How often do you go outside to visit and get to know your more than human neighbours?
What would happen if you intentionally began to do this more often; perhaps a couple of times a week, or maybe a half hour a day?
How does re-connecting with nature change the world from the inside out?
Inclusive Leader John Scull has been guiding people to reconnect with nature for many years now. He helps people commune with nature as an intentional daily practice. “We are part of the earth as a living community, supported by the universal intelligence and love that supports all life. With this realization comes a commitment to be responsible citizens of the biological community and to return to nature the love and care we have experienced ourselves.” (John Scull, Co-founder of the Inclusive Leadership Co-operative).
John teaches people how to follow our natural attractions in getting to know our neighbours living just outside our doors. We learn to ask permission to walk along that path, sit by this pond, have a conversation with this rock. We learn to build relationships with the natural beings in our local Earth communities (including the plants and insects in our houses and gardens) with respect, integrity, justice, and peace. We learn to put time, energy, and skill into the on-going process of befriending, tending, and sustaining the more than human beings in our local Earth communities. This is a reciprocal process of interacting by exchanging air, water, nutrients, and the warmth from sun itself in infinite ways.
“Earth, our home, is alive with a unique community of life. …. The resilience of the community of life and the well-being of humanity depend upon preserving a healthy biosphere with all its ecological systems, a rich variety of plants and animals, fertile soils, pure waters, and clean air. …Everyone shares responsibility for the present and future well-being of the human family and the larger living world. The spirit of human solidarity and kinship with all life is strengthened when we live with reverence for the mystery of being, gratitude for the gift of life, and humility regarding the human place in nature.” (Earth Charter).
“Our incredible bewilderment (wilderness separation) blinds us from seeing that our many personal and global problems primarily result from our assault of and separation from the natural creation process within and around us.
Our estrangement from nature leaves us wanting,and when we want there is never enough. Our insatiable wanting is called greed. It is a major source of our destructive dependencies and violence.” (Michael Cohen, Reconnecting With Nature).
The simplest way to learn more about reconnecting with nature is to go outside. follow your attractions, ask permission, and spend time visiting. For more ideas about how to reconnect with nature in mindful ways, email john scull.john@gmail.com and visit these websites:
http://projectnatureconnect.org/
Inclusive Leadership Co-operative 