Heroes Not Zombies

Co-evolution is a term coined to describe how an organism and its environment change and grow together. Because all that exists does so in a vast interconnected web, nothing changes all by itself.

I think we sometimes forget that there are ongoing streams of influence flowing into, through and around us.

This photo is of the “Jardin Extraordinaire” in Nantes. It was created in a disused quarry site on the banks of the Loire near the old dock and shipbuilding area. Amazingly it was created only in 2016 but just look at it already!

The site benefits from a special microclimate partly created by the result of quarrying out the stone many years ago. And now somebody clever has picked up on that and planted a number of pretty exotic tropical or subtropical plants, as well as creating waterfalls, pools and streams. The effect is magical. You can see how people are drawn to it.

I was really struck by how I felt different in that garden from how I did in any other part of Nantes. I experienced wonder, delight, joy, contentment. I could imagine my heart rate variability settling into one of those zones of healing frequencies which spreads through the whole body and out a few metres to touch and influence others.

There’s a lot of evidence that engagement with natural surroundings has profound and significant effects on immunity, inflammation and well being, but I think the fact this garden clearly showed to effects of human activity added something extra.

I’ve long since been convinced of the benefits of spending time in natural surroundings, such as lochs, forests and hills, but, actually during my student years I lived near the Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh and went there at least once a week, sometimes taking a book to study, other times simply exploring to incredible plants.

Gardens are a fabulous, common example of how we change our environment, and how, in turn, that environment changes us.

There are precious few examples of one way flow in this world. We all share the same little planet. How I live, changes that planet, how you live changes that planet, and in the process that planet changes you and I.

We co-evolve.

I think a core feature of human life is individuation. We grow, develop and mature. The French word “épanouissement” captures it best for me. It means, blossoming, unfurling, unfolding, flourishing.

And here’s the thing….my “épanouissement” co-evolves with the “épanouissement” of the entire living world, the whole planet.

Or it doesn’t.

So we can’t just follow our paths to individual well being and thriving (although we should always be guided by what our body and intuition tells us is nourishing or noxious for us). We have to work together for world well being and thriving too. Because without that we just aren’t going to live well.