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In the lap of nature

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“Mother’s lap & Nature’s lap are the only places where we feel free from world’s hustle and bustle.” I could not agree more when I came across this quote for the day in social media.


As a family we enjoy travelling and exploring new places. Being in a country like Australia, relaxing on a serene beach watching over turquoise blue water, venturing on a walking trail, a stride in a park are simple activities which are accessible, economical, and easy to incorporate in daily lifestyle. Being amongst the diversity of the living organisms and experiencing the natural terrain is a feast for soul.

As parents, Santosh and I always want our child to form his bond with nature. Letting our child feel the moistness of the beach sand under the feet or trickles of the dew on the grass were our ways of giving him experiences to be one with nature. Every opportunity we get to step out, we opt to be outdoor, being in nature. As the child grows so should the experience. Is there a better way to inculcate this gratitude and love for nature?

When you are in company of friends who are brilliant yet centered and grounded there is no dearth for inspiration. Once such friend is Rukmini Iyer who is a leadership coach and corporate trainer. She always shares a synopsis of her sessions. Along with her thoughts will be a creative “Nature Mandala”. An expression which always reflects her gratitude, her relationship with nature, her experiential journey inside and outside. Her nature mandalas have always been inspirational and reflective for me.

Taking a leaf of inspiration from my dear friend, I thought it was an ideal way to nurture and imbibe the love of nature in my child. Not long ago, I started our family journey with nature mandalas. Vivaann, my son, and I made a few honest attempts to create nature mandalas. We made a simple mandala of seashells.  It is amazing to see your child consciously look out for similar pebbles and shells, and then trying to make a symmetrical arrangement of seashells with ocean pebbles and then offering a little prayer, “Thank you ocean and thank nature for a beautiful day.”

Today, out of nowhere while running in the backyard, Vivaann suggested we make a nature mandala. We did that activity when we went to a new place. But why not in our backyard? I suggested that with world going through troubled times with Corona Virus, shall we offer a prayer of strength through nature mandala? My suggestion was accepted.

Here’s our nature mandala of pinecones for all our families, friends, and fellow humans. A note of gratitude for we are alive today to see a new dawn. A prayer to protect everyone from the wrath of the virus. May the nature give the energy to conquer the battle of life in lockdown. We wait to celebrate our interconnectedness once again. May the nature imbibe in each of us the sincerity to love, protect and respect the freedom.

Creating blissful experiences with children, amidst nature, even if it within your own home or backyard, will bring in the positivity and calm feeling of being in the lap of the nature. Give it a try!

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