Aatma is soul.

Lately, I am fascinated by the idea of our microbiome. The fact that forests talk. They nurture, they support life, they make choices. Underneath our feet, when a great tree falls, it sends nutrients to support new life. All these animals and plants and classification-defying mushrooms connect to each other, take care of each other. Here is a forest exchanging data, charges, electrons, working as a network. Like our brains, but bigger. It makes me wonder why human beings think of ourselves as sitting atop some hierarchy of consciousness. Here is a forest exchanging data, charges, electrons, working as a network. Like our brains, but bigger.

Matter is forever. Matter never stops being, it just transforms. So what then is loss, what is the cessation of existence?Beyond all of the conversations about consciousness and the soul, isn’t it marvelous that on the barest molecular level existence is forever. I find peace in that.

(For Deena)