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It is when we let go of our ego and put down our inflated sense of human importance that we can really connect to Mother Earth and our own true nature.

By Kim Isley, Trees for a Change Posted Feb 4, 2010

connect_with_nature_close_to_homeIt’s easy to feel bonded with the trees and the birds and the dirt when you are camping or on a hike, but what about the rest of the time, when your life feels surrounded by cars and buildings and freeways?

For most of us, getting away to the wilderness or the beach or the desert to connect with nature isn’t a luxury we can afford on a daily basis. But with a little extra attention, you might discover that it’s possible to feel connected to the earth every day.

Below are some ideas to help you find evidence of Mother Nature’s genius all around you, even if you live in the middle of a city.

Name That Tree

Investing in a tree identification book can give you amazing insight into the diversity of the trees right in your own neighborhood or town. For example, I recently learned that the delicate tree with red berries on the other side of my fence is a Rowan, or Mountain Ash, and has a long tradition in English mythology as a magical tree. Druid staffs were made of Rowan wood, and its branches were often used as dowsing rods. And in some northern countries, the number of berries is used as a predictor of snow cover during winter. Now, when I see this tree reaching over my fence, it has added value. And it has become an interesting conversation piece when sitting on the patio with friends.

Every tree has an interesting story. A small book that is portable can be taken on walks around where you live and help you learn about the native and non-native species of trees whose oxygen you breathe every day.

Creature Feature

If you have a pet, you have easy access to the animal world, even though your lap dog may be far removed from the jungle. No matter how well trained, most of your pet’s habits are programmed by nature, and are evidence of a connection to an ancient and wild ancestry.
For example, you might have noticed that whenever dogs meet they seem to study each other’s gestures, signs or body language before doing any action. A subspecies of the wolf, domestic dogs have learned the art of communication through their bodies. This inherited trait evolved as a way for wolves/dogs to avoid physical conflict.

Watch carefully, and you may find your little beastie reenacting a scene from the Animal Planet right in your own back yard.

Mind Your Plate

Barbara Kingsolver wrote, ”Recall that whatever lofty things you might accomplish today, you will do them only because you first ate something that grew out of the dirt.” This is a great reminder, since most of us are so far removed from the source of our food it is easy to forget that lettuce comes from a farm, not the grocery store.

Consider that the meat, the grains, and the produce on your table are all a gift of the earth, and that the soil, the sun, and the water all contributed to your meal. What better way to feel connected than to feel grateful for the nature that is on your own plate and then eat it, allowing it to nourish you and give you energy?

Invite Friends

Great pleasure and a sense of connection can be had by welcoming small critters into your life, even if you don’t have a lot of yard. You might consider hanging a bird feeder outside one or more windows, putting peanuts out for squirrels, or planting a bush that attracts butterflies.

Inviting your neighborhood’s small animals to visit by offering them food is a lovely way to share your abundance and tune into the earth’s creatures and their habits.

Start a Collection

As you take the dog for a walk or go on a trip, consider gathering small natural objects that catch your eye or seem unusual. A collection of little rocks, seed pods, pieces of bark, sticks, and pine cones on your coffee table can serve to remind you of special places you’ve been, and can also remind you that nature is infinitely creative, generous, and mysterious. Leave a small magnifying glass alongside your collection to further invite curiosity. Learn the names and purpose of these natural objects and share this with your children and friends; your interest will inspire others.

If bark in your living room isn’t quite your style, consider taking photos of the objects you find and putting them in an album. Leave the album open on a table, and turn to a new page each day.

Tune Into the Seasons

What a reliable rhythm the earth has, cycling through the seasons with amazing intensity. You can witness and tune into the show nature puts on by choosing one particular plant or tree near your home you especially love and really paying attention to how it changes through the year. Take a photo in each season and display them together; this can also be used to make interesting and personal holiday cards at the turn of each year.

Another good way to connect with the seasons is to grow your own vegetables or to sign up for a Community Supported Agriculture food box, which is full of produce grown on a local farm in your area. Your garden or a CSA box will only contain things grown in the rhythm of your local climate, allowing you to really appreciate produce within its natural season while also teaching your family about food sources native to your region.

Look Within

It seems obvious, but it is sometimes easy to forget that we are part of nature ourselves. As humans we can get wrapped up in our busy daily lives and all the great things we need to achieve, but we must remember that we are creatures of the earth, made of carbon and water just like the trees and the bears.

Like the flowers and the tide, we live our days according to the cycles of the moon and the sun. Our bodies are just as much evidence of nature’s amazing and beautiful design as the sea anemone or the watermelon vine. It is when we let go of our ego and put down our inflated sense of human importance that we can really connect to Mother Earth and our own true nature.

Kim Isley is the Treehugger-in-Chief of Trees for a Change.com, (www.treesforachange.com) an organization that plants trees as all occasion gifts in National Forests that have been destroyed by wildfire.

Related articles:
  1. How to get your child excited about nature
  2. The Real Cost of ‘Virtual Nature’
  3. Spending time in nature, a natural remedy for ADHD
  4. Clearing a Path to Nature
  5. Our Psychic Connections to Nature
  6. Medicines from Nature
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  • BTC Elements

    Great blog post. I love the idea of learning about what is in my neighborhood. I'm grateful that my dog gets me out and about but it would be even more fun if I knew what I was looking at.

  • Alicia

    When my husband and I re-landscaped our front yard last summer, we planted a bunch of butterfly- and hummingbird-friendly flowers and trees. To watch them come and enjoy those plants has made us feel so much more in community with our surroundings. Reading this blog post makes me want to do that more often!

  • Suzanna

    Thanks for these lovely reminders, Kim. I am constantly seeking the "nature ground," whether it's examining a rock I picked up, exchanging growly howls with a Malamute (this morning), or running outside to catch the last light of the day. The trees say thank you too!
    Suzanna Stinnett

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/Merc2 Merc2

    I have always been fascinated by trees in the city. I always wondered what those mossy things on the bark of the trees. I later found out that they are called lichens and they are pollutant detectors, meaning the more polluted the place the more chance you cant see lichen on trees..interesting bits of facts..

  • Jerry

    "No matter how well trained, most of your pet’s habits are programmed by nature, and are evidence of a connection to an ancient and wild ancestry."

    You can't get a whole lot more "domesticated" than our Lab Gracie. But I was reminded (again!) this morning, as she scratched the snow to bury the urine she'd just deposited, that she's still guided much by instinct. You can remove the dog from the wilds but you'll never remove all the wilds from the dog!

  • http://www.theabqlawfirm.com/ albquerque attorney

    Inspiring blog! I love to read more about nature and really appreciate your blog which is increasing our knowledge.These ideas are really helpful to us to find evidence of Mother Nature’s genius all around us.Really after reading your blog we will be able to learn all things about our neighborhood.Thanks for sharing awesome ideas and article with us.

  • http://warriorcatsarpg.proboards.com/index.cgi earth warrior

    I used to do that collection stuff and tree idenfication stuff a lot when I was a kid. Especially collecting. I still bring home way more seashells from the beach than I have room for!

    I still remember a lot of the names of local trees and we have 4 different kinds of oak trees on my property.

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