Plant Intelligence and the Imaginal Realm : Beyond the Doors of Perception into the Dreaming of Earth

Stephen Harrod Buhner argues that all life forms—plants, animals, fungi, bacteria, and even Gaia as a whole—possess intelligence, perception, and interiority. Modern humans have lost the ability to sense this living communication, but Buhner claims we can reopen these perceptual capacities through “analogical thinking” and imaginal awareness. By reconnecting with the meanings expressed by the natural world, we can understand the ecological roles of invasive plants, microbial resistance, psychotropic species, and humanity itself. The book proposes that humans are not a planetary scourge but an essential part of Earth’s ecology. Ultimately, Buhner contends that reawakening our innate capacity for deep, meaning-filled relationship with the living world is necessary to address the crises of our time.