Partnering with Nature: The Wild Path to Reconnecting With the Earth

MacGregor offers the reader a solid understanding of why a connection with the earth is vital to our existence.

by Catriona MacGregor

In today’s world, it is often too easy to forget about the world outside the window.

People struggle daily with stressful jobs, trapped under fluorescent lighting, staring at glowing screens or surrounded by concrete, when they could be outdoors, acknowledging the gifts of the natural world. In the face of its absence, we are finally beginning to understand that our connection with nature — plants, trees, animals and the energy of the earth itself — is more than a luxury; it is a necessary and vital part of our existence.

MacGregor weaves together historical, spiritual and scientific examples to emphasize the importance of creating a vital relationship with our natural surroundings.

Our separation from nature leads to several devastating effects, whether through stress, feeling a lack of purpose or the heedless destruction of our environment. Through her exploration of the energies that link humans, animals and the natural world, she shows how we can learn from nature as we develop our spirituality and ourselves.

Through diverse approaches, MacGregor offers the reader a solid understanding of why a connection with the earth is vital to our existence, and how a revival of that connection opens doors to myriad benefits in our environment and in our health, happiness and daily lives.

$16 — Beyond Words, an imprint of Atria Books, Simon & Schuster, 20827 N.W. Cornell Road, Hillsboro, OR 97124.

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 29, Number 3, June/July 2010.