Nature has a way of transforming a dirty and drab world into a verdant garden each spring. Its capacity for renewal defies even the boldest imagination.
Man has for ages sought to master nature, to subdue it with his intellect and to control it by means of his ingenuity. Whether his latest achievements are the most advanced I cannot be sure (given the numerous remnants of earlier civilizations that are hard to explain), but the scope of his present domination is impressive in relation to recorded history.
If anything, nature’s remarkable annual display of regeneration should serve as an example to man as he seeks to make his way through the world from generation to generation. When his conduct is squared against nature’s way, it is painfully obvious that he has much to learn. For instance, man usually builds using dead forms rather than finding ways to blend harmoniously with the life that surrounds him.
His diet, too, increasingly reflects this tendency. In our century the time between the culling of the food supply – be it animal or vegetable – and man’s consumption of it has increased dramatically through refrigeration and preservation. So called progress and development divorces him further from the web of life of which he is a part. At what cost? Time will tell. Surely the prevalence of chronic diseases point to the wages of such an approach.
Man can shift his approach from domination to dominion, if he so chooses. To do so he can look to the example of nature, where life begets life, rhythmically, cyclically and predictably. Fortunately for us, nature’s abundant generosity forgives even man’s most egregious errors. As Pablo Neruda once said, “You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep spring from coming.”
Whether or not there is a point of no return, a point beyond which nature and man can no longer coexist is an intriguing thought, but why tempt fate, like a teenager testing the boundaries of his parent’s patience, to find an answer?
Gregory Hake 
Admittedly there is a world of difference between knowing what the right thing to do is and actually doing it.
May this week, in alignment with the regenerative forces at work, be one of tremendous victory for those looking to bridge the gap.
May we all share in victorious week of transformation within the great web of which we are an important part!!!
P.S. Act as if the point of no return is right around the corner.
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We as a species need to become more interested in blending with the cycles of the earth rather than trying to impose our will upon it. Although you might feel like it is too late to change things for humanity, that we might be too far down the path to change things, a change in the human species has to start with a single person. We are not to far gone. There is most likely a price that we will have to pay for our flagrant disregard for the planet we should be caring for, but if people begin to make the choices that say to the world “I will not do the things that I have done anymore”, we can begin to repair the damage we have done.
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Yes it is time to come out of the teenager phase and accept the responsibility of adulthood. Here we can appreciate and receive that which gives evidence of the renewal of life allowing our hearts and minds to love to stay so oriented.
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Spring is one of those times of year when people tend to be inspired to make changes, turn over a new leaf, renew their resolve in some way. I love this post because it reveals a deeper place from which our concerns should spring, rather than the surface from which many, including myself, have started and failed. Thank you for this ‘spring’ board for meditation!
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As I sit in my lovely home listening to the birds greet the day in song, I have to wonder when will man greet EVERY day in song, and what it will take to move the world from a state of domination to dominion. Every day I meet good, concerned and intelligent people and yet domination definately still prevails. I think that so often we live our lives on auto-pilot, never truely thinking, or arrogently believing that our specific philosophy, teaching or belief is the only way, and consequently we forget to marvel and wonder at the enxorable force that governs everything and everyone. A force that is no more evident than in the Spring time. How easy it is to yield one’s heart to this force. Thank you Gregg for the opportunity to start the day in this way,
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Your comment is beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
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It is quite disheartening, when you think of the history of mankind on earth. Taking, using, and destroying. The tendency individually and in groups is to continue on a certain vein until the point of no return, at which then there is usually, the statement of, “I’ll change!” I hope that is not the case for mankind related to how we care for the earth and each other. I happen to fall on the side of hope and faith in goodness and that we will turn things around way before it gets to that point. Poignant thoughts this morning!
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The Earth does teach us lessons, patience , forgiveness and sometimes the lesson is it’s too late. Not a vengeful retaliation but you have disturbed the cycle to such an extent that to balance it will require more extreme intervention. Regardless of human understanding or belief there is a power greater than ours with intention and design. Our safety and fulfillment depends on our harmony with it.
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Part of a speech believed to be given by Chief Seattle in 1854. “Will you teach your children what we have taught our children? That the earth is our mother? What befalls the earth befalls all the sons of the earth. This we know, the earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the earth. All things are connected like the blood that unites us all. Man did not weave the web of life, he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself. One thing we know: Our God is also your God. The earth is precious to Him and to harm the earth is to heap contempt on its Creator.” So, what have we done in the 150 years since?? Created a better earth for all of the life upon it? What price has been taken from the earth with our progress? And what shall we do when the bill arrives?
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