The Etiquette of Freedom and the Practice of the Wild — in Action
As philosopher in residence at the Return to Freedom Wild Horse Sanctuary, I enjoy the privilege of witnessing the Etiquette of Freedom and the Practice of the Wild in action. In this case, we get to see it when noble Redman and Apollo return to their stallion friends after a relatively lengthy absence.
Gary Snyder—the great philosopher-poet, modern-day St. Francis, and genuine awakening being—wrote a marvelous book of essays called, “The Practice of the Wild.” I often say that book in particular should be required reading on Turtle Island, that we should bump out Ben Franklin or some other author from the standard High School curriculum (we can debate who gets bumped . . . lots of possible candidates), and respectfully insert Snyder. At the very least, everyone caught up in American culture should do themselves the favor of reading the first essay, “The Etiquette of Freedom”.
What is the Practice of the Wild? And what is the Etiquette of Freedom? Snyder writes:
“The etiquette of the wild world requires not only generosity but a good-humored toughness that cheerfully tolerates discomfort, an appreciation of everyone’s fragility, and a certain modesty.”
“The lessons we learn from the wild become the etiquette of freedom.”
“Wilderness is a place where the wild potential is fully expressed, a diversity of living and nonliving beings flourishing according to their own sorts of order. In ecology we speak of ‘wild systems.’ When an ecosystem is fully functioning, all the members are present at the assembly. To speak of wilderness is to speak of wholeness. Human beings came out of that wholeness, and to consider the possibility of reactivating membership in the Assembly of All Beings is in no way regressive.”
And he asks this profound question: “Where do we start to resolve the dichotomy of the civilized and the wild?”
He warns us about the demands of answering too quickly: “To resolve the dichotomy of the civilized and the wild, we must first resolve to be whole.”
Wild horses help us to resolve to be whole.
They show us wholeness in action—the practice and realization of the wild.
#ecologyofmind #ecopsychology #ecophilosophy #ecosensualawareness #ecospirituality #ecospiritual #ecoliteracy #practiceofthewild #wildmind #wildheart #ecologyofheart #magicmedicinemystery #etiquetteoffreedom