Nature

Our world is changing rapidly and the challenges are  bigger than ever. We know that. And we also know that we have to change too, that with changing circumstances we need to make other choices and behave differently in the outer world. What I want to explore in this post is the changes we will need in our inner world to meet the challenges we face. How do our values and consciousness need to develope now, in this time?

Many writers are looking into this subject, focusing on our relationship with nature. Important thinkers are James Lovelock with the perspective on the earth as a living consciousness, Gaia, and Arne Næss and his depth ecology. Some newer examples: The mystic and professor Peter Kingsley says in his book Catafalque that western culture is dead, because we have failed to acknowledge the sacred roots of our existence. Kingsley sees the sacred as our connection with and dependence of nature and the flow of life, which imply the humble insight that we are not in control of our lives. In a recent book the writer Karen Armstrong describes perspectives from different religions and spiritual traditions which may help us to reconnect with nature, in terms of rekindle the spiritual  bond with nature as a living and conscious being - her vision is a modern version of animism. In a more specific european context the professor Paul Wasserman writes about how the germanic mythology has been suppressed for the benefit of greek and roman mythology and the christian traditions. An important element of what has been lost with the suppression of our germanic heritage, is the view of the natural world as an embodiment of divinity, sacredness or spiritual power.   

To me they are all pointing to an urgent need for transformation of our way of perceiving nature as an object to be exploited, and are giving alternatives which implies opening ourselves up to perceive the beauty, intelligence and intrinsic value of nature. They talk about the sacredness, which will imply acknowledging certaing values as foundational for the relationship - for example respecting integrity, reverence for life, love. But what is really radical is the change of perception which is needed. It means transcending  our traditional ways of performing conceptual thinking and moving into the unknown, guided by what feels alive and in service of connection.