FANA-FI-GAIA

Beltane, May 1, 2026

19th Quarterly from the Ziraat Council

Notes from the Council

Excerpts from Hazrat Inayat Kahn

THE LOVER OF NATURE IS THE TRUE WORSHIPPER OF GOD

A true worshipper of God sees His presence in all forms, and thus in respecting others she respects God. It may even develop to such an extent that the true worshipper of God, the Omnipresent, walks gently on the Earth, bowing in her heart even to every tree and plant, and it is then that the worshipper forms a communion with the Divine Beloved at all times, when she is awake and when she is asleep. (Bowl of Saki August 13).

NATURE 



Anyone who has some knowledge of mysticism and the lives of the mystics knows that what always attracts the mystic most is nature. Nature is his bread and wine; Nature is his soul’s nourishment; Nature inspires him, uplifts him, and gives him the solitude for which his soul continuously longs. Every soul born with a mystical tendency is constantly drawn towards nature, for in nature that soul finds its life’s demand. As it is said in the Vadan, “Art is dear to my heart, but Nature is near to my soul.” (Nature Meditations)

A Story

THE WIND AND THE GHATS

Hazrat Inayat Khan spoke of tuning into each of the elements and archetypes of the natural world to create deep and meaningful meditations with Nature. While he suggested many specific meditations, we can of course find our own personal connections with each of the forces of Nature. I recently had an extraordinary experience with the Wind during my latest wilderness journey, in which the archetypal force of the Wind showed up in a big way – bringing me deep insights and radical personal transformation.

Hiking into the backcountry of Canyonlands, my friend Azad recited the famous Rumi poem about the wind and the gnats, which was beautifully translated by the late Coleman Barks (https://rumidays.blogspot.com/2011/01/gnats-inside-wind.html).

In this story the gnats approach Solomon complaining about the wind. The gnats seek justice as the “champions of the oppressed,” from the relentless cruelty of the wind. Solomon listens respectfully, but insists on hearing the other side of the story. Solomon then summons the wind, which instantly blows away all of the gnats. Rumi provides an interpretation of this story as the wind blowing away the nafs (self ego) of the seeker which must die before she finds union with God. But after Azad told this story, I just knew there was some specific personal meaning in it for me.

After a few days in the wilderness, I sat for my morning meditation and found myself very annoyed by all the gnat bites on the back of my head. I finally realized that the gnat was my totem animal for my journey. They represent my analytical, monkey-mind, over-thinking that often prevents me from enjoying the present moment. So my gift was to let the wind come into my life and blow away all that worrying. Shortly after I had this epiphany my friend got the scissors out of the first aid kit and cut off all my hair! What a feeling of freedom!

Now the Wind is my touchstone for letting go of all the nagging worries that distract me from my true path. And of course, the Wind is also the breath! Respire profundo! Breath in the freshness of the wind and breath out all that needs to be let go of. 

And my friend asked, “Why the neck?”  Well for me the neck is the place where emotions get stuck on their way up to my head. So, it is the seat of all this worrying. The fresh wind on the hairless back of my head is helping me clear all of this away. 

The wind is also helping me finally find my voice! I can practice using the wind to help me speak up. It lets me know that I have something important to say, that I have something important to sing. I am not going to hide with my head bent down straining my neck anymore. I am going to stand tall and let the wind carry my words strongly. I’m gonna let it out and shine – speak my truth with a full voice. Thank you Wind!

Spiritual Backpacking

SPIRITUAL BACKPACKING

Most backpackers I encounter strap a 50-pound pack on their back and head off to hike 10 miles a day on crowded trails. Through decades of perfecting the spiritual art of backpacking, I have developed practices which are immensely more enjoyable. First I cut the weight of the backpack in half, and then I hike into one spot and stay there for a week. I have heard many hikers talk about the “three-day effect,” where the peace and tranquility sink in only after a few days out – and I agree the amount of time out in the wild is very important.  Often when I first arrive in a place of beauty, it’s not obvious at first. But with an open heart and a still mind I can really see the beauty.  And there are many different practices which can deepen our connection with that beauty. 

*      Yoga and meditation in the morning Sun 

*      Meditating with a tree.

*      Singing to the flowers 

*      Dancing to the sunrise 

Solo trips are special, but I mostly enjoy backpacking with a couple friends (which is also safer). Then there is the opportunity to really check in with each other, opening our hearts to our deepest feelings, fears and joy. The solitude of the wilderness helps us dig deep into our life’s journey in a retreat-like setting away from our daily lives. My companions provide safety and wisdom, and there is plenty of time for solo experiences. When we get it just right, the trip gives us unbounded spiritual freedom.  

Ziraati in Action

THE SOLAR CLOTHES DRYER – The Joy of Clothes Lines

Using a clothesline to dry your clothes is a fantastic way to save energy and improve quality of life at the same time. A typical electric dryer uses about 5 kWh to dry a load of laundry – that’s enough electrical energy to drive my car 25 miles! There are some 90 million clothes dryers in North America, which collectively release millions of tons of greenhouse gases every year. And the beauty of this energy-saving method is how enjoyable it is – you get to be out in the fresh air and sunshine instead of folding your laundry in a stuffy house. 

For modern humans most of the wear on our clothing is from washing and drying them, so your clothes will last longer if they are line dried. And if your clothesline is in the sun, the UV radiation from the sun will help disinfect your clothes. If you don’t have a spot to hang a clothesline, there are many types of metal folding clothes drying racks which will work indoors or outdoors.

You can find lots of tips about solar clothes drying in an article by Wendy Priesnitz in Natural Life Magazine https://www.life.ca/naturallife/0712/clothesline.htm

While line drying laundry is a no-brainer in Europe and other parts of the world, 60 million Americans live in places where it is actually illegal to line-dry laundry outside. If you live in one of these areas, I suggest you put up a clothesline in protest and fight it all the way to the Supreme Court!

How War Impacts Climate Change and the Environment

Few things fuel the climate crisis quite like war.

https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/how-war-impacts-the-environment-and-climate-change/

Practice

SURRENDER TO THE MYSTERY

Dorothy Maclean, the cofounder of Findhorn, meditated on the Plant Devas in her garden and received the message that from a high state of higher consciousness we can work together with the plants. Through this connection, the gardeners at Findhorn were able to magically grow giant vegetables on what was thought to be very poor soil. I believe that this now-famous story also works in the other direction. When we are open to the spirit of the plants, they fill our souls and help us grow into the blissful being that we are meant to be.  

To experience this sublime connection with Nature, find a beautiful spot to sit – in the garden, the mountains, the canyons, or by the sea. Sit quietly and let the beauty fill your heart and every cell of your body. Breathe in this beauty and merge with this beauty, allowing our divine nature to simply be. 

As John Muir wrote, “Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into the trees. The winds will blow their freshness into you, the storms their energy, while cares drop off like autumn leaves.”

With a sense of surrender, we can awaken to the Beauty in front of us. This concept is embodied beautifully in a song written by my friend Annie Burns:

https://open.spotify.com/track/0cJbhfxK2gPAjniDDZlVBd?si=9fa479066df94dda

I surrender to the Mystery

I awaken in the Beauty