Sole and Melded

Learn To Be And Learn To Become

Photos by Don Pierce.

Before one can fruitfully and ethically jump into action one needs to both individuate (anchor one’s uniqueness) and integrate one’s individual self into the world. Following wu Wei––the Implicit Order––is usually an act diametrically opposed to the human Ego. The less your Ego does, the more Nature will do through you.

One thinks a positive world into being not by wishful thinking or through random flights of imagination. Specific steps for using the Draw Law will be covered subsequently.

Before one can fruitfully and ethically jump into action one needs to learn to be. This requires one to both individuate––that is, to anchor one’s uniqueness (the topic of this Heartwood Path course) and to integrate one’s individual self into the world (the topic of the next Heartwood Path course).

Going with the flow that is wu Wei—the implicit order-—is usually an act diametrically opposed to the human Ego; and, the less your Ego does, the more Nature will do through you.

To The Fifth Of Many Touchstones Of People-Nature Interfacing…

HumaNatureConnect Activity

Generating Patterns Of Human-Nature Interaction # 5: Immersing Yourself In Water

For this activity, think about or actually immerse your body in water after you feel connected to your chosen attractive natural being. In doing this interaction pattern, you could be thinking about swimming in a crowded, chlorinated, concrete public wave pool (a perverse interaction pattern) or you could be thinking about swimming in a backyard pool (a domestic interaction pattern). By choosing to swim in the ocean, a natural stream, or a lake (a wild interaction) you are doing something that has a more positive psychological affect on you.

In your journal, write down what meaning you derived from this wild interaction pattern; what joy, if any, swimming in a natural body of water produced; how, if at all, your experience built within you a bond between your mind and nature; and how, if at all, the wild version of this interaction pattern was better for you than the perverse or domestic instantiation of the same interaction pattern; and how not being allowed to participate in this sort of wild interaction pattern––swimming in a natural body of water––would make you feel? How does interacting in this way in the presence of your attractive natural being make you feel? How would it feel to have this interaction without the presence of your attractive natural being? In writing down these responses you will be adding to our collective nature language, so important to rekindling the bond between humans and nature. Look over your impressions and think about them as you fall asleep tonight before dreaming.

Nocturnal Pilgrimage

Continue your journey down the Heartwood Path at night by dreaming. After you awaken from your sleep, resume your waking time pilgrimage by tending to your dreams.