Do You Feel a Spiritual Connection with the Woods?

[Swallow]

I find it hilarious how everyone has their little bone to pick in this argument,

I have no bone to pick. I did however find the thread turning deadly dull about page 3 when it started switching over to an argument.

 

[John Fenna]

I have no bone to pick either - but it would be nice if folk would read a dictionary to find out the meaning of "spiritual", Spiritualist", "science" etc before getting rude about things...Understanding the OPs question rather depends on understanding the terms of reference! Wiki is (for once) quite useful in this

 

[Gray]

There shouldn't be any nastiness here folks. These are people's opinions of which we all have one and are all entitled to. It's not for me to tell someone there opinion is wrong, is it spiritual for me...no. Is it spiritual for other people...yes. So what!
we are all individuals and we all see things in our own way, there's no right or wrong in it, it's how you feel as an individual and I wouldn't dream of telling someone there opinion is wrong......I haven't got the right. In fact, for me, other people's opinions should be respected even if i don't agree. I don't think it's right to tell someone how they should feel.
This is just my opinion.

 

[John Fenna]

There shouldn't be any nastiness here folks. These are people's opinions of which we all have one and are all entitled to. It's not for me to tell someone there opinion is wrong, is it spiritual for me...no. Is it spiritual for other people...yes. So what!
we are all individuals and we all see things in our own way, there's no right or wrong in it, it's how you feel as an individual and I wouldn't dream of telling someone there opinion is wrong......I haven't got the right. In fact, for me, other people's opinions should be respected even if i don't agree. I don't think it's right to tell someone how they should feel.
This is just my opinion.

Totally agreed!

 

[Tengu]

What has morality to do with it? Most religions (certainly the pagan ones) have none

 

[mountainm]

What has morality to do with it? Most religions (certainly the pagan ones) have none

Morality and religion aren't intrinsically linked in anyway. Both "evil" (selfishness, greed, violence etc) and "good" a social moral conscience (sharing, helping, caring) are effective survival strategies. The former favours "lone wolves", the latter favours a pack.

 

[Gray]

What!! We're talking about a spiritual connection with the woods. Nothing to do with religion. Or are you saying its morally correct to tell someone how they should feel.

 

[Gray]

Morality and religion aren't intrinsically linked in anyway. Both "evil" (selfishness, greed, violence etc) and "good" a social moral conscience (sharing, helping, caring) are effective survival strategies. The former favours "lone wolves", the latter favours a pack.

Plus 1 to that

 

[mountainm]

What!! We're talking about a spiritual connection with the woods. Nothing to do with religion. Or are you saying its morally correct to tell someone how they should feel.

Just adding to Tengus point distance morality and religion. I'm not telling anyone what to think or say?

 

[Gray]

It wasn't meant for you mike, I wasn't sure what Tengus point was as we weren't talking about religeon .

 

[Elen Sentier]

Oddly I find that being in a hurricane or tornadic activity only hightens the feeling.

Yup, I can appreciate that, does it for me too along with being stuck somewhere and needing to stay alive. BTW, would love to be there with a tornado, have done hurricane and earthquake.

 

[Elen Sentier]

The biggest lie ever created was when someone decided we where apart from nature. .

Yup to that too ...

 

[British Red]

What has morality to do with it? Most religions (certainly the pagan ones) have none

Have a look at the Wiccan rede some time

 

[Tengu]

But they are not real pagans. Try something like Bon or Shinto

 

[Dobloz]

to me, everything is spiritual!

cleaning up rubbish, writing a letter, going to the toilet, arguing with someone, agreeing with someone, eating, fasting, drinking, breathing..... life, death uppy_dog (although i've not yet gone there... hope to keep the death experience as a one time, last thing i do, kind of thing...)

somethings are more pleasant than others tho

circumstances that i'm in affect the spiritual nature of the experience,
the people i'm with affect my spirit
a walk in the woods affects my spirit and the type of woodland - man made, undisturbed, a mix of both, a young self seeded place or a man managed place - they are all similar yet unique.
a pine wood in one location can be different spiritually for me than a pine forrest in another location...

how about you...

austin

 

[Elen Sentier]

to me, everything is spiritual!

cleaning up rubbish, writing a letter, going to the toilet, arguing with someone, agreeing with someone, eating, fasting, drinking, breathing..... life, death uppy_dog (although i've not yet gone there... hope to keep the death experience as a one time, last thing i do, kind of thing...)

somethings are more pleasant than others tho

circumstances that i'm in affect the spiritual nature of the experience,
the people i'm with affect my spirit
a walk in the woods affects my spirit and the type of woodland - man made, undisturbed, a mix of both, a young self seeded place or a man managed place - they are all similar yet unique.
a pine wood in one location can be different spiritually for me than a pine forrest in another location...

how about you...

austin

+1 to that , it works for me too.

And as the word "pagan" comes from the Latin "paganus" meaning "of the land" anyone who is "of the land" (wledig) is pagan, whatever tradition they choose to be a part of, even if it doesn't happen to be one you like! Not that that has anything to do with the OP which was about whether or nor one feels a sense of spiritual connection to the land when out being bushie.

It seems many people do feel a spiritual connection to the land, in their own and different ways. But ... there also seem to be those who wish to hijack the thread and go into their own beliefs (whether of a spiritual nature or not) as though they are the only authority and telling others what they are or are not, or that their ideas are some form of rubbish. Definitely a -100 to all that !!!

 

[British Red]

But they are not real pagans. Try something like Bon or Shinto

I suspect religious comparison breaks the rules so we can agree to disagree - the term "pagan" is hardly precise - even its Latin etymology shows a lack of clarity

 

[Swallow]

I figured the following description might go deeper into what we have been talking about

"Spiritual" is One word to point to the experience we have when our "personal thinking"/the noise in our head quietens down enough for us to experience life in a better/more complete/easier way. "Chilling Out", "Unplugging", "Switching Off" and "Recharging" are some of the other ones.

Improve/Replace as you see fit.

 

[Dobloz]

so, okenest:

do we have a brave enough soul who is willing to start a *NEW* post on defining words, like say PAGAN, SPIRITUAL, NATURE, THREAD-JACKING, and the like.... :BlueTeamE
i'm (almost) sure that there will be some *VERY* good forums for that on other / different websites - maybe www.imallwaysright.biz - or - www.1viewmyview.im.adik etc

think i'll go hug a tree, or drop a hammer on mi foot or stick pins in mi eyes... or something...

hey! depending on what belief i choose to follow or drop today, i might go and drop a hammer on some one *ELSE*'s foot.... :tapedshut


austin

 

[knifefan]

Why do we always try to quantify/qualify our feelings??? I'm sorry but I have always enjoyed being "outdoors" and for me it is a selfish, self-indulgence that I couldn't do without For me it has always been the simple things - like laying on your back in a meadow in the summer just listening to skylarks !!