Letter from Acting President July 2023
To me every hour of the light and dark is a miracle,
Every cubic inch of space is a miracle,
Every square yard of the surface of the earth is spread with the same,
Every foot of the interior swarms with the same.
- Excerpt from Walt Whitman’s “Miracles”
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Dear Reader,
Over the past year, I have written twelve President’s Letters. Without fail, each time I consider what to write, I experience and quickly resist the urge to write about spirituality and nature, a topic that is a personal passion but one that also feels somehow outside of the scope of the Institute’s mission. The links between spirituality and the natural world are intuitive to many, but the Institute does not emphasize this connection in the course of its regular programming. Even so, as we begin a new fiscal year I feel compelled to write on this theme.
Most everyone is able to relay a powerful experience they have had in a natural setting. Some may recall the memory of a sunset or sunrise witnessed from a beautiful vista. Others may describes the vivid colors and fragrances of grandmother’s garden in the spring. Perhaps a trip with family to a national park, or a hike with friends. Oftentimes, when the inevitable difficulties of life arise, people seek refuge in natural settings, making meaning from signs and symbols (a colorful bird, a gentle cloud, the gnarls in the bark of a tree) that provide comfort and perspective - reminders of what truly matters.
Indeed, throughout history, the relationship between humans and the natural world has inspired scientific, artistic, philosophical, religious, and personal explorations across times and cultures. In the academic literature, the term “nature contact” has been embraced by scholars, referring to human interactions with the natural world, whether directly in a natural environment or by using natural images, sounds, or other nature-inspired sensory stimuli. Nature contact has inspired interdisciplinary study, and research has found associations with a range of positive affectual and psychological effects, including impacts on mood and attention, rumination, heartrate variability, well-being, and stress. The Japanese concept shinrin-yoku, translated as forest bathing, has gained broad attention in recent years as a practice that can inspire feelings of rest and cool-mindedness in an increasingly busy world.
Some may recall the reported boom in public park use during the height of the pandemic. In the depths of despair and isolation, the call of the natural world rang loud, providing ground on which to stand, both literally and figuratively. In my own life, feelings of disorientation and anxiety have been soothed by the golden shimmer of aspen groves and the sweet melodies of songbirds. The natural world - all around us - is a healing balm.
Even in a city like Houston, the home of the Institute, notorious for its concrete strip centers and ubiquitous freeway systems, the healing power of nature can be found in the piney woods to the north and east, the coastal wetlands to the south, and the grassy prairies to the west. Or, it can be found in one of the many immense public parks we are fortunate to have along our unique bayou system.
My experience of nature, primarily via a near-obsession with birds, is also one of the sacred. In fact, I often relay that I feel most connected to the transcendent mystery in natural settings, whether I am experiencing the kiss of the sun’s rays or the magic of a starry night.
Interestingly, there is a tendency to view nature as something removed and “out there.” Alternatively, it can been seen as something to own and dominate - an external object, and not one to take home. Some unsolicited advice: rather than seeing nature as something separate and removed – something to temporarily enjoy and then retreat from – I invite you to consider the perspective that you are part and parcel of the natural world. This shift can be transformative in the sense that it allows us to feel more connected to the powerful, life-giving systems in which we are embedded.
With Peace,
Stuart
Stuart C. Nelson
Acting President