Natures landscape, flora and fauna can model balance, being out of balance, assertiveness and receptivity. As you study the nature of these features you can integrate this understanding in to your relationships. It will increase your skill of holding more views other and just your own and expand your levels of tolerance. For example:
- Imagine the symbol that has come to represent the flow of energy as mirrored in Nature.
Yin – Yang
- Now here are some pictures of Willows Beach to show Yin and Yang energies in Natures Landscape:
If you walked along the beach during this storm, would you be afraid of intense confrontation of the wind? I would imagine that you would meet the wind and rain with a resilience to stop from being blown off course. The second picture would be a completely different experience. It would be one of peace and a calming influence.
Take these two pictures and think about a time that you felt these two different types of experiences with a friend, boss, co-worker, child, parent or lover. Did you stay free from the fear of conflict and walk through the intense energy with resilience and without taking it on? The resilience you experienced in the storm can be experienced at these times when you discover it is about them, not you. Nature teaches you an inner language that will increase your perceptive nature
My point in sharing this example is that it may be easier to be in our human relationships if we explore and learn from nature. Working with an Asian Teen I learned that they verbally compared me to the inside of a peeled banana. This reference was to my color of skin. Another way of identifying their experience of people was putting them in two categories; round and square. How would you describe a round and square personality type?
Nature has been interpreted by many cultures and has modeled patterns that continue to define our evolution of intellect. Science, math and geometry are a few examples. Now a need has become obvious for reacquainting our culture with nature in a personal and interesting way. Remembering the relevance of nature as a mentor may resolve many universal unmet needs.
Enjoy reviewing the shapes of the five elements in nature, learning to view plants, minerals and fauna as a way to connect to inner feelings and have fun with sharing their language in your connections with others. One way would be in your messages to others through gifts!
by Renee Lindstrom, GCFP,
Feldenkrais® Practitioner since 2007, Communication & Empathy Coach since 2004, Art of Placement since 2000
Green Behavior Programs grounded in ‘Nature as Nurturer’
