Soil and Spirit

“The object of this book is to provide you, the modern-day human, with resources to live a more natural and spiritual life.”  Sounds a bit ambitious for one book, but Williams at least pulls off the start of and the resources for helping the reader move in that direction.

The last two book reviews I wrote had to do with the contrast of “Western” colonist view of the world and the indigenous world view, universal world-wide.  Williams does call attention to that. “When much of the world chases after Western cultural values of status and wealth driven by the constructs of capitalism, consumerism, racism, classism, how do we as a collective orient toward what is and has always been our responsibility: the evolution of humanity?”

Williams doesn’t try to convince the reader climate change is real, nor to shame the reader and guilt into action.  Rather, “This book is meant to revive humanity.  To restore integrity to the human race, one individual at a time.  To transform the culture of our civilization by reconnecting us to our true nature – one that coexists with the natural world as natural beings.”  The “Spirit” reference in the title is a spirituality not tied to a specific religious belief, but simply acknowledging that our “sole purpose in life is to uncover our soul’s purpose.”  So Williams writes extensively on personal self-actualization and oneness with the natural world as it relates to the climate crisis.

Williams divides his book into four sections: 1) internal landscape (self examination and actualization); 2) social landscape (relations to each other, community); 3) external landscapes (relations to nature);  4) spiritual landscape.  In the internal landscape section he describes our inner selves as a garden (a clever tie-in to “soil”).  “This garden is our spiritual home.  It is the landscape where self-actualization and development blossom into maturation and self-actualization.”  He also talks about discovering our “true north”; which is like a compass point guiding us to our “core purpose.”  Intriguing thought which Williams leaves up to the reader to discern personally.  He also encourages us to take care of our physical bodies: “Nutrition, energy, strength, and flexibility are the building blocks of physical health, and nutrition is the first cornerstone.  The food we eat and the liquids we drink provide nutrients at the cellular level, but more than that, the act of eating is a sacred moment of connection.”

In the social landscape section, Williams states: “Reviving indigenous wisdom en masse is the most effective way to reclaim our connection to the natural world. Infusing that wisdom with the current technology is the most direct path to planetary health and human well-being.”  He also encourages us to learn from nature: “The solutions are already in front of us should we choose to drink from the stream of the Great Mystery.  We must design social systems that mimic the patterns of nature.  We must succumb to the wisdom of the unseen and unspoken.  We must allow the omnipotence of the feminine archetype to be revealed in all that we do.”

In the “external landscape section, the reader is directed to pay attention to the wisdom and calling of the natural world. “The Earth has shown us that if we do not abide by natural law, we will be ostracized from the kingdom. ...It is impossible for us to sustain our own existence as a species without a natural way of life.”   Williams also gets into some scientific analogies of various layers of landscapes as related to our inner selves, and descriptions of different soils in relation to aspects of self.  He also gets into microorganisms, mycelium, mycorrhizae, roots, taproots, for the scientifically minded.

In the spiritual landscape section, Williams says this:  “Therefore, it is imperative that we continually revisit body consciousness as it confirms or denies virtuous action and intent.  After all, a life not lived in service of others is not a spiritual life.  Simultaneously, a life not lived in service of Self is no spiritual life at all.  It is the ultimate expression of harmony to live in service.”

I end with this quote, which I find uplifting and challenging at the same time.

“It is our highest calling as a species to revive this love (nature’s love) and cultivate it within ourselves, to rekindle an ecological reverence that abides by the principles of balance and cohesion.  Love has allowed us to co-evolve with nature over the course of human history, and it will guide us as we embark on the journey of our next chapter in human evolution.”

Rev. John Hanson

Big Fork, Minnesota