CONSCIOUS IN NATURE, THE ELEMENTS & US #5

The deeper we go, the more we realize, how little we know. New discoveries just open up another field of enquiry, another Pandora's box of questions confirming that we are living in a mysterious universe. The Ancestors teach, that to experience and honor the mystery is more important than continually trying to decode it.

The Bhagavad Gita says: 

"Whatever Being comes to be, 

be it motionless (Still) or moving, (Growing, Wild, Talking), 

derives its being from Field,

 and Knower (The Creator) of the Field. 

Know this!"

The Zohar adds that we are living in a 1% world, the other 99% is unknown to us. Most of the Field is Unknowable.

Research has been done regarding the restorative effects of Nature. Green and blue colors are relaxing as are these colors of scrubs in operating rooms. 

Architects are now well aware of the Sick Building Syndrome and strive to correct it with their designs which embrace concepts of light (which neutralizes Seasonal Affective Disorder) as well as plants, nature paintings or images and fountains. Research has shown that if patients can see nature out of their windows they recover sooner. Some dentists are aware of the importance of a similar right ambience in their rooms to decrease stress.                    

A walk in nature can be measured to be more restorative that an urban walk and a backpack trip creates more equanimity than a hike. The longer we expose ourselves to a natural environment - especially with a restorative intention - the more powerful it can be. 

Eco-psychologists are emphasizing the importance of the "accessible green." The easier it is for us to regularly connect with the Earth Mother, the healthier and more balanced we feel. This is especially true now with Covid, where we need Her more than ever. She is called the Earth Mother for good reason. Interestingly, in Santa Barbara, folks who have never hiked before are accessing the front country trails in greater numbers than ever before.

The phrase Nature Deficit Disorder coined by Richard Louv 

in his book, Last Child in the Woods warns that because adults and children are spending less time in nature we are recognizing an increased incidence of behavioral and mental issues. This may be all the more so with Covid for those who cannot or are too fearful to make use of this powerful healing environment. Louv stresses that N.D.D. is not meant to be a medical diagnosis but we need do be aware of the consequences of not being connected to the source of out sustenance - be it in body, mind or spirit.  Statistics prior to Covid showed that there had been a declining number of visits to the National parks in the U.S.A. 

 Children today are more interested in social media and the magical technology to access it rather than the magic of wild places. There is a tremendous human cost when we separate ourselves from the Still, Growing and Wild Beings. Maybe less so than when we separate from the Talking ones, although if this is done for too long there are also serious detrimental affects.

This blog will be shorter because the next DVD is 14 minutes long.

            Click on the link below for this inspiring TED talk to give yourself a visual experience and explanation of the Growing Beings. If you are short on time then skip to 10 minutes when it will give some introductory insights into the wonder of fungi, mycelia and mushrooms which will follow in the next blog. For those who want to go deeper also check out Paul Stamets on You Tube who has done amazing work on mycelia.

https://youtu.be/BxzKjF1ybWE

Apologies if the spacing, fonts, text size and colors vary with the blogs.

The last blog format was not perfect but better. I guess they are still working on some issues with this new format. No matter how many times I change it when I "Publish" it comes out wrong. Irritating, certainly to me.