BATURAM NAYAK shows the way to finding God in nature, and within ourselves, in the depths of our hearts and our souls
Nature is inherently open and free; it’s an ongoing painting on the dynamically changing canvas of the universe. Indeed, this is the secret of nature’s beauty. For lovers of nature, who vibrate with the vibe of nature, life becomes an eternal novelty full of joy and zest ― a lifelong celebration.
Nature looks mysterious. The flux and influx of a whole lot of forces seem to be working behind natural phenomena, to keep the system running in a very orderly natural process. The very best of minds from the realms of science as well as spirituality understand that there is only one common force, a single unifying principle that is in perfect play in nature.
Looking at the celestial happenings with awe and wonder, the inquisitive mind attempted to see a pattern, a logic, or a unique vibe behind nature’s play ― and that precisely, in a very natural way, gave birth to the pragmatic study of science, with spiritual seekers not far behind.
Nature can thus be regarded as the foundation and the inspiration for spirituality, religion and science. It is in the lap of nature that the word of God was revealed to prophets and seers; it is here that the messengers of God saw the Light, illuminating their souls.
Nature is the ultimate mother; in its womb all things good, beautiful and divine are born. In nature the spiritual seeker and the sage finds the ultimate truth, the cause and secrets of our existence.
Nature is the teacher and embodiment of Oneness and unity of people and of religions. In the bosom of nature, men and women find God, and experience His unconditional love.
Why do all the differences, confusions and confrontations crop up then? Why then there exist these differences and divisions in the name of castes, creeds, sects, and faiths? Why did humankind deviate from the universal truth of our existence, overlooking our Oneness, the intrinsic character of our very own nature?
The sad fact of life is that all differences and divisions are man-made. We deviated from nature’s way to feed our parochial interests.
What then is the real way which could be for the good of all?
We can find the answer by looking at the lives of deeply spiritual people as well as the very best of the scholars of the scientific community, who radiate all the positive attributes of life by obeying the universal law of unity, which is the hallmark of nature.
They are blessed with both a pragmatist’s logic as much as a mystic’s insight…to naturally understand the chemistry of nature which alone has the alchemy to bind each entity of the universe together. One may rather say, nature opens up to them its secret, which is essentially the simple essence of unity and Oneness.
As we go deeper into the essence, we may soon discover God, known by different names such as Allah, Ishwar, Tao, and so on ― or simply Truth, which is free of denominations.
Religion, in practice is not something supernatural, but a manifestation of man’s quest for Truth, which is ingrained in the very core of human nature. God, the central or Supreme character of religions is no more considered unapproachable, sitting in judgement on a fancy throne in a distant kingdom, someone beyond anyone’s comprehension.
He is a direct experience, a vibrant vibe, which can be felt, through His finest play, anytime, anywhere, quite naturally. Some say that they can even talk to Him, like He were actually present in person.
We may conclude in this very light that pantheism is the mother of all religions. And hence, by being simply natural in every sense of the term, we can achieve the state of highest discipline as much as an understanding of the highest order ― so that we are capable of searching for God and finding Him within ourselves, in the depths of our hearts and our souls.
Pictures by Baturam Nayak
Featured image shows an innocent girl standing in a millet field in the countryside near the author’s home in Sambalpur, Odisha
Baturam Nayak, a postgraduate in economics, joined the banking sector in 1983 and retired in June 2020. He is a firm believer in simplicity and minimalism. “My faith is Oneness, एकत्वम्; that’s the way I would express myself and live in harmony with everything,” he says.