The Spell of the Sensuous. Perception and Language in a More-Than-Human World

A classic of ecological philosophy, The Spell of the Sensuous continues to exert a powerful influence in many disciplines. At once lyrical, poetic, and intellectually bracing, this book startles our senses out of habitual ways of seeing and hearing, waking us to our full-bodied engagement in the wider life of the animate Earth. David Abram is a skilled sleight-of-hand magician who has lived among indigenous medicine persons on several continents. Starting from the intimate rapport between these traditional magicians and the animals, plants, and landforms that surround them, The Spell of the Sensuous draws us into a remarkable series of investigations regarding the fluid, participatory nature of perception, and the reciprocity between our senses and the sensuous terrain. The book unfolds into an exploration of language, and the power of words either to enhance or to stifle the earthly life of the senses. Rich in storytelling and word magic, this exuberant and deeply ethical work demonstrates that our mind, our imagination, and our very humanity remain dependent upon the more-than-human natural world for their coherence.