North Atlantic Books Thus Spoke the Plant: A Remarkable Journey of Groundbreaking Scientific Discoveries and Personal Encounters with Plants

Amazing book, milestone publication about our relation with plants!

Completely a new perspective, Monica gagliano beautifully combined the shamanic knowledge with scientific results. You have to read it with open mind to appreciate and absorb the essence of the book. I feel fortunate to read this book.

I'm almost done with the book and I guess I didn't approach it as a purely scientific book. The subtitle reads: A remarkable Journey of Groundbreaking Scientific Discoveries & Personal Encounters with Plants. So I took as an account of both and found it to be true to the title.Groundbreaking Discoveries are explained in both spiritual and clear scientific terms (the author got a grant for her research. Experiments are listed and documented in fact).She showed that a plants like mimosa are able to learn and remember in an animal like-fashion - not thought possible before. I'd say that's groundbreaking! Pavlovian method applied in the experiment and is scientifically verifiable.She does go in length about the spiritual aspect of her 'journey' and encounters through visions and dreams and intuitive ways of knowing and learning - the way she chose to approach this particular research as a scientist - to open herself to be guided by the greater learning and wisdom of Nature.I think her book and account is valid, however far out of the box it is.It has to be in order to approach a subject of inter-species communication, specifically none-human communication.What she was trying to say - (i think ) - the way we experience the world, one hand, is vastly different if we only focus on our mind, language and human intelligence.On the other hand, at the core - in our deeper layers of Self - if we can reach those layers, if we can listen - there is much to learn.It is where the greater wisdom lies.I believe when science doesn't push the boundaries and limitations of its methods and dogmas - it tends to learn what it expects to learn, which ironically is not much. Not new idea, it's a well-known pitfall of science - boarding itself off from the unknown, unexplained and mysterious, treating it as though it doesn't exist because it has no way of approaching it via its standard scientific methods.But I do acknowledge that there is no silver bullet or one prescribed way to overcome this blind-spot in science and it does have a point of does guarding itself against run-away pseudoscience. It has to have boundaries and caution. However, not at the expense of new ways of thinking and discoveries. Otherwise it becomes a self-imposed bubble or a prison of limited thinking and dogmas.I don't know how that bridge would be made and there is no easy way of doing it - because it seems at odds with each other. But what Monica seems to be saying through her account - what if they are not at odds with each other, what if there is a way. To take these first steps is brave. But it is also awkward and inconceivable to many. But isn't how we learn?I admire scientists like Monica Gagliano taking these steps, sticking their necks out in this very unconventional and dangerous journey - a road between science and spirituality, between Human and Nature.What could be more exciting?p.s. Changed it from four to five stars after finishing the book. The last two chapters brought it all together and gave meaning beyond words.

A great read that truly challenges many things we consider to be fact.

Fascinating, I loved it. Thank you Monica Gagliano for this amazing mind-blowing book.