If there is anything that I have enjoyed about my life and career it’s the continuing learning…continuing education or evolution of what is, how we interact with it and what we become in the process. 

After 30 years of observing the body and our environment I keep getting reminded that while universal law is fixed, our perception of it is not. Our beliefs are what drives our evolution. How we see our environment is how we see ourselves and our place in it. 

For example, I was taught in school that animals were not sentient. They were to have no feelings or awareness of themselves. These beliefs caused great pain and suffering to the animals as we used them for our benefit with disregard to how they felt. Something today we now see as inhumane. This is one example as to how we have become or evolved to be more compassionate as a human species. 

Today, observational science shows us that all things are sentient or conscious. More importantly through this sentience or consciousness we are in constant communication. If you think this is bullshit, hocus-pocus, how is it that your cat or dog knows it is safe? Or anyone for that matter? Or the grimace you make on your face.  That is an unconscious act. Others see what we are thinking. Unchecked, these are emotional cues driven through our feelings and resulting in our behaviors.

Observe how your animals respond to you when you are frustrated, mad, angry, peaceful or content. This is why animals have become care providers for folks dealing with emotional issues. They perceive our feelings. Many would argue that they want to help us change those negative aspects of our life. Who doesn’t smile when a furry friend nuzzles you?

We also perceive feelings. Although it is a choice to acknowledge them or to ignore them. We need to be open to what is happening inside of us. We do this with everything and everybody we interact with. We are communicating with our environment constantly. And our environment is communicating with us. 

Consciousness or awareness is simply being intentional with our feelings and behaviors. Thanks and gratitude are some of the strongest intentions we can manifest. We often say, “please” and “thank you” to one another. Although how often do you thank the environment for what is it giving you? Act of thanks and gratitude change us and help us evolve. When we give thanks to the land, we become more aware of how we treat the land. The more aware we become the more likely we are to change our behaviors. Maybe the original approach to reducing our environmental impact. 

Bob may have said it best, “Give Thanks & Praises to the Most I”

One of the practices that I started many years ago and have shared with many is one of taking a moment and giving thanks and praise to the land. When we work or recreate with the land, we receive a lot from it. Feelings of health, nourishment, connection, and freedom, just to name a few. Therefore, when we honor that which provides life and experiences for us, does it not honor us in return? I would argue that this is the way to balance our interactions with the environment. A simple message of gratitude and thanks to what is given to us.

Here are some of the intentional practices of Thanks and Gratitude that I have been using and sharing over the years.

• 1 minute of silence
• Saying a prayer of Grace
• Offering the land a gift of herbs, flowers or food
• Creating a small fire to burn incense or herbs

Have you already been doing this? Please share your thoughts here!