What we can learn from nature is to know that living in the moment, not being ambitious for the dreams of others, and living within our means, are all keys to a happy life. The environmental writer Paul Kingsnorth is often noting how modern society does not learn from nature: this has led to climate change, COVID-19 (eating pangolins or bats or whatever caused it), divisive politics (people who voted to leave the EU often did so, because they wanted local nature to trump global corporate interests) and yet we never learn. He has even written in the past that we will probably go extinct – and deserve it.
- The Eight Master Lessons of Nature has been hailed a ‘classic’ by the co-founder of Eden Project. In a world that now sees us set apart from nature (somehow superior, removed and independent), Gary Ferguson reveals nature’s wisdom, by keenly observing and admiring wildlife, and their surroundings. And how from ashes of destruction, life can survive.
- The Wild Silence is the follow-up to the book The Salt Path (about one couple walked the South West Coast Path, after one being given a terminal diagnosis, following them both being made homeless). This carries on from their 630 mile walk, as they return.
- The Secret Wisdom of Nature (also in large print edition) explores the invisible connections that sustain the entire natural world. Did you know that trees can influence the earth’s rotation, or that wolves can alter the course of a river? Drawing on science and experience as a forester in Germany, Peter Wohlleben shows how animals, plants, rivers, rocks and weather systems co-operate.
Look at the trees, look at the birds, look at the clouds, look at the stars… and if you have eyes you will be able to see that the whole existence is joyful. Everything is simply happy. Trees are happy for no reason; they are not going to become prime ministers or presidents and they are not going to become rich and they will never have any bank balance. Look at the flowers – for no reason. It is simply unbelievable how happy flowers are. Osho
Animal Wisdom is a book to give you nature’s guide to a happy life. If you are spending too much on therapy for humans, look to the natural world instead, on how to live life. When life gets you down, lift your spirits with these tiny tips and helpful hints, from our friends in the animal kingdom:
- Slow down like a sloth
- Stretch like a cat
- Breathe deep like a whale
- Have the confidence of a lion
Some of the wisdom snippets include:
- Take time to relax
- Believe in yourself
- Exercise regularly
- Get enough sleep
Author Sam Hart studies meditation and mindfulness in tandem with a demanding job at an animal rescue centre, in Buckinghamshire (England).
What we can learn from wild creatures is immense. Ecological writer Satish Kumar once wrote that the only way to save the planet, is when we change our perception of ‘owning nature’ to living alongside nature. Instead of thinking we know best, we can be humbled to know that native wildlife nearly always know better than us. You may think a tiger is vicious, but it only kills once a week (lost habitats has caused it to venture into human areas). A tiger only kills to feed her and her babies, never to put a pair of horns on a wall or take a photo.
Likewise, construction companies often decimate local wildlife habitats and woodlands to build. Yet a bird is the ultimate architect, using ingenious methods to build incredible nests (no help required from us) and then it naturally biodegrades after use (we could do the same with materials like straw bale & cob).
If wildlife is sick, it rests and fasts for a little while, goes to a quiet place to recover or die. It works with its own circadian cycle to get up and go to sleep at the right time, and gets its entertainment from nature, not external sources like news channels or trashy TV.
