Rabbits and Wall Street
Marlow Shami
Winter 2001. 

Brought to you by Marlow Shami: Marlow is a spiritual healer, writer and photographer. She conducts Nature As Healer workshops, energy healing meditation circles, and publishes this quarterly e-mail newsletter, NaturalSense™. Her specialty is the healing connection between humans and the natural world, and she is a doctoral candidate of Integrated Ecopsychology and Applied Ecology. In her private healing practice in New Haven and Litchfield Counties in Connecticut, she sees both people and animals. She is a faculty member of the Touching Spirit Center, Litchfield, CT. You may contact Marlow via e-mail at MShami@aol.com.

"If I had influence with the good fairy who is supposed to preside over the christening of all children I should ask that her gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life, as an unfailing antidote against boredom and disenchantments of later years, the sterile preoccupation with things that are artificial, the alienation from the sources of our strength."  ~~ Rachel Carson

NaturalSense
Winter 2001 ISSUE
Volume 2 Issue 3

CONTENTS:
* Rabbits and Wall Street, an essay
* Activity
* Resources / Reviews

Essay ~ Rabbits and Wall Street
By, Marlow Shami

The story on National Public Radio is about our very own New England Cottontail. The furry critter many of us grew up seeing daily, at dusk, is now becoming a rare item. A larger rabbit from outside New England has moved in. This animal looks just like the New England Cottontail only it's larger and faster. The non native is better equipped to adapt. I'll bet this larger rabbit has been forced to migrate for the same reasons that endanger the cottontail; indiscriminant urban sprawl. Bland developments, redundant mall complexes, and noisy asphalt ribbons all consume the fields and farmland once home for this animal. The rabbits are making highway meridians, shrubbery, and other dangerous places their homes. Rarely do the young survive the cross of the great paved white line divide, or spinning blade of the weekend farmer on his sit upon mower.

When people are asked about this situation, no one has really noticed. People reflect on how they see rabbits all the time (maybe memories of times at dusk in the 50's-70's). When pressed for when they actually last saw a real bunny, well, they don't recall. Others involved in advocacy for various wildlife scoff at the idea of assisting in the New England Bunny's survival. There are far larger and more exotic animals to save.

One scientist interviewed on NPR observed that most people identify with saving predators. She made the point that you cannot save the predators until you have saved the prey. Makes sense to me. Her point is basic. Nothing, no matter how large, majestic, strong, or valued can survive unless it is nourished. A thought immediately pops into my mind. Modern peoples (that's us in the USA) have taken on the role of a predator. We are taught that control and dominance of nature is our job. We are educated in culturally biased ways to separate from nature and objectify it. "Civilized" cultures believe Earth is ours to have our way with. This belief is unnatural and disconnected from who we truly are.

There is a wise woman, a retired economics professor, who writes about natural economy. She was interviewed by a reporter who asked, "You mean to say a natural economy operates just like a jungle? The strongest kill off the weakest? Only the strongest survive on Wall Street?" "Why no" she responded, "that is not natural. A lion does not go out and hunt down every last gazelle and kill it. This would end the lion's life. No more food. A lion kills what she needs and that is all." This is a natural predator and prey arrangement. The relationship is understood. The exchange is made and the diverse balance of the ecosystem is honored naturally. Every species thrives and is fed through this agreement, including us.

Wall Street is not behaving like a natural jungle. The idea of killing off all competition to be the most powerful is not how balance and health are maintained, economically or environmentally. Our modern belief that it is best to dominate and control nature is a product of nature-disconnected thinking. We are not thinking the way nature acts. A jungle of lions will eventually lead to starvation. For the civilized human in an unnatural human jungle, this scenario translates into a living death of loneliness and spiritual starvation.

So, how do we begin to heal the cuts that disconnect us from our source of true nourishment and wise council? Think about how nature works to maintain its diverse balance and how it can recycle with nothing wasted and everything holding value. First we must notice there is something amiss. We must notice the disappearance of the cottontail rabbit and understand the cause. Reflecting on what really sustains our body, mind, soul and spirit invites answers and new awareness. Most importantly, create a quiet time each day to commune with a natural place you feel safe and welcomed in. These are simple tasks and when done with regularity and healing intention, Nature will attend to your call. After all, balance is what nature does. We only need to remember and enliven our connection to learn what is needed to heal.

POST ESSAY ACTIVITY:

Dear reader, I have a simple activity to offer you. Making a little time each day to go outdoors creates the foundation for earth wise healing. Without active and conscious connection to nature, learning to notice our own personal "endangered cottontails," is difficult. Try this simple activity and see what senses become energized as a result. I suggest you create a consistent time each day to spend 10-20 min. experiencing this activity. The affects are cumulative. Each sense you enliven awakens your connection as part of the web of life.

~Step ONE: Go to an outdoor location that feels welcoming. Pay attention to what senses are engaged that contribute to your feeling welcomed. Most likely, many senses will become apparent as you become involved in the activity. When I go outside the wind on my face, the texture of the tree's bark, birds song, smells of pine and earth all contribute to my sense of joy.

~Step TWO: Each time you notice a sensory attraction, stop for a moment and shut your eyes (only if you feel comfortable doing so), take a few deep breaths and allow this particular sense's intensity grow. Know this sensory connection is as real as your arm, or the ground you walk on. When you feel ready, move on to another sensory attraction and do the same. Aim for at least two or three sensory attractions each time you do this daily activity.

~Step THREE: Take a few moments after the activity to jot down a few notes about the experience. Keep track of your highlights all week.

I'D LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE. DO THIS ACTIVITY FOR SEVEN DAYS, JOT DOWN THE HIGHLIGHTS AND DROP ME A LINE. WITH YOUR PERMISSION, I MAY INCLUDE READER'S EXPERIENCES IN AN UPCOMING NaturalSense E-NEWSLETTER.

RESOURCES/REVIEWS:

Earth in Mind On Education, Environment, and the Human Prospect. By, Orr, David W. Island Press: USA, 1994

Orr is one of those rare people who understands the disciplines of economics, science, ecology, education and how they must work together in the healing of our inner and outer ecology. His book provides a detailed cultural analysis of how our compartmentalized lifestyles and educational system contribute to the problem of biophobia. Biophobia, in short, is the culturally acquired urge to affiliate with technology, human artifacts, and solely with human interests regarding the natural world. Despite the enormity of the ecological challenges we face, Orr offers hope with concrete suggestions on how can make real life giving change. His wisdom, intelligence and love for our planet are made clear in this book. I highly recommend this book.

A Nature Lover's Book of Quotations, Compiled and Edited By Tom Crider - Wood Engravings By Thomas W. Nason, Birch Tree Publishing, Southbury, CT, USA 2000. A wonderful collection of quotes and graphics. Topics include: affinity, dominance, economics, healing, fragility, the heavens, mystery, loss, laws, sacred nature, solace, wonder and much, much more!

The Highly Sensitive Person In Love, By, Elaine N. Aaron, Ph.D., Broadway Books, NY, NY 2000 Robert Johnson has this to say about Aaron's book: " The Highly Sensitive Person In Love gives relationships their proper basis in the inner life, and honors those who are by nature drawn to that life. This wonderful and important book will help the highly sensitive find peace and fulfillment in their relationships."

Einstein's World By Michael Cohen is a magical realist didactic novel. The book switches between Cohen writing in the first person and Cohen telling a story about Rachel, one of his students at a fanciful version of the 1999 WTO meetings/protests in Seattle. In the story she leads two mixed groups through some webstring experiences. The groups include amazingly open-minded WTO officials and professors and a very thickheaded newspaper reporter.
This book is an excellent introduction for newcomers to Cohen's ideas. Cohen's methods are experiential rather than theoretical, so while this book explains and illustrates some of his ideas, it is really just a pointer towards how to connect with nature, not a substitute for the real thing.

Excerpt from a review by John Scull. See the full review and much more about ecopsychology at the web site "Gatherings" http://www.ecopsychology.org

Michael Cohen Ed. D. - is an ecopsychologist, writer, and musician. He founded Project NatureConnect an online resource providing distant learning ecopsychology classes and degree programs. Check PNC web site http://pacificrim.net/~nature/ book orders email: nature@pacificrim.net

READERS WRITE COLUMN
NaturalSense™ from time to time publishes a Reader's Write column. Please don't be shy, email any questions or comments and I'll do my best to respond to them in a future column.

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Copyright © 2001, all rights reserved. Permission is granted to reproduce, copy or distribute NaturalSense™ Newsletter as long as this copyright notice and full information about contacting the author is attached. The author of this article is: Marlow D. J. Shami. Contact her by email at: MShami@aol.com, or by phone at (203) 720-0302

Create balance and healing by deepening your relationship with Nature.

Marlow Shami
NaturalSense™ 
PO Box 186
Bloomfield, CT 06002
TEL: (203)720-0302