On the first day of the wildlife ecology class, the professor always asks her students, “Who loves nature? Raise your hand.”
Predictably, every hand goes up.
She continues, “OK. Now raise your hand if you think Nature loves you.”
Not a hand goes up. “Then, we have a problem.” She concludes.
If you don’t think, the love and caring is reciprocal, then what’s the point. Or if you don’t think Nature is conscious, then you can’t be in relationship. Life is relationships.
If you remain in shame over human’s treatment of nature and feel unworthy to be loved, what hope is there?
How would you have responded to these questions?
This vignette comes from Elizabeth Gilbert in her book – Big Magic. (Read my review HERE.)
When she talks with writers, she asks a parallel question, “Who thinks writing loves them?”
Nobody does, in fact many believe in the suffering writer model – their art, their writing makes them suffer.
So, look at your own life and figure out some parallel questions to ask.
- Does your work love you?
- Does your calling love you?
- What in your life does love you?
- Does Life love you?
- How can you find things that do love you?
As a spiritual practice, you can operate on the axiom that it ALL loves you. You just haven’t been paying attention.
Pay attention. Feel it and see it.
I find starting with Nature works really well – go outside. Some might find starting with their home might work well too. Does your home love you? Your car?
If you operated as if these elements in your life possessed consciousness and loved you, how would you treat them?
May you be happy, wild, and free,
William
P.S. My book Drawing the Sacred talks about how to connect in nature so that you feel the two way flow I’ve been pointing to.
Drawing the Sacred: Communing with the Sacred through Drawing – An Illustrated Journey Paper Back Version Kindle version
My other art books point at this in many ways too.
Sketching, Poetry, and the Sacred Present Moment: A Magically Potent Way To Savor Your Life Paper Back Version Kindle version
Color the Sky Yellow: Creative Magic, Playful Art for Your Inner Child
Pick the ones you think will help most.
P.P.S. Fox photo taken by Sasha Wittmann at a time when Nature was demonstrating Her love for Sasha.
