BOOK REVIEW:
Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake
As colonial frameworks progress, the connection between humans and nature has increasingly strayed. Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake takes us on a journey beneath the soil into the vast networks of mycelium. These networks are the life force behind our planetary ecosystem. They help distribute resources amongst the forest to maintain the health of the whole.
Upon reading the intro, I was hooked. It spoke about neurological mechanisms when humans are capable of suspending disbelief, and then you are escorted into a beautifully illustrated journey into mycology and fungi’s relationship to everything. As someone who is really excited about transitions, the segment that covers lichen was a fun departure into the unknown. Lichen is an organism that forms from a symbiotic partnership between fungus and algae in what is called a “composite organism.”
I really enjoyed this perspective of an entangled life. The way the book brings our small or the unseen cohabitants to the surface is a great reminder that there are many factors that contribute to our quality of life and ability to exist. It lends a new perspective towards innovation, new mechanisms and leverage points are exposed. Most of all, it presents a mirror. Entangled Life shows that we are all connected and that we can see ourselves, clearly, in nature and all of its movements.