'N' for Nature As Our Teacher

                                                                  Nature

River:
Life is like a river. There is no pre-charted way; there are no maps to be given to you which are to be followed. Just be alive and alert, and then wheresoever life leads you go with full confidence in it. ......Allow it to lead you, don't force it. Surrender to it and allow it to lead you towards the sea. Just be alert, that is all. While life leads you towards the sea just be alert so that you don't miss anything.
-Osho

                                                                     Portugal

Volcanoes:
If what is true is repressed, it will bubble up from deep effecting everything in it's path. Volcanoes stand as an omen for change being forced if you will not flow, to a difference in perspective or shift in awareness that results when what we live isn't supporting the essence of what is really true.

Nature teaches us in so many ways if only we were more watchful and learn from Nature.

                                           The beautiful snow capped mountains of Sikkim

Ocean:
“There's nothing wrong with enjoying looking at the surface of the ocean itself, except that when you finally see what goes on underwater,you realize that you've been missing the whole point of the ocean. Staying on the surface all the time is like going to the circus and staring at the outside of the tent.”

― Dave Barry

                                                          The pacific
Mountains and Clouds:
The mountain doesn't move, trees do. The sky doesn't move, clouds do. Stability in the midst of all movement.

                                        The views captured during our 17 mile scenic drive in the US

Huge cloud formations change gradually, almost imperceptibly into another formation. This is how gradual the process of human transformation is. The changes are so small that the overall formation looks the same. But gradually the shift will happen, until suddenly, the cloud is entirely different- -- the person is entirely different.

Midnight: is the center. It touches both night and a new day at once. It touches both dark and light. It exists between past and future. The point that transcends time. Neither of the the two opposites, but a center between them: the center beyond duality.

                                         This picture was taken by our daughter in Spain

                                      This picture was taken by our daughter in Portugal

                                            This picture was taken in Conoor 

Trees:
A gigantic tree doesn't become that by knowing it's a tree while still a seed. It only knows growth.  Constantly changing, while still remaining the same. Not dwelling on  end results, it is content just to grow and not know where it is going.  The seedling, shoot and mature tree aren't the goal, but the process-- the journey.

                              This was taken in Pondicherry before we set out for Chunabar Beach

Snow:

The future lies before you like a field of fallen snow ; be careful how you tread it for every step will show.

We are so busy with our lives always watching out for what is ahead of us, that we forget to enjoy where we are. Nature seems to tell us ever so gently, to be in the present.

                                                    This was taken in Sikkim.

This the Zero point, where the road ends, as this point is the end of India and beyond is Indo- China border.... it was really awesome

Carrots:

Carrots are safe within, underground, even if its plant above is ripped and torn. At times, what is seen on the surface gives no indication of what is living within.

                                                            Carrots of Kodaikanal

Banana:

Skin hides the fruit.  For a long time we only know our superficial masks.  Do we have the strength to peel this skin back?  The time is now to know the fruit of ourselves.

Nature beautifully hints to us to take off our masks.

Nature as metaphor: it is always there to make us see  ourselves clearly, nature shows us all, if only we care to observe.

 How has Nature inspired you?