Sacred Connections - Blog, June 2026

I am writing this blog from Germany.  I am here leading a retreat called ‘Sacred Connections’.

This afternoon  I am smelling the flowers in the garden, listening to birdsong.  Earlier I watched as bees dived into open flowers and almost swam in the pollen laden stamen. 

It was not for the first time I felt the healing power of nature, the way that nature soothes and calms.  It always seems to make room for us.

Of course that’s when we actually stop.  So many times I myself have walked through nature and ignored what she was offering because I had a bus to catch or a meeting to get to.  Today, having the time to stop, look, listen and smell was infinitely rewarding and I came back into the house refreshed, energised and somehow stronger.

I realised that when I then went on social media the awful things that are happening in the world didn’t pull my energy down.  I could read about things, feel the sorrow, the pain of those affected but it didn’t seem to affect my energy as it normally would.  I put this down to the time I had spent in nature, giving myself the time to really appreciate all she was offering.

We seem to be living in such a duality.  On the one hand we have atrocious horror and cruelty being inflicted on people and on the other hand a bee brushing past on its way to the next flower, and a bird singing its heart out.

I feel that right now we need to have connections with both.  We cannot bury ourselves in nature and ignore what is being done in the name of God (whatever God is worshipped – Old testament God, New testament God, Money God, Power God – the list is endless).  Neither can we take in every cruelty that is happening in the world, it would crush us especially the more sensitive and empathic we are. 

By having connections with both, we can hold the pain of the suffering, take it into nature and let nature do its work.  As we become stronger we might be encouraged to take more action, to hold vigils, support marches, write to MPs, pray and connect at a deeper level to those suffering.

We cannot ignore what is happening as much as we might want to because we are all connected.  We are the family of man and what happens in one area affects us all.  I wish everyone would realise that.  But we can let nature assist.  We can be the bridge, hold the pain and heal it.  Put our feet firmly into the earth, send loving thoughts and courage to those who need it because their feet are on the earth too.

We can live compassionately, but I do feel that nature can help us do that, can strengthen us and bring us back to ourselves.  We only need to make the time, time to listen, to watch, to smell, to touch.

Wishing you a beautiful month full of love and support with whatever you might be struggling with.    Much love, Patricia