In nature that soul finds its life's demand...

The priest gives a benediction from the church; the branches of the tree in
bending give blessing from God.

Bowl of Saki, by Hazrat Inayat Khan

Commentary by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan:

Anyone who has some knowledge of mysticism and of the lives of the mystics knows
that what always attracts the mystic most is nature. Nature is his bread and
wine. Nature is his soul's nourishment. Nature inspires him, uplifts him and
gives him the solitude for which his soul continually longs. Every soul born
with a mystical tendency is constantly drawn towards nature. In nature that soul
finds its life's demand, as it is said in the Vadan, 'Art is dear to my heart,
but nature is near to my soul.' ... nature itself is the glory of God.

The deeper we look into life the more it unfolds itself, allowing us to see more
keenly. Life is revealing. It is not only human beings who speak; if only the
ears can hear even plants and trees and all nature speak, in the sense that
nature reveals itself, reveals its secret. In this way we communicate with the
whole of life. Then we are never alone, then life becomes worth living.

What appeals to us in being near to nature is nature's music, and nature's music
is more perfect than that of art. It gives us a sense of exaltation to be moving
about in the woods, and to be looking at the green; to be standing near the
running water, which has its rhythm, its tone and its harmony. The swinging of
the branches in the forest, the rising and falling of the waves, all has its
music. And once we contemplate and become one with nature our hearts open to its
music.

When a person begins to see all goodness as being the goodness of God, all the
beauty that surrounds him as the divine beauty, he begins by worshipping a
visible God, and as his heart constantly loves and admires the divine beauty in
all that he sees, he begins to see in all that is visible one single vision; all
becomes for him the vision of the beauty of God. His love of beauty increases
his capacity to such a degree that great virtues such as tolerance and
forgiveness spring naturally from his heart. Even things that people mostly look
upon with contempt, he views with tolerance. The brotherhood of humanity he does
not need to learn, for he does not see humanity, he sees only God. And as this
vision develops, it becomes a divine vision, which occupies every moment of his
life. In nature he sees God, in man he sees His image, and in art and poetry he
sees the dance of God. The waves of the sea bring him the message from above,
and the swaying of the branches in the breeze seems to him a prayer. For him
there is a constant contact with his God.