Reconnecting

     There is nothing a people person loves more than an unplanned reunion with a friend from long ago. Or seeing a loved one after a long period of no holidays. For humans, the sight of a loved one, to be in their presence, is essential. Diana Eck argues that in Hinduism, Darśan is a type of communion between deities and worshippers; seeing in this way must be essential for Hindus to reconnect with their beloved gods. Eck also mentions that Darśan is never solely a visual experience but rather involves all senses. The communication between worshipper and deity provides an experience beyond the five senses, reaching into the sixth...

    David Abram argues that humans have lost their touch with the living earth, resulting in devastation of our natural word. While some consider the gift of shamans and sorcerers to be a supernatural one, connecting our human world to another dimension, Abrams argues that their power lies within their ability to connect to the natural world of plants and animals. As a natural scientist with her own appreciation for the natural, I recognize that humans are largely disconnected from nature and thus our perceptions of it are altered. On the other hand, activities such as gardening can reconnect us to the Earth and the soil, reminding us what matters in the end. 

    This is why farming is my "sixth sense". It provides a spiritual experience like no other in which I can talk to the Earth, the plants, the roots, the stems, the leaves, the air, the water, and the soil. It reminds me where I come from and where I'll end up when I am gone. It teaches me to reconnect to the natural world by caring for the living things that rely on me to weed them, water them, and sometimes sing to them. I believe this is one of the ways I fulfill my need for reconnection, as Eck and Abram argue are so essential.