The 3 Laws of Nature
What we can learn from nature for our lives
There are 3 laws how nature governs herself from which we humans can learn a lot about our way of living. I don’t mean the physical laws of nature that we learn at school, but rather basic mechanisms of self-organisation and self-regulation.
We humans are creatures of nature – and if nature regulates itself in such a way, then these aspects should also apply to us.
The first law: Everything in Nature is constantly creating and constantly diversifying.
The rhythm of nature is medium to slow. Nothing in nature moves in the “fast lane” if it is not in danger. And in case of danger, for example, an animal moves fast for 15-20 minutes to escape from danger. And then it returns to its natural rhythm – medium to slow.
And there is a lot we can do in the fast lane, we can be creative and produce – but there are two things we can never do in the fast lane: Healing and reflection.
Healing does not happen in the fast lane. Healing takes place in the rhythm of nature – medium to slow. Often an illness forces us to reduce our speed to get well again. Even the healing of emotional wounds takes time and we can support the process of healing but hardly accelerate it.
Reflection and integration of our experiences also take time. In order to integrate our experiences, we must reflect and take the appropriate time. And reflection and integration takes place in the natural rhythm of nature – medium to slow.
Nor can we develop our character in the fast lane, because character requires reflection and integration. And so we have to take time for contemplation and reflection to integrate our experiences – to integrate the way I was inspired, challenged, surprised, touched and moved.
A good exercise is to ask yourself the following questions at the end of the day:
- Who or what inspired me today?
- What was challenging today?
- What surprised me today?
- What touched and moved me today?
The second law: Nature fosters interdependence and interconnection
Nature actively promotes interdependence interconnection. Nothing survives in nature if it is overly independent or overly dependent.
If we are completely independent, we run the risk of slipping into burnout because we overextend ourselves. In overdependence we cannot use our own gifts and talents responsibly because we assume that others will take care of us.
Ask yourself:
- What are the things or people I feel dependent in my life?
- How well to I care for myself?
- How does the interconnection with others enrich my life?
- How do I return my gifts and talents to the world?
The third law: Everything in nature has a purpose
Since we are creatures of nature, each of us has a purpose. Otherwise we would not have a body, we would not be here. And we are here to fulfill our calling, our purpose and give it meaning.
As C.G. Jung said “Life is that luminous pause between 2 great mysteries, birth and death, and both engage the creative force”
Ask yourself:
- Do I feel a sense of purpose and meaning in my life?
- When do I feel passion and enthusiasm?
- How strong is my connection to nature?
- What is my uniqueness?
