There is an idea churning in my mind—how plants do not want to harm us. They do not seek to conspire against our well-being, and they will not align with us indefinitely if we misuse them. There will always be dissonance when we engage with them in ways that are out of sync with our nature. But dissonance does not last forever—something always shifts.
When I expand this idea beyond my personal experience with substances like marijuana, I see a broader truth. My relationship with this plant involved discomfort, dialogue, and ultimately, a rupture—an undeniable signal that I needed to change. If we widen our definition of “plants” to include ourselves, the lesson is clear: we will not tolerate harming ourselves indefinitely. The Earth itself will not tolerate its own destruction indefinitely. Dissonance signals the need for change. And to me, that is hope.
A Pattern of Excess and Awakening
My relationship with marijuana began as a teenage curiosity and quickly became a means of escape. I was drawn to its ability to silence the over-policing of my own thoughts, to soften the sharp edges of a world that often felt rigid and unwelcoming. Over time, that escape became necessity, and necessity turned into excess.
The discomfort crept in slowly. My body grew reactive, inflamed—subtly resisting what I was doing, even as my mind tried to justify it. Twice, I experienced violent physical reactions, undeniable proof that my body was saying no.
Stopping was necessary, but I also knew that choices are never final. Years later, I returned, but with a different lens—one of reverence, curiosity, and intention. This time, I sought dialogue with the plant, not domination over it. I listened. I adjusted. I honored my body’s natural sensitivity.
And I realized: the depth, the creativity, the expansion I once sought from an external source had always been within me.
The Microcosm and the Macrocosm
Looking at my journey, I see a reflection of something much larger—the cycles of destruction and awakening that shape not just individuals, but entire societies. How often do we cling to harmful patterns, dressing them up in justifications, until the dissonance becomes unbearable?
The Earth, too, is speaking. The harm we impose cannot continue unchecked. But within that truth lies something profound: change is not only necessary—it is inevitable.
Linear waste systems and the industrial food system display a disregard of Indigenous ways of knowing that operated cyclically in active collaboration with the earth's ways. These folks need to lead the way and show the people who care about profits that this is the only thing that will save your profits and soon the warming will make your crops fail. You are being driven out by evolution your systems are not going to hold for much longer the earth does not tolerate this.
A Call to Gather
I believe in the power of reflection, of storytelling, of recognizing ourselves in one another. If this resonates with you—if you have walked a similar path, or if you see the connections between personal healing and collective change—I invite you to share.
We are allowed to speak on these things. The only prerequisite is that we care.
So let’s gather. Let’s imagine a new way forward.
As humans, as community members, as the plurality of Earth.
Sincerely,
Loving Awareness of Feelings and Thoughts
Add comment
Comments