Mga KatiPuno

13/11/2022

Cutting of Trees: A Sacramental Violation
CED
Mythologies have provided us stories and rituals that developed our capacities to listen, as profoundly as our primal ancestors or indigenous peoples today. The universe story and the rituals that stem from it are good exemplars. The story of cosmos invites us to enter fruitfully into the web of relationships within the universe. Remarkably, the universe depends upon our capacity to listen. But our role as humans in the web of relationships has changed radically. A new kind of insecurity emerged with humans which also heightened human’s destructive capacity. Intimate communion with the natural world has crumbled resulting in the loss of many rituals. Consequently, man engaged in many sacramental violations such as annihilating species of animals as well as cutting an unimaginable number of trees---tearing out the web of relationships within the cosmos, within the earth, and within the environment.
Trees are essential to their very existence as they also partake in the web of relationships within the universe. Humanity depends on them for protection and survival. They supply us with the air we breathe, among other benefits they continuously provide. Trees are also important in many of the world’s mythologies. They have been provided with profound and sacred meanings by many cultures across the globe. The “banyan tree”, for example, which is the national tree of India, is said to be the resting place for the god Krisna in Hinduism belief. In the Philippines, it is referred to as “balete tree”, considered home to certain spirits and deities. In many cultures, the growth, annual death and revival of trees are also considered as powerful symbols of growth, death and rebirth. Trees are essential to life and often play cultural and religious significance. This objective truth has supported long-held traditions of protecting forests, no less than sacred sanctuaries worthy of human respect. Henceforth, the willful destruction of forest is a direct sacrilege against established cultures, traditions, rituals as well as the story of the universe. The stories of bleeding trees are quite common and if indeed trees bleed, humanity is committing an inconceivable act of defilement or crime.
Pictures (Residents scampering logs from the rubbles that were swept down the valley by the flood waters from the Sierra Madre Mountains) credit to Rev. Fr. June Castaneda (with permission to use)
"Destroying rainforest for economic gain is like burning a Renaissance painting to cook a meal."
- E. O. Wilson

13/11/2022

Acoustemology refers to the auditory or sonic way of knowing and being in the world (Feld, 1992). How we come to know and experience the world through sound is central to Acoustemology. Steven Feld reminds us that sound is central to meaning-making. Experiencing sound is indeed a special way of knowing because sounds carry important information. When listening to sounds, communication also takes place. But there is always a contention that sounds have no meaning until we provide their connotation in context. This makes the art of listening also very crucial. Quite interesting to know is the fact that Acoustemology falls within the field of Semiotics. Every sound---be it wanted or unwanted—can be regarded as a sign carrier (Jekosch, 2005). Indeed, semiotic theory and practice extend across many areas of life and disciplines such as anthropology, geography, music, marketing, art, history, linguistics, sociology, as well as acoustemology.
Meanwhile, the sound “Heeeeeng-eeeeeng-heng, heng-heng-heeeeeeennnnnngggg”, the spontaneous sound of chain saw could be interpreted in numerous ways. Semiotics, however reminds us of its ultimate goal---to ensure that the meaning of every piece of communication is unambiguously understood. The sound of chainsaw offers multiple connotations in various contexts. To a bystander, it could just be a loud noise, dissonant and irritating. To a resident whose income depends primarily on wood furniture, it could entail security in terms of wood supply. The same security may apply to illegal loggers whose income depends on cutting and selling logs. The farmer whose homestead has been devastated by the flood and debris coming from the mountains, might consider the sound a growling curse. To an environmentalist, it could mean destruction and loss of biodiversity. To a respectable politician, it could mean loose policy, and so on and so forth.
Feld underlines the relevance of exploring acoustemology in order that we may see the multiple entanglements between humans and broader ecological environments. This maybe synonymous to saying “we must be keen enough in order to see the clear signs of human defilement upon the earth”. How we come to know and experience the world depends heavily on our ability to listen, see, smell, hear, feel, and make meaning of the fundamental aspects of life. By experiencing the primeval sound of chainsaw and by allowing the sonic sensibility to emanate, we can also earn a meaningful experience of truth. Indeed, knowing the world through sound is inseparable from living in the world sonically and symbolically. And if everyone endeavors to find meaning in other symbols or signs affecting the world today, there may be more prodding, discussion, creation, and sharing of knowledge in search for greater meaning.
With the pressing issue of deforestation, I wish that all of us reflect on the visceral sound of chain saw, not only irritating to the inner soul but damaging as well.

13/11/2022

"That is why the urgency to begin education for a green Earth is now. And now is always every now and then. We have to continuously motivate people to opt for products and practices that are friendly to our environment till it becomes a ways of life for everyone. We have to continuously educate people to embrace a green culture." (Prof. Remedios Nalundasan-Abijan, PhD.)
From her book "GREENING A NEW GENERATION.
I highly recommend that you buy and read this book.

13/11/2022

https://www.facebook.com/.../a.104957694.../816923669697499/

13/11/2022

And so these questions remain relevant:
o Can I sacrifice some of my short-lived pleasures for the well-being of my surroundings?
o Am I willing to sacrifice comfort, throw-off status, or my unnecessary desires, in an effort to secure the environment and the safety and well-being of others or my neighbors?
o Am I willing to sacrifice something valuable as a way to assist in protecting every gift of creation that is entrusted to me?

13/11/2022

Quite observable today is the disintegration of culture and moral fabrics. The dominant population and culture now are more inclined to material acquisition, urban life, technology, and social media. This inclination has changed the way people live their lives as well as their overall perception of life. It has altered dramatically individual lifestyles, the way people earn and profit, the manner by which people choose and consume their food, the way agricultural products are produced, the mode by which people accomplish their work, and many others. Humanity has also changed the image of the Earth into shopping malls where shopping pleasure is served the most. Consumerism has become the name of the game. Humans have created unimaginable aggregate of needs and wants and then turn to the environment for source and resource in a very unsustainable approach.

13/11/2022

13/11/2022

Yung tipong walang-wala o kapos ka na pero namimigay ka pa.
Dapat man lang iniingatan ka rin nila.
Dahil "puno” ka, punong-puno ng hangaring maghandog ng biyaya hanggat kaya.
Ngunit hangarin mo ring mabuhay at tumanggap ng kalinga.
Kaya pa kaya nila?

13/11/2022

Working hard to sustain life and generation isn't only a responsibility. It is also a virtue.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=299408604696576

13/11/2022

“Trees are sanctuaries. Whoever knows how to speak to them, whoever knows how to listen to them, can learn the truth.”
― Herman Hesse