Connecting to Gaia…Earth based Spirituality
I often find myself writing about the need of a Spiritual practice in ones life. To me Spirituality is not the same as Religion…some people get to Spirituality through Religion, but it is not the only ride. Religion comes in many forms, but they are all have a fundamental set of rules and beliefs which are agreed upon by the followers of the religion. These beliefs are often based on the cause and purpose of life and death and how one is suppose to behave in order to reach the best outcome. Spirituality is an individual approach it is loose flowing and allows one to weave together a tapestry that may very well contain the thoughts and practices of various religions. One can be Spiritual without sharing the beliefs of others, or even having a belief in a higher power. Spirituality is about reaching our for connection, allowing ourselves to feel like part of something greater instead of being a mini island inside of a gigantic sea….withstanding all of the hardships and blessings of life alone. Over the last 20-30 years our culture has become one more and more based on the mini island. Everyone is on their own…families live in large houses with few children, where generations ago that same house may have held multiple generations. Our Grange halls and Communities centers have stood empty with the only visitors being the elderly who remember community and its importance. Well times are changing again and people are starting to feel the need for community and tribe, they are starting to gather and share with one another and they are starting to search for something more….something beyond themselves, a place to connect. May I suggest Nature…
You do not have to put away any current Religious beliefs to embrace Nature…nor do you have to love hiking, biking and water sports. You can simply step outside your door, walk into your yard, the park or the local beach and enjoy. It is amazing how much peace we humans can get from sitting in the stillness of Nature.
spreading love-salicrow