“The best thing we can do for our health is to have an intimate relationship with Nature. ”
Sustaining these practices on a day-in and day-out basis is my ultimate worldly challenge, but also the key to my health and happiness… and the door which opens me up to a Heavenly Life.
I live in a valley village (and I have just taken a job in a mountain community) where there are endless opportunities for me to share this perspective, this passion. As I set out on this new path, I wonder how I will fare in a business environment that is inherently busy, extremely reactive to change, and ultimately focused on economical accomplishment.
I will set out with this intention: that by cultivating intimate relationships with Nature, by taking the time to mindfully slow things down and notice beauty, by remembering with grace that everyone around me is connected to this Natural path, and by continually practicing a Way of Being that sustains this Heavenly Life, I will Live On.
There has always been something magical for me when I’m high in the mountains where the sky is huge and the perspective is clear. I feel like I am in Heaven on Earth when I notice the sparkles of freshly fallen powder, when I take in the sweet aromas of pine forests, or when I listen to the trickle of clear mountain streams. I feel connected to the Universe. I am intimately part of something inconceivably huge. I am filled with wonder and with awe.
Likewise, there has always been something magical for me when I’m on the shore of the ocean where the sky and the sea each appear infinite. I feel like I am in Heaven on Earth when I notice the sparkles of the gently rolling waves, when I take in the salty scents of the ocean breeze, or when I listen to the rhythmic flow of the water as it moves in and out on the shore. I feel connected to the Universe. I am intimately part of something inconceivable huge. I am filled with wonder and awe.
Being mindful in the present moment and paying attention to what is going on around us allows us to see beauty, even if we are in a bustling city or on a crowded highway. Mindfulness slows us down. Yoga slows us down. Being in Nature slows us down. We become more aware of the world around us than we are when we are busy.
People often think that the health benefits of yoga are fitness, flexibility, and stress reduction. To me, the real gift is that it puts me in a state of mind where I stop and notice beauty, and in a state of grace where I feel moments of infinite gratitude and compassion.
People often think that the health benefits of mountain sports and outdoor activity are fitness, adventure, and accomplishment. To me, the real gift is that they put me in a state of being where I am intimately connected to Nature.
Cultivating this relationship with Nature makes my Spirit soar. Sharing this cultivation process with others feeds my Soul.