a step you can take to help protect these valuable resources for future generations.
Learning how to understand and communicate with nature is very important because it will help us not only take care of it, but have a better relationship with it. We can learn the gifts that nature gives us, such as positive energy and awe. We should know about the bad side of nature too, because it helps us to know how we can protect ourselves from the bad aspects of what Mother Nature has to offer. We need to love nature if we want to save it for future generations and because we will be getting so much from our relationship with what is natural around us.
I hope you enjoyed the story about my dog! I think that spending time with animals is a great way to understand Mother Nature—you can learn from them and have fun with them at the same time. When we get to know nature, we are able to enjoy her in a way that can lead us to a happier life. I encourage you to take advantage of everything nature has to offer and don't take anything for granted!
Joan Schell-Heller's "Dogs: The Wolf Within" - March 2011
To understand dogs, you must look at their origins. Dogs are direct descendants of wolves. They share the same physical traits and behaviors. This means that, in prehistoric times, the dog was a hunter. He would hunt in packs and use teamwork to trap prey. After bringing down the prey, he would eat it with his pack. The dog's sense of smell is highly developed, so they can smell food better than even a human can. This trait makes them very efficient hunters. They also have some of the largest eyes in the animal kingdom; this allows them to see in low light conditions better than humans do.
The dog's primary objective is to keep his pack moving ahead toward where the next source of food will be found—and it does so by going on a hunt every hour or two for about half an hour at a time.
Conclusion: A dog's primary objective is to keep his pack moving ahead toward where the next source of food will be found—and it does so by going on a hunt every hour or two for about half an hour at a time.
The nature of the dog's relationship with man is unique. He needs us to hunt. This means he cannot hunt independently, because if he could, then he would not need us. The hunter-prey relationship between man and animal is reciprocal: The animal depends on man for his existence and vice versa, so when we say a dog is 'subservient' we are saying that the dog depends on man for its continued existence.