The Celtic Appreciation of Nature

The Celtic Appreciation of Nature

In doing this assignment, I was looking forward to becoming more appreciative of nature, and all that it has to offer us, wanting a better understanding of it all. It seems that we take all of the beauty of our earth for granted, we are spoiled and it shows. In completing this practicum, I hoped to return to a state of mind where everything I see has beauty in it, like a baby seeing things for the first time, when everything is so fascinating, that touching it in complete awe is all I want to do.

The Celtic appreciation of nature is what influenced the path I took with this day of reflection. The way they loved it as though it was their child, the way they respected it as though it was their mother, and even the way they feared it, as if it was their school principle (for lack of a better term). They held Mother Earth’s gifts in such high regard, and that is what, to me, is so wonderful about them.

Throughout the day I told myself repetitively that, “The world was not created for us, but us for her.” I felt that personifying earth was more appropriate, considering it’s so alive with so many things that are, and possibly will forever be, unfathomable to us. This was my Lorica, I also wrote a poem that is at the end that meant a lot to me and reflects the way I felt while the sun was descending.

I referred a lot to the Thomas Berry video, recognizing the fact that his feelings are another inspiration for this day. He too, feels that we are way to ungrateful of our natural surroundings, and that we should alter our ways to preserve what is left. I also used an internet article by Carl McColman titled, “Celtic Spirituality: an Interfaith Approach – What is Celtic Spirituality?” he also describes the Celtic Faith as being:

“…earthy, natural, of the soil, of the clay. This is true whether your particular flavor of Celtic wisdom is Pagan, Christian, New Age, or some hybrid thereof. Celtic spirituality is the spirituality of land, sea, and sky; of the rocks and the trees and the animals; of holy wells and standing stones and windswept tors. The earth is our mother; we must take care of her . . . this is not only a native American sentiment, it is a truly Celtic sentiment as well.”

(www.druid.org)

I felt this was a wonderful statement, because it was what I was thinking the majority of the time ...

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...beautiful.

But through all this wonderful mental “working out,” I had one fear, the fear that sticks with me no matter where I go, the fear of failure. Whenever that thought crept into my mind, my body became so paralyzed with fear that I would get this immense sensation of being hot. I could feel my face turn a bright shade of crimson, and my eyes welled up with tears to the point that one time all I could do was break down.

I have to admit; coming into this assignment I was very apprehensive. It seemed really “out there” and a big waste of my time to sit alone for 5 hours straight. Even in the beginning, while I was there I was wary of it all. I almost had to laugh at myself at some points. But as my day carried on, I learned, felt, and absorbed so much, that now I feel ashamed for ever doubting it. And now I have this grasp of nature and spirituality as one common ground that I thought I would never have. I take the time to stop and think about if what I have been taught, or everything I believed to be true ever was. I question things instead of just accepting them. I go beyond the surface of everything in life now.