Learning is a continuous process that may occur in the lifespan of every human being in three different domains which are, formal, informal, and non-formal. Throughout the lifespan of every human being, it is unavoidable not to learn via at least one out of these three domains.
Nature on the other hand imply all the handiwork of the maker {God}, it involves everything in our environment except the man made ones. Nature consist all the natural object ranging from stones, plant, to event like, whirlwinds, rain, earthquakes, to living nature such as, animal, humans, mushrooms, bacteria among others. Nature is in short the phenomena of the physical world, and to life in general. One common definition of nature is that it is the non-human world. Recording to this definition, the word ‘nature’ is more or less synonymous with the word ‘environment’.
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When we view existence with an expanded consciousness then it is possible to open our eyes and learn from nature. Nature is the greatest teacher; for instance the Buddha learnt the reality of interdependence from a tree. While sitting under a tree and observing how everything was dependent upon everything else he was enlightened. Fruit came from flower, flower from branches, branches and leaves grow from the trunk, the trunk from the soil, the soil is nourished by the rain, the rain is held by the clouds, clouds are formed out of the sea, the sea receives the waters of the rivers and is held by the earth, the sea nourishes the earth and earth the sea and so it goes on.
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Among many ways of learning from nature is by mere observation of the weather, one can learn from weather through the weather forecast, nothing in life is certain, we can't control and be prepared for everything in life. On days when there is suppose to be sunshine, the rain may unexpectedly fall. Don’t let your mood be affected by the weather. Looking to nature and animals, we see beauty and wisdom in the simple and ordinary. We easily take this beautiful world and its many messages and lessons for granted. Don’t wait for extraordinary moments to take your breath away, look to nature and bring that beauty into all that you do and every moment of your life. Tending a garden, folding laundry, consoling your child having a tantrum or cooking a meal- all regular tasks take on a sacred quality when we perform them with the total involvement, acceptance and love.
More so, one can vividly learn from the nature of butterfly, butterflies symbolize our entire life cycle metamorphosis. Life is short and from the moment of birth we are constantly changing our form, inside and out. Don’t resist change. Some of the most beautiful wisdom and changes occur as you grow older and transform from a caterpillar to a butterfly. Appreciate each phase of your life before you transform to a new cycle.
Additionally, the mountain also serve as domain in which one can learn from. One of the major thing one can learn from mountain is to stand firm, poised and majestic like a mountain. Regardless of the external situations life will bring you, remain strong like the mountains do when faced with avalanches, rain storms, and water erosion. Your emotional guidance system should be tough like a rooted mountain, immune to the actions and reactions of others.
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Hoping for better future is another lesson one can learn from nature, this can well understand by taking a glance on a garden. We plant seeds of hope today, nourish them with love and attention with the faith that our labor will result in fruits in the future. We can’t impatiently force a garden to grow on our terms. A seed will sprout into a plant when the time is right. A fruit will fall from the tree when it is ripe and ready. They grow not because they are forced to but because they let go and allow divine energy and timing to run its course. Be persistent, patient and have trust in divine timing.
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Nature keeps teaching us a variety of lessons through its various forms. Everyone can look upon to one form or the other and discover its various teachings. Every time a full moon graces the sky with its presence again, we understand the importance of all our loved ones who at some point or the other might have gone away just to come back like the moon comes. The decreasing moon often might feel depressing yet it teaches us to accept the fate and come back anew. A night sky without stars looks curtailed while without a moon is unfinished. But when both of them accompany each other, the view certainly says too many things. You realize that however important you might be, you need someone or the other to complete you.
In summary, nature is greatest teacher in the world in which one learn different things from. And as a great teacher, it teaches us how to cope with the dynamism of the physical and non physical environment of natural world. Nature is therefore part and parcel of the development of an individual because of it educational advantage.
