Nature and the Sixth Sense.
In The Spell of the Sensuous, Abrams discusses the role of nature and how different indigenous groups establish their relationship with nature. Abrams begins the section "Of Tongues in Trees" by quoting Socrates. Socrates held the claim that trees have nothing to teach. We all know how much of a bold statement this was, and obviously Socrates couldn't have been more wrong.
Abrams writes, "In indigenous, oral cultures, nature itself is articulate; it speaks. The human voice in an oral culture is always to some extent participant with the voices of wolves, wind, and waves". This quote is really insightful and paints a strong mental image directly linking everything together. Abrams goes on to elaborate, "There is no element of the landscape that is definitively void of expressive resonance and power: any movement may be a gesture, any sound may be a voice, a meaningful utterance".
Although Abrams does a successful job at explaining what he means with examples, part of me thinks some of this could just be use projecting onto nature instead of appreciating nature for its own unique qualities. Nonetheless, it is impossible to deny our intertwined fate with nature. Not only do we benefit from nature, but without it, we simply could not exist.
I often find myself feeling calm, and at peace when I'm in the woods surrounded by trees and the sound of birds chirping. I think the way in which some religions and cultures have these beliefs about humans taking the form of animal or plants fits within the 6th sense. Long ago, or at any point in "distant time", some beings were animals and some animals were beings. I never considered this theme of shape shifting, or transcending boundaries to be within the 6th sense before, but surely it must.
In our current climate, I worry that many have forgotten our dire connection to nature and wonder when people will once again listen to it. As Abrams includes in his section, ironically said by Socrates himself, "the first prophetic utterances came from an oak tree".
Abrams writes, "In indigenous, oral cultures, nature itself is articulate; it speaks. The human voice in an oral culture is always to some extent participant with the voices of wolves, wind, and waves". This quote is really insightful and paints a strong mental image directly linking everything together. Abrams goes on to elaborate, "There is no element of the landscape that is definitively void of expressive resonance and power: any movement may be a gesture, any sound may be a voice, a meaningful utterance".
Although Abrams does a successful job at explaining what he means with examples, part of me thinks some of this could just be use projecting onto nature instead of appreciating nature for its own unique qualities. Nonetheless, it is impossible to deny our intertwined fate with nature. Not only do we benefit from nature, but without it, we simply could not exist.
I often find myself feeling calm, and at peace when I'm in the woods surrounded by trees and the sound of birds chirping. I think the way in which some religions and cultures have these beliefs about humans taking the form of animal or plants fits within the 6th sense. Long ago, or at any point in "distant time", some beings were animals and some animals were beings. I never considered this theme of shape shifting, or transcending boundaries to be within the 6th sense before, but surely it must.
In our current climate, I worry that many have forgotten our dire connection to nature and wonder when people will once again listen to it. As Abrams includes in his section, ironically said by Socrates himself, "the first prophetic utterances came from an oak tree".
I completely agree with what you said about people forgetting our connection to nature. I think there is so much beauty in nature that is ignored and we need to listen to it and connect to it. I feel that many people have a lost a sense of connection to nature and view it only as a resource.
ReplyDeleteYes, there is a danger in projecting personhood onto nature, but then again, there is a danger in not allowing for its possibility. Don't animals, plants, and fungi communicate with one another, and sometimes even with us, even if differently from the way we communicate?
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