We ask animals to do human-like tasks then judge their intelligence. Have we been testing intelligence all wrong?
Do all intelligence and consciousness need to be reflections of our own human experience? Or should all of life on Earth be appreciated on its own terms—each life form according to its natural abilities necessary for living its own life?
Scientists have discovered that plants are conscious of and respond to their environments. They are capable of changing their behaviors in their drives to survive and reproduce. Plants have an arsenal of defenses and strategies they can use to defend against harm. To escape being eaten by animals that feed on them, they can generate poisons and repellents. They can grow in locations that are difficult to access. And, the option that I find brilliant, they can emit odors to attract the natural predators of whatever is preying on them.
People typically assume that plants don’t feel it when we touch them, yet researchers have discovered that plant life can sense and respond to sound and touch, that it is self-aware and cognitive. Plants can learn and repeat new behaviors when needed.
Plants know what is going on in the world around them, so before we tear a branch, trample on them, carve our initials in a tree, or otherwise touch them, we should be consciously aware that our treatment of them triggers a dramatic response which can adversely affect their growth.
Not only does our touching them affect plants, it also affects us. Experts have discovered that people experience an unconscious calming reaction and feelings of relaxation when actively touching a leaf or plant. Touching a plant gives us a sense of its reality. If we gently touch it for long enough, we begin to sense its life energy flowing through its being. We are reminded of the unity and oneness of our world.
Philosopher Tu Weiming describes our interconnection as a ‘continuity of being’—a continuity between ourselves and an-other, and the cosmos. All life is linked by ch’i energy, the dynamic substance that sustains life itself. In traditional Chinese culture, ch’i energy transcends the psychophysical, the relationship between our psyche and the external, physical dimensions of our universe. This unifying life energy ultimately establishes a framework for a powerful reciprocity between ourselves and our natural world.
But it is not just about the plants—pick up a handful of soil. Soil is rich in nutrients for plant growth. Scientists have discovered evidence of a friendly bacteria living in the dirt that may be good for our emotional health. Being exposed to soil stimulates the immune system and activates groups of neurons in the brain responsible for the production of serotonin, a chemical that elevates our moods similar to an antidepressant.
Knowing that plants are conscious and can sense us, before touching a leaf, flower petal, or the bark of a tree, it is my practice to quietly ask the plant for its permission. I express my heartfelt gratitude and love. Then, softly, kindly, and quietly, I feel the plant. Crazy? Maybe—maybe not. Because I always remember that as I touch them, they are touching me back. That alone is thought provoking!
I encourage you to take the time to thoughtfully touch, explore, and enjoy nature.
To realize that the living, natural world is fully aware and senses us as much as, if not more than, we perceive it, is to feel amazingly visible, relevant, and exposed. We are confronted by nature’s life essence, awareness, and ability to feel. We are being experienced, just as we are experiencing nature. In order to enjoy and protect nature for all wildlife and people, we must remain aware of the ecosystem’s fragility and needs as we connect with these special places.
Debates over the consciousness and intelligence of plants plague scientific circles. But I have to wonder: does the consciousness or intelligence of plants need to echo our own human experience? There is no doubt that they sense, have memories, plan ahead, defend themselves, and can learn, changing their behaviors as needed. They communicate with one another, and support weaker members of their own kind which further demonstrates a sense of relationship.
Does this qualify for intelligence and consciousness? It certainly sounds much like intelligence and consciousness, though in a different way, and maybe in a new language, than we humans have; maybe plants are authors of a language, a language of a living being that we don’t yet understand.
If it’s not yet obvious, there is so much to learn and love about our remarkable little planet! The one place we call our home—every breath we take, every mouthful of food we eat, every drop of water we drink comes from our natural world. Its global interconnectedness reminds us that we’re all on the same team.
I love chasing new insights that awaken me! Those moments are electrifying!
So, I ask: What ‘safe’ beliefs about our planet do you ascribe to in order to escape feeling uncomfortable?
