Rain finally came and broke the dry spell that the beautiful Coast Salish rainforest I live in has been gasping through. It was one of the longest strRain finally came and broke the dry spell that the beautiful Coast Salish rainforest I live in has been gasping through. It was one of the longest stretches of time on record this place has gone without rain.
My partner has noticed I've been "sad", and although I knew the excessive heat has been getting to me, reading this book made me realize it's really acute grief I'm wading through. And I'm not surprised and I guess I'm grateful to name it. I am mourning that this is the reality now - panting crows and ravens searching desperately for somewhere cool to land, cedars so dry that the fire halls have been water bombing them in the hopes that a single spark doesn't destroy the old giants of Stanley Park. Smoke every year. Billions of dead sea life cooked in their ancient homes. It never used to be like this.
Ok, that was heavy for the opening of a book review. But it's the truth. I cried lots of times reading this. Some good, some bad.
"until we can grieve for our planet we cannot love it - grieving is a sign of spiritual health. But it is not enough to weep for our lost landscapes; we have to put our hands in the earth to make ourselves whole again. Even a wounded world is feeding us. Even a wounded world holds us, giving us moments of wonder and joy. I choose joy over despair. Not because I have my head in the sand, but because joy is what the earth gives me daily and I must return the gift." (pp. 327)
This is honestly one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. Please know that although right now I am dealing with grief, this book is hopeful - it's a beacon. My job is to now find my way back to hopeful, and make that grief something good.
I don't feel the need to say more except thank you Robin Wall Kimmerer. �...more
I kept waffling between 4 stars and five stars because at some points I completely lost interest and it felt like it was just a really long lit reviewI kept waffling between 4 stars and five stars because at some points I completely lost interest and it felt like it was just a really long lit review/stream of consciousness. On the other hand, so what? She introduced me to Diogenes. At some points, I had goosebumps and was overcome with all kinds of emotions (dread, loneliness, hopefulness, full heart-bursting love). I am grateful to now have the term "manifest dismantling" in my lexicon. This was a beautiful book. Not always easy to digest, not always easy to "slough" through (use of slough is deliberate!!!), but I am definitely happy I read it....more
ಠ_� Ya know, being Indigenous and venturing into new-age books is a trip sometimes (or, uh, all the time). It’s like the author tried a -little- to resಠ_� Ya know, being Indigenous and venturing into new-age books is a trip sometimes (or, uh, all the time). It’s like the author tried a -little- to research, but then just gave up and wrote the name of one of our most important tricksters as “Whisky Jack� AND PUT HIM IN A HEADDRESS. Because Indians, am I right? And I have never in my whole entire life as a Cree person heard a Cree person refer to themselves as “Cree Native Americans of Canada�. Just L M A O.
It’s full of just really awkward homogenizing and othering language like “The Native Americans have long understood the power of the trickster...They built their spirituality of the master trickster Raven...they worked with the energy of the trickster to create a positive outlook, develop wisdom and manifest the things they needed. We can do the same� (p.6-7) HOLY GENERALIZING AND OTHERING MUCH? I feel like “we� in “we can do the same� should be in italics lmao. No Indians here. Ayyyyyy, and how about that past tense. Nope. This is a mess....more
It’s been a while since I actually visited Marxism in any depth. Full disclosure: I am not entirely a self-described Marxist, but I also not entirely It’s been a while since I actually visited Marxism in any depth. Full disclosure: I am not entirely a self-described Marxist, but I also not entirely not a Marxist? I am someone who identifies with an Indigenous Feminist perspective/critiques more than anything else. But a Marxist (especially a pagan Marxist lens as described by Rhyd) is beneficial to engage with, and can compliment/uplift Indigenous lifeways and has a lot of overlap. It’s not black or white/ yes or no to Marxism for me. I am also not by any means and expert. SHRUG EMOJI.
I’m struggling with how to rate this. It is more of a Marxism primer than anything else. It is well written and explains concepts very clearly. I don’t know if it focused on an explicit “pagan perspective� of Marxism enough - but what would that look like, anyway? I am giving it 5 stars because I don’t know what I expected, but I am so happy this book exists because critiques of capitalism is almost entirely absent from pagan books and that is just so fucking wild to me....more
Read it in a single day. I cried way, way more than I expected. It's beautifully written and absolutely heartbreaking.
There's the caveat that I trulyRead it in a single day. I cried way, way more than I expected. It's beautifully written and absolutely heartbreaking.
There's the caveat that I truly appreciate writing about grief and find it cathartic when dealing with my own grief. This book won't be for everyone....more
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