This is My Body

An Entosophy Interview with the Dogwood Tree

Entosophy
An Interview with Dogwood
Channeled by Amanda Nicole
South Carolina Botanical Gardens
6.23.2023

Q: What is your view of Ultimate Reality?

I AM Ultimate Reality
You Are Ultimate Reality
our flesh
and your bones
are Ultimate Reality
this is my body
broken for you
this is Ultimate Reality:
the body and the blood
he* spoke of being human
of only having your humanness
this is true
and i only have my treeness
and yet:
I AM
You Are
Ultimate Reality
together
we are not separate
We are One
All is One
You are One
I AM One
We are One

take
eat
this is my body
broken for you

did you see that?
did you notice?
in the matter is the mystical
i break off a piece of me
and offer it to you
just as he became
broken and bruised and
bread

hocus pocus
the magic is real
but as real as
I AM
as You Are
my body
your blood
broken and spilled out
held in your hands
inside the Grail

take
drink
this is my body
this is my blood
hoc est corpus meum
yes:
trees know latin
or at least
i do

Q:  What Ethics flow from this view of Ultimate Reality?

we nourish the body
we nourish the blood
we never spill
we never break
because all is Sacred
all is Holy
first, do no harm
and this is not only for you
and your doctors
(as they call themselves)
but for all of us
do no harm to any of us
you say:
that’s impossible!
and perhaps it is
but you must try
in the trying
in the breaking
there is Love
there is the Sacred
until the glass shatters
there is one more drop
extend life
extend it
care for the body
care for the blood
yours and mine
give life
and give it
abundantly

Q: What are the Embodied Expressions -- or Policies -- recommended by these Ethics?

i  am implementing a policy now
the branch above you
it is loose, yes?
it fell from the tulip poplar tree
during the storm
and now, it rests in my branches
and i hold it there
protecting you
first: do no harm

but you also did this for me, yes?
you reached up to remove it
thinking to help
and discovered help might be
easier said than done
as tugging and pulling
might break my branches
so you let it go
let it be
trusting that
all will be well
is as it should be
no forcing
no knowing
what is best

see?
policy
this is my body
broken for you
we do all we can
to keep from breaking
both ourselves and others
this is policy

Q: What is the Ideal Society?

the Ideal Society is here
You and I are One
where our hearts are one
where we are not broken

where there is no separation
where i know i can trust you
to tend me
to be kind
not break me
not bend me
and where i know
if i am broken
you will still love me
and if you break me
you will be sorry

and i will forgive you
and the pain will last
only a moment
because we will return to Love
i do not want to be without you
and in the Ideal Society
you do not want to be without me
we do not want to be
without each other
in the Ideal Society
you sit in my branches
always
this is the Ideal Society

Q: What Challenges do you anticipate?

i do not have any hands
i do not have any voice
i do not have any way of making
except through you
through your hands
through your voice
through your heart
through you
i depend on you
you might see why
that’s challenging
i do not mean to speak harshly
but on the whole:
humans are not
(have not been)
dependable
it is hard for us to trust you
this is because you will break us
and mean it
why?
because you do not believe
this is my body
applies to me
you barely think it applies to you
you do not see me as Sacred
because, well . . .
you do not see yourself as Sacred
go to the ant

consider her ways
be wise
a bible passage to consider
ants are Sacred
holy
even if unseen
even if unwanted
ants are dependable
they (can) rely on each other
consider the ant
be wise

Q: Do you have any final thoughts?

i love you
i see you
thank you for including me
this is my body
broken for you
do this in remembrance of me
take time to be holy

{ here, dogwood begins to sing }

the world passes on
spend much time in secret
with jesus alone
make friends with god’s children
help those who are weak
forgetting in nothing
god’s blessing to seek

* he refers to a member of the Introduction to Environmental Activism class

Enjoy:

What Is Entosophy?: A Simple Introduction
The Interview with Tulip Poplar That Began the Entosophy Project
A Creative Plant Spirit Virtual Residency with Amanda Nicole