Recognizing Our True Relationship with Nature.

Introduction.  

For generations, humanity has often viewed the environment as something separate from ourselves—a collection of resources to be used rather than a source of our very existence. Yet, nature is not something apart from us. We speak of "nature" as if it is a distinct realm we observe, manipulate, or protect, but this perception is deeply flawed and fueled by a misunderstanding of how everything truly exists. When we look beyond labels and sensory illusions, we begin to see that what we call "nature" and "ourselves" have never been separate; they are inseparable, one and the same, merely appearing as two because our senses deceive us and our mind’s labels reinforce what is not true.

Challenging the Label of “Nature”.  

Our understanding of existence is rooted in sensory experience and, therefore, flawed. We trust the labels we've been taught without questioning the accuracy of what our senses show us. As a result, we see everything—including ourselves—as distinct and separate. However, if humans and nature were truly separate, shouldn't each have its own self-sustaining existence? An honest investigation shows this is not the case. To have an individual existence, humans and nature would each require a unique, self-generated essence. Instead, we find that neither exists independently. Both are composed of countless interconnected parts, governed and sustained by external nature.

How Everything Exists. 

Humans are not singular entities; we lack an inherent nature capable of producing ourselves. Our bodies and minds are composed of infinitely smaller parts, where even the tiniest particles are not one but products of countless other elements. Without an inherent, singular nature, these parts are generated solely by external nature. This dependency also means that the so-called “product”—each particle or part—and the “external nature” that produced it are ultimately one and the same.

Similarly, our minds are not singular. Each moment of perception, feeling, or thought is a composite of countless shorter moments. Each mini-moment of consciousness lacks an inner essence and is instead a product of the preceding moment and numerous external factors, creating a continuous flow of awareness.

Everything in existence—from our bodies and minds to galaxies—exists in this way. Every particle is selfless and dependent on other parts, perpetually interconnected with the entire universe. There is no self-generated or self-sufficient entity; everything is part of a seamless, selfless whole.

Facts of Existence Are Unbiased, Not Beliefs. 

By acknowledging these unbiased facts, we can see that what we label as distinct forms—human, animal, plant, earth—are only appearances. They are expressions produced by a continuous flow of forces and processes that we label “nature.” We are not separate beings that merely observe or act upon nature; we *are* nature itself, temporarily shaped into forms labeled as “human,” “animal,” or “object.”

These labels, existing only in our minds, are not inherent in any physical form. Concepts like "us" and "Nature" are constructs with no basis in reality beyond our mental frameworks. Recognizing this shatters the illusion of separateness, revealing that there has never been a “nature” apart from ourselves. When we believe in labels like “tree,” “animal,” or “human being,” we distort the reality that these forms arise from a shared, seamless origin. The environment we see as a collection of separate objects is the same life force that creates and sustains what we label “me.” This realization deepens our sense of responsibility, for how can we harm or ignore what is, in essence, part of ourselves?

Seeing Beyond Individual Forms.  

In every tree, animal, river, or mountain, we perceive what appears as “other.” Yet, in truth, these forms are not separate, self-sustaining entities from nature. Like us, they lack an individual nature capable of generating their own existence. Each is as interconnected with us as our own bodies. Notice how all bodies breathe, digest food, and perform countless functions automatically—each body, whether we call it “me” or “a cow,” is a product of the same external forces that brought it into existence.

Differences like “tall”, “short” “two legged” or “four legged” are without individual essence; they are expressions of the same nature that creates everything and lives through them. Only our mental concepts give them separateness; in reality, they are part of a single, undivided continuum.

Recognizing this interconnectedness is not just a poetic insight but has real implications. When we realize that nature is not something separate, we begin to treat it with the respect and care we extend to our own bodies. Our relationship to the environment transforms from one of exploitation to stewardship.

The Invisible Forces Behind Creation.  

To understand this interconnectedness, consider the journey of a single particle—such as one particle of an electron. Before it became part of an atom contributing to a "human body," this particle was produced through an unimaginably vast series of smaller parts. Each part lacks its own nature and is instead a product of external nature. Countless forces and particles synchronized to create this particle, which then, through innumerable steps and influences, contributed to forming atoms.

In every particle, there is no singular, self-generated entity. Each is a composite of smaller parts, each produced by an ongoing flow of causes extending throughout the universe. Today, our bodies are a culmination of this intricate process. What we perceive and labels as "human" is composed of particles that were once scattered across the Milky Way, assembled over eons by nature's forces to form what we now recognize as DNA and living cells.

Breaking Free from the Illusion of Separation.

The perception that nature exists “out there” distances us from it, creating an illusion that has allowed humanity to harm, exploit, and deplete resources without understanding that this behavior is ultimately self-destructive. Poisoning rivers, polluting the air, or destroying forests harms ourselves. To shift this mindset, we must start seeing nature as our own being. Recognizing this interconnectedness naturally leads to lifestyles and systems that honor and protect the environment, as we come to understand that doing so is, quite literally, self-preservation.

Conclusion.

Seeing beyond labels and acknowledging the inseparability of all life forms transforms our relationship with the environment. Recognizing that there is no fundamental boundary between “human” and “nature” reshapes our sense of responsibility toward everything around us. By embracing this awareness, we move closer to a harmonious existence where humanity and nature thrive as one continuous, self-sustaining whole.