What is a sense of belonging?  In our modern world people speak of life itself as though it was something abstract they wish to control, possess, or “manage.”

But life is actually biology. It happens within your body, and external to your body. Life is a inter -connected web of systems, therefore, the best way to belong in society, is to realize that we are in society no matter what.  We cannot control such immense systems.

However, we can begin to think in ways that allow us to belong, and to thrive in the web of life, and Universe, by using a Natural Systems Thinking Process.  Society is often thought of as just people, but people are part air, water, crops, and more.

We will belong to one another in a new spirit of celebrating diversity when we learn to practice life as nature does, without garbage, waste, un needed wars, or alienation.

We can use resources wisely, it just takes our knowing how important they are, and by connection, how important we are.

From that step, we just acknowledge our borders, differences, and conflicts, are all driven by an unhealthy conquering mentality. We will all get along, when we know the value of all of us, and “US” includes living systems we experience internally, and externally.

Much more in depth knowledge can be found on the Natural systems thinking process through Project Nature Connect, and by taking workshops or courses in person, or online.

We can better appreciate our place in society by realizing that human beings are a unique animal that has taken it upon himself, to “master.” Nature.  It is only quite recently in our natural evolution that we realized the incredible immensity of the Universe, and how very small, individual and special our fragile place is.  This knowledge has made some defensive. They entrench even deeper into the destructive thinking that says man is in charge, and must dominate the landscape, forests, oceans, and even inner thinking.

To re align we need a humble approach such as that taken by Newton, Einstein, or these days, E.O. Wilson, who teaches that we belong to natural laws. They do not belong to us.

Today we strive to be wired and connected by cell phone, internet, face book, twitter, and more. None of these are wrong, but they are only part of a much more wondrous whole which we often neglect.  All these modern tools are made from natural resources we cannot squander, if we are to have them in the long term.  We will learn to value resources, or we will die out.

Go outside and feel sunlight, the cool shade under a tree, the breeze, the smell of living things, water, hills stretching out, birds singing, and you begin to get a tiny sense that we have evolved keen senses we have turned off, and tuned out.

When we re awaken these senses, we reawaken our belonging to the larger world, and to one another.  Yes, you connect by email, but seeing a person face, reading gestures, even touch, are lost on email only contact.

To really belong to society, society must accept it belongs and is sustained by the natural world. The natural world provides air, water, food, and more. It provides healing, and connection. Seeing a bird nesting, a sunset, or a rainbow, almost always impacts our mental health for the better. This is no accident.

Dr. Mike Cohen has taught outdoor re connection for more than fifty years. He found ways, by close observation, to allow people to re connect not with just five senses, but with 53 natural senses that connect all of us to our living world.

His work, and the work of other Ecopsychologists is rapidly gaining recognition for what ails us in modern society.

We are injured by our separation from our senses. We withdraw into cocoons of “safety” and separation. We alienate one another out of hard lessons from the damage our disconnection creates.

Addictions, bad habits, loneliness, and inability to know ourselves and others is the result. Today, we have the enormous gift of being able to see how we can create technology and society from the ground up, in ways that re engineer manufacturing and modern life to reflect our new found respect and appreciation of it.

By realizing water, food, air and all sustenance is a rare gift, we work harder to belong to it, to appreciate it, and to respect the very idea of cooperation over competition.