The Harmony of Nature and Our Practice
by Jesse Foy
The forest does not ask you to come
The river does not wait for you to listen.
Yet when you do, an understanding arises—
a remembering, as if reconnecting to a natural truth
illuminating the essence of who you are - right now.
Nature reveals truths that words cannot contain.
In its vast stillness and activity, it reflects the rhythm of existence
the ebb and flow, the rise and fall,
the ceaseless rhythm of creation, existence, and passing.
Interbeing
A tree does not grow alone.
Its roots touch the soil, drawing nourishment from the earth.
The sun warms its leaves, and the rain feeds its thirst.
The wind carries its seeds to places it will never see.
You, too, are part of this web.
Your breath nourishes the trees.
Their breath sustains you.
Life moves through you, as it moves through everything.
This interconnection is not an idea to be held onto in concept only.
It is a truth to be felt, in the way sunlight warms your skin.
When you see yourself in the tree, the river, the wind—
you see the whole.
Natural Law
The river flows because it must.
The stars shine not for praise,
but because that is their nature.
Nature moves with purpose,
but its purpose is not driven by ambition.It is a quiet orientation toward balance,
a constant becoming.
The seed does not strive to grow;
it responds to the conditions around it.
When the rain comes, it drinks deeply.
When the sun shines, it reaches upward.
You are no different.
Your life unfolds in the same way, following natural laws.
When you align with this flow, effort becomes ease.
Resistance fades, and you become like the river,
shaping the land as you move freely toward the sea.
Emptiness and Form
The sky holds the clouds,
but it is not the clouds.
The river contains the water,
but it is not the water.
In the same way, you are both the thoughts that pass through your mind
and the space in which they arise.
You are form and the emptiness it moves within,
two aspects of the same infinite whole.
This emptiness is not absence.
It is fullness—the infinite potential for new possibilities to unfold.
Karma: The Ripples of Action
When the wind moves, the surface of the lake ripples.
When the rain falls, the earth drinks.
Every action leaves its trace,
just as every step leaves a footprint in the sand.
What you do matters.
The way you speak, the way you think, the way you act—
each shapes the world, as the river shapes the land.
But do not be overwhelmed by this truth.
It is not a burden.
It is an invitation to live with care,
to honor the way your life touches all life.
Becoming One with the Whole
The cycles of the seasons speak of impermanence:
Spring’s tender beginnings,
Summer’s vibrant flourishing,
Autumn’s gentle letting go,
Winter’s stillness and rest.
Sit with a tree, and feel its stillness.
Stand by the ocean, and sense its power.
Walk through the forest, and listen to its whispers.
Each moment spent in nature is a reminder:
You are not separate from this world.
You are the sky and the wind, the river and the stone.
To live in harmony with this truth is not to abandon yourself.
It is to come home.
What will you offer to this moment?
What will you receive from it?
May each sincere reflection offer you an opportunity to connect you with your authentic, interconnected nature.