Separations abound

In our modern culture there are many separations. Many have their origins in earlier times, some are recent. Especially damaging today is our separation from Nature.

Separations sever any relationship or connection

we may have, any feeling of empathy. Often instead of connection and cooperation, superiority and domination becomes the goal.

There are many forms of separation. For starters there is sexism, racism, speciesism, reductionism. Sexism sets men against women claiming superiority for men. We live in a patriarchy.

Racism sets one race against another

claiming superiority for one race over the

other.

Reductionism ignores relationships and

reduces everything to an unrelated thing. It separates us from Nature denying our relationship to Nature or the relationships within Nature. It separates us from our true identity as being a part of Nature. We are referred to as “molecular machines” In some parts of society there is even a hatred of Earth.

Prejudice comes in many forms. Speciesism sets humans against all other animals claiming animals are inferior.

Some political parties and some religions separate us. Commerce can separates us, to sell us goods. We are told that our bodies don’t meet their standard, we must buy their product to be OK , and we are alienated from our own bodies. Propaganda separates us from the truth of history or of current affairs.

Children are separated from the development of their own minds, with the overuse of video and video games causing loss of attention span, reduced learning capacity, compromised health. We are separated from the nourishing side of our natures by the idea that humans are inherently violent.

Of course there are differences

and preferences, but difference does not

have to mean innately inferior or superior.

One can see the difference while respecting

the innate value of another.

One result of all these separations is alienation, people not having a sense of belonging. Another is vulnerability. Separations can enable divide and conquer. Hatred, uncivil discourse or even violence can result. You can disagree with someone and argue the issues without trying to demonize them.

When one claims innate superiority for themselves and innate inferiority of the other, that is the first step in making it possible to hate, dominate, exploit, subjugate, abuse, control or even kill the other.

Separation from Nature

One of the most tragic consequences today is our separation from Nature. People who do not realize they are a part of Nature, either knowingly or not can help cause environmental breakdown. Also it is such a profound alienation that it affects every level of our lives.

The reality is that we are physical beings that evolved in Nature, cannot survive without  Nature and are intimately a part of it. Many of us suffer from Nature deficit disorder. Our children don’t know where their food comes from. Our cultural habits become destructive.

Seeing these separations for the falsities that they are may help us to overcome them and regain our innate connections, our humility, and respect for all life.

We may again realize that we are fundamentally connected to all other life, that we are a part of and one with the web of life. We have this knowledge in our cells, in our blood, in our spirit . Hopefully it can emerge into our personal identity and cultural consciousness.

Of course the very best way of reconnecting

with Nature is to go out into as wild a spot as

you can find, but even a lone tree will do, and

just be.