The Practice of the Wild Post 2: Tawny Grammar

Snyder during page 65 of Tawny Grammar, talks about the idea of uncritical scientific discovery and how we are quick to believe what is revealed. He also mentions how we believe we are “rootless” and that we do not think with our surroundings but rather by our own brains capacity. I think the point he is trying to get across is that without our surroundings we would not know what to believe and be able to have any kind of relevant thought process. Pretty much everything we believe can be described as a result of what we surround our self with, whether it is positive or negative.

I think another aspect of this section is his attempt to show a need to feel more connected. This feeling should not just be to our family or our local town, but to all that surrounds us: our dialect, the people around us, the culture, and of course, our natural surroundings. He emphasizes feeling loyalty to glaciers as an example, to be able to feel that this glacier is more than a big chunk of ice, but to view it as part of the world that we live in and gain some sort of a connection.

The Practice of the Wild Post 1: Nature as a Teacher

On page 25 during the Etiquette of Freedom chapter, Snyder talks about the wilderness being a ferocious teacher, and mentions how the “inexperienced are stripped down.” I view this as wilderness imposing humility onto those who have never experienced it. Knocking someone off their high horse, if you will. Wilderness to me describes something that transcends control, especially that of humans. It is not that wilderness is trying to punish those, but merely to show them its power and existence. By stripping someone down of their power and ego, that they might have carried in there, it allows this person to be more open to new ideas and gives them the ability to get out of self. Humility in my eyes is thinking of one’s self less, so here we have an idea that nature provides an escape for the human from selfishness and self-centeredness.

Snyder also talks about how some of the mentioned characteristics such as humility, gratitude and simplicity are the keys for a close-ness with the world as a whole. Attitudes like this are part of realizing that we are in fact part of a bigger picture, whose scope is far greater than anything we could imagine.

Experience of Natural Setting Post 2 - The Beach

I have always found something to be special about any type of beach. I primarily have spent much of my time in the Outer Banks in North Carolina. Here I have spent days lounging with the crowds during the days and enjoying the water, but also have found release from the chaos at night, by myself. The sounds associated with the beach really do provide a calming effect. The water crashing back and forth is natural in every sense. The water has not been changed like the landscape of the land by housing buildings or parking lots. It is free in every sense and devoid of any type of human control. It is that which is truly wild in my eyes. That which does not conform to any rules but its own, and sets them for its surroundings.

Looking out at the ocean brings an overwhelming sense of “small” to me. Being able to view this vast area and knowing that It goes on for so long really makes me feel tiny and trivial to not only the water but also to the world. It shows me that I do not rule the world and cannot control it in any sense. But that I am a mere inhabitant, only a small piece of the puzzle in the long run, and the only aspect I can control of nature and the wild, is my perception of it.

Topic of Choosing 3 - The Wind

I have reflected earlier on sacred as an individual idea and I found that certain topics can be sacred to me alone and no one else. An aspect of nature I have always viewed as sacred and special to me has been the wind. Wind seems to many as a natural occurrence but I feel that at times it actually speaks to me. I have experienced the wind blowing over my body during times of meditation and prayer and felt as if it was God letting me know that he was listening. I have always enjoyed the physical feeling that the wind provides to me in the sense of touch. I also felt as though the wind talked to me through the vision of trees rustling and leaves blowing across my path. A unique smell has also been present at times and last but not least is the sound to my ears of hearing it whip around.

The wind has meant much to me usually during solitude outside, when all is quiet and all is still. When the wind is the only thing I feel that is surrounding me and bombarding my senses, I feel an unusual sense of peace and serenity, especially during meditation. It is sacred in the sense of the way it makes me feel and also the message it gives to me. It lets me know that I am not alone in this world and provides a sense of humility since I can’t control or comprehend it besides the feelings that I experience

Topic of Choosing 2 - Reflection on Passover Meal

I found the class on the holiday of Passover and the meal representing it to be quite interesting. I really don’t have much background on Jewish holidays or practices, so it was good to learn something new and broaden my horizons. I found a parallel between Jewish and Christian culture in the sense of the food having a unique representation of the different aspects of their belief systems. The background that was given on the feast and its meaning seemed very relevant to their faith, and also very sacred in the sense of being a religious ritual. To someone not included in the religion, this is merely another meal, but to the Jewish community this is a celebration of religion and triumph over hardships and a way to express gratitude.

Continuous Harmony Post 2 - God: Creator vs. Ruler

In the last paragraph of page 35, Berry talks about the differences in the views on God the creator vs. God the ruler. This was an interesting passage to me because of the strong view Berry takes on the God the ruler idea. He mentions how this concept was the embodiment of a tyrant, like the tyrants who created him. It goes back to the concept that the peoples vision of God was created in the human image, and what they determined as right and just. He makes reference to the revealed laws, which can be viewed as what we perceive God’s will and rules to be.

This says to me that Wendell Berry rejects the standard view of God that religion has laid out. It sounds like he is more concerned with God as a creator figure because that is what he views as more natural, more free of human influence and corruption. The view of God by most religions is really tailored to what the people want God to be. Nietzche tended to be very critical of religion for this matter, and view it as a man-made creation.

Continuous Harmony Post 1 - Aliens in Nature

“This country is an unknown place suffering the invasion of a people whose minds have never touched the earth” p. 47

When I first read this it was easy to see the power in this statement. The wording was so strong and the message was even stronger. When reading the passage leading up to this, Berry paints a picture of beauty and freedom when describing nature and then cynically refers to it as the enemy in “man’s war against nature.” When reading this it made me stop and think about his reasons for making such a bold statement. After pondering this idea, I would almost have to agree. In my lifetime I have areas of beauty being completely bulldozed in order to accommodate larger houses, strip malls, and Walmarts. The sad thing is that to me this almost seems normal. I have grown up in a society where land is cleared and not much fuss is made about it unless perhaps it is a historical site.

It seems that our motivation and desires to expand what we believe is right, what is more natural to us than a field or a forest, has put the ways of the wild at odd and as our enemy. Berry even mentions the “alien army” which refers to the expansion of the American economy in my eyes. He really seems to feel strongly about the way we approach nature more recently. Another part of this passage that jumped out at me, was him describing places of “unforced loveliness”. I really like his choice of words because when I think of the term unforced I do think of something being natural. It emphasizes the way which we push our culture and create what we think is right, when the true natural goes to ruin.