You can now officially call me crazy
“I have to deconstruct my whole belief system.”—Taylor Swift
When an author debuts a new book, interview requests begin pouring in. I’ve done six in the last week alone.
Inevitably the question comes up. So what’s next? A new book? A speaking tour?
My only guidance thus far probably sounds a bit weird. It’s a deconstruction, as Taylor Swift called it, of a popular belief system.
I’m being called to connect with trees. In this technological age, many of us (and, yes, I, too, am holding up my hand) have forgotten about our deep web of connection with nature.
My plans for 2020 are to visit, commune, hang out in some old growth forests. In the United States, a scant 2 to 5 percent are left. Because we think of nature as a commodity, as opposed to a vital piece of our community, we’re in danger of losing her wisdom.
Taz, as long-time readers of this blog may remember, pointed out that humankind is not separate from nature. Our connection, thankfully, is impossible to sever. She used the example of a grove of aspens. By all appearances, a mountainside of aspens looks like a bunch of separate trees. But in reality, they’re one big organism connected by an extensive root system.
That’s us—we humanoids and nature. We belong together. We’ve been hoodwinked by a story that claims we are independent and autonomous. The earth we inhabit is alive.
And the trees and the plants and the animals all have agency. We’re not the boss. Or at least we shouldn’t be.
I’ve spent years scouring books, attending seminars, sitting at the feet of a wide assortment of gurus. But now, I’m feeling led to learn directly from the life force that exists in nature.
Scientists like Suzanne Simard are proving that, among other things, trees are a lot more responsible than humans. They constantly take care of each other. They value relationships above all else. And as Simard points out, listening to them has the power to change the arc of the future.
Pam Grout is the author of 20 books including E-Squared, E-Cubed, Thank & Grow Rich and her latest book, The Course in Miracles Experiment: A Starter Kit for Rewiring Your Mind (And Therefore Your World).
