Tulip Poplar, Ultimate Reality & the Ideal Society

tulip poplar & eco philosophy: an interview

Channeled Tulip Poplar Message
Answer to Eco Philosophy Questions
Received by Amanda Nicole
5.30.2023

Dr. Martin was one of my favorite college professors. I discovered him one summer while taking Logic so my English Literature self could meet a math requirement. His way of being and teaching was so delightful: I was hooked. If he was teaching it, I took it. At graduation, with a Kierkegaard seminar and Wittgenstein course under my belt, I graduated one credit shy of a philosophy minor.

And now, all these years later, I am a philosophy student again, even if briefly, as I participate in An Introduction to Ecological Activism, an ecosophy class offered by Nathan Dufour.

In a recent class, Nathan gave a group assignment in which we were to answer questions regarding our view of Ultimate Reality, Ethics, and related Policy. Being as it is an ecosophy class and I believe current environmental questions would benefit from the input of non-human beings, I decided to ask Tulip Poplar the assigned questions.

What a beautiful exchange!

What is the Nature of Things?  What is your view of the Ultimate Reality?

everything is changing
it all passes
things come
things go
one thing remains constant:
my soul
yes, that’s right:
my soul
the soul of this tree
of me
my leaves fall
my bark peels
one day -- like you -- i will die
but my soul remains
(as does yours)
together: we are eternal

knowing this, i ask myself:
why am i here?
i am here for you
in this case (mine, yours, ours):
i am here specifically for you
so you can ask me this question
have this experience
but more broadly:
i am here for You
for humans
to remind you
of who you are
where you come from

and where you’re going (or not)

and your broken hearts
i am here for your broken hearts
we can’t forget those
they’re everywhere
i mend them: broken hearts
although it’s rare anyone asks me
to do so anymore
no one knows i can
no one ever sees me
it’s rare anyone looks my way
thank you for sitting with me
listening
also touching me --
remember during your pictures?
thank you
that was nice
i digress

ultimate reality:
I am You
You are Me
together It becomes Us & We
the reality of things is
Connection
we are all connected
act like it
that was too harsh
but i mean it:
act like it
act like you love me

and i, you
act like that

the call for action is urgent
can you feel it?
i can
but i want you to know:
there is plenty of time
there is always time
(play that song you like, amanda)
and i am patient
endlessly patient
which is perfect
because this all goes on
continues endlessly
endlessly changing
and in the change
there is a constant:
I AM

the truth of the matter is:
you have a soul
men debate it
but without it
there would be no debating

i know
i am talking a lot 

saying much
and this is rare for me
(as you know)
but no one ever asks me questions
like this
(anymore)
thank you for asking
thank nathan
let him know that his work
is endlessly valuable
it isn’t silly
it isn’t nothing
it isn’t empty
it is the Very Thing
he is here to do
thank him for being here
for doing and being nathan
so valuable
endlessly valuable

next question?

What kind of behavior, for yourself and for others, does this view of reality call for?  What does it look like for us to “act like it”?

do everything In Love
everything
yawn
burp
sleep
write
listen
everything
everything In Love

Love never changes
Love is the constant
Love is the nature
the essence
the substance
of your soul
In and Of and For and By Love
Love
Be Love

now you’re likely to ask me
what that means:
what is Love?
Love is kind
Love is patient
(yes, bible words
they got something right)
Love is Kind
Be Kind
firm, yes
but kind
sure, yes
(if you can even be sure)
but kind
gentle. be gentle.
notice
notice how i speak to you
i love you
i am always tender with you
you are safe with me
you know this

now:
be so with others
live and act and
speak, and be and
do
in a way that they feel
safe
you come to me broken,
don’t you?
you come to me confused
you come to me “wrong”
(this is your category not mine)
but what happens?
i always receive you
i never refuse
i am always here
listening
i am always kind
be kind
it’s that simple

Based on this ethical viewpoint, paint a picture of the ideal society.

in this moment
you and i are experiencing
the Ideal Society
we are here
together
asking
answering
listening
connecting
present
in the Now
Here and Now
you seek to understand me
i understand you
we desire to know one another

our hearts are open to one another
you never judge me
and i never judge you
here in this place:
we are one
heart speaking to heart
this is ideal
this is The Ideal:
open hearts
open arms
open ideas
open dialogue
open
this is The Ideal
Open
bravely, safely
Open

You are You
and I am Me
and yet
each time we connect
every moment we spend together
brings us closer
further into union
this is ideal
after all:
We are One
separate but One

so: be kind
that is what makes
this moment between us
possible
if i were cruel to you
you would never come
if you were cruel to me
i would never speak
but we are  not cruel
we love
so we are here
and i love you
being with you is
The Ideal
Communion is The Ideal

we don’t need so many rules
all the rules
we just need each other
we just need
You and Me
a girl and her tree
thank you, amanda, for being
my girl
it’s lovely to know you
i love you
this is nice.

thank you for asking me
these questions
i haven’t thought about them
in a long time
i don’t think much
i simply am
so, thank you
thank nathan

What are the points of slippage in your philosophy and its application to real behavior and policy?

the problem is:
no one will believe this
is enough
they will want more
always more
but it’s this simple
it is always the beginning
it is always the Now
they will not believe me
but that is not what he means
is it?

he wants practical difficulties
okay: the hearts
hearts are the problem
they’re not open
they’re not willing
they’re closed
i understand
i know
it is what i am here for:
for vulnerable hearts
for trusting hearts
for golden hearts
for protected hearts
for precious hearts
for fortresses

every man an island?
every man a fortress!

you must open your hearts
this can only happen
if you feel safe
safe
hmmmm
that’s a whole other question
just know this:
you are always loved
and In Love
always

so we must start
with our hearts
until i let You be You
and you let Me be Me
we’ll get nowhere
forgive
let go
open
expand
hold it all
the left and the right
the  up and the down
fly higher
stand on my head
look down
do you see now?
do you see it?

of course not
there’s nothing to see
the problems are gone

i love you
thank you for loving me
i see you
i love you
i love you
thank you

Do you have any final thoughts?

we appreciate your presence
keep listening
keep writing
keep thinking
keep feeling
keep being
it will all be all right
tell him

this picture is of the tulip poplar tree and me and was taken by sarah yarbough, and the moment was referenced by tulip poplar in the interview. we did get closer — and that is its own sweet story! but this picture by sarah is lovely, and i believe you can feel the energy between the tree and i.

the video below was taken just after the interview. my heart had said, i love you. thank you. goodbye. but i wanted to speak with my mouth. however, nothing would come but a song. it was as if there were no words left to say. and it felt, as it often does, that tulip poplar was singing through me.

and this is the song tulip poplar referenced, asking me to play it: Older Chests by Damien Rice

Listen to Ancient Tree: A Song Collaboration Between Amanda Nicole & Tulip Poplar