Smells and Bells

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 me...

Touch is imperative to human survival. By the way humans use touch, it can be used as a different language. When people meet each other a handshake can often be the first transaction of socialization. Similarly, people who are attracted to each other can be seen holding hands. Both hand touching interactions are similar, but are seen as different interactions. Touch in the right way can allow a deeper dialogue between people. https://www.elitedaily.com/dating/holding-hands-relationship/1803205 I think that there is more to touch than that humans like to be touched. Based on our natural biology it is sort of hardwired into us that we need touch and physical attention. Because humans are mammals and do not produce large bouts of offspring, we take more time and energy into the care of our young. With this focused attention, touch is a major role in raising a child. In The book, A History of The Natural Senses , Ackerman points out a really interesting point that babies that were...

In David Abram's The Spell of the Sensuous  he defines magic, or the 6th sense as human being's ability to connect with nature by shifting their consciousness. Abrams suggests that the ecological dimension of experience is often overlooked and labeled as "superhuman" experiences by Western researchers. He claims that what might appear "superhuman" is actually the very authentic connection that human beings can cultivate with nature. Therefore the mysteries of nature can be explored by people who let their consciousness move more freely beyond the boundaries of society and out into the natural world. Abram explains that indigenous cultures often have shamans, healers, or magicians who live on the edge of the village. The reason for this is that these individuals have chosen to function as the bridge between human society and the forces of nature. He writes that what defines a shaman is "the ability to readily slip out of the perceptual boundaries that...

Yesterday was beautiful. It was warm and sunny and as lovely as any day has been this spring. To take advantage of the weather before the rest of the week was marred by daily rain, I decided to go for a walk. I brought some tinder and some dry wood with me and set out for one of my favorite fire pits -- one that is pretty set back and secluded feeling, especially since the trail is being slowly reclaimed. My plan was to set a small fire and soak in the beautiful sights and sounds of nature. However, I encountered one sight I didn't expect. Right at the entrance to the clearing, maybe 10 feet in front of the fire-pit  was a fresh deer carcass, its black eyes still staring at the trail, at me. I won't supply a picture, of this or any other dead deer, but I think its enough to say that this was a little bit unsettling. It was obviously a fresh kill, a day or two dead, tops. It still had most of its fur and only one large wound. My first reaction was, of course, sadness and a cer...

We all have times when we don't feel like ourselves. I think a lot of seniors are feeling this way right now- anxious, confused, stressed, emotional- the list goes on. Yesterday I woke up feeling strange, almost disconnected from my surroundings. In this weird transitory time, I wasn't surprised, but I was unsure of how to shake this feeling and come back into my body. At lunch, my roommate and I grabbed one of the desserts from the dining hall because it looked appealing. However, upon smelling it and savoring its taste, we came to the conclusion that (like many foods here) it did not taste at all like what it was meant to be. That's when it hit me- focusing on the sensory experience of trying a bite of the dessert brought me back into my body. My mind came down from the cloud that it was on and I felt more in tune with myself. I knew what to do from there. Some people use religion as their primary means of reconnecting with themselves, while at the same time experiencin...

I thought that the St. John's Passion by Bach was a beautiful piece, which I really enjoyed listening to. However, despite the swelling music and beautiful singing, the experience didn't feel like a religious one to me. Perhaps this was because it was in a language I don't really understand and about a gospel I don't really believe in, but I could tell there was something more to it than that. If ritual is a mode of paying attention, then this piece of music clearly represents this mode in both its composition and its performance. It is religious music, but I didn't feel it. This is obviously not a shortcoming of the music, but a matter of what I find religious, what I feel compelled to pay attention to. Listening to this beautiful work of religious devotion, yet feeling no religious experience caused me to realize how personal a religious experience is, and I began asking myself some questions about what I do find religious, and what it means to find an exp...