One of the most effective ways to recognize the importance of caring for our environment, is to immerse ourselves in the beauty of the natural world. I glimpsed the wonder of nature, as well as the importance of its conservation, during a visit to the Amazon jungle in Ecuador.
It is difficult not to feel immersed in the nature that explodes around us in the Amazon. But in the daily walk of our lives it is easy for us to do the opposite: let ourselves be trapped by urban life, culture, family and work obligations.
And yet, it is that same world that possesses a wisdom capable of relieving all stress, if we give ourselves the opportunity to hear it. And when we finally listen, when we look, we discover that, even in a row of trees on a street, nature is pregnant with life.
For those who live in urban centers, spending time in nature is important. Find a secluded place in a park or in a grove and sit quietly, listening. Listen to the sounds of nature, feel the sun playing softly on your cheek … and breathe deeply. Close your eyes and listen to yourself, to your own thoughts taking you here and there, like the branches of trees swaying in the wind.
Find the root of your being, which allows you, like those same trees, to flow with the wind and at the same time remain strong within yourself. In the same way, allow your thoughts to come and go, while you remain anchored in your being. Listen to your own presence. Feel the flurry of life running through your body; feel the beating of your heart and the rhythm of your breathing. Feel the breeze on your skin, and the soft caress of your clothes.
When you have found that quiet and silent place within you, open your eyes, seeking to maintain the connection with your inner root. In doing so, a flash of sensory information draws our attention outward, and our task is to develop the capacity to maintain awareness of our inner being in the midst of the world. When you open your eyes, seek to sustain your inner connection.
Learn to be a witness to the sensory world, which includes your own body, from a space of pure consciousness. Look to the horizon, watch the light playing in the trees, the birds frolicking and dancing in the sky, keeping you anchored internally. Do not let anything take away your attention from your own being.
This is your main responsibility in life: to take charge of your own inner state instead of submitting to every whim of the constantly changing world that surrounds you.
The easiest way to develop this capacity, at least at the beginning, is by observing nature. The natural world is simple. It has no expectations and does not fight for a goal in the future, it reminds us of what it is to live, as opposed to waiting for life to come. Nature has no time to lose, not impatiently, but simply, because she is absorbed in the task of living.
Isha Judd is an Australian humanitarian spiritual teacher based in Latin America, author of “Love Has Wings” and “Why Walk When You Can Fly?”. Watch “Why Walk When You Can Fly?” on itunes. Her website is www.ishajudd.com. Watch more movies and inspiring videos at isha.tv
Follow Isha Judd on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialishajudd
For more information on events with Isha Judd visit: Events with Isha Judd
Original article taken from: On Mogul