The Common Wild Tongue - Permaculture Magazine

This article for Permaculture Magazine explores the scientific and philosophical evidence for plant sentience and communication, challenging Western scientific assumptions that plants are cognitively inferior beings. Drawing on research by plant ecologist Monica Gagliano, who discovered that corn seeds make audible sounds and plants can learn, remember, and make decisions without brains, the text argues for “cognitive justice” among species. It also discusses “ecofluency”, the ability to communicate intuitively with nature through bodily sensations and emotions, with research suggesting the human heart’s electromagnetic field plays a key role in this interspecies dialogue. Combining Western science with Indigenous knowledge reveals a “common wild tongue” of nature, accessible through intuition and heart-centered listening, ultimately advocating for a non-hierarchical understanding of consciousness where all beings participate in the “conversation of life. Read more …