When was the last time you listened to the chirping of birds — not just posting, or reading, ‘tweets’ on Twitter? You’d not remember — unless you’d made an effort, or allowed your ear and mind to listen to the cheeping of sparrows near your window sill.
Our body’s functional dynamics are said to correspond to the nature of Earth’s spin on its axis. It also correlates with the phases of the Moon. Medical science testifies that this affects everything from our sleep patterns to cell function, among a host of other things that we may not know yet. This, of course, does not include the long hours you spend in front of your PC, or laptop — with your gastronomic companion being fast-food. It smacks of the sick-building syndrome too — not being close to nature.
It’s a fact of modern life that you and I are quite disconnected from nature. How many of us keep a track of the seasons, the blossoming of flowers, or caterpillars turning into butterflies, or a child’s fulsome laughter? If you were to ask your friends the last time they gazed at the stars, you’d not get a response. Well, for most of us watching nature on TV seems as close as we can get to ‘feeling’ it. You and I are, of course, not alone — there are millions who just wake up, rush through the morning hour, snack a quick bite, commute to, and from, work — by way of reflex. They also ‘baby-sit’ with fluorescent lights, surrounded by familiar office air, nay air-conditioning, and flushed by electromagnetic haze. What’s more, for days, they don’t experience the Sun’s revitalising effects.
The flow of life is closely connected with the sequences of nature — this is reason why nature keeps us well-acquainted. Nature is a biotic sanctuary. It calls us and embraces us with unconditional love, even when our contact is fleeting — limited, perhaps, to a holiday, or planned visit to ‘feel’ nature in its pristine glory.
Nature ‘grounds’ us all to our roots. Just think of it. A walk through a tree-lined avenue, a rejuvenating massage with herbal oils, or meditation sessions for your mind, body, and soul — to beat life’s stresses and hassles. Or, just look outside — the sights, sounds, and fragrances of nature. They all bring fundamental resonances of balance, including nature’s harmonising chemistry, to our unconscious mind. When we connect ourselves to nature, we not only assign, but also value mysticism in it, and within ourselves, of which we are always a part.
Life in contemporary cities, or towns, may not offer us nourishing recompenses vis-à-vis nature in the countryside. Fortunately, there are simple, useful ways to explore nature in its ‘edited’ essence. Go to the nearest open space for a walk, or drive to the sea, or lake. Sit on the sands of a beach, or bench overlooking a man-made pond. Relax on a beanbag, in your veranda, after dinner — just watch the stars for a while. Keep houseplants in your balcony, or small water-fountains, where appropriate. Take care of them — speak to them softly, lovingly. They will flourish — and, spread happiness all around your small world.
Getting back to nature, even in small ways, is refreshing. It helps us to return to our source — the basis of all life. Interestingly, it also represents the irony of life. The life of birds, for us, may appear irrelevant, in our fast-paced life, all right. Yet each life is fundamental to the splendid design of our Cosmos. It helps us understand that you and I are just as small — a tiny part of something larger than we have ever imagined.
