Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
General Christian
Recreation, Outdoors and Religion
Flickering Leaves and Glee

Flickering Leaves and Glee

Last updated on: August 11, 2025 at 12:48 pm by Teresa Blythe

0 Comments

Flickering Leaves and Glee 2025-08-11T12:48:27-08:00 Teresa Blythe

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Artist, poet and spiritual director Aline Lindemann offers this reflection on finding God in nature. Aline is an apprentice with the Phoenix Center for Spiritual Direction.

The sun shines not on us but in us.

The rivers flow not past, but through us,

thrilling, tingling, vibrating every fiber and cell of the substance of our bodies,

making them glide and sing.

– John Muir

“This!” my brother, John said making a large sweeping motion with his arm as we walked together down the fieldstone path toward the acreage behind his home, “This is God to me.”

John’s Wisconsin home sits atop a small hill overlooking a lush grassy lawn surrounded by towering evergreens. Ferns, lilies and assorted ivies thrive here and every summer, also a lavish show of geraniums. In the middle of it all, he built a large garden where bumper crops of garlic, eggplant and tomatoes abound. Mother Nature is generous here. His statement was emphatic – almost as if he was letting me know that he had found God, and he was good with it. No catechism and no judgment needed here, thank you very much. I nodded, gazed at the distant tree line where his eyes seemed to be fixed, and continued walking with him, listening as he told me about his landscaping adventures.

His proclamation reminded me of the words of Thomas Keating, who once told a story of walking through a grove immersed in silence until all of the sudden, the trees “burst into action” as if standing in ovation. “The whole place was just exploding – leaves and branches in glee!” And then, he said with a smile broadening across his face, “fortunately, some humility awakened in me and I realized they are not waving at me – they are waving at God in me. So, I waved back.”

Thomas Moore said we have all the spirituality we need – it’s up to us to recognize it. Notice it. This awareness doesn’t have to take place in a cathedral or holy site. If we wait for a spot at the altar before recognizing divinity, we are missing out on a lot. Closeness and communion with nature feels good because it is a reunion; humans, plants and water are connected by the greater energy that created us – we are one. God is present in every particle. No nature, no God. Know nature, know God. Knowing this conjures a peace that is beyond understanding; it is divine.

****

Guest posting today is Aline Lindemann — an artist, poet, educator and spiritual director living and working in Eastham, Massachusetts.

Aline has a Post-graduate certificate in Religion and Education (Harvard Divinity and Extension Schools) and holds a Master of Liberal Studies with concentration in Religion, Culture and Health (Arizona State).

To learn more about the spirituality of the arts work she does, visit her website at https://www.alinelindemann.com/

Recreation, Outdoors and Religion

Home and Religion

nature

Uncategorized

Previous Post

July 9, 2025

Accepting the Easy Task

Next Post

September 18, 2025 Visit from an unexpected Spirit Messenger

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"God is all knowing, so He kows in advance that Mary is the mother He ..."

Frank Holzhauser

How Many Before Mary? An Advent ..."

"This is such a helpful and detailed guide for anyone considering spiritual direction training! I ..."

Nick Tsai

Choosing a Spiritual Direction Training Program

"Spiritual Direction is becoming corrupted by people who want to monetize it and turn it ..."

Stephen

What You Need to Know About ..."

"I'm formed in the ministry of spiritual direction centred on the Spiritual Exercises of St ..."

Michael de Stoop

Two Styles of Spiritual Direction to ..."

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Advent angels Anne Lamott Christmas church leadership clergy contemplation contemplative Christianity Desert Fathers and Mothers discernment election evangelicalism faith freedom guru healing interfaith dialogue Lent love Martin Luther King Jr media mind body spirit mystic Nativity nature new year's resolutions parables peace pluralism prayer prayer practices religious diversity resurrection Rules for Prayer Rumi saints sexual abuse spirit spiritual direction spiritual discernment spiritual mentor spiritual path spirituality stewardship Super Bowl terrorism theology transgender Uncategorized violence visioning vocation

Select a Month February 2026 December 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 June 2024 May 2024 March 2024 February 2024 December 2023 July 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 September 2022 August 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 October 2021 September 2021 July 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz