Imagine for a moment you’re on a woodland walk; the sun’s rays are streaming through the trees and light is glinting your eyes, the sound of a woodpecker rattles in the distance, and undergrowth crunches as you walk down the woodland path as you smell the aromas of pine and soil after the recent rain. Your body is energised and relaxed. You breathe deeply and smile with a sense of peaceful contentment. When we walk in nature it’s relatively easy to feel peaceful, connected, and whole. In contrast, when we’re in other environments, rather than experiencing wholeness, we spend many of the precious moments of our lives feeling fragmented, limited, and separate.
The word “whole” comes from the Old English “hool” meaning healthy and entire and in modern use, means undivided and complete. So, what does it mean to experience wholeness and what keeps us from not experiencing it?
Let’s start with some important facts about what it is to be human that we tend to forget or ignore in our culture. Our body has over 100 trillion cells that work together in interdependent systems that keep us alive and healthy. Our brain has around 100 billion nerve cells that connect thoughts into conscious awareness, with, as far as we know, an unlimited mind. And we have over six senses to bring the world to life. We’re social animals, so are happier when we feel connected with others and belong to a social group.
We’re also connected with wider society and the whole of the animal kingdom. For instance, we share 96% of the same DNA as chimpanzees and bonobos. Science tells us that humans evolved as part of our planet’s development and that we are as much a part of the earth as any other living organism.
So, what makes us separate and disconnect from nature? One reason is not fully understanding and appreciating the complexity and wonder of what it means to be human. Instead, much of the time we identify with a sense of self that is informed and limited by the prevailing values and culture of Western consumer society. This includes the view that we inherited from our recent ancestors, that the rest of life and nature is an abstract thing that we can exploit with little consequence. But there are consequences, including mass extinction and the climate crisis.
In our culture, especially in cities, we tend to see people as “other” and forget that other people experience highs and lows and have a complex inner life just like our own. In the distant past as hunter-gatherers, we lived in small, tight-knit social groups of up to 150 people. We have only lived in densely populated cities for 250 years. In 1800 only 3 percent of the world’s population lived in urban areas, by 1950 this was 30 percent and is now around 56 percent. Many positive changes are shifting our society towards greater wholeness. For instance, post-pandemic, many people have moved out of the city to the countryside to reconnect with nature and find a bit of peace.
Another thing that causes separation is our unconscious habit of mind-wandering, which means that we spend roughly half of our waking lives in an abstract world of thoughts, off in the past or future and away from our experience of the present. Similarly, with modern technology, we now have another level of distraction and separation in our smartphones.
None of us set out to experience separation and disconnection. We’re only human and get caught up in the consequences of our modern lifestyles. Here are some ways we can use mindfulness to compensate for and adapt to these challenges:
- Using open awareness and kindness to others and ourselves.
- Seeing other people as just as yourself, who experience highs and lows and have a rich and complex inner life.
- Take a break to re-balance yourself by focusing on your body and breath when you notice that your mind or emotions are scattered or agitated.
- Spending time in nature, even if this is a pot plant in an office or looking out of a window at the sky.
Our modern lifestyles in big cities and the use of technology like smartphones nudge us towards separation and disconnection. It’s not that either is inherently bad; it’s just that we need to be aware of and compensate for their downsides. By practising mindful awareness, we can reconnect with our body and senses and experience wholeness, which enriches our lives and contributes to our health, happiness, and well-being.
Suggested weekly practice
- Be playful and use curiosity to explore the interconnection and interdependence between your body, emotions, mind, and senses. For instance, can you become aware of the places in your body that resonate with emotion, as well as notice the thoughts that arise from it?
- Notice when you experience fragmentation in your thoughts and feelings. Take a break and connect with your body and senses and embrace a sense of wholeness.
- See other people as just like yourself, experiencing highs and lows and with a rich and complex inner life just like your own.
Guidance
Find somewhere undisturbed and sit in a comfortable, dignified, and upright posture, where you can remain alert and aware.
There are two guided practices for this session. You can close your eyes, or lower your gaze while the meditations play.
- Play the first settling practice, then read through the session content, which you can print off if that helps.
- Then play the second practice to explore and experience wholeness.
