Welcome! I am a contemplative thinker and photographer from Colorado. In this blog, you'll discover photographs that I've taken on my hiking and backpacking trips, mostly in the American West. I've paired these with my favorite inspirational and philosophical quotes - literary passages that emphasize the innate spirituality of the natural world. I hope you enjoy them!

If you'd like to purchase photo-quote greeting cards, please go to www.NaturePhoto-QuoteCards.com .


In the Spirit of Wildness,

Stephen Hatch
Fort Collins, Colorado

P.S. There's a label index at the bottom of the blog.

Monday, February 17, 2014

A Spirituality of Frosted Trees


Last week, a hike up toward Arthur's Rock revealed Ponderosa Pine trees heavily frosted with ice - a beautiful sight!  I thought immediately of the parallels the scene offered to the inner life.  The trees represent our own stillness and rootedness in the sacredness of Mother Earth - our love of Her and of the Larger Whole. The coldness of the air, by contrast, stands for the purity of our detachment from the false self - the ego that is all closed in on its own concerns and needs.  And the atmospheric moisture embodies the ever-present abundance of God's grace.  I find it fascinating to realize that whenever love for the Larger Whole and detachment from the claustrophobic ego-self are present, Divine grace automatically crystallizes in our lives, bringing with it an amazing display of beauty and radiance!

Photo: Ice-covered Ponderosa Pines, with Arthur's Rock as a backdrop; Lory State Park, CO; February 10, 2014

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