Communion with Nature

 

“Keep close to Nature’s heart…

and break clear away, once in a while,

and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods.

Wash your spirit clean.”

~John Muir

“In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.”

~John Muir

 

 

I just returned from a four day trip to Vermont. I want to go back. I was immersed in the most stunning hug from Mother Earth and long to be held in that space again. My words felt so inadequate to express the beauty and connection I felt there. I found myself to be very emotional and told Mike that if I start crying, everything is ok. I said repeatedly that my heart was so happy.

 

I always knew that I found respite in Nature, but the time in Vermont clarified the depth of that connection and peace. We spent every day outside hiking and taking in Nature. It filled my soul. It was as though I never got tired. I was filled. Rejuvenated. Welcomed home. My breath was easier and softer. My body had less aches and swelling. Nature is the sanctuary for the Divine.

 

One of my favorite hikes was the one we took on our last day in Vermont-Pinnacle Meadow. Due to the time awareness, we weren’t able to climb all the way to the Pinnacle, but I loved the entire journey. It started out quite unassuming…a wide gravel path in the midst of the trees. Then the path got a little narrower, and eventually it was more difficult to see the path and more of an effort to climb and find secure footing. (The picture is from Pinnacle Meadow.) It reminded me of my own personal growth journey…starting out gently with room for plenty of people and eventually zeroing in on walking individually (yet together) in the arms of the Divine…not always seeing the path clearly ahead…slowing down to take in the beauty of the journey…being aware of each step without doubting whether or not to take it…being filled with awe…trusting my safety…and knowing that others who hold the path as sacred have walked before me.

 

The entire trip was incredible. It was a celebration of the journey Mike and I have shared for the last five years along with dreams of our future. It was an opportunity of connection not only to Nature, but to all of the people we met on our daily treks that shared their knowledge and love of Stowe with us. The slower pace allowed time to simply be. We didn’t have an agenda while we were there. Every morning held a curiosity as to what was going to unfold for us. We learned as we went. We didn’t need to know all of the answers or directions. We allowed for openness and exploration. There was daily gratitude for every moment.

 

My intention now is to be with those moments and allow them to live more fully within me. I long so deeply to be back…in the woods…in the mountains…by the waterfalls…