Our ancestors revered the life-giving power of the sun and the rain for good reason - they knew that, without them, crops would fail and they would die. In today's artificially lit and air-conditioned world, it is easy to go for days at a time without seeing the sky or the sun. This disconnection from nature is unhealthy for both mind and body. To find balance in our lives, we need to step outside more often, and be more conscious of the seasons and the weather. Living in harmony with the seasons and adopting the pace of nature teaches you patience.
Lord Byron wrote movingly of 'the pleasure in the pathless woods, the rapture on the lonely shore'. However, you don't have to go 'out there' in the wilderness or wait for a perfect summer's day or for the wind to die down before you venture forth.
Living in the season means embracing the elements that are on offer - whether your day has brought you rain, wind, sunshine or all three. It means buying and eating food in season - sipping hot soup in winter, cool drinks in summer - and becoming more fully aware of the world around you. As the naturalist Henry David Thoreau said, 'Live each season as it passes: breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit.' Nature is right here, in and around you, wherever you happen to be - whether you're hanging out the washing, working in an office block or flying overhead.
Go outside, close your eyes and hold your face up to the sun for a few moments. Feel the sun's life-giving rays playing on your skin. Let its warmth soothe your spirit. Feel the renewal. Think of how this burning star has given life to the earth and to you, and to thousands of living beings who have gone before you. Feel the warmth entering your mind, illuminating your thoughts. Cast away your petty worries and concerns as you sense the ancient power of the earth's rhythms.
As a child, I remember sitting on the hearth rug at my grandparents' home as the first fire of autumn was lit. I loved to hear the crackle and snap as the logs embraced the flame, and the marvellous head-clearing scent of eucalyptus twigs, pine cones and soft wood smoke would fill the room. The shelves full of books and journals all wore that faint, sweet scent of wood smoke. Nanna would sit in her rocking chair and crochet, while Pa would sit in his velveteen club chair with the frayed armrests and read or do crosswords. I would lie on my stomach, maybe drawing but mostly staring into the fire, then dozing off and having to be carried to bed by Pa. It is one of my most treasured memories.
Why is looking into a fire such a profoundly calming and inspirational experience? Perhaps it's because fire stirs our simpler, more primal selves - the flames dart upwards and throw out heat to our faces and hands just as they did in our ancestors' days. Modern society divorces us from daily contact with nature, and even human interactions are becoming ever more remote, more virtual. People are so out of touch with ancient, powerful elements - fire, wood and smoke - that they need to stop and just sit together. Gazing into a fire makes us feel contemplative and relaxed, inspired and awed by the power of nature at the same time.
In the cooler months take a few minutes to light a fire, if you have one. Sit back and watch as the flames catch. Feel the heat on your face and watch the smoke and sparks twirl up the chimney, drawing your thoughts and dreams upwards, to the sky and the heavens.
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Note: This article was sent to us by: Celia Rumbers at 06092010
1. Dress for comfort and enjoy natural scents to relax and feel good
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