When we live in more urbanized areas, it’s considerably more challenging to connect to the Spirit of Place, to nature, and to the ancestors (I am using the term here to signify those who used the land before us). I find, though, that even in the heart of Nature, in places like Maui, many non-local people are frequently not taking advantage of the opportunity to connect.

Connecting to the energy around us allows one to feel more in harmony. It’s easier to feel like you fit. That’s one less thing to be fighting, and your environment, your habitat, is a pretty big thing.

If you live in a more urban environment, there are still ways to connect. Take up gardening, even container gardening, of native plants.  Look for the natural feature of your locale, frequently a river, that carries the lifeblood energy, the Spirit of Place. Learn about the history of how your town or city was built, about the people who shaped the ethos of where you live, and about who lived there before that. Explore. Join or even start projects to clean up negligence and thoughtlesness. Show an interest, make friends with your habitat, and it will make friends with you.