Unplugged From Nature

These days we seem to be plugged into everything. Handheld mobile wifi platforms are making it possible to stay connected everywhere we go. Wall-sized, flat screen, high definition televisions dominate our living spaces, feeding us a, never ending, diet of information and advertising. Facebook, Twitter and texting have become the preferred method for keeping in touch with people. There is no doubt that it can be very stimulating to feel so connected and yet it can hardly be denied that there is an feeling of underlying emptiness. We have lost something. The more plugged into things we get, the more disconnected from nature we become.

Take a moment to reflect on your daily life and determine how much time you spend in front of the computer, on the phone, watching television, texting, blogging, facebooking or whatever. Now subtract the amount of time you spend sitting outside, walking in the woods, gardening or otherwise interacting with nature. The result is your Nature Deficit.

The bigger the Nature Deficit the more out of balance with the life force of the natural world you are.

All living things are connected by the life force that flows through them. If you can imagine this connection as billions and billions of tiny web-like fibers linking all things in creation, you can begin to understand how we are intertwined. This web of life is made up of the life force energy that is part of everything. And every living thing is part of it. The plants and animals of the world, including humans, all have a relationship to each other. At the most basic level this is obvious. It is no accident that the oxygen we breathe is a by-product of the plants as they go through the life process of photosynthesis. Just as the carbon dioxide we exhale is exactly what plants require to live. But the connection goes even deeper than that. In their book The Secret Life of Plants Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird proved, in experiment after experiment, that plants have a much more complex interaction with the world around them, than we think they do. They react to thoughts, feelings and emotions in a manner that could be described as quite humanlike if we were to be so arrogant as to assume we are the ones that originally developed such reactions. This is the same for animals as well.

But something has gone wrong. We humans have become blind to our connection as we rush to cut down the forests, mine the mountains, and frack everything else in between. We are destroying the habitats of wild creatures and making much of the world uninhabitable. We don’t realize or even seem to care that we are damaging the web of life and, ultimately, ourselves. The reason for this is our Nature Deficit. When we are disconnected from the natural world we lose our ability of feeling empathy for what is going on. Our obsession with technological innovation and our infatuation with electronic connectivity cuts us off from the web of life force energy and substitutes it with an artificial construct, in many ways similar to the concept portrayed in the movie The Matrix.

Most people do not realize that when they turn on their television, they are seeing a repetitive pattern of flickering images, which creates a state similar to hypnosis. Studies have shown that within the first minute of television viewing, brain waves switch from predominantly beta waves, indicating alert and conscious attention, to predominantly alpha waves, indicating an unfocused, receptive lack of attention. Our brain's left hemisphere, the part that processes information logically and analytically, tunes out while the right hemisphere of the brain, which processes information emotionally and non-critically, is allowed to function without hindrance. The result is that when viewing television, we do not consciously rationalize the information resonating within our unconscious depths at the time of transmission. We become more open and suggestible to the messages that are being conveyed.

Is it any wonder that, in a world where children spend an average of 44 hours a week connected in some way to electronic media, levels of anxiety, depression and attention-deficit have gone through the roof?  And it is no better for adults.

It is at times like this when we need to be guided back to the wisdom the other living beings of this planet have for us. We need to reconnect with nature to bring our lives back into balance. And I’m not talking about watching a show on the Discovery Channel.

The Heart of Nature

Recent discoveries in neuroscience have proven that more than 50% of the heart is comprised of neural cells. It is from our hearts that we process our energetic connection to everything we come in contact with. The problem is that we have cut ourselves off from this connection by allowing ourselves to be distracted by technology and all of its associated noise. We cannot hear it if we are not listening.

The consciousness of plants may be vastly different from our understanding of consciousness. Interacting with plants is not simply about talking to them. It is much more about opening the lines of communication with them on an energetic level and sharing our lifeforce. By opening our hearts and experiencing nature in its fullness we can begin to realize this connection. It is a purely experiential experience. We have to spend time in nature to truly feel it.

If you are reading this, then it is very likely that you already understand what I am saying. You have felt this connection to nature. You have probably also felt the frequency of distraction that comes from our fascination with electronic technology. It is also very likely that you know someone who is caught up in that frequency and unplugged from nature. It is time to pass this message on and change the dynamic that has ensorcelled us. 

Today, right now, go for a walk outside with someone you know who could really use some nature energy. Breathe deeply and open yourself to the life force energy around you. It is time to plug back into nature.

Wishing you much peace.

 

Summer Gardens and Thoughts

Snake Terrace Garden

It is really quite amazing how quickly time passes in the summer. I've been spending so much time outside in the gardens, not to mention the woods or the horse farm, that there has been little time to get on the computer. And even when I do get on the computer I can't seem to get too excited about sitting in front of it. And with our Zen Yoga Retreats coming up we have plenty of work to do.

Of course part of it is that the summers here in the mountains of Vermont are short and you want to take advantage of it as much as possible. Another reason is simply that sitting in front of the computer gets old. Being out and experiencing life is a true joy. We tend to fool ourselves when we blog or text or surf the net, thinking we are interacting with other people and the natural world, but it just isn't true.

I've written a bit recently about the vibrational changes that many people are feeling taking place in the world. It is hard to turn a blind eye to these changes once you start to feel them.

We really need to take some time for ourselves. This time needs to be spent out in nature, away from the technological chains that are binding us to the modern world.

Bonfire

Ask yourself; When was the last time you stood in front of a huge bonfire and watched the flames dance into the night sky?

Strengthening our relationship with the element of Fire is vitally important. We take all of the energy we use for granted. We flick a switch and the lights come on.

This goes for the other elements as well. Are you aware of the water you use in daily life? Do you let the tap run while you are brushing your teeth?

We can no longer choose to be ignorant of these issues. There are too many of us on this planet and not enough of everything to go around. It is time to pay attention.

Spending time honoring the elements and nature should be a daily practice. We need to be a bit more humble in our approach to things. We are not the center of the universe.

Anyone needing a deeper exploration into these studies is welcome to join our SELF-MASTERY ONLINE COURSE - The Fundamentals of Zen Yoga

until next time...wishing you much peace

Conscious Breathing

It’s time to focus on breathing again…

Breathing is essential to life, yet it often the most neglected aspect of any physical training program. The simple fact is that breathing is the fundamental aspect of our physical body. It is a continuous rhythm that runs throughout our whole life. The body can go for days, even weeks without food. It is able to survive two or three days without water. But it is virtually impossible to go without breathing for more than a few minutes. Without fresh oxygen to the brain the bodily systems quickly shut down and we die. Breathing is natural, and automatic, something we rarely tak e the time to notice, unless we are winded from a burst of exercise or emotional stimulation. This is fine for most people for much of their lives, since the body was created to work efficiently without having to pay attention to breathing. 

This normal, everyday breathing can be defined as subsistence breathing. The amount of oxygen taken in during subsistence breathing is sufficient for everyday life. It brings just enough oxygen into the body to keep it functioning. Imagine a subsistence farmer who works the land and scrapes just enough food together to feed his family. Quite possibly he can continue this way for many years. His existence, though meager, seems sufficient. But, what if there is an unforseen disaster, which affects his ability to continue, such as a prolonged drought, flooding, or an early frost? If the farmer has not stored up his reserves, then simple survival may be almost impossible. The same goes for breathing. Subsistence breathing, though meager, is adequate as long as the body is healthy and active. But what happens if there is an accident, sickness, or trauma? Without an excess of stored energy, there are no reserves to tap into when needed. It becomes difficult for the body to repair itself.

Conscious breathing is the process of becoming aware of the body’s inhalation and exhalation of air. Nearly four thousand years ago in ancient China and India people understood that becoming conscious of the body as it is breathing is the key to a long, healthy life. Just the action of noticing the breath brings our awareness to it and increases its quality. One of the most common themes in the teachings offered by spiritual leaders is the principle of internal cleansing, getting rid of that which is old, worn out, and stale, and exchanging it for what is new, fresh, and energized. That, of course, is the central principle of conscious breathing as well. During inhalation we are bringing in fresh oxygen, nutrients, and vital energy. During exhalation we are expelling carbon dioxide and other toxins and poisons that we produce or collect in our daily living.

Give yourself a few moments every day to take a few long, deep breaths. Stay focused on that moment and enjoy!

wishing you much peace,
Aaron

If you want to learn more about breathing try Breathe Smart.