Nature is such a good teacher. It teaches us that all things are completely interdependent and interconnected. Nothing can come into being without the influence of other things. Without a cloud there can be no rain, without rain, the trees cannot grow and without trees we cannot make paper, chairs, tables. In that piece of paper we can also see that there is sunshine, if the sunshine were not there the woods would not grow, in fact nothing could grow without sunshine. If we look deeper we also see the logger that cut the tree and we see that he/she cannot exist without food, and so the food and it’s origins, the loggers mother and father are all in that piece of paper. We can see also that we are in it too. The ‘piece of paper’ is part of our own perception, our own mind. Everything co-exists. That piece of paper is, because everything else is.

So when we ‘realise’ this truth of co existing we see the fullness of everything. We relax those self/other boundaries and become much more in tune with how things really are. We see that the earth element outside of our body is essentially the same as the earth element in our body, the water element out there is the same water element as in here, the same is true of fire/heat, air, space and consciousness. These elements are not ‘me’ or ‘mine’ they are just elements.

Dharma Woods offers us a place to see these truths for ourselves through experiencing them directly in relationship with nature. Elizabeth and Rob, the owners of Dharma Woods have a generous vision for these woods to be a shared place for people to be. A place of spiritual practice, a place of community, a place where family and friends can come together and share otherwise separate parts of their lives as well as intensive practise retreats. This is a place where work can be shared such as chopping wood, clearing the pool, pulling thistles as well as creating things and areas such as platforms for meditation or creative quiet spaces, as well as a place for play and relaxation.

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