Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
animistic or panpsychist undercurrent that has much in common with the ideas of the
highly influential American thinker Gregory Bateson (1904-1980), for whom the whole
of nature is a vast interconnected “mind” that exists by virtue of the information flows
between all of its components, even those that are not alive in the biological sense. For
Bateson, an ecological community is a coherent being with its own emergent “mental”
state that arises out of the sum total of all its interactions. He pointed out that our human
proclivity for rational thought interferes with our ability to intuitively perceive the “pat-
tern that connects”—a deeper reality that we can only reach through the appreciation
of
beauty
. Bateson's way of seeing the world echoes that of Aldo Leopold, for whom
beauty was a guide to right relationship with nature. If this is correct, then in order to
fully understand (rather than explain) the profoundly animate quality of Gaia's ecolo-
gical communities, we need to complement reason with the knowledge given us by our
sensing bodies, by our appreciation of values and by our intuitions. Only then are we
capable of perceiving the beauty of the living world around us.
Biodiversity Symphony
Go outside into your nearest area of relatively undisturbed nature. Spend some
time taking in the sounds, sights, touches and smells around you. Regard them all
as communication from the animate Earth that surrounds and enfolds you. Relax
deeply as you absorb these messages.
Now walk about slowly and become aware of the different species around you, be
they plants, animals, fungi, algae or microbes. Never mind their names, or the de-
tails of their biology, just spend time sensing each being as an animate presence,
as a living creature engaged in the self-display of its own particular innate qual-
ities. Does it make any sounds? What colours, shapes and textures is it present-
ing to you? What emotions does it evoke in you? Regard each species as a living
personality; consider your interaction as a two-way communication between two
sentient beings. Do this for as many species as you can, for as long as possible.
When you have absorbed as much detail as you can, find a place (preferably on
the ground) to sit or lie down. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Al-
low all the impressions you have gathered from all the beings you have met to
meld into an emergent appreciation of the life of the ecological community as a
whole. Feel the invisible connections that tie the species that you've encountered
into a coherent oneness. What does the quality of the whole 'taste' like? Is it dry
