People love the movie, Avatar, because it illustrates that nature has consciousness. For 40,000 years, humanity knew that nature equals life. They honored the air, water, land, plants, and animals that gave them existence. They viewed everything in nature as sacred, and they worked with nature's laws to sustain life. They saw themselves as part of nature and spirit, not as having power over nature. They connected to their Creator, the Great Spirit, through ceremonies that followed the cycles of the seasons. Shaman and healers continue to commune with the energies of stones, animals, and plants, and to shift energy by balancing the four elements (earth, air, fire, and water). 
            We have all experienced a sense of peace and connectedness when gazing at the stars, or when taking a few deep breaths as we listen to the birds in the forest. We know that nature grounds us and restores us. Deepening our awareness of what occurs in the natural world opens us to receive greater guidance and healing. Here are some ways that you can expand your relationship with nature:

1. Try wearing different stones to create a desired state, such as malachite to ground you, or amethyst to increase your spiritual sensitivity. Imagine a conversation with the stone, asking it to bless you with that energy. You can read about the properties of stones in Love is in the Earth, by Melody.

2. If you encounter a certain animal with great frequency, look it up in a book on animal medicine (a Native American term) to discover what message it has for your life. For example, the owl typically symbolizes transformation. Because it flies silently at night, it is equated with dreaming. It sees well in the dark, and is, therefore, associated with mental clarity, visionary work, or telepathy. Meditate and ask yourself, or the spirit of the animal, what message it holds for you. Learn more about animal medicine from Animal Speak, by Ted Andrews.

3. Notice what plants you feel happiest around, and research their properties. My friend, Susan, used to say, "Peppermints make me smile." Physically, peppermint is used to calm an upset stomach. I suspect Susan responded more to its energetic quality of stimulation. Plant Spirit Medicine, by Eliot Cowan, is an excellent reference.

4. Sit quietly outside. Notice when the winds shift, or what species of bird perches near you, or in what direction the whale jumps (East signifies new beginnings, for example). Meditate on what nature is teaching you at that very moment.

5. Keep objects that symbolize the four elements in your living or work space, so that you feel more balanced?a pine cone or stone for earth, a piece of coral or shell for water, a feather for air, a candle or lava rock for fire.

6. Practice 'becoming', wherein you become something else, like a tree, bird, spider, or a rock. If you've chosen a rock, hold it in your hand, and imagine becoming it. Feel its firmness, texture, coolness, durability. Think of how rocks last for centuries. Think of all the events a rock has witnessed. Think of the ways they have served humans. Think of the lessons that rocks teach us

If these activities inspire you, you can explore further by experiencing a shamanic journey (mediation to drumming or rattling), or a ceremony (like the medicine wheel or sweat lodge).