Paulina Alanis
Have you ever experienced a moment in which you are completely aware; you feel as if your heart expanded to embrace all that surrounds you; your whole being feels congruently aligned to a greater natural force; there’s a profound stillness filled with silence; and a clear transparent dimension arises where time does not exist and you exist in oneness with everything? As I walk through the jungle of the Pacific Coast of Mexico, I find these qualities by being in a state of present awareness, vulnerable and surrendering to the experience of being in nature. All human beings experience different states of consciousness, within these states we may experience a temporary dis-identification with ego, they may also provide inspiration and motivation since they show a wider vision of life. States arise naturally and may also be induced, they allow us to expand our perspective and be in the present flow. A walk through the forest, a day on the beach, a sunset… all of these may induce a state of being present in nature.
Dzogchen point us into the radical perfection of everything that is, a state of simple awareness of being. How can an awareness and experience of being provide a different relationship to nature and the Earth? The Earth is sacred, we are part of this planet and it is part of us. While being in simple wakefulness does not bring with it the concern for the Earth, it does feel like it is a state where the Earth communicates with us. In simple wakefulness everything is already perfect, in simple wakefulness nature is as awareness where thoughts, feelings and impulses dissolve like clouds in the sky.
We, humans, have disconnected from our own nature, therefore disconnecting us from the Earth, from nature, as if both were just the background and the Earth and we were separate. Native American wisdom teaches us “That the earth is our mother. What befalls the earth befalls all the sons of the earth. We (Native Americans) love this earth as a newborn loves its mother’s heartbeat.” A call for finding our wisdom through our relationship to nature may bring deeper awareness of our relatedness to Earth. The planet feels so big and expansive that we may feel powerless in how the actions of just one person impacts the Earth, but it is in our actions and our self-realization that we contribute to the future of the planet. Our own self-realization is the greatest service we can render the earth, through it you may go deep into your roots, find profound meaning by being, release old concepts and open to new perspectives. Our self-realization means we have a wider perspective more inclusive and expansive, willing to feel the deepest love, explore our shadow and release old patterns. All-important elements for rising Earth’s consciousness.
Nature is everywhere and we are capable of experiencing a state of communion with the Earth, this may provide an opportunity for self-realization and shape new paradigms. We may find all around us in nature inspiration and catalysts for deepening our awareness to nature. We are surrounded by reminders of how to come back to nature, she’s everywhere. I recall a peyote ceremony where I experienced the love of being as part of nature, the Earth and universe:
“In a moment I found myself softly wrapped in clouds and filled with the color blue. For an instant I heard an eagle close by and I knew that eagle was I. After this my heart was open and filled with infinite happiness guided by a light that came from my crown. I felt the aliveness and presence of the universe and was aware of the eternity of life inside me. I understood the cosmic order of life, its interconnections and the presence of love with absolute certainty.”
Reading this entry takes me back into a feeling of love and appreciation for life in all its forms as part of a universal wisdom. Recalling this experience still takes me to a feeling of a window being opened to my inner core and touching love in its subtle expression. This experience also led me to a long inquiry into “what am I?”
May we find artifacts, teachers and wisdom in all that surround us. May we reconnect to being one with nature, with our mother Earth. May we remember our true nature. May we bring Earth consciousness to our actions.
About the Author
Paulina Alanis is a transformative coach weaving psycho-shamanic exploration, shadow work and altered states within an integral practice. During her Integral Theory MA studies she focused on shamanism and altered states as elemental for personal growth. Paulina has been in Mexico researching on the use of Ibogaine for self-realization and psychospiritual work. Her research integrates perspectives from phenomenology, hermeneutics and empirical analysis to answer the question how to use Ibogaine for transformative work within a coaching program. Paulina was trained by Integral Coaching Canada.