A space for exploring ideas or sharing commentary on topics relevant to cultural or spiritual ecology, disability, and the arts. These are spontaneous responses or draft ideas. These try to view topics from multiple perspectives and do not seek to suggest an answer to questions raised or that there may be only one ‘right’ answer. These commentaries are shared to invite considered reflection and conversation among diverse perspectives.

Spirit Beyond Animal

It is almost a colloquialism to refer to your own, or someone else’s, spirit animal. Wellness programmes about finding your inner spirit animal. Creative writing prompts about expressing your spirit animal. Comedy sets about how your spirit animal manifests in your daily life. Inspirational quotes about living as your spirit animal.

Why is it always an animal? Why must our spirits be confined to the animal realm? To me, this feels like a lack of imagination and an utterly absent understanding of more than human kin and their existences. While wildly diverse, animals are a remarkably narrow part of a phylogenetic tree of life.

I want to know who your spirit plant is? I want to know about your spirit land. How does that land manifest in your daily life? Your body contains trillions of bacteria that are fundamental to your survival; are these microbial kin part of your spirit?

My spirit is subterranean, the near-infinite web of mycelial fungi. Intrinsically plural and part of community, building links between species, in and of the soil. Branching, multidirectional. At ease in the darkness, comforted by soil providing the warmth, moisture and nutrients I need.