Beyond ordinary perception, were the words that stuck out inside my mind when I first saw this quote.

In a way, Jane Goodall's words suggest spirituality, but hers is some deeply personal and quiet kind of spirituality, not necessarily tied to doctrine and religion. I think this is because, for her, heaven is not of golden gates or choirs of angels and such, but a heightened state of awareness that can be experienced in nature.

She is not just seeing the trees, sky, water or anything else, but feeling them. Such an insight softens the lines between self and her surroundings. Goodall, in such moments, feels a sense of connection, peace and clarity that is more important than her "self." And this feels "sacred."

As such, one can deduct that heaven is not a distant idea or sight but the extension of earthly moments of awareness. From this point of view, heaven is less about location but more about our consciousness.

Did I ever feel this way, I ask myself, now. Yes, more or less or similarly, at times. Yet, in my case, I need the absolute quiet. Where I live I used to feel similar feelings as ours used to be a very quiet neighborhood with houses and their large-enough yards, until my nextdoor neighbor adopted another dog a few years ago. As much as I love dogs, this little white-furred sprite of a thing can't stop his nonstop barking, like right now, too, and it is distracting. So, I think, maybe I should be trying to figure out what the dog keeps saying all the time. Possibly, I can find some clarity in this dog's nonstop outbursts, too. But peace, I don't believe so. Still, he's part of nature, isn't he!

Coming back to Jane Goodall's words, I don't know if her views are shared by all of us, but they can be available to us, too, when and if we can stay still. That is, still enough to truly notice the messages of nature.