Nature and the Natural World

RE: Nature and the Natural World (staylor)

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 15:57:03 GMT

Spiders are so interesting! The Creek First Nations people of what is now called 'Oklahoma' tell the story of 'Grandmother Spider' who, of all the creatures was able to solve the difficulty of the darkness when the world was first created. No one was able to capture the sun to bring light to all, so she spun a web net, captured and brought back the sun, which gives all life light to this day.

Grandmother Spider...our experiences of whomever we call 'the other' seems to me don't need to change at all. Only the interpretation we bring to them may needs ome adjusting, just as a web becoming a thing of beauty.

RE: Nature and the Natural World (buttington)

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 15:33:15 GMT

Dear Betty,
I used to be terrified of spiders until I saw a documentary about them on TV and was overwhelmed by their cleverness and ingenuity. And, as you say, the beauty of their webs. Over night the terror went. I still don't like the look of the big black house spiders, and they still make me jump, but I haven't killed one for over 30 years now. I get a cup and a piece of card, and bravely put them outdoors.
I can even watch in awe as they catch flies and wrap them up. Unless they are poisonous, our fear is very irrational. I have to say I haven't reached a point yet where I would be happy to have one walking on me!!!! J

RE: Nature and the Natural World (buttington)

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 15:26:02 GMT

Dear Sally, I love 99% of all animals, but cats are my passion. I once had 8, but am down to 3 now.

Buzzards are singled out because, some years ago, at a 'spiritual' group, we all did a guided meditation to 'meet' our spirit animal, which obviously, from the choice, represents a part of ourselves we wish to be or maybe need to be.

Beyond thinking eagles were pretty awsome, I didn't give birds of prey much thought. I thought that a rabbit or some other little furry thing would come up for me, because I have always been very shy and scared to 'come forward'. (I'm 80% cured now!) Actually, it didn't have to be an animal; it could be anything from nature, so perhaps a bluebell for me? But an EAGLE???????? Surely not. They are brave, far-sighted and fearsome, beautiful creatures. Not a bit like me, but, of course, just what I needed. A golden eagle at that! And in my meditation it sat on top of a green mountain in Scotland and looked straight at me. I am very scared of heights, but I was there in spirit, and although I had never been to Scotland I later saw the exact scenery on TV.

The Golden eagle of my meditation has been immensely helpful and important in my transformation from the shy creature I had always been. I'm now much more my authentic self.

So.....my Buzzards are little eagles. We don't get eagles in the south of England I'm glad to say, because they would surely eat my little cats.

At this same spiritual group I learned to let go of my abhorrence of cats catching mice and rabbits and birds, which I also love. I still don't like it, but they are as nature made them. J

RE: Nature and the Natural World (Imenuff)

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 08:51:17 GMT

Dear Sally, thank you for this post and especially

you helped me see how I often make (false) distinctions about the value of other beings, usually based on my own misperception about their relatedness - or not- to me personally.

As I was going to walk out my back door early this morning, a very large spider about 1 1/2 inches in size was spinning a web. First response--get the bug spray. It immediately went away after being sprayed and your post came to mind. The sun had just come up and because the web was wet from bug spray, it glistened in the early morning sun. The beauty and intricacy of the web touched the spirit within and fear of and violence toward a bug was replaced with wonder and awe at the gift it had created.

RE: Nature and the Natural World (staylor)

Wed, 05 Sep 2007 04:27:17 GMT

They are magical birds, I call them my little eagles, and I can't imagine why anyone would want to hurt them. They hunt mainly rabbits and other small creatures, and harm no-one.

Such a heart-felt loss for you, these magical birds! Hopefully their offspring will recognise their parents 'home' as their own in years to come! It won't bring those bird beings who were shot back, but at least continuity of the species continues, and you may continue to enjoy their presence each year....or perhaps it was time for a change....

It struck me in what you shared above, j. that in what you said you do not consider all other creatures as you do your beloved birds. Is there a reason that buzzards are more worthy of your love than are the creatures who are prey to them? rabbits? other small creaures?

I thank you too, because you helped me see how I often make (false) distinctions about the value of other beings, usually based on my own misperception about their relatedness - or not- to me personally.

Predator birds kill. Many birds do, from insects to rabbits.
We as humans kill too. From annoying insects to rodents and in the saddest occasions, other human beings.
Awareness of our proximate behaviour to other creatures (in this case birds), even beloveds who give us so much pleasure, does not diminish the act of taking life. A step in shifting from this negativity in our own lives, may be first by extending the awareness of our own involvement in the killing process, and then choosing to do otherwise, as you have done here:

I pray that the person who shot them will find in his heart a new respect for nature, and not do anything like it again, and also that I will find it in my heart not to be angry with him. J

One great human gift and offering we make to all other beings is our capacity for choice and then taking on the responsibility of the choices we make.
Thank you for this thought provoking posting!

RE: Nature and the Natural World (buttington)

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 07:13:40 GMT

Thank you Lori for your thoughts. I have just been really cheered by Solomon's photos of his dog!
Love J

RE: Nature and the Natural World (artemis611)

Fri, 31 Aug 2007 22:40:00 GMT

J.: I'm so sorry about your loss. I just don't know what else to say. I just really hear your sense of loss and I'm thinking of you.

Lori

RE: Nature and the Natural World (buttington)

Fri, 31 Aug 2007 16:54:55 GMT

Hi all,

I'm feeling sad and a little bit angry still after reading in my local paper that 2 of my local buzzards have been shot by some moron with a high calibre rifle. One of them was killed and the other so badly injured it had to be finished off by a Vet.

I had been wondering why I had not seen or heard them and was hoping that perhaps the young one had moved to pastures new already.

It's hard to say here how much these lovely creatures mean to me, and how much pleasure they give me every year. Especially the young ones who call so plaintively, hoping their parents will come and feed them. They have been particularly beautiful to watch this year, and when I have heard this year's baby calling, and run out into the garden to see it, he has come over and hovered over me, as if to have a good look. Probably wondering if I was potential food.

I feel privileged to live in a spot where these beautiful creatures nest and fly and look forward to July and August every year, when the young ones are newly fledged and take up residence in trees near my house, where they practise their new voices and hunting skills. Parents are not far away, and respond now and then to the young one's plaintive calls. Then I am treated to a delightful display of 3 or 4 buzzards soaring high and calling to each other in obvious pleasure. They are magical birds, I call them my little eagles, and I can't imagine why anyone would want to hurt them. They hunt mainly rabbits and other small creatures, and harm no-one.

I think birds reflect out spiritual side, and certainly these birds seem to have appeared over me at moments when I most needed a lift.

I pray that the person who shot them will find in his heart a new respect for nature, and not do anything like it again, and also that I will find it in my heart not to be angry with him. J

RE: Nature and the Natural World (Imenuff)

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 05:48:33 GMT

Staylor,WELCOME TO THE FORUM

Even when nature seems 'harsh' (and it does seem that way at times from our human perspective, often made so by our own human ignorant contributions), even when it is harsh ~ to us ~ it remains awesome. What is the appropriate response to something that is awesome??? Perhaps 'Awe' is in order, which of course is Gratitude by another name.

Each day, it is so easy to find many ways where I, too, am contributing to the "harshness" of nature. We in the States have a tendency to somehow believe we have all these "rights" to as much as we want of everything without recognizing the responsibilities that our "greed for more" brings. Thank you for joining us.

RE: Nature and the Natural World (staylor)

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 02:41:35 GMT

On the other hand.........nature can be seemingly harsh. In this green and pleasant land we are having the wettest Summer in memory and the worst floods for 60 years. Which all goes to show we need to give respect to our planet, as a lot of these disasters are man-made. J

Yes, the floods in the UK have been amazing this summer. They are nothing of course compared to the floods in Northern India, or the droughts of Mongolia...Even when nature seems 'harsh' (and it does seem that way at times from our human perspective, often made so by our own human ignorant contributions), even when it is harsh ~ to us ~ it remains awesome. What is the appropriate response to something that is awesome??? Perhaps 'Awe' is in order, which of course is Gratitude by another name. That takes shifting outside our human centred perspective.

RE: Nature and the Natural World (artemis611)

Sun, 26 Aug 2007 22:55:00 GMT

Has anyone seen the moon tonight? It's really big and full, or very close to full. I saw it just as it was coming up, and it's beautiful.

There's a lunar eclipse early Tuesday morning, I think around 4:00 or 5:00 central time. I'll be getting up to watch it for sure. Things like that always remind me of the insignificance of things.

Lori

RE: Nature and the Natural World (Solomon)

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 19:12:24 GMT

The floods have been terrible this year. But at least they are no worse, and in the UK we have the means to deal with them appropriately. Some countries aren't so lucky.

RE: Nature and the Natural World (buttington)

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 13:45:09 GMT

On the other hand.........nature can be seemingly harsh. In this green and pleasant land we are having the wettest Summer in memory and the worst floods for 60 years. Which all goes to show we need to give respect to our planet, as a lot of these disasters are man-made. J

RE: Nature and the Natural World (buttington)

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 17:44:48 GMT

Today was the first day of 'baby buzzard' time. This is a time of year I look forward to as these beautiful birds soar above me and call with their fabulous, sometimes plaintive, sometimes joyful voices.

The baby, or babies of the year have not got their adult voices quite in tune yet and shout squeakily from a treetop for their parents who are trying to keep out of the way so junior becomes independent.

They can sound quite sad sometimes, undoubtedly thinking that mum and dad have abandoned them. But the good parents are never far away, and every now and then will both come to visit their offspring, and then a beautiful display is performed as the family go higher and fly like dancing angels, while their voices carry for miles.

I feel very priveleged to live somewhere that I can see buzzards from my garden, and I've lost count of the times, when I have been feeling particularly unhappy, and magically, a buzzard will appear above me, almost as if he's come to see me! Maybe he has. They lift my spirits.

Birds are very special creatures and I know the native Americans think so too. The Golden eagle is special to me and Buzzards are my 'little eagles.' J

RE: Nature and the Natural World (buttington)

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 19:13:55 GMT

Is this beautiful picture for real? I'd love to think so.

What ever, it certainly is purdy! J

RE: Nature and the Natural World (arows1faith)

Mon, 02 Jul 2007 20:08:55 GMT

Now, if that ain't just the purdiest thing you ever did see!

"A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song." ~~Maya Angelou

RE: Nature and the Natural World (Solomon)

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 17:31:39 GMT

The thing is, I don't really like strawberries that much, so I've given some to my boss and one of my work colleagues. Seemed a shame to watch them rot on the plant.

I've also got about 50 mint cuttings that have rooted on my windowsill. I'm suddenly very popular at work. I can't imagine why.

RE: Nature and the Natural World (arows1faith)

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 14:15:57 GMT

Solomon,

The blackberry trees in Chicago are in full ripe and the birds are in heaven! Although, because of pollution, it goes against my better judgment to climb the tree and gorge as I did when I was a kid in Virginia, I do stop to taste one (or two).

There have been a lot of butterflies around my apartment, too. It's a sign of healing in my faith. I like that. It makes me feel like the reason I moved recently has been fulfilled.

Thank you, Solomon, for providing this outlet to share my love of nature.

RE: Nature and the Natural World (Imenuff)

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 13:09:29 GMT

Good Morning, Solomon,

We are so glad to have you in our Forum. Your strawberries sound lucious. There is something so very special this time of year picking fresh fruits and vegetables. It can be so "quieting" to just spend some time with a strawberry as though we are seeing it for the first time. Just to sit with it and drink in its sweet smell as though we are smelling it for the first time. To touch all it's tiny seeds and feel its prickliness; to see all the most minute details that nature has given it--it's little green hat with the little "feather" protruding from the top, its succulunt juices that awaken and vibrantly bring to life our sense of taste -- a created marvel and truly a call to quiet gratitude. ENJOY!!!

RE: Nature and the Natural World (Solomon)

Sat, 09 Jun 2007 11:32:34 GMT

I spent some time in my own garden this morning, and found that the strawberries are finally ripening.