I don't do the equation stuff either... although I won't hesitate to grab a book on the subject that is full of them. There's still some great reading in those books. I wanted to be an astronomer or theoretical physicist when I was finishing high-school but math bored me to tears... among other things. Still love the subject matter thankfully.
And as for gazing at trees and at the world around you, while trying to understand it all? It did help me to understand part of a Nietzsche quote... "And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." You can't attempt to understand it all, to take it all in, openly, honestly, truthfully, without bias... without your own being as part of the equation. Nietzsche basically says... like yourself or not, you will know the truth of yourself. Be prepared for anything.
edits: the grammers