Embarking on a journey to reconnect with Mother Nature is a profound step, and if you were to ask me what the most crucial part of this adventure is, I’d say clearing your mind of preconceived notions. And this starts even before you make your first step into this journey.

Who are you truly?

In a world where you’re bombarded by data, information, news, or social media posts, often you’re made to feel less than enough – not beautiful enough, smart enough, or young enough. Many times, this information fosters your FOMO, fear of missing out, driving you to do certain things; you need to get this or that before it’s too late, you need to buy this to be like others. Confused by conflicting information, you may be unsure who to turn to. Eventually, you become trapped by thoughts and fear, making you forget who you truly are. Unless you embrace yourself as you are, seeing it as a part of nature that’s dynamic and continues to change, it’s hard to grasp nature in your own unique way.

But what to believe?

With all the information bombarding you, you may wonder how to know which one to trust. In the Kalama Sutra, a charter of free inquiry, Buddha outlined ten sources of knowledge that require careful scrutiny before acceptance. These include oral history, tradition, news, books, reasoning based on assumptions, inferences, common sense, personal opinions, experts, and authorities.

He further states that only when a teaching is personally recognized as skillful, blameless, praiseworthy, and conducive to happiness, and endorsed by the wise, should it be embraced and practiced.

The key to this is “personally recognized,” which in other words means you know it from the bottom of your heart. This knowing doesn’t just come from consuming media or listening to others’ experiences but from your own personal experience with it. The more you involve it in your life, the deeper your experience becomes, and so does your understanding around it. Be open-minded and start to learn by doing. Let that experience be your guide.

Clear your mind

In order to learn something, be a cup half-full, not a full cup.
It’s not easy to unlearn things that you have learned in the past. And it’s understandable if you cannot fully clear it out. But at least recognize that it stems from the preconceived notions that you have carried with you from before. This process makes you understand yourself at a deeper level and makes you aware of your own biases and judgments while allowing you to fully immerse in the world within and around you.

In the end, you will realize that you are neither good nor bad, and you are more complex than the few definitions that people often give you. And you know yourself the best. So, step into this journey with a humble heart full of curiosity and let the experience guide you.

Now, ready to make your first step into this inward journey to reconnect with Mother Nature? Here’s how.