A natural flow

It is Wednesday, mid-morning. An appointment I had was canceled, and so I’m writing the newsletter early. I sat at my desk and couldn’t think, so I focused on my heart and found myself grabbing the MacBook and some lunch and meandering onto the patio. It is 100°F outside now and only slightly cooler in the shade. That doesn’t matter. I need nature. I need the humming of the cicadas, the joyful chirping of the birds, and the smell of baking grass. I need the blue sky above and bare feet wet from watering plants.

After spending a week with family marveling at the natural universe, I remember how necessary it is for me to connect with the natural world regularly in order to fuel mind, body, and soul. Meditation does it too, but for me, watching nature in silence—just being—is my favorite meditation.

The family visit was beautiful. I spent some time with my parents before we all joined my nieces and flew to Iceland! My mom, who is the most perseverant human I know in spite of a multitude of challenges, scheduled the trip. With or without the blessing of her doctors, she made up her mind she was going. And so we went! It was a tour where we crammed in a sampler of this magnificent land, walking miles each day, eating more than one should humanly enjoy, and witnessing some of nature’s mighty forces.

We “experienced” the full eclipse even though we did not see it. Standing on a lava flow that had covered the road just three short years ago, we watched the foggy sky go from gray to black to gray again in the span of less than two minutes. All present were silent. Day, night, day in the sky. Creation and destruction beneath our feet. Warm hearts and cold hands. It was a study in contrast and an experience I will never forget.

We saw massive, stunning waterfalls and stood between the Eurasian and North American continents, where the plates are constantly shifting. We were guided into an old lava tunnel where the rocks were slick with rain dripping through the cave’s ceiling and where the guide turned off the lights so we could experience a darkness in which no eye could see. My teenage and almost-teenage nieces led me up and down the streets of Reykjavik to shop and entertained me with their humor, songs, and beautiful souls.

My mom walked the miles with us, even going down into the cave and back, one careful step at a time. Dad, as always, served as group photographer and inspirer of wonder. As a scientist, he urges us to think constantly and marvel at miracles—both natural and human-made. Most of the trip flowed naturally and beautifully.

And then we had a little medical emergency on the flight home when the oxygen at altitude became too thin for Mom’s lungs. As if they had done this many times—they had not—the flight attendants calmly attached an oxygen tank to a mask and saved her. Miraculously, a kind doctor was seated across the aisle. We landed, went home quickly to grab some items, and spent the night awake in the ER until we were sent home at 4 a.m. Mom was admitted for a stay not quite as glamorous as the ones we’d just enjoyed. Nonetheless, she was in good hands.

For a crisis, it flowed kindly. I can’t help but marvel at how Mom got to enjoy every bit of her trip and then ended up receiving help that was much needed at the end. Amazing grace and many prayers were at work.

As we continue to surrender to the moment and to our natural impulses, life just works, even when it seems not to be working. There is a remarkable harmony to the universe. Kids live in that flow. We can too, even when it’s hard. It took every ounce of willpower not to surrender to panic, tears, or anything that would be unproductive when Mom was on the plane having trouble breathing.
Confined to my seat, I couldn’t do a thing, so I went inward, held her in the energy of love, and prayed. I wasn’t in charge in the ER, so I prayed for all the helpful staff too. All we could do was be present, love now, and trust.

We are all back at home now. She is recuperating, and I am returning to the natural flow of my everyday life while holding good memories in my heart. Nature moves on through eternity. We do too. All we can do is embrace the present with love. That is our truest nature.

Here are a few tips to help you live more in alignment with your true nature:

1.  When the mind spins, drop into the heart

When you don’t know what to do, instead of agonizing over it, allowing your mind to spin, or feeling helpless, pause. Remind yourself that there is a loving Source who has answers to all things and is beaming you impulses right now. Take a deep breath. What feels most natural, right, and easy right now—an action, a word, a prayer? Do that now. That is the natural path.

2. Remind yourself often, “It is natural to love.”

Being angry is a natural human reaction, but staying angry is not natural to the soul. Love is. When you feel upset, have your upset. When you need to cry, cry. But then look for something—anything—to love. You will be surprised that if you let yourself feel good about something, you will begin to feel better about life in general. It only takes willingness to refocus.

3. Enjoy nature and learn from it

Go out into nature. Look for something that draws your attention. Ask yourself, “How can this teach me or answer my questions?” Wait. Surrender to the wisdom of the natural world. I just did it for fun. I asked for more advice about realigning my posture, which has gotten off over the past few years, and was immediately drawn to the palm tree—firm and flexible. I am doing my yoga once again and my meditations, so I take that as a sign to continue. Nature can help us do what is natural.

The farther I walk this path, the easier spirituality becomes. It isn’t about seeking peak experiences anymore. It isn’t about trying to become something I am not. It is really just about being natural and loving in the moment as best I can and listening to those still, small voices and natural impulses that guide us on our path.

Sometimes the impulses are mundane. “Get a cup of coffee.” “Take a nap.” Sometimes they’re more involved. “Do a thousand mantras.” “Put your feet on the earth and give thanks for life.” “Help someone you love.” In each case, however, they feel natural, normal, good, and like the next step. You don’t have to overthink things. They just feel right.

So this week, see if you can be kind to yourself, avoid overthinking, and do more of what comes to you easily and kindly. See where it leads you.