Customer Reviews

Partnering with Nature: The Wild Path to Reconnecting with the Earth

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I am giving this book five stars for the excellent writing and wonderful nature stories -- even though the author and I are worlds apart on theology. Like many neo-pagan writers nowadays, she has a tendency to mis-blame human disconnectedness with other living beings on "monotheism." (In her case, mostly her childhood Catholicism. She says very little about Judaism. I am more inclined to blame the disconnect on the 17th-century French philosopher Rene Descartes, who thought of animals as nothing but unfeeling machines -- but that's a whole other blog.) She takes a polytheistic approach to the natural world that I, as a Jew, cannot embrace as such, athough I do share her deep love of animals and nature. But in a different way. So I need to be very clear that I am NOT recommending that my fellow Jews should worship fertility goddesses, pray to animal spirits, or set up pagan altars in their living rooms. Having said that, this book is still an excellent read if you approach it as a cross-cultural experience. Plus, there are many activities in the book -- such as map making, quiet meditation, dream journals, collages, etc. -- that are universal enough for anyone to try.

What impressed me the most about this book is Catriona MacGregor's amazing descriptions of nature. These passages read like pure poetry. She begins with her childhood when, at age four, she climbed to the top of a tree to put a baby bird back in the nest -- unable to understand why her mother and godmother were so panicked below. (She got down safely). From there she describes some incredible mystical experiences with trees and animals, including a vision of the "soul" of a huge old tree on the day before it was cut down. She writes: "The tree, knowing of its impending demise, shone forth its inner light, sharing its everlasting soul with the rest of the world." (For my Jewish readers, lest you scoff, I refer you to this passage by Elie Wiesel in Souls on Fire: Portraits and Legends of Hasidic Masters, page 145: "Once upon a time Hasidism had meant emphasis on inner truth and fervor; a return to nature, to genuine beauty, to identification. A Hasid would see a tree and become that tree; he would hear the song of a shepherd and become that song and shepherd -- that was his way of coming closer to the essence of man." The two stories are not so far apart. Modern Hasidim, however, are urbanized and have lost this connection. They have the stories but not the experience.)

MacGregor is now an environmental activist who also leads vision quests, which she calls "nature quests," a name I find most appropriate nowadays, when nature itself become something we must actively seek out. Although she bases these activities on Native American practices, they are not dogmatically ritualized and there is plenty of room for personalization. (In other words, you can do this without worshipping pagan gods or idols.) The basic idea is to set up a circle somewhere in the wilderness and spend a few days meditating there, closely observing both the natural world and your inner thoughts. Participants keep a journal of any dreams or other experiences during the quest. In the process, many people reconnect with nature in a positive way and find some new direction in their lives. (I myself did a vision quest when I was in South Dakota in 1969. It was nothing so ceremonial, just me alone, with a blanket and a Bible, on a hill the night of Tisha B'Av. Nevertheless, it was a life-changing experience for me, which I described in my book, Beyond the Ashes: Cases of Reincarnation from the Holocaust.)

Another interesting story concerns the souls of road-kill animals that she has buried and/or prayed for. I myself have often stopped to move dead animals to the side of the road, but it never occurred to me to pray for the release of their souls. According to MacGregor, animals souls, like those of people, can become earthbound if their bodies die suddenly. So, if it is safe to do so, she stops to give these animals "last rites," so to speak. In her "shamanic journey" vision, she saw their spirits alive and joyful. I must admit this story has changed my perception of road kills.

All in all, I enjoyed this book very much. It also gave me the direction for my next project: To finish writing "Notes from a Jewish Naturalist," the working title of a book I've had on the back burner for some time now. Because, as I said in the opening paragraph, I don't really think "monotheism" per se is to blame for our current environmental crisis. "Monotheism" means there is only one GOD -- it does NOT mean nothing else has a spirit. There are many beautiful, nature-oriented teachings and stories within the Jewish tradition, many of which are all but forgotten in today's urban communities. Like Catriona MacGregor, I am acutely aware of the fact that our younger generations are growing up disconnected from God's creation. (See Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-deficit Disorder by Richard Louv, founder of the "No Child Left Inside" movement.) So I think it was, as we say in Yiddish, quite "bashert" (destined) for me to find this book now. Thank you, Catriona, for giving me the kick in the butt that I needed :)

Catriona MacGregor's poignant "Partnering With Nature: The Wild Path to Reconnecting With the Earth" is a beautifully wrought synthesis of poetic spirituality and well-grounded practical fact.

Catriona creates an intriguing tapestry of thoughts and images, weaving together history, geology, scientific research, and her own profound spiritual connection with the natural world. She cites examples from an impressive panoply of resources, and adds a human touch by including many of her own experiences, both expansively global and heartbreakingly personal.

Each statement is supported by factual data and breathed into life by Catriona's own quest to share her relationship with nature with those around her. The place to start is your own back yard, suggests the author, though there is no doubt that she considers the entire planet and every plant, animal, and person upon it to be worthy of care and connection.

She combines an intimate knowledge of the invisible world of energy and spirit with concrete statistics to show our "fall from grace" and the dangerous downward spiral that we have created through our alienation with the natural world. She argues eloquently that we need nature as much as nature needs us. She speaks convincingly of Earth as teacher, habitat, and salvation, asserting that our connection with the natural environment provides both a portal to the divine and the tools that we will need to preserve our planet as a habitat for humankind.

The author entices the reader into reconsidering his or her own relationship with nature. She includes simple, accessible practices that will enable us to improve the quality of our daily lives, to be more in touch with our habitat, to reduce our footprint on the earth and ultimately to save our planet and ourselves by connecting more with our natural world.

She concludes by gathering together the many threads of wisdom offered up by her book and leads us gently but inexorably to her conclusion.: We as a race will not thrive, evolve or even survive, unless we return to partnership with our earth. She urges us to reclaim the strength of our connection with nature on both a personal and a planetary level.

"You are a different person if you are filled with the warm rays of the sun, the clarity of the blue sky, the soaring hawk." Says Catriona in her final paragraphs.

You will also be a different person after you have read this book. The images of Catriona's vision will flow through your mind and dance through your heart long after you have finished reading "Partnering With Nature: The Wild Path to Reconnecting With the Earth"

-Amy Racina
Author "Angels in the Wilderness"

I began to glance over Partnering with Nature with the intent to see what I would be reading the next few weeks. Before I knew it, I was turning the 70th page! The book is effective and is eloquently written. In this age of technology, stress, and commotion, Partnering with Nature makes you pause, take a deep breath, and transports you back to your roots. Catriona's personal accounts are written in such a manner that she leads you on a powerful journey. It is as if the reader is standing right next to MacGregor, experiencing the same sights, thoughts, and emotions. There is a great deal of uncertainly in these times, predominantly about our children's future. Catriona re-awakens the youthful imagination, and imparts a much-needed optimistic outlook for the future. Partnering with Nature offers invaluable avenues of healing; opportunities to restore ourselves and Planet Earth.

Partnering with Nature is an astounding work that brings together ecopsychology, natural sciences, shamanism, history, spirituality, world myth and transformative nature-connecting techniques that will not only change the character of one's thinking but will, if applied in relation to natural phenomena, change the character of one's Being while living on this beautiful planet. It is a marvelous work of depth and vision.

Replete with moving personal accounts, an array of relevant quotes from world authorities, and clear instructions on numerous methods of reconnecting with what is for many a lost natural heritage, Partnering with Nature is a book that delivers what is required to establish a solid footing on the path to renewing and/or invigorating one's intimate relationship to the natural world.

Of the scores of books I have read concerning re-establishing our connection to nature Catriona MacGregor's Partnering with Nature is certainly within the top 5 percentile. Clearly written by someone who is obviously and deeply in love with the natural world, Partnering with Nature is approachable, inspiring, practical, and even enlightening. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Buy this book. Read it. Relish it. Apply it. Then ... allow Nature to enfold you once again.

Not being a theoretical sort, Catriona MacGregor's personal stories and the book's lovely illustrations are what make this book stand out for me--by the end of it, you will no longer feel guilty for taking the time to go on a long, slow stroll in the woods--in fact, she makes a strong case for the absolute necessity of activities like this in our current disconnected-from-nature lives. This is a book to savor, especially now that it's spring. Read a chapter a day, give yourself and, if you are a parent, your children some time outside. It will change your life.

A beautiful and poignant expose about how we as individuals are not only connected with one another but with every aspect and breath in this universe. Catriona MacGregor connects scientific evidence of this relationship in parallel with the spiritual realm of our being and living on this planet. With griping stories and powerful illustrations, the message of this book resonates as undeniably true and real; something we need to awaken to, recognize and and pay attention to in order to save the precious world in which we live. Catriona MacGregor creates a compelling and heartfelt storyline that is impactful and important for everyone to read and absorb.

I loved this book and will return to its gentle encouragement, simply effective meditations, and presence again and again. It is a gem.

The world has become more complex and industrialized, and humans are losing their connection with nature. Being in tune with the seasons, the plants, and animals was what gave our ancestors the ability to survive. But even though we may not need to hunt for food anymore, that connection to nature helps us thrive, even in this modern society.

Catriona MacGregor has always felt a strong affinity for nature. Now she leads adults and youth on quests, in the attempt to bring our spirits back into alignment with the natural world. In Partnering With Nature, she shares some of her insights on why we still need to stay in tune with nature, and how we can do this, given the constraints of our current lifestyles.

Global warming is a real threat to us and the animal population. We continue to destroy natural habitats and pollute our land and water supplies. We've finally realized the destruction we're causing, and we're trying to reverse these alarming trends. But we also need to fully connect with the natural world, in order to heal the planet and ourselves.

In looking at the earth as Mother, we create a new relationship with her. When we act from love, rather than greed, we can restore her to health. And in restoring her, we restore our own souls. Partnering With Nature is a strong reminder that we need Mother Earth as much as she needs us. We have a responsibility to protect her, and her survival is key to our own.

Reviewed by: Alice Berger

`Partnering With Nature' by Catriona MacGregor is a passionate, poetic call to each and every one of us to awaken from slumber, open our eyes and begin to see the environment as our ancient ancestors did. The time has come to relearn what we have forgotten and envision a symbiotic, holistic world that requires relationship and mutual reliance between all forms of life (animate and inanimate) to work together before it's too late.

The environmental movement is growing and books on the impending ecological crisis are plentiful. However it has been my experience that a great number of books on the subject generally seem to fall into one of the two following categories:

1- The massive scope of the problem is presented is such a grandiose way as to leave the reader feeling overwhelmed, depressed and impotent. The audience is left with the feeling that the problem is simply "too big" and no matter what they do it won't make a difference, or...

2- The presentation is too fluffy or "touchy-feelie" thus eliciting a powerful emotional response, but leaves the reader with no directions or roadmap by which to assimilate the provided material into their everyday life. To be of value what is learned must not only lead to personal transformation, but contribute to a desperately needed worldwide paradigm shift, albeit one person at a time.

I believe Catriona MacGregor's `Partnering With Nature' avoids both of the above mentioned pitfalls and presents one of the clearest, integrated, interdisciplinary approaches to the subject matter that I've come across. A vast array of disciplines come into play in the author presentation and she exhibits a high degree of expertise in dealing with the material. Everything flows together so beautifully and effortlessly; Gaia consciousness, environmental ethics, shamanism, interspecies communication, plant therapy, holistic health, energy fields, resonance theory, Platonic solids and Jungian psychology just to name a few.

An impressive feat indeed, however the real key to the success or failure of her presentation is making this knowledge applicable, making it experiential. This just happens to be where Catriona excels. The personal experiences she sprinkles throughout the book subtly become our own by the inclusion of exterior and interior exercises designed to make us aware of the "true nature of things". Observational techniques, ritual activities and consecration of sacred spaces, visualization exercises and imaginal musings all open the reader to vistas and realities that have always been there but ignored. Here lies the essence of the transformational power of MacGregor's work. Thank you Catriona, a wonderful achievement indeed!

This book is a good reminder of what life should be about, we are over stimulated in our lives today by technology and the daily grind. This books asks you to remember to see the world outside in nature. To really get outside for ourselves and our children so we can find passion in the lives around us in the trees, ocean, forrest, and animals that surround us but we forget to see.