We just returned from a trip to Grand Canyon national park yesterday. Majestic granite mountains gracing its landscape left me in awe reminding Himalayan mountain range, sans snow.
Irrespective of what religion or philosophy one subscribes to, Mother Nature is a cradle for everyone nurturing with instant peace from our noises within. Magnificent yet humble, varied yet simple, nonchalant yet full-of-vibrance, scaling heights yet equally grounded, firm yet yielding: contrasting qualities in Nature rare to be seen among us Humans due to our prejudiced perspective of world. There's many we can learn from Nature. A spark of our Creator's original plan of what we now call 'Life' can be seen shining forth through these portals.
This begs a question: how did we loose connection to that Life that we conscious animate beings are more entitled to than these visibly in-animates of this Creation?
Thing of 'inner' beauty:
If one appreciates a thing of beauty, its either because: it has what we desire to achieve -or- we already attained it and its just our token of respect. Which one is it exactly with our relationship with Nature ? It's both.
Crowds flocking to National Parks in weekend amidst tiring weekdays and we growing Gardens in backyards certainly points to the former. Many report a surge of peace, clarity and creative thoughts when sitting under Trees or a good stroll in park.
Whether it be a mountain, river, tree, flower or even a leaf, their steadfastness in simplicity, humbleness and rootedness is undeniable.
Joy forever:
Nature doesn't need a makeup, jewelery or a podium to presents its beauty. 'Natural', a term coined from its inspiration, connotes something very intrinsic, everlasting and fundamental that needs no honor-roll to mention. This inner strength, beauty and joy is what we all Humans seek to remind ourselves of when we hang portraits of Nature in our house or indoor plants on office tables. Same reason we hang pictures of Gods and important personalities.
As one old adage goes: It takes one to know one. We all are born with these natural qualities without which we can't appreciate their abundance in others. All virtues of Nature are within us too.
Spiritual acitivities like Japa, Pooja or Meditation are designed to silence mind and ignite our inborn natural qualities to live a conscious and harmonious life. Gradually, a time dawns when we don't need aid of our visual or olfactory senses to seek peace from Nature but rather tap into same springs deep within us whence all the grandeur of Life originates.
