Resonating with Creature Consciousness
Dear Metapsychonauts,
This week we begin our series on Creature Consciousness with an essay by Kaleiheana Stormcrow, titled “Creature Consciousness is Resonant,” which reflects on the rich tapestry of sounds and sights, songs and languages, that make up an original forest—specifically, the painfully decimated and declining forests of Hawaii.
“A secret symphony resounds in the forest,” writes Stormcrow, and… “This resonance is the language of the earth, and relationships are maintained through resonance.” Moreover: “Birds play a vital role in the resonance of the forest, and we can hear their symphony.”
The essay goes on to explore the amazingly complex and fascinating assemblages of bird consciousness in the forest—but not only birds; also moths, dragonflies, butterflies, bats, all “manu,” which refers to any winged creature, “the flying beings in our earthly realm…” with whom we humans share an ancestral relationship that goes back over 300 million years.
As so many native species have gone into an extinction vortex in the short time since European colonization, we forget the ecological and imaginal functions of the birds at our own peril, not only as seeders and pollinators, but also as deified ancestors, intelligent informants, and contributors to our mental health: “If our last native birds go extinct, which parts of ourselves will go with them?”
With as much poetry as science, as much elegy as honoring, “Creature Consciousness is Resonant” is a fitting start to our series, which will continue weekly through the end of the year. Please leave a comment on any of these pieces if they resonate with you. We really appreciate it.
Also published this week: another kind of resonance, in the new poem by Maía titled “Last Guitar,” which echoes with the songs of the poet’s beloved guitars over a lifetime, and the haunting spirits which have danced through her fingers.
Dedicated to the famed string-picker Django Reinhardt, the poem begins:
My first, Amarilla—cost me a hundred bucks,
I went hungry at that price, but she and I would pass
whole weeks without speaking to a soul,
inventing songs for the sailing one—the little girl
in my belly who later on would refuse
to fall asleep without cello or violin on the turntable.~
While she slept, a second child kicked under my ribs—
Amarilla and I played on. I remember the night
you, mi gitano, drifted in like a scrap of soot from the stem
of my midnight candle—I heard nameless notes,
constellations like clouds shifting under my fingers,
the strum in your throat drove me on
til sun lit the curtains.Then one dark spring dreaming of freedom
it happened—Amarilla smashed
before my eyes, like a wineglass, on Calle Ventada—
slapped from my arms to the pavement
by a jealous husband—a tiny splinter of yellow
lacquered pine, all I kept of her.
Continue reading “Last Guitar”…
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Finally, this week, we are proud to announce a new release through our imprint, Untimely Books:
Born during WWII in the Netherlands, Andrea van de Loo experienced a traumatic childhood, with her father’s past as a member of the Nazi SS casting a long shadow over her life. Despite these challenges, she embarked on an inspirational journey toward healing and self-discovery. Her search for self took her across the globe, where she found solace, purpose, and community.
Encompassing eighty years of the author’s life, The Pressing Stones guides readers through a deeply intimate and emotional journey, exploring family, relationships, sexuality, spirituality, motherhood, psychedelic therapy, addiction recovery, and the generational impacts of war. It also presents a personal portrait of life in Auroville, the “City of Dawn,” dedicated to the spiritual visions of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother.
This poignant portrayal of one woman’s courage and determination to follow her inner guidance, and overcome her childhood trauma, is a testament to the power of consciousness and the human spirit, inspiring readers to find their own paths toward healing and fulfillment. Andrea’s story illustrates how freedom, joy, peace of mind, and happiness are possible, as we face our deepest truths and emerge from our darkest tribulations.
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To learn more and purchase the book, visit ThePressingStones.com.
Also, if you’re with the media and would be interested in reviewing the book or interviewing Andrea, or you belong to a book club and would like to invite her to speak with your group, please contact info@untimelybooks.com.
As always, we welcome your support and hope you’ll sign up to become a Patron of Metapsychosis, and learn more about Cosmos Co-op.
With gratitude,
Marco V Morelli
Editor-in-Chief, Metapsychosis journal
Co-Creator, Cosmos Co-op
@madrush: on Mastodon | on Infinite Conversations
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