Connecting the natural world with spiritual realm
When I was 27 years old, I had a spiritual experience that led me to a Unitarian Universalist church and, eventually, into the ministry. I was hiking through a woodsy trail in the Appalachian Mountains and I paused at a clearing on the mountain and looked at the hills in the distance. I then turned around and saw sparkling sunlight on a stream. In that moment, I felt profound connection to the earth, to humanity and to the presence of the Sacred. I was no longer only myself, but also connected with the planet and with God.
Have you ever felt connection when you were in the natural world? For many poets and theologians, the natural world can be awe-inspiring. Jesus went into the wilderness to fast. Lao Tzu, the Taoist teacher, extolled the experience of being in nature and lessons from the natural world. Former Unitarian minister, Ralph Waldo Emerson, wrote about his spiritual experiences from walking in the woods. Being present in the natural world can open one to new insight and transcendent love.
This kind of experience is all the more significant as the world is changing. We are living through a time of global warming due to human activity. This reality is present every day now. Hardly a day passes without evidence of climate change.
On June 7th , it was reported that the Lehigh Valley had the worst air quality in the United
States. The poor air quality was due to smoky air pouring down from forest fires in Canada where rain was not falling as often as it did in years past. Scientists reported that in the first two weeks in July, the earth was hotter than it has ever been in human history. This month, locations in the Northeastern part of our country experienced flooding that led to destruction of property and even included deaths in nearby Bucks County. These are not distant events. They are happening in or near the Lehigh Valley this summer.
Human activity is causing this situation in too many ways to list. The problems of global warming and climate change are complicated, but there are ways that each of us can lessen the problem such as recycling, encouraging our public officials to move to more environmentally sustainable practices and supporting organizations that work for environmental causes.
Though these are needed, the problem is really with humanity, especially those of us who live a lifestyle that does not bring us often into contact with nature. Many of us live without much frequent experience of the natural world. We are enclosed in climate controlled homes, vehicles, and offices. For so many of us, our greatest daily dose of the outdoors is the walk from our vehicles to our destinations. Our days are spent indoors and our leisure time is spent without much awareness of the earth or wildlife. Many of us spend our days detached from nature. This situation keeps us distant from a source of wonder and beauty.
We need to foster a relationship with the natural world, with life on this planet. We cannot do this inside our homes. If we are able, we need to connect with the natural world as directly as possible. We need to connect spiritually.
Have you ever just listened to birdsong? Have you paused under a tree to listen to the wind through the leaves? Have you felt the the waves at the beach? Have you sung a hymn when you looked at the changing autumn leaves? Have you prayed on a mountain? Have you held the cold snow on your hand and thought that this was such an amazing world?
Psalm 23 tells us that God makes us to lie down in green pastures and leads us beside still waters. We remember that the natural world is a place of calming, spiritual presence.
Caring for the earth, connecting with the earth, is not only necessary for our mutual survival, it is necessary for our spiritual life. When I connect with the earth, I am reminded that there is a world beyond media, beyond politics, beyond the glow of electronic devices. I am reminded that there is a world that is not made by humans, a world that I need with every breath that I take.
We are all connected to the earth. May the work of our hands, the strength of our minds, and the calling of our souls lead us to a better balance with nature.