Nature and the Pursuit of Life: Transforming Life Amidst the Changing Leaves

It is amazing what some quiet time in nature can do to bring more answers to our perceived problems in life. As autumn moves in and the trees begin to turn colors, I have found that this healing effect of nature is magnified many times over. There is something energy lifting and even soul restoring about the sight, smell, and feel of the peak colors in northern Michigan. No matter how wound up you feel, no matter how bad the situation may seem, some time spent in the changing colors of northern Michigan will elevate the soul. So many times throughout life I have turned to the colors to help bring more direction and meaning to my life, and so many times I have found what I am looking for. If you have not experienced color changes that represent this level of natural power, then you are robbing yourself of a transformational experience. It is truly God’s country at its finest.

As I pull past the road sign informing me that I’ve entered Antrim County, I feel a surge of butterflies in my stomach and immediate stress relief coming on. I have been going hard, burning the candle at both ends as of late. While I feel some decent zen in my life, I have been undeniably stressed and a even a bit dulled to nature, as sad as that is to admit. The colors are simply exquisite as the reds, oranges, and even purples pop out and captivate me. I am in up north in Ellsworth, Michigan to spend a couple of days in a tree stand for the 2012-2013 opener of archery season and this recent tension has me in dire need of such a retreat . I take a deep breath and say to myself “thank God, I need a little northern Michigan color change and some pure air to breathe in for a while,” and a satisfied grin comes over my face. I pull into the farm ready for some good grub, a perfect sunset and a little chill time before the hunt in the morning.

It was almost 10 AM when I stepped out of the woods, threw off my camouflage jacket and safety harness vest, set my bow in the backseat of the truck cab, and decided to hop in the truck bed and color gaze for a while. It was a solid first morning hunt, as I could have arrowed several deer, but did not see the big guy I was looking for. I turn my cell phone off so nothing will interrupt my peaceful state, sit back and stare out into the sky. I tune into the power of what is occurring in nature and I am immediately awestruck by its radiance. I love how this happens time and time again with nature. Just when you assume that you know what it is all about, you become more captivated than ever before by its abundant beauty and energy. I can feel the stress begin to clear out and positive thoughts come to me. Nature offers us this opportunity to clear out tension by merely being one with it. After another day of this I will be recharged and ready to hit the battlefields of business and jump back in ready to rock.

If you feel like stress is pulling at you or if you need a big answer to a life problem, get out in nature and let the answers flow to you. If you are in need of some fresh perspective or are searching for something nature has you covered. Life in a tree stand deep in the woods is about way more than just hunting – it is about absorbing all of the wonderful connective energy that radiates from the woods. There is no time where that flow is more abundant than when the color change is taking place and we transform alongside it. Go and be present and breathe in the fall and absorb that positive natural force and let it guide you to the best destination. You will not be disappointed.

David Farbman

The only thing typical about my life is the non-typical nature that I appear to live in. I firmly believe in the natural order of the world, and I find that this belief helps to navigate me through life, business, and relationships, resonating with my soul. I am in flow with nature and the universe in this way. I blog in an effort to pass on a message about the connections between nature, hunting, and life. Within that realm lies an authentic, clearer path to universal connectivity that I try to live in. The answers to many of our desired outcomes can be found there. My desired outcome is to successfully pass on the ideas, wisdom, and karma that come to me because of my connection with nature and the universe. As this script unfolds in my life, I want to share and help others while adding to the greater good of the world. Many people claim this, but I truly mean it and I bring it into action every day I am on this earth--or at least I sure try. I learned to hike, camp, canoe, horseback ride, fish, and sling arrows at a very young age. A spiritual connection with the outdoors came to me as a little boy and the power of this connection has greatly increased over my lifetime. As a hyper-active person since birth, nature has always settled me down and focused me in while helping me tap into thoughts and ideas that exist within the ether. By thinking, feeling and then willing something to happen after first opening our minds and our vision in a neutral state, we can achieve that which is otherwise unthinkable. I turned 40 years old last October and this past year has served as my catalyst year to promote change. I am in a process of self-actualization as I try to live present in each moment of each day. As part of this process, certain feelings must be turned into actions and done so with complete authenticity. I often write thoughts that come to me and in turn help others--and I believe the greatest return in life is to successfully give. I founded Outdoor Hub in 2007 along with a talented bunch of people and together we created something special. For as long as I can remember I have dreamed of doing something that would help to grow the outdoors and grow hunting--earning it the respect it deserves amongst those who choose not to hunt. I am so excited to be on this journey and I invite you into the field, to climb up a tree, to crawl through the swamps and be one with nature together. Thank you for joining me, the hunt is on...