NATURE AND SELF-DEVELOPMENT

NATURE AND SELF-DEVELOPMENT

1. Nature refers to the phenomena of the physical world as a whole, including plants, animals, the landscape and other features and products of the earth.

A simpler definition states that Nature is all the animals, plants and other things in the world collectively that are not made by people, and all the events and processes in the world that are not made or caused by people.

In general, Nature ranges from the subatomic to the Cosmic. It refers to all the animals, plants, the landscape, and other features and products of the earth as opposed to human creations. It is of infinite variety.

2. Self-Development is a strategy that one uses to develop one’s self-awareness, talents, potentials, skills and abilities. It is a conscious pursuit of personal growth through improving personal skills, competencies, talents and knowledge. It includes mental conditioning techniques with the ultimate goal of achieving self-fulfillment. The technique encompasses relaxation which helps to relieve anxiety and tension in order to improve performance through better concentration and focus. The main purpose is to create a better person and a better quality of life.

3. The cycle of life shows that everything in nature is changing and cyclical, from the infinitesimal to the macrocosmic. We breathe in, and breathe out continuously and all life forms follow the same ebb and flow cycle of life.  Day turns into night and again into day. Summer turns to fall, to winter, and to spring and back to summer again and the cycle continues every year. The weather and seasons follow a cyclical pattern which teaches us the internal workings and phases of nature. In the northern and southern hemispheres, the weather gives us four seasons: winter, spring, fall and spring.

After the wintering period, spring enters during which all life begins to regenerate, showing us the pulsating heart of nature. New shoots emerge, flowers begin to bloom giving us a beautiful landscape to behold, another phase of Nature. Birds migrate from unfavorable environment to favorable one. Animals on land and fish in the sea also move along with the rhythm. Nature is therefore teaching us to adjust our actions in line with the rhythm of life.

4. Balance: All these imply a natural balance and infinite harmony when the overall picture is viewed, regardless of whether we perceive them to be good or bad. God has provided us with Nature for our health, happiness and peace. So God, Nature and Man forms a perfect triangle.

Albert Einstein, the great Scientist, Philosopher and Mystic said, “Look deep into nature and then you will understand all things better.”

Nature supplies air, food and materials for the development of all living things on the planet earth. Man depends on Nature for Self-Development in terms of food, clothing and shelter, for happiness, and for the enhancement of soul development.

5. All things in nature are interconnected, showing that each part of nature is connected to every other part like a web. All things from the tiny sub-atomic particles to human beings, and the great planets and magnificent suns in the galaxies are interconnected. There is no vacuum in nature. The mineral elements supply nutrients to micro-organisms such as bacteria, germs and fungi above them for growth. These including minerals in turn supply nutrients to the plants above them. Animals, insects and birds feed on the plants for their life and sustenance. Some of them are parasitic on one another in the same family. Human beings feed on plants and animals for their livelihood. That is, various life forms feed on one another for their development and sustenance.

In general, the smaller in size and power, act as substrate to the higher and bigger or more powerful ones. And the powerful and bigger ones die and in turn become food even to the sub-atomic and simplest ones. Nature contains all and is available to all life.  Nature in its complexity and cycles includes all the life forms from the simple to the complex.

6. Man cannot approximate Nature in its entirety. For a human being to live, he has to consume life. Interesting! He harvests from nature for his food, clothing and shelter, to produce heat or medicine to maintain good health. All life forms depend on nature for their livelihoods and are all part of nature.

So, everything in nature is free for all. All the wealth that some people claim as their own were taken free from Nature. We should be grateful to Nature always for the provision of all the things taken from nature for our welfare. Indeed, should anybody claim ownership from what it takes free from Nature?

7. Nature teaches us a lot about life if we are ready to learn from her. Debasish Mridha said, “Tranquility, serenity and beauty of nature taught me how to find happiness in life and in the silence of eternity.”

We should therefore always appreciate the benefits and Beauty provided by Nature

Akin Akinfe.