The Power of Nature-By Shamika Khatawkar

Have you ever given yourself time to just wander around and explore the nature that surrounds you? Have you ever observed it keenly and identified what power it possesses? Have you looked for solutions to your problems within nature?  If not yet …surely do it sometime. You will end up being amazed by its beauty, generosity and enigma.

The elusive concept ‘nature’ is pretty hard to define but relatively easy to comprehend. It is diverse and far beyond our imagination. It is what surrounds us, nurtures us and facilitates our very existence.  It is something which self-sacrifices to meet our demands more than ‘needs’. Nature is an inspiration. It is a source of energy, it is peace, harmony and an ‘unconditional giver’ that only gives and never expects anything in return.

Nature plays a significant role in our lives. If we see the ancient civilizations we can understand that those civilizations related to nature in an astonishingly different way as compared to us today. Earlier civilizations were pretty close to nature, for them nature was a deity which was to be worshiped, preserved and taken care of. Every activity in those times revolved around nature, all questions were posed to nature and their solutions were derived from nature itself. Our ancestors were in close proximity with nature, not only physically but also psychologically, spiritually and emotionally.

For them nature become everything; a source of livelihood, a source of leisure and also a source which could heal every malady. Every individual back then had a very strong bond with this ecosystem; with its trees, leaves, animals, insects, creepers, sounds of birds etc. Individuals learnt several life lessons from nature and while they did so they associated their feelings and emotions with it.

The beauty and majesty of nature acted like a mantra in meditation for them, slowing down the normal ‘thought-chatter’ in minds. As a result of it, these individuals experienced an inner stillness and energy which contributed to their overall mental well-being and self-awareness and hence on an average these individuals experienced less stress in life. However, in the contemporary times the forces of urbanization, development and progression have somehow pushed individuals away from nature and have deprived them from reaping its benefits. Individuals now a days are confined only to man-made environments which lack

essential warmth and healing power as compared to what nature offers. These environments are so sophisticated that they leave very little room for nature to be conserved and embraced.

Apart from this, all of us are constantly tied up with our workplace and family responsibilities thus removing qualitative time for ourselves to come in contact with nature is next to impossible. As a result of this, we are unable to bond back with nature and to be one with it, as our ancestors did.

We are unable to associate our feelings and emotions with it and this deprivation is preventing us from experiencing the innermost stillness and energy which it offers. This in turn leaves us strained and exhausted both physically and mentally.

And hence before its too late, it is important for us to take out time for ourselves, just to wander off amidst nature, to reap its benefits of rejuvenation and to be amazed by its beauty, generosity and enigma. Hope all of us do it soon!