Nature Spirituality

My belief system is nature spirituality or what is known these days as “Eco-spirituality” (a movement that started in the 1980s). Nature spirituality is one of the oldest of the religions, and also one of the newest. In eco-spirituality, to experience nature is to experience the Divine.

In a nutshell, nature spirituality is about having an intimate relationship with nature. In this earth-based spirituality, people gain inner wisdom, balance, and healing through their personal experiences with the natural world. The goal of nature spirituality is to revere the interconnectedness of all. We live in a Sacred Circle of Life. We do not consider ourselves above others but instead regard the animals, plants, and rocks as our relations. We all share the same Mother Earth and Father Sky.

In their respective belief systems, many indigenous people honor nature. The people care for the earth, which cares for them. The earth offers her wisdom to those who are willing to receive it. The concept of interconnectedness is expressed as a circle also commonly known as a “medicine wheel”. All life exists in an interrelated system of harmony and balance that reflects the continuous flow of the Great Mystery between each being.

The salmon best symbolizes this interconnectedness. Salmon spawns in the clear inland pools. Growing, they swim to the seas where they live their adult lives.Then, the salmon return to their original spawning grounds to procreate and die. The dying salmon provides food for other animals. Or their bodies sink to the bottom to provide nutrients to the next generation of salmon.

Included in nature spirituality is the sense of “natural justice”. Since we are all related, what harm I do, will return to me. Also the concept of reciprocity is a part of the Sacred Circle. As we give, we receive; as we receive, we give. The circle ebbs and flows as in the Wheel of the Seasons. Life is never static, but always dynamic, always returning to the beginning.

“Mending the Sacred Hoop” is a Native American concept. It means to heal the broken places of the earth and all her children. This includes ridding the landscape of toxic waste, preserving natural places, and helping people to connect with their ancestral roots. To mend the Sacred Hoop means to restore respect for the Mother Earth and all things in the Universe.



Resources:

"Spirit Animals & The Wheel of Life: Earth-Centered Practices for Daily Living", by Hal Zina Bennett

"Earth Medicine", by Jamie Sams

Spirit Wolf’s Pagan Path: “Wheel of Life” http://www.paganspath.com/magik/wheel.htm

“Understanding Death from A Nature-Spirituality Perceptive”