Originally published as newsletter 09/24/2025
This photo above is of sand mound about 10 inches wide, and reminds me of hurricane clouds. In this photo I also see the surface of the moon; craters, landscape and topography. I took this snapshot in a wide stance so my sneakers wouldn’t show, and had to shoo Winnie out of the way, lest her shadow fall on In other words, it was a quick snap on a non-eventful walk.
And yet, this simple image wound up being a lovely bit of guidance..
Sometimes when I re-visit a moment like this, I re-experience my perspective and positioning, and this also gives me a clue what’s to come too. Maybe that’s the power of presence: no matter where you are, you can also feel the whole. For me, being present in Nature is like fractals: where each fractal object is an object of which each element is also a fractal object (here’s a quick visual of tree branches that illustrates this well.)
In my case, when I look at the sand, I can see the sky. I can also look at the sky, and now, also see the sand. These non-ordinary perspectives help me understand where I am right now in time and space, where my mind is in relationship to my body, and perhaps even what is to come.
A touch of context: I’m in an interesting transitional time. They say menopause can ignite teenage vibes, but that’s not always a fun place to be. For some of us, this triggers trauma response, for others, social awkwardness. For still others, fears about growing up. Basically, the teens aren’t easy.
But the amazing thing I’ve discovered is: transitions like this also re-enliven the coping skills we used to handle pain, awkwardness or confusion. And some of these coping mechanisms are also our gifts to share.
So I’ve been leaning into that. And Nature has been leaning back.
Imagine seeing something, and experiencing what it would be like to be floating into space, and still standing on the ground. All at once.
To explain: a person would practically need to be far above earth to actually see a hurricane weather pattern. And with a 180 degree turn from that location, a gaze at the moon would yield a good view of its beautiful surface too. So seeing this little vignette in the sand helps me FEEL what it would feel like to be right at the edge of the atmosphere, with a decidedly cubist perspective – unfolding the two views in single plane, kind of like a 2D map of a round earth.
It’s a practice, being present in Nature, recording a moment, then reading it. And this practice can help us understand where we’ve been, and where we are now. And from there, we can perhaps better know our gifts to share too.
I plan to roll out a questionnaire for led Nature Reading Walks. Please stay tuned.
With love and gratitude,
Elizabeth
