I fall asleep at night to a coqui symphony. Then awake to the sweet sound of the original Tweeters.
I live in a blacktop jungle. But it’s the primal black of lava rock, not unending miles of asphalt.
I haven’t seen a Firefox, but I’ve stumbled upon a wild pig. And mongoose dart daringly across the red road as I Safari to my destinations. No Apples here, but avocados, coconuts, bananas, and papayas fall from the trees.
Nature. Alive. In my face. Teasing all my senses.
Not stolen names for the hottest brands devised by marketing gurus for the latest technological device, internet rival, or social media extravaganza.
Living beings with wild hearts, inquisitive minds, and undying souls.
If you live in a big city, nature – in this resplendent abundance – may not be so obvious to you. But wherever you are, there’s the sky above and the earth below. A city still teems with organisms galore though they may go unnoticed or be difficult to see.
Reflection: Who Owns the Land?
Do you ever stop to wonder who owns the land?
That’s the reflection for this week inspired by this quote from Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche.
“When we buy a house or piece of land, we feel some kind of satisfaction that the land is now ours. But there are already numerous beings on that land who did not participate in our real estate transaction. There are a great number of non-physical beings who we can’t see with our physical eyes as well as many substantial visible beings such as insects, birds, and animals that dwell in the trees or burrow in the ground. In some sense, they own the land, too. They will fight others of their kind to preserve their own space and maintain their boundaries, just as we do. Yet we come on the land and dig up their burrows, cut down the tress that hold their nests, uproot the plants they use for food, and destroy their eggs and their babies. How would you react if some other type of being suddenly occupied your home, moved or broke all your things, or buried your house under concrete? We bring this kind of harm to other beings that are visible to us and we also bring this kind of harm to beings invisible to us.”
-from Healing with Form, Energy, and Light by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
So who owns the land? What do you think? This quotation stirred me up. What does this quotation stir up for you?
This article is part of a weekly series of reflective exercises to help you – and me – uproot limiting thoughts, emotions, views, and habits. See more mini-mind challenges.
Thank you for reading. If you liked this article, please share the link with others. And I would love to hear from you in the comments. Thanks so much for your support. Sandra
The land belongs to the Universe in spite of how we humans behave.
I live in an area that has been subjected to lots of new housing developments over the past few decades. Every now and then the news or posted signs warn of sightings of a mountain lion or a bear. Coyotes frequently make their way down to investigate our trash cans on trash day now that their original homes have been disturbed.
The two-legged new residents and the local newscasters are always appalled.
Flora,
Interesting and sad story about the coyotes and bears. We all adapt to the changes, but not necessarily in healthful ways. Some feel there’s a groundswell of changing coming forth, but I can’t help but wonder if we can turn around the damage we’ve done to the environment.
Thanks for coming by, Flora. I really appreciate your comment.
We are a terribly arrogant species.
The “why?” of it all ~ the raison d’etre for mankind ~ eludes me.
From my (albeit limited) perspective, the world would be better off if mankind had never been.
Nancy,
That’s a very interesting perspective. I think we are here to learn and evolve, but somehow we took the wrong road. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
No-one owns the land – owning land is merely a concept that we humans have come up with so that money can change hands and so that other humans can be excluded.
The land as with the rest of the Universe – is all part of the same thing – and we are all one. It is a part of every one of us and everything – it therefore can’t truly be owned.
Hello Spartan Penguin,
This is a beautiful perspective. It’s interesting though that we all – including animals – have a natural instinct to mark our territory. I wonder what that’s about?
Dear Sandra,
This is indeed something worth pondering about. Coming from Singapore, means that everywhere I look, there are buildings galore. There are malls left and right. In fact, it is a perfect example of urban jungle. Yet, Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche is right. What have we dug up and displaced to ensure our own survival? How many lesser lives have we destroyed and not given two hoots about it? It is this kind of arrogance towards lesser creatures that will be our undoing one day. For if we can treat lesser beings in a haphazard fashion, who is to say we will not transfer this treatment to other people in our lives?
Even so, we have to survive. But I believe that greater care can be given to what we do so that we do not survive at the expense of others. This applies to animals and so on.
Thank you for sharing this article!
Irving the Vizier
Hi Irving,
I like the points that you mention here. It’s true that we all have to survive. That requires living somewhere. Change and evolution happen all the time. Nothing stays the same.
And as Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche points out, we all seem to have an instinctual response to mark our territory. As humans though we have the capacity to understand and rise above these instincts if we choose to.
I understand your use of the word “lesser” beings in one sense. At the same time, in Buddhism it is believed that all sentient beings have the same fundamental nature. So in that sense they are not lesser.
We will have to live with the consequences of our actions!
Hi Sandra,
Yes I also agree that all sentient beings have the same fundamental nature. Life is life and it should be treasured in all forms. It is cruel to do otherwise. I merely used “lesser beings” to illustrate how we as humans forget that life is precious.
I thought that would be the case! Thanks for the clarification.
Sandra,
Such a true statement. I can sit here today, on this piece of land I “own”, and say it’s mine. Except that there are many other creatures who inhabit this space, too. And others who were displaced…
Maybe it’s in somehow finding a way to more peacefully coexist…
And in that, also just being more loving toward Mother Earth…
Lance,
Many indigenous cultures can teach us about learning to peacefully coexist and seeing all around us as sacred. Wasn’t that one of the main points of the popular movie Avatar? Sadly, the movie glorified violence at the same time.
Thanks for adding this perspective.
Sandra, I have often wondered the same thing. Where it really got me was growing up in a beach community in Florida. As I grew up, the public beaches began to shrink as the condos and commercial development began to grow.
I remember specifically one summer, I took a date out to what had once been the pier. We were having a great time when a police officer asked where our IDs were and our hotel pass. It was humiliating. How did they get ownership? I know it’s complicated, but it really just boils down to your question. Thanks for posting, Sandra. Have a great day.
This is an interesting example, Bryan! Thank you for sharing it. The world has really gotten out of control. I wonder if we can correct the damage we have created. That’s why this article stirred me up.
My faith teaches everything is “on loan” from God. We are encouraged to enjoy the the world and its bounty. But, we don’t own anything. I agree with the previous comments that everyone and everything would be better off if we accepted that fact.
Bob,
I like this teaching from your faith! It is a wonderful seed to plant and idea to remember as we go about our day.
Hi Sandra,
This reminds me of a line in the movie, Out of Africa. “We can never really own anything, we are all just passing through”. I believe this! Thanks Sandra!
Exactly! That was a beautiful movie. Thanks for bringing the memory back.
Very nice writing, Sandra. And I like the new look, also. This is my first time to see this theme.
I, too, wonder about our ownership of land. Really, it is only temporary. The land will still be here long after we have left, maybe even long after our species has ceased. I also think about our responsibility as stewards. I hope we can leave our land as beautiful as we found it.
Kathleen
Hi Kathleen,
I hope we can leave our land as beautiful as we found it too. That is a beautiful aspiration! The planets are aligned in 2011 for positive change in this arena. I hope we all participate and it comes to pass.
Glad you like the look. This is the new Clean Home Theme, but I’ve made changes to it with the CSS upgrade.
Thanks for the compliment on my writing. The style was a bit different than usual, and fun in that way. Wishing you well!
I love nature and I especially loved this post because it reminded me how important it is to not overlook it. I live in a city and nature can be overshadowed if you just go through your day on auto-pilot. However, as you mentioned it really is all around you and I agree with many of the commenters … there really is not an “owner”. It is all our universe.
Hi Sibyl,
There’s much to be said for living in the city in terms of ways to contribute to creating a sustainable and greener environment. But like you say, it can be easy to be on auto-pilot and forget. I’m glad nature brings you pleasure. Thanks for your comment.
After reading your article i remembered two things—
#In India before occupying the newly built hose we preform aritual thanking the original occupants ie living things that might be living there earlier(burrowing ones & others,not just this but even the spirits that might have been there.
#Recently we had been to ‘Harid-vanan’ meaning green forest,its a study centre for retreat,here krishnamurti foundation people have taken great care not to disturb the envvironment to the extent possible.They have preserved even the termite moulds,small ponds,most of the trees & there are clear-cut instructions about not disturbing the burrowing animals including snakes.In a way they have realy understood “who owns the land realy”
Thank you so much for sharing these approaches that honor the land. There are many cultures that have rituals for requesting the use of the land from the beings who occupy it and express gratitude. It’s wonderful to see that these still happen in India.
I love this example of the Harid-vanan. It’s inspiring to see such care. I think we need these examples to offset the discouragement that can happen when we look at the mindless approach to the environment that occurs in the West.
When we honor the sacred in the environment, we see the sacred in ourselves. Thank you for these beautiful examples. So nice of you to leave a comment!
> wild hearts, inquisitive minds, and undying souls
I like that. That should be a t-shirt.
My Dad always fought to protect the environment where I grew up. His big thing was getting educated on the impact of the ecosystem. It’s all about knowing your role in the ecosystem of things and the downstream effects. The other theme was think globally, act locally. It kept things real and actionable.
J. D.
It’s really interesting to hear of the pioneers like your Dad who have been involved with ecological concerns from early on. His far sight is impressive. It’s good to keep things real and actionable or it can seem too big and too impossible. But small drops add up to a big ocean. Thanks for adding this angle.
No-one owns the land – it’s a gift to all who live on it, and we should remember that more often.
I don’t own a house but I’d love to (I’m an interior designer and I’d love to design my own house!) but I believe that when we buy a property, or a piece of land, we also acquire the responsibility to protect it and keep it well.
We’re all connected – to each other, to animals, to vegetation, and to the Earth too.
Cristina,
It makes me happy to hear how you live with such environmental consciousness. I hope you have a chance to design your own home one day and I know you will do it with respect for the environment. And I bet it will be mostly white!
White? How did you guess???
Hi Sandra, I live in a city and love its conveniences but sometimes I long to be alone in a forest. Perhaps now that I’m feeling more energetic I can make that happen. Even so, I agree that there are all kinds of creatures in the city you can see if you are quiet and observant.
That is a good point about disturbing the wildlife when we build a new house. The land where I live was disturbed about 60 years ago. I don’t own it in any sense of the word (I rent) but I think I could do a better job of encouraging animals to move into the backyard if I could change things. For example, the monoculture of the lawn doesn’t provide much food or shelter. Flowers would feed bees and butterflies. Fruit trees would feed me and the birds, etc.
Jennifer,
These are such wonderful points! “Lawn” is such a man-made invention, isn’t it? I love your thinking about adding flowers and fruit trees to provide more food and shelter for beings. We have a huge scruffy lawn. I’m slowly thinking about placing beds of native annuals maybe in a year or so. Less lawn, more permaculture. We already have many natural plants though and the bees love it here and me too!
Thanks for these thoughts. How wonderful if more people would think in this direction. I really learn from the comments here.
Sandra, you ask a very important question!
One of the reasons I like the Native American tradition is they understand that we share the land. It is not ours to abuse – rather, we are blessed to be able to share it with nature.
Questions like the one you ask here, help to awaken people and keep us conscious of our actions and perceptions. I do believe our world is changing into a place of more mindful people – we’re not there yet, but we are on our way. Your question helps to keep us going deeper in our understandings.
Aileen,
I love your positive view of the world changing into a place of more mindful people. That’s an encouraging vision to hold. Positivity is so much more encouraging than blame or separation.
The Native American tradition is a fine example of understanding the sacredness of all life. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
This is – I believe as close as could later be reconstructed – the speech in 1854 by the great Chief Sealth or Seattle of the Suquamish Tribe, when his people were forced by the white man to relinquish the land their ancestors had lived upon for -I have read- approximately 10.000 years (!!), before the white man decided they wanted to own it: http://suquamish.org/HistoryCulture/Speech.aspx.
Thanks so much for this link, Boelo. Very tragic and heartbreaking.
Yes, AND not only tragic, also uplifting. Seattle spoke also of unfaltering love of his people for the land, and of the faith -or fact- that some things never end, even though they change (worlds). He reminds us of what is of more or true value: nót owning land. Ownership eventually always passes away. Other “things” don’t. After all: “all that remains when we’re free of our chains is the love we shared”. (-Miten)
Hi Sandra! We all “own” the land; we’re all responsible for our environment in big and small ways. We’re not landlords but actually roommates with other species that cohabit the world with us. Where I live I’m surrounded by beautiful nature and it’s a pleasure to see all the creatures in this gorgeous environment.
Thanks for this reminder. Loving blessings!
Hi Andrea, I read your blog on “owning” land; just under mine. So true; good to see you expressing yourself like a roommate on this planet! Remeber that life is a mirror!Journey on! Would love to see you again. Love -Boelo
Hi Andrea,
I really enjoy the idea of being “roomates” with other species. That’s a great way to look at this!
That makes you stop and think about the impact we have on the world around us. I often go for walks at night and I’ve been watching the impact that a new residential development is having on a local wetlands/ creek area- I wonder what all of the rabbits are thinking as they are evicted from their homes?
It’s a dilemma, isn’t it, David? And a complex one. We all need to live, but how do we all live together? We could surely live more simply. My friend who had a 7 bedroom house now lives in a two bedroom ones and realizes she never really needed all that space.
I have wondered this same question since I was a teenager. Even though I’m legally blind I when I was in junior high school and high school I walked to and from school. With the limited sight I had and have I have always enjoyed the beauty of the Mojave desert. I think that the Native American Indians view is the most correct. We are but tenants on the land which The Great Spirit(God)actually owns.
Now a days I don’t get to walk in the wild like I did as a teenager. I’m more and more surrounded by the cars malls, asphalt and big building. But Mother Earth still shines through anyway in spite of our collective arrogance.
I’m glad you have been able to enjoy the beauty of the Mojave desert. I lived in Southern California as a teen and young adult and the difference between then and now is radical. It’s now almost one continuous path of freeways and malls.
I don’t think people have bad intentions for the most part, but we just don’t have the capacity to look ahead and see clearly.
At least astrologically, this is supposed to be a better year. I hope some positive changes will be taking place.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Gary.
What part of Southern California did you live ine if I may ask? As bad as Lancaster and Palmdale our I have seen the L.A. area including the San Fernando Valley. I’m not quite so sure the transformation was well intended. Most people imitate what they see on tv and around them. Having this urban sprawl and all the freeways and malls is supposed to mean we as a community are prosperous. I never have quite bought into it. Maybe it was because I was legally blind and could not drive. Thus not a part of the “Good Life” that we are constantly told we need.
Sorry Sandra if I am ranting a bit. It just bugs me that walking and bicycling are for “evil un-American hippies/tree huggers”. The lie that if you want to be a true American you must drive and therefore must abandon any genuine connection with the world around you is totally amazing to me.
Gary,
I lived in Orange County, when there were once orange groves. It is conservative in some areas of Southern California. But people aren’t necessarily happy. I think all the sprawl and endless freeways and long commutes gets to everyone eventually. I understand your frustration. I wish you could live someplace where you felt in tune.
Hi Sandra .. what a beautiful piece and I love Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche’s quote .. we are all one with the earth … thought provoking .. great read too – thanks – Hilary
Hilary,
I’m delighted this piece spoke to you! Thanks for letting me know.
Beautiful thoughts, Sandra, and I love the quote too! We do think that when we arrive, we own the land. We went to the moon, the US stuck a flag in first thing to ‘claim’ it as ours. We do this to our own people too. Explorers displaced the original natives of the land in the USA and other places.
Hi Lynn,
The moon is a perfect example! Has anyone started selling condos there yet?
Extremely thought provoking Sandra. I remember having this intense discussion and debate with a friend of mine in a Cafe in Paris. We talked about this in detail, about the value people place on human life over animal life.
You almost cannot put a price on the damage we do. Abundance, at any cost, is not really abundance. There is a way we can bring balance to all. Respect life as much as is possible. We are not evolved enough yet to live in equilibrium with our surroundings
Hi Amit,
It would have been intriguing to eavesdrop on the debate you had with your friend at the Cafe in Paris. It’s interesting to see the incredibly strong connections some people have with animals. My cats seems like little humans in many ways. I like your advice to “respect life as much as possible.” But that does require us to stop and think about what that means. I always enjoy your perspective and appreciate your comments.
Sandra I’ll be brave and but in a bit. While many people do have a strong connection to animals one can be strongly connected to the land,trees, mountains, and the sky instead. That is how I relate to the Antelope Valley. Love the land but can’t take the conservative, car driving war loving people.
I agree fully. We are all different and have different inclinations. I love natural surroundings ~ all the one’s that you mention. I’ve only come to connect with (some) animals later in my life. I don’t feel an affinity for dogs for example – no offense to dog lovers!
Dearest Sandra,
I am so deeply moved by this post, and more importantly moved by you. You are such a deep soul.
I have read this probably 3 times, and I know you’ve moved on to your next post. But I still would like to try and express what I feel inside. Wish it had been sooner when you first posted it, but a lot going on in my life right now.
All I can write is what passes through my heart as I look at Earth through my window. The land just IS. It is timeless, eternal, loving peace. It is whole with ot without our presence, although I have so DEEPLY felt its ability to love us, and loves us no matter what we do. Nature does not judge, keep score, or seek revenge. That is not to say there are not consequences if we live out of relationship WITH Nature.
We have been given “free will” (and I use the term very loosely for lack of a better word) and we have the ability to give the land any meaning we see fit. HOWEVER, depending on how we see the land, will determine what type of relationship we have with the land.
I don’t think we can possibly EVER own the land. That is akin to saying we own the stars. We may “think” we own the land, and in thinking this we may limit our perception of what the land is. Example: we may reduce it from a living being to a commodity.
I have found that all I can ever do, is have a relationship WITH the living land, listen to it speak, and learn from its wisdom. Just as I would have a relationship with any entity or being. For me the land is as real a living being as you are.
As a species (at least currently — not always so in the past) we have not learned to enter into relationship WITH the land. If we did we would no longer live in fear that something of OURS, something we OWN would be taken away. So we erect (on the land) the same boundaries, fences, and more that we have in our minds (usually due to fear). But then we do this with each other. We actually think (without realizing it) that we OWN another person, and that they are here to BE, DO, Fulfill something for us. We forget, that like the land, they are their own free soul, totally independent of us, born into this world to fulfill their own soul’s purpose.
We guard our land and uphold our boundaries — even going to war to do so — and yet we can often have almost no relationship WITH the land. Since we are not free within ourselves we cannot let the land or those around us be free. We try to control the land, harness it to make it DO/BE what we want it to be. But then we do this with each other.
I experience the land as free, freedom, timeless grace, and no matter how much we may think we control it, we never really do or will. For that I am always grateful. But I am deeply saddened by how many wild being suffer at the expense of our fear, greed, ignorance and arrogance.
I find it interesting that we want great control over OUR land, but have almost no relationship with the living land.
You are a great lady Sandra Lee. You bring out the deepest part of me, and I feel connected to you, and more connected to myself and Life every time I experience you. Bless you dear soul. All love to you, always, Robin
Dearest Robin,
The more I connect with the elements, the more I am astounding by the writing on your blog and in your book Naked in Eden.
Your words ring so true. We can ascribe any meaning we wish to the land or anything else for that matter, but that meaning comes back to impact us. I love your approach of having a relationship “with” the living land. Your point about boundaries hits hard to the core of the matter. The idea of boundaries has brought so much harm.
You have such an important message for this time. I hope you will keep singing your song in all the different ways that you do!
PS And yet, “free will” is an amazing gift because it lets us all have different life- experiences and life-lessons. We are all here learning many different things, on many different levels.
Life is a great mystery, and I am grateful for every single day.
Robin, A little mystery can be a wonderful element in our life! I appreciate how you relish the idea.