Lorraine Siefke- The Spell of the Sensuous CH. 4

In today's literate world, do we still rely on the natural landscape to guide us, specifically spiritually and religiously? David Abram writes, "In the Homeric songs the natural landscape itself bears omens and signs that instruct human beings in their endeavors; the gods speak through the patterns of clouds, waves, and the flight of birds" (102-103). Like written here, I think the natural landscape can instruct humans today still, but I also do think a lot of religions have come to rely more on texts as their way to communicate to a higher being. Rather than hearing the gods speak through clouds, waves, etc. many people talk to gods through written prayers or biblical stories. I believe this is significant in seeing that our literate cultures have pulled us away, maybe not completely though, from nature to find spirituality elsewhere.

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