A Navajo prayer introduces the concept of walking in beauty.
With beauty before me, I walk
With beauty behind me, I walk
With beauty above me, I walk
With beauty below me, I walk
From the east beauty has been restored
From the south beauty has been restored
From the west beauty has been restored
From the north beauty has been restored
From the zenith of the sky beauty has been restored
From the nadir of the earth beauty has been restored
From all around me beauty has been restored.[1]
I have a Shawnee friend, Thomas Norton-Smith, and I once asked him about the concept of walking in beauty. He replied, “You will understand it by living it.”
Occasionally I have tastes of living it. I see the concept of walking in beauty as embracing two great phases in this philosophy of living: living amid the beauties of nature and artistic living. The first phase is more receptive, the second more active. Walking in beauty involves being receptive to actual beauty and being creative in actualizing potentials for beauty– doing things to make life more beautiful.
Beauty is actual in the cosmos (above me) and the earth (below me, and in the east, south, west, and north). Finding beauty surrounding us, helps us find beauty within us. Then we arrive at that place of power where we can feel it wherever we turn. Those who walk in beauty refresh others and contribute to the restoration of the environment.
I invite you to share what walking in beauty means to you. Could you describe an experience of that?
Could you describe one of your favorite places in nature, and say why you are attracted to that place? It is very interesting to compare notes.
Let’s begin a month together of being more attuned to beauty in nature.
[1] Calvin Luther Martin, The Way of the Human Being (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1999), pp. 24-25. Thomas Norton-Smith has written The Dance of Person and Place: One Interpretation of American Indian Philosophy (Albany: SUNY Press, 2010). The photo credit shows a natural scene on the Navaho reservation: http://nap.entclub.org/NewFiles/Habitats/Mexican-Cry_3137.jpg
Along side my home there is a private road constructed by an individual who wanted to build his home in the midst of the forest. This road is a dirt road with scatterings of gravel. About 300 yards down this road it enters the grove of the forest. At this time of year, this road is covered on either side by wild flowers including white and purple morning glory flowers. The road is lined on either side by trees. From time to time, I see rabbits, squirrels, and the other day, I saw three deer, standing in the midst of the road who soon bolted into the wood when they took note of me.
There are also beautiful butterflies, especially the yellow and blue monarchs. Sometimes when I am walking this time of year of a swarm of smaller yellow butterflies will surround me for a few moments before flying away. There are several species of birds in this forest which bring forth melodious sounds. I have seen blue jays, and red robins as well as other birds including crows, and sometimes the wild geese flying overhead in formation with their honking sounds.
This road is very conducive to prayer and worship, and is where I do most of my communion with the Father. It is also of benefit to me, because I have difficulty sitting for more than 10 or 15 minutes at a time, so that I an unable to meditate or pray while sitting in the house. Trying to meditate while laying down almost always ends by my drifting off to sleep and the discomfort that I experience trying to pray while sitting almost always disrupts my thoughts.
It is a beautiful experience communing with the Father along this road, and always calms and comforts my mind and soul as I traverse this experience.
“You will understand it by living it.”
Dr Perry
I rejoice that the beauties of nature are so near at hand for you and that they provide such a haven of solace during this time of physical suffering! I have been hoping, hoping, that your time with us will enable you to continue your comments as we complete this seven-fold path: after the beauties of nature, we consider artistic living, morally active living, and character achievement. Hang in there, brother!
Along side my home there is a private road constructed by an individual who wanted to build his home in the midst of the forest. This road is a dirt road with scatterings of gravel. About 300 yards down this road it enters the grove of the forest. At this time of year, this road is covered on either side by wild flowers including white and purple morning glory flowers. The road is lined on either side by trees. From time to time, I see rabbits, squirrels, and the other day, I saw three deer, standing in the midst of the road who soon bolted into the wood when they took note of me.
There are also beautiful butterflies, especially the yellow and blue monarchs. Sometimes when I am walking this time of year of a swarm of smaller yellow butterflies will surround me for a few moments before flying away. There are several species of birds in this forest which bring forth melodious sounds. I have seen blue jays, and red robins as well as other birds including crows, and sometimes the wild geese flying overhead in formation with their honking sounds.
This road is very conducive to prayer and worship, and is where I do most of my communion with the Father. It is also of benefit to me, because I have difficulty sitting for more than 10 or 15 minutes at a time, so that I an unable to meditate or pray while sitting in the house. Trying to meditate while laying down almost always ends by my drifting off to sleep and the discomfort that I experience trying to pray while sitting almost always disrupts my thoughts.
It is a beautiful experience communing with the Father along this road, and always calms and comforts my mind and soul as I traverse this experience.
“You will understand it by living it.”
Dr Perry
I rejoice that the beauties of nature are so near at hand for you and that they provide such a haven of solace during this time of physical suffering! I have been hoping, hoping, that your time with us will enable you to continue your comments as we complete this seven-fold path: after the beauties of nature, we consider artistic living, morally active living, and character achievement. Hang in there, brother!
James,
I read with delight and understanding your beautiful comment to “Walking in Beauty”. It brought a broad smile to my face.
I think there is indeed something about being in nature that opens the door to deeper, more meaningful and satisfying communion with our Father.
You write well of your experience and I look forward to reading more of your life as we move on, enjoying a new philosophy of living.
Michael Hill
Thanks Michael.
James
James,
I read with delight and understanding your beautiful comment to “Walking in Beauty”. It brought a broad smile to my face.
I think there is indeed something about being in nature that opens the door to deeper, more meaningful and satisfying communion with our Father.
You write well of your experience and I look forward to reading more of your life as we move on, enjoying a new philosophy of living.
Michael Hill
Thanks Michael.
James