People have often found nature to provide a source of meaning and inspiration – frequently when we least expect it. Think of Isaac Newton, who on seeing an apple fall from a tree was inspired to discover the law of gravity, or engineers and designers who have come up with amazing nature-inspired inventions (think of ‘cat’s eyes’ on a road, or Velcro which was inspired by burdock seeds). Artists and writers have also taken much inspiration from nature, and many of the proverbs and sayings embedded in our language are nature-inspired too and have a deep wisdom, for example, ‘the early bird catches the worm’, or ‘a rolling stone gathers no moss’.
As nature includes all life and we are a tiny, (though dominant) part of it, we can look to nature for meaning and inspiration and often find it - though usually when we least expect it. We can find it by observing what is around us and how things are connected. We can see it in the rhythms of life and the seasons. Our observations may invoke an idea or a metaphor for something that is happening in our life, or we may simply find the answer to a problem we have been mulling over pops into our head.
Charles Darwin used to take a daily walk in nature from his house - his ‘thinking path’ as he called it – to grapple with problems. Today we are beginning to understand why this is a good approach. A combination of physical exercise, such as walking, and allowing your mind to wander can help your brain to process ideas without you even realising it. Whether you are working from home or an office, taking a break from what you are doing at lunch and going for a walk in a local greenspace can refresh the mind and the body and help our brains to process things.
When you are next on a walk in your local park or greenspace, you may find that you are drawn to something in particular. Things that resonate with us are likely to be meaningful in some way. Have a think about why it may have some significance to you. Is there a metaphor between what you have noticed and something in your own life? Give it a go and see what comes up for you.
'Look deep into nature and you will understand everything better' - Albert Einstein
‘Mighty oaks from little acorns grow’
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