A Place that Respects Gaia

The week of July 10, 2017 was one of torrential downpours at Merry Mount.  The topography of this part of Madison County is very flat which allows us to view our “Big Sky”, but doesn’t allow water to run off quickly.  The water level is generally high, so when we receive over 8 inches of rain in a relatively short period of time, flooding occurs.  We were approaching flooding stage last week.  The water seems to have released a fungus that has invaded our tomato plants and time will tell whether the big green tomatoes will ripen before the plant dies.

We humans like control, and when we are faced with situations over which we seem to have none, we become uneasy and often look to forces beyond our control for answers, remedy, or solace.

I was reminded of a dialog I read in a short book entitled, Chaos, Creativity, and Cosmic Consciousness, ISBN 0-89281-977-4, by Ralph Abraham, Terence McKenna, and Rupert Sheldrake, in which the three men discuss Divine Imagination and Gaian Mind.  Gaian Mind?  Who is Gaia?  I googled and here is what I found: from Greek Mythology, GAIA (Gaea) was the goddess of the earth. She was one of the primoridal elemental deities (protogenoi) born at the dawn of creation. Gaia was the great mother of all creation--the heavenly gods were descended from her through her union with Ouranos (Uranus) (Sky), the sea-gods from her union with Pontos (Sea), the Gigantes (Giants) from her mating with Tartaros (the Pit), and mortal creatures born directly from her earthy flesh. 

We often refer to “Mother Nature” (Gaia) usually at a time when the weather has become harsh.  Perhaps Gaia is responding to the abuses of man like a mother would respond to a naughty child- with a little “tough love”.  Whether or not one believes in a Gaian Mind, the issue of climate change is real. The Earth is indeed warming, resulting in often-extreme weather patterns of which we are unaccustomed.  We humans should brace ourselves, for we are in for some unpleasant, violent weather.

"Nature" is what we see—
The Hill—the Afternoon—
Squirrel—Eclipse— the Bumble bee—
Nay—Nature is Heaven—
Nature is what we hear—
The Bobolink—the Sea—
Thunder—the Cricket—
Nay—Nature is Harmony—
Nature is what we know—
Yet have no art to say—
So impotent Our Wisdom is
To her Simplicity. 

            -Emily Dickinson

In conclusion, at Merry Mount, I give thanks for the beauty around me, I marvel at the bounties of Gaia’s Earth, and I offer the following song:

For the beauty of the earth,

For the beauty of the skies,

   For the love which from our birth

   Over and around us lies,

 Lord of all, to thee we raise

This our hymn of grateful praise.

            Lyrics by Folliott S. Pierpoint (1835-1917)

CPW

P.S. More about the Gaian Mind in a future post.