Rocks, Trees, Time: Teachings Spoken by Nature [9780063518988]

Overview

From a farmer-philosopher who has spent thirty years listening to the mountains of rural Korea, a luminous and paradigm-shifting invitation to stop seeing nature as a backdrop, and start respecting it as a teacher.

Farmer and writer Choi Sung-hyun, who has lived in the rural mountains of eastern Korea for over three decades, sees the world as an expansive library, in which the sky, the earth, the water, the wind, and the trees are books full of profound lessons. In Rocks, Trees, Time, he draws on Buddhism, Christianity, philosophy, environmentalism, and, of course, his wild surroundings to share what he's learned with the world.

Combining lyrical essays, original poems, and diagrams, Choi brings the world around him—and us—to stunning, vibrant life. Choi shares:

• The Buddhist principle of mujeongseolbeop, or “teachings of the non-feeling,” the concept that nonhuman entities—mountains, rivers, rocks, seas, the earth itself—offer teachings that humans must heed
• Lessons on organic farming; weather tracking; foraging; plant, bird, and insect identification; gardening; and more
• Journal entries and postcard messages from his daily life as a practitioner of natural farming, cultivating the land without mechanical assistance
• A vision for a paradigm shift in how we view the world, from a human-centered perspective to a nature-centered one that allows for more harmonious coexistence with our environment

A must-have for readers of The Serviceberry and The Comfort of Crows, Rocks, Trees, Time is a rare gift and an essential reminder that respecting the relationship between all creatures on earth is key to not only our collective survival, but our mutual thriving.