The Veil- Saturday February 2, 2008

One of the concepts that I’ve looked at in spiritual and religious teachings over the years has been the idea of a veil of separation between us and “God” that is supposedly an illusion. This illusion then has to be my illusion as I now claim everything to be my creation in order to see more clearly what I believe in. If I believe the veil to be an illusion then it can be my choice to see through that veil or not.

This is what I have done in my relationship with nature. A few years back in a stroll with a friend around a lake, in desperation to get out of the over focus on mental ramblings and be present with myself and nature, I decided to drop the veil. Of course, I didn’t know it would work. Immediately everything seemed to come alive. The birds came out of the background and the trees felt as present with me as the other people walking by. After a while the effect faded, but now I’m understanding that it was my focus and presence that left.

A few days ago, a simlar thing happened. I was working/playing outside around my house, emptying rain barrels, hauling water from the back barrel to the front trees, refilling bird feeders, etc. I had heard a few birds around the back early on but as I was taking my last trip to the back patio, I asked the birds if they were OK with the food I’d been putting out. There began a symphony of sound, loud and a bit overwhelming really. I drank in the love nature has for me and then said “OK, Ok, I will keep putting out the bird seed!” The cacophony died down.

I know that all of nature is alive and yet, like most of us, I walk around thinking I am separate from it, that it isn’t really real but as a backdrop for my real life, which is what anyway? My arrogance is huge when it comes to nature. I assume that what I do, what I eat, etc is a small matter, yet I can look at what’s happening ecologically and understand that it really is each and every thing I do that matters. If I believe in that veil of separation then I can drive a gas guzzler, import my food from South America and ignore all those pesky recyling fanantics. I can separate cause from effect because I don’t live in the present where everything is sacred and everything does matter. Matter is what we have been given to play with and energy is our tool. If we are not present, we can’t see it, we can’t feel it so we are dissociated from our lives. We can’t feel the answer because we are not accessing a creative solution from the depths of our inner knowing, which is connected to all things. We don’t care. We have left HOME and are living in an illusion.

Time to come back to a real life. Time to breathe and love again. Drop the veil. All of nature is waiting for you, ready to love you. Ready to see how you define love and accepting everything you give her with a full embrace.

Blessings from The Council of Trees,

Laurel

Comments:

Asia Guyer
I love that you shared this experience.We all need to be reminded of how lifes interconnections are subtle but very present in every moment, and can be felt and yes- sometimes heard, if we just slow down and pay attention. Nature is constantly communicating and we need to listen.