When was the last time you hugged a tree? Believe it or not, I’ve spent the last couple of days doing just that. Remember a couple of weeks ago I recommended that we all spent at least 21 seconds a day hugging someone (or a pet) that we care about for our own physical and mental health? But what about trees? Ever since I finished a book titled Braiding Sweetgrass, the act of connecting deeply with nature has become so much more necessary than I ever realized. So, while I don’t know if any of you reading this will ever be motivated to do the same, I wanted to at least invite you to consider how important that connection could be to both your wellbeing and that of Mother Earth as well.
Several months ago a friend highly recommended a book to me. Because I knew it concerned nature and the environment, I thought it would be a good book to read during our summer stay in the mountains. The book, Braiding Sweetgrass—Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teaching of Plants written by Robin Wall Kimmerer fit perfectly. There is something soothing about sitting outdoors in the shade of trees while reading a book that counter-balances months of sitting in front of a computer with the buzz of air conditioning in the background. While I suspected this book offered far more than just another book about the environment, I was surprised by how it touched me emotionally—and yes, changed how I relate to the living world around me.
As impressive as Kimmerer is as a celebrated professor of biology at the State University of New York, it is her poetic voice and background as a native American woman that makes this book so resonant and wise. Her view of the world, nature and all living things is colored by that upbringing and perspective—and she effectively offers a collection of stories about native history and her scientific knowledge, combined with her own personal insights in a way that make nature and the environment come alive.
Kimmerer said in a recent interview, “Most people don’t really see plants or understand plants or what they give us, so my act of reciprocity is, having been shown plants as gifts, as intelligences other than our own, as these amazing, creative beings – good lord, they can photosynthesize, that still blows my mind! – I want to help them become visible to people. People can’t understand the world as a gift unless someone shows them how it’s a gift.”
Using her love and understanding of Native Culture she explains what we have lost as a society when as a nation we aggressively did our best to eliminate that wisdom and teachings. Not only did we nearly wipe out their language—which people use to think, explain, and find their place in the world—we did our best to separate the native societies from their connection to the land. While the loss to Native Cultures is obvious, the loss to our western society appears even more tragic.
What are some of those losses? Interestingly enough Kimmerer explains how the English language is made up of approximately 30% verbs. In contrast the Potawatomi use 70% as verbs. Why does that matter? Because verbs insinuate something that is alive. Instead of referring to everything other than humans or animals as commodities (nouns) that can be used or abused, the Potawatomi use a grammar of animacy. Animacy sees most things as alive and addresses the living world as family.
Plus, ever notice how we only capitalize nouns that we respect—Kathy, Idyllwild, California—all are distinguished by a capitol letter? Meanwhile, dogs, birds, trees, apples, blueberries are just things to be used or consumed. In fact, when you begin to consider how we use language to indicate life and agency, it becomes obvious that western culture does not see the planet and nature as alive. As long as something remains an “it” we can own, use and abuse it. Instead, when we begin to think of trees as a “her” or a “him,” it changes the way we think about them. And yes, that makes us think of them as alive.
That is just one insight I take away from this book. Another was the constant reference to how our relationship with Mother Earth and all plants and animals is reciprocal. Believe it or not, Native Cultures teach that nature needs us as much as we need her. While that doesn’t seem obvious considering the state of our world today, Kimmerer insists that even if our gratitude is all we offer her, Mother Earth needs our appreciation, respect, and yes love for her own wellbeing. Instead of offering a creation story where humans are “just visiting” a planet until they can get back “home,” Instead, Native Cultures origin stories teach that the planet was created by humans to sustain and nurture one another. Big, big difference if you think about it.
A re-occurring theme in the book is our deep connection to all plants, animals, and the entirety of nature. That “relationship” exists whether we are aware of that or not. She says, “What I do here matters. Everybody lives downstream.” One important way to keep that relationship strong is making gratitude a constant offering. When living in gratitude we focus on the gifts that Mother Earth gives us—air, food, places to live, beauty, one another—and constantly reaffirm that. When we truly live in a state of gratitude we live in a consciousness of abundance where you already have everything you need.
There is so much in this book to share that it is tempting to keep throwing out some of Kimmerer’s gems. But I don’t want to mislead and pretend that this isn’t a challenging book to read. Although poetic in nature it requires a person to pause and consider as you go. Not only did it take me an entire month to read it—once you finish it you can’t help but be changed. Every story she includes is melodic and juicy and takes a while to absorb. And while I rarely get emotional when reading nonfiction, there were several times I finished a chapter with tears in my eyes.
However, although Kimmerer does offer several tragic stories of how our overly commercialized and mechanized culture is working to destroy much of the life all around us, it isn’t a book designed to scare or shame us into behaving. Instead, she returns over and over to relationship, reminding us that we all take care of those beings we say we love. She says, “Knowing that you love the earth changes you, activates you to defend, protect and celebrate. But when you feel that the earth loves you in return, that feeling transforms the relationship from a one-way street into a sacred bond.”
Finally, Kimmerer points out that most of our environmental fixes are just that—Band-Aids to fix something we don’t believe is alive in the first place or something we needs to fix to keep using it. Instead our best bet for our future and generations to come might be to change our understanding of reciprocity, aliveness, gratitude, and relationship to all things on the planet as living beings. While overall it is an enormous task to contemplate, it might be SMART to start by just going outside and hugging one of your sister trees.
I love nature and am deeply appreciative of her beauty and healing power, but sometimes I do forget that the Earth is alive. It changes your perspective and your behavior to keep that in mind. Thanks for the reminder Kathy.
You know, Kathy, we didn’t love our new neighborhood, until we found the wooded walking paths. During the lockdown, it was my walks and sunsets by the pond that helped me keep my sanity. When I had Covid, I would take a daily walk early in the morning, when nobody else was out (and I brought my N95 and a bottle of Clorox spray, just in case!). I often considered that the earth was alive. I think being in nature really helps keep us grounded.
I really liked this post, Kathy. It spoke to something I’ve felt and deeply believed in for a long time. Although I’ve had an affinity for trees for as long as I can remember, I credit my long-time hiking partner, Helen, for introducing me to the energy of the earth itself. Helen not only hugs trees, but the large rock walls we encounter on our nature travels. From her I learned the practice of thanking them … and occasionally apologizing for our human sins.
I haven’t read this book, but you can be certain it is now on my reading list.
Hi Joanne! Glad you liked it…and it’s so interesting to be conscious of thanking nature on a deeper level since I’ve started this reading this book. I suppose it’s like that with all gratitude but I’ve really felt better about everything, nature certainly, but my life and everything going on as well when I remember to do it. Rocks, trees, bushes… the list is endless if we think about it. I’m also working on doing it with my food. The author is big on that too. Thanking the food that nourishes us has been around forever obviously, but only recently did I start doing my best to do it often. Imagine if every one did it? Hmmmm… nice thought though…
Let me know what you think of it once you read it….and “thank you” for your thoughts on it! ~Kathy
Hi Kathy, I wholeheartedly agree how important it is to connect with nature and Mother Earth. I have put this book on my reading list. I appreciate your description “…combined with her own personal insights in a way that make nature and the environment come alive.” “Animacy” is a new word to me. My interpretation is it is very different from “Anthropomorphism” yet the terms overlap. You make great points, Kathy, how we can all make a difference.
Hey Erica! Thank you but I do think you’d like this book because you are such an outdoor person. (Still thinking of that great post with photos of you on the beach with everyone!) And yes, the way I think she explains it is that animacy is different from anthropomorphism in such an important way. It really plans with your head when you start thinking of all the flora, fauna, trees and animals as our relations. Definitely making our time here on the mountain better in so many ways. Thanks for your thoughts on this. (and hope t see you soon!) ~Kathy
Thought provoking post, but I’m not sure I buy her approach. We capitalize things because they are names, not because we like them. We capitalize Hitler and Stalin and (ahem) Trump not because we respect them, but because they are names. We capitalize Earth when we refer to the planet; but not when we refer to earth as dirt. I’m full-in with saving our environment; but I’m a pragmatist. I think the “band-aids” of solar and wind and other technologies make more sense than how we “feel” about our “relationship” with nature. I see too many people who claim to love the environment who then drive gas-guzzling SUVs and hop of a gas-guzzling jet planes to go see (destroy) the latest tourist spot before it sinks beneath the rising oceans. (Oh boy, I guess I’ve got my “harrrumph” on today!)
Hi Tom! I hope you know I appreciate your comments because if questions or thoughts come up for you, chances are good others have them as well. As far as language difference though, it is incredibly hard to communicate a complex idea that she probably took an entire chapter explaining and synopsize it into a paragraph–so it is likely that I didn’t explain it well enough.
But while I do think the band-aids that are currently being explored are steps in the right direction, they don’t fully help to address the underlying issues of why it has been so easy for our industrialized world to pretty much rape and pillage nature as we saw fit. I can’t help but believe that until we start changing the mindset that makes it okay to do the things we do (coal mining anyone?) then we will just keep doing our best to “manage the environment rather than heal her”. That’s why I love that quote from Kimmerer, “Knowing that you love the earth changes you, activates you to defend, protect and celebrate. But when you feel that the earth loves you in return, that feeling transforms the relationship from a one-way street into a sacred bond.”
And yeah, it is really tempting to put down others for their cognitive dissonance when it comes to climate change but VERY difficult to judge the true extent of a person’s actions from the outside looking in. I would like to believe that most people are doing the best they can. ~Kathy
Like I said, I’m more of a pragmatist; she’s more of a dreamer. I think we need both.
Good way of putting it Tom. As for me, I’m clearly an optimist! 🙂
Optimist? Me too, definitely!
Thanks Kathy. You’ve inspired me to get the book! Warm regards, Mary
Hi Mary. You’re welcome. And I would love to hear you thoughts on it if you come back and add to this comment when you’re done. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. ~Kathy
Hi Kathy, This sounds like an awesome book! I agree that we need to think about nature and the earth as alive and that with reciprocity, we will all benefit. The Native culture is so rich in tradition, history and nature. From natural treatments to being one with the world. I have to agree with her that we, as a Western society, have lost something by not learning what they offer to share.
What a fantastic idea to make it required reading! I think that would help conscientiousness to be expanded and gratitude to be put in the forefront instead of in the shadows. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this amazing book and your experience of reading it. Have a great weekend!!
Hi Debbie! Glad you found the post interesting. I agree that it would be great if it could be required reading on so many levels. I would like to believe that if we could embrace more of Native Cultures ideas and practices we would not only see the tremendous value of nature but also actually be moved to be more loving to our planet. But like most things I suppose, “The change I wish to see in the world begins with me. ” Thanks for your thoughts on this. ~Kathy
I loved this, Kathy, from your friend, the Yosemite Nature Girl (at least that what my car’s window sticker says). After reading a fellow blogger’s horror story about her husband’s delay in getting treated for a dental emergency, I can see how affected we are (in the US) by our lack of knowledge and understanding about how nature influences our health. I posted a few weeks ago about my delight in seeing wild sunflowers popping up everywhere on our new property–arrowleaf balsamroot. They are considered toxic weeds by locals but the entire plant is actually medicinal and edible. I haven’t attempted to ingest it by mouth but they do provide a feast for my eyes and therefore my soul. Thanks fo sharing your views on nature. June is “great outdoors month” so you are doing it right!
Hi Terri aka: Yosemite Nature Girl! You have me curious about what blog post you mention and how it caused a dental emergency??? But I guess I’m not surprised. Obviously I think the natural world has a lot to teach us but I am extremely ignorant about all the ways it can. And your story about the sunflowers is a great example. Who knew? As you say, even if all they do is “provide a feast for my eyes and therefore my soul,” that is a tremendous gift. Thanks for sharing that. ~Kathy
What a great post! Thanks!
Thank you Deb! I’m glad you liked it. 🙂
Kathy – I am putting this book on my list TBR for sure. And I am a tree hugger – but thanks for this reminder to be more grateful to nature! I think I might just begin naming my indoor plants too.
Hi Janet! I love your idea of naming your plants! And if you read it, it will definitely give you a much stronger sense of our connection to everything in a subtle and important way. I’d love to hear your thoughts when you finish and keep hugging those trees! ~Kathy
Hi, Kathy – I greatly appreciate you sharing this book with us — and it’s important insights. What you shared does make me stop and think. Even though these key points already are in sync with my own belief system — there is so much more that I can learn and do in this area. Thank you!
Hi Donna! It sure did ramp up my view of the natural world. It’s so easy to forget that fine line between commodities and natural gifts. I personally loved how she made me think of nature as “family” and that will stay with me forever. Glad you liked it. ~Kathy
I was so glad I read this book. Even with the parts that got a little long or hard to read, I was always rewarded with some fantastic insight in the end. I’ll keep her perspective with me forever. 🙂
Hi Michelle, Thank you so much for referring it to me. I agree that it did bog down (NPI) a bit past the mid way point but as you say, it still contains such awesome insights and ways to look at things. I agree that it will stay with me too. ~Kathy
I have a copy of Braiding Sweetgrass and heartily agree, Kathy. It is a beautiful, lyrical treatise on nature that should be required reading.
Deb
Hi Deb! I’m not surprised you’ve read it at all. Wouldn’t that be awesome if it WAS required reading. And I so loved the story of the school where they started each week with a long prayer of thanksgiving for the plants, the animals, the water, EVERYTHING…and then wrapped up the week with the exact same thing. Such a contrast with the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance, huh? ~Kathy