One With Nature

Journal Entry: 1-18-2012

Too often to attempt to be one with nature is a dehumanizing venture. God created the world but transcends and exists apart from the world. We are made in God's image and should follow De's lead in De's relationship to nature. So we are mini-creators who create, recreate and alter the natural world as we see fit. We are to utilize nature's resources for our well-being and benefit. This is no license to plunder, extirpate creatures and plants, spoil nature, waste what she offers or poison her with industrial byproducts.

To lose one's personality utterly is to immerse one's consciousness, like a mystic does, within the spirit of nature. It can be done, and may be the way to go for some, but for most people most of the time it is an ill-advised undertaking.

When we immerse ourselves in nature we are not heeding God's call to self-realize. Wickedness naturally resides in nature rather than in human circles, so immersing the self in this way bring one too close to the center of wickedness. It may be impossible to avoid being corrupted by this immersion. Too often oneness with nature is surrendering the self and the self's obligation to rule nature. One then follows the will of nature and does her bidding.

It may seem inconsistent to claim that I still love nature, never tiring of being in the country, the woods, the plains, the fields and in the garden. My Irish peasant heart loves the land.

We love and admire nature but we must not idealize her. She can be violent, powerful, merciless, savage and bloody. She is never boring. She can be terrible, wonderful, exciting and moving. She nurtures and slays. She metes out life and death. She creates. She destroys.

We are to respect her, love her and tend her but we must make a living here on earth too. The more realistic view of nature is more humane for all in the long run.