I've been doing some thinking recently. Nature is such a fascinating topic of refrain because it is something that exists all around us and yet very rarely do we take a moment and stop to observe. We are so busy rushing from one thing to the next that we forget to take in and appreciate what really supports us in life.
I had an assignment required for my theology course recently, where I had to pray over the span of a week and record my practice. However, I am not a particularly religious person. I have left my days of praying to a God who never listens behind me and instead live every day for myself. Now, unfortunately, this was a pretty heavy assignment in terms of affecting my grade in that class, so I had to figure something out.
You could choose to do something more along the lines of meditating, versus calling out to a particular deity or power. So, I took this chance to use this assignment as an excuse to reorient myself with the world around me and my place within existence. Now this may sound quite existential and mildly ridiculous, but it was actually quite therapeutic.
On three different days, I went outside and set down a blanket, sitting by myself with only my thoughts for company. Where usually this is a quite dangerous activity that will often lead to some not-so-great frames of mind, I did my best to narrow my thoughts to the environment around me.
I concentrated on focusing on becoming closer to nature and allowing myself to let go of all the struggles and anxieties of the last few days. With the combined sounds of the water rushing through the creek and the wind through the trees, I was actually able to find a beat of relaxation and rest in the midst of a stressful day.
Throughout my meditative journey this last week, I have found the concept of hope to be something I have kind of clung to. Hope is not something I find comes easy, as I have been disappointed one too many times in my life. But, through these meditations, I have been able to find an ounce of peace which has been significantly lacking in my life for many years.
It reminded me that nature is a powerful element and something I always forget to be conscious of. Nature is my alternative to a deity in this instance. Because I do not believe in a single all-powerful God, I then sent my prayers and hopes out into the Earth, through the plants and leaves and trees. My hopes travel on the wind and dance in the rays of sunlight that dapple the flowing rivers as they carry my worries far away.
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