[Laurence Burrow]

This has been a problem since philosophy began: how to express “the ineffable”. Traditionally it was mystics who said they couldn’t contain their experiences in language, such as Rumi who said “Can the ocean be contained in a cup? The pen broke; the paper tore…” yet Maurice Merleau-Ponty experienced similar when attempting to describe our immediate relationship to and in the phenomenal world in an embodied way. It sounds like a fascinating project: good luck with it!

[Steve Parry]

I had an experience after several days of silence on a retreat which opened a new mode of ‘sensing’ the world and people around me. Perhaps it’s an example of how language can get in the way of understanding. Because it was so powerful at the time I had to spend some time later explaining it to those I was close to.

[Zoe Joncheere]

Hi Steve,

I definitely sense that silence brings us closer to experiencing true reality. It seems that many indigenous cultures (from the past) talk much less than we do. They feel comfortable with sharing silence – we need to organize retreats for that. 😉 When they do speak, it is not necessarily their individual thoughts they express but rather the shared ideas of the group they give voice. Very beautiful accounts about this in Robert Wolff’s Original Wisdom.

On a personal note, I often prefer silence to words when spending time with someone, but some seem to find it unsettling.

[Odessa Piper]

thanks for raising this Inquiery Zoe,

<font face=”inherit” style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>I find so many practical applications in McGilchrist’s work. He charts a course through certainty and uncertainty that helps me see </font><font face=”inherit”>through </font>addictive ‘<font><font face=”inherit”>frictionless’ consumption. Not to mention how he helps me understand how our personhood can be anchored in planetary identity rather than </font><font face=”inherit”> in the ‘either/or’ of taking sides. </font></font>

So yes, I would love to know more about your ideas and your research. <font><font face=”inherit”> Now an elder in my 70’s (with my </font>emissary a bit more <font face=”inherit”> humbled) I can see how the planet has never stopped teaching through the language of connection. </font></font>

<font style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”><font face=”inherit”>I came up through local sustainable food systems, beginning with home cooked family meals, then sustenance farming as a </font></font>high school<font face=”inherit” style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”> drop out. </font>From 1976-2005 <font face=”inherit” style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”> I ran a long lived farm-to-table restaurant and saw an entire rural economy revive.</font><font face=”inherit” style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>I now advocate for true organic practices. (Check out </font>https://realorganicproject.org/ This exceptionally competent fragment of small holder farmers and communities demonstrate many practices of ecological literacy!

<font><font face=”inherit”>Currently I advocate equally for main streets AND wilds, healthy </font>street food<font face=”inherit”> AND the artisan callings. I am in the process of opening a “More-Grain Bakery’ in my Boston neighborhood in order to demonstrate Ecological literacy through business. </font></font>

<font><font face=”inherit”> </font>Indeed, these rooted practices <font face=”inherit”>are a living language.</font></font>

Odessa Piper

realorganicproject.org

Page not found - Real Organic Project

Page not found - Real Organic Project

[Jena Axelrod]

Hi Zoe,

I’m told David Peat introduced Bohm to the Cree, Ojibwe, and Blackfoot people who speak verb based languages. I’m finishing a film Absurdity of Certainty that contains some data on this. Happy to share anything to help!
x, Jena

[Zoe Joncheere]

Yes, I find that so interesting. From what I have found, most indigenous languages are verb-oriented. So, I have the intuition that ‘our’ languages were also more like that – focussing on movement, change and interconnectedness – before the first agricultural revolution. From what I remember from historical linguistics, many old nouns originally came from verbs. I am very interested in your film!