Hello!
Today I thought I’d share another excellent DVD: The Botany of Desire: A Plant’s Eye-View of the World, with Michael Pollan is a highly informative DVD based on his book of the same title. If you are like me and find your day so full that reading piles of books is challenging time-wise, then watching this DVD will give you a lovely expose of the materials in Michael Polan’s book.
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This DVD takes us on a journey in which we learn about human beings relationship with four plants: the potato, the apple, the tulip, and the marijuana plant. Michael Pollan does an outstanding job of showing how the plants use us to their own end-means! Yes, you understood me correctly – how plants use us to their own end means.
Most people have segregated themselves from nature, and the awareness that nature, in all her amazing aspects, is conscious. People tend to think that we are the ones making all the changes in the world and that nature is simply subject to our impetus and approval. This is a very dangerous idea. First off, we are emergent of nature. She is not our slave! Simply ask this one, simple question: Can nature survive without humans or does human survival depend on nature?
The DVD program gives us great insight into the industrialized farming process. It also gives us a chance to see, in the case of the tulip, apple, marijuana and potato, how our industrialization of these plant crops may well be the reaction to an impetus originating from the plants themselves. Just as the flowers use the bees for their intimate sexual activities, which is essential for our survival, in this program, we get a glimpse at the very real possibility that many plants may be using us to their end. Hopefully, they have a better plan than we do!
I invite you to join me this weekend in meditating on all the experiences you have with plants and food in general. How would your life be different without apples, potatoes, marijuana, or beautiful flowers, like tulips? I know mine wouldn’t be the same.
I personally feel much joy food brings me when I invite it into my being as a co-contributor and creator of my life, which always becomes recycled light, love and energy – ” life” once ingested. As we share in this meditation, please consider that just like we need a safe environment to live, grow and experience life, so too do the plants (insects, animals, etc)!
May we all become aware of our responsibility as stewards and co-creators with the plant (and animal) kingdoms.
May we become as loving, compassionate and responsible for nurturing them as they have been with nurturing us!
Love and chi,
Paul Chek
