The Universal Connection

"Every human being has a two million-year old man within him;

if he loses contact with that two million-year old self, 

he loses touch with his roots."

Lauren van der Post

Our Connection With Nature

     I've always known that in some way we are all part of a universal connection; not just with people but with all things. I would like to narrow the topic down and talk about our connection to Nature.


Mother Nature

     Not that long ago everything we needed was tied to Nature. The foods we ate came from the earth and there was no need to clone them or genetically modify them to make them better. The water we drank came from clear streams and rivers without pesticides and pollutants. We took only what we needed to survive and we showed respect for the gifts we were given. We lived in close harmony with the land and lived by the seasons. We had a sense of belonging to something bigger and an intimate relationship with the Sun and Moon and the world around us. We had a bond with Mother Nature.

     Today most of the world's population lives in larger urban centres where very little of nature's existence remains. People have become disconnected from the one thing that could help to keep them grounded. They feel there is no reason to understand what Nature has to offer because everything we want is supplied. They go to the grocery store to pick their crops without ever feeling the earth beneath their feet. They get their drinking water from a dispenser without ever knowing it's source. The sun and the moon are shrouded by a gray cloud of pollution and they see it as the norm. The green spaces and parks, the last vestiges of nature, are riddled with crime.

A Natural Healer

     Nature is the greatest natural healer of our world. Research has proven that stress levels drop considerably when we connect with nature and when stress drops, the healing can begin. Each and every one of us should take time out now and then and immerse ourselves in what nature has to offer. A few hours on the side of a lake or a hike up a trail in the mountains can do wonders for the Spirit. Nature has it's own way of leaching all the stress and negativity from your body and leaving you refreshed and calm. It also gives you the feeling of belonging to something bigger than yourself. Most times unfortunately, we wait to long to reconnect with nature and her healing touch. By the time we realize just how much we needed a bit of peace and quiet; we are already ill and under great emotional stress.

How Does it Work?

     Our world and our universe, work on natural rhythms and patterns. Everything in our universe vibrates because matter is made up of atoms. Atoms are constantly moving causing different vibrations and for every action (or vibration) there is a reaction. All matter moves to a rhythm or pattern and we are affected by these rhythms that surround us. Everything we do or say causes a different vibration or pattern. If you're having a bad day, get dressed, go for a walk and clear your head. You'll feel better because you've changed your personal rhythms.

     In every person's DNA are strands from the beginning of time. Through the progression of survival only the strongest strand remain to pass on their traits; good or bad. We as people of today are still evolving and will continue to do so until the end of time.

     It's these tiny strands of DNA that gives us our natural link to the earth and some of us feel it stronger than others. The old Native legends speak of carrying the memories of our ancestors. These genetic memories could be called upon whenever we needed a recipe for medicine or clues to survival. Today this trait has been all but wiped out because of modern technology. We no longer need these instincts to survive. We have evolved; or have we? To many people no longer connect with nature and are paying the price with their health, their sanity and sometimes their lives. Some may go through their whole lives completely disconnected from Mother Earth never knowing a vital piece of their being is missing.

Home

     For those of us who have found solace in Nature, we know the benefits are numerous. That connection with nature keeps us centered and better able to cope. The stress drains away into the earth beneath our feet. Gradually we relax and breathe deeply as we pull strength from the earth. Then we start to feel invigorated and refreshed. Our mind is calm and we can see clearly again. It's all within our grasp.

     Each of you will find comfort in your own way. Go for a quiet walk on the beach and watch the waves gently rolling in. Sit on a rocky shore and listen to the roar as the waves come crashing down. Take a hike in the forest with the wind in the trees and the leaves whispering above you. Spend the day in the desert. Putter in your garden on the balcony of your apartment in downtown Toronto. It doesn't matter where you go, only that you do go. But when you get there, you feel like you've come home.

Judy