These three trees are all species of Eucalyptus, closely related but very different. They all stand within one circle that is perhaps six to eight meters in diameter. Their huge root systems are totally enmeshed together. What affects one affects them all. They interact. They communicate in some senses of the word. Are they one or many? Are they individuals or are they families or communities? Further on this subject.

Many indigenous peoples tend to define the self in terms of kinship, relationship and interdependency with other humans, other animals, and with plants, with stones, with places. As I understand it, Buddhism and Taoism share this perspective in significant degree, whereas Christianity, in contrast, seeks salvation for individual souls, emphasizing the separateness and autonomy of the independent self.

Perhaps, as a guide to humanity’s relationship with the world, the Judeo-Christian injunction to ‘love thy neighbour as thyself’ does not go far enough. Perhaps, we humans are actually of this world and not merely in it.

This old world is mean and cruel, but still I love it like a fool . . . this world, this world, this world. Malvina Reynolds