Blogger 2 David Abrams's Spell of the sensuous intro

  Blogger 2

David Abrams's Spell of the sensuous has become my favorite reading we have done in class thus far. 

This blog will pertain to the intro because these pages are where I fell in love with his interweaving of ecology and philosophy. 


A few quotes that hooked me from the get go: 


For the largest part of our species' existence, humans have negotiated relationships with every aspect of the sensuous surroundings, exchanging possibilities with every flapping form, with each textured surface and shivering entity that we happened to focus on. All could speak, articulating in gesture and whistle and sigh a shifting web of meanings that we felt on our skin or inhaled through our nostrils or focused with our listening ears, and to which we replied—whether with sounds, or through movements or minute shifts of mood. The color of sky, the rush of waves—every aspect of the earthly sensuous could draw us into a relationship fed with curiosity and spiced with danger. Every sound was a voice, every scrape or blunder was a meeting—with Thunder, with Oak, with Dragonfly. And from all of these relationships our collective sensibilities were nourished.


This exert hooked me because it reminded me of my moments of peace when I'm engulfed in a sunset or admiring the strength of a storm rolling in. when I feel the breeze, smell the air, and hear the symphony of birds and buzzing bees. I feel most whole when I'm surrounded by nature. It's my greatest teacher and reminds me how connected i am and when my senses are all engaged is, when I'm most present at home in my body and, in return, at home on this planet, knowing its divine timing. I used to feel like those moments were a secret. With the hustle and bustle, we only get a glimpse of peace when the universe reveals her self to us.. now I see.. it's no secret. It's merely a reminder. Those moments are there and have been all along... one only needs to be open to receive them all. 


A sensuous self is a conscious self. 


Look up.. put the phone down...there's a world out there.


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