On a quiet night in the Arizona desert, a strange and persistent sound pulled me out of sleep and into something deeper—a stream of insight that would not wait until morning.

In a moment of deep sadness, I experienced something unexpected in my garden. The plants around me began communicating their love and appreciation, surrounding me with waves of gentle reassurance. That moment opened a deeper awareness of the living presence that exists within the natural world.

Looking out on my beautiful garden
Plants lovingly nestled into soil
Tended with care

It’s spring and the garden beckons. Did you know that gardening can deepen our interspecies telepathic connection?

I am a caretaker for a colony of seventeen feral cats and seven indoor/outdoor cats. An abundance of poison ivy grows on my property and the cats lie on these plants. I got a severe rash last year on the inside of my calves and on my neck.

I don’t necessarily want to kill the poison ivy but I don’t want to be badly affected by its oil. Do you have any ideas?

I made a pilgrimage to the giant sequoias of the Sierra Nevada in California. I visited Alder Creek Grove, joining a group from Save the Redwoods League who helped purchase the property to preserve the largest remaining giant sequoia grove owned by private landowners.

For a long time in western society, animals were regarded by many people as automatons with little or no ability to feel, think, decide, or be self aware.

Plants have been denigrated in the same way as non-feeling, unconscious objects. It’s taking humans awhile to be aware of plant sentience and intelligence, just as it did with animals.

Have you ever had the feeling when you’ve just met someone who you instantly and deeply connect with that you’ve known them for eons and lived many lives together? That’s how I feel about my friends, the giant redwood trees, especially the elders.

Communicating with other species, honoring their intelligence and spiritual nature, can bring us broader perspectives on life, more understanding, and peace. Here’s an example of how communicating with a tree became a spiritually enriching experience.

I am currently volunteering in Greece and France and some farm posts want me to "garden" but they mean usually tearing out the “weeds." I don't believe in “weeds.” Every plant has total value in my eyes. I don't want to rip anything out. Robert Shapiro's magnificent book, Plant Souls Speak, is the most loving and aware book on plants I've ever seen. But what would you say to people who believe in weeds and the desire to be rid of them?