As I’m learning to address plants, animals and nature spirits directly—speaking, as David Abram (in Becoming Animal) advocates, “not about but to the natural world” and calling myself “into the vital presence of that world,” I often come rather quickly to a point of awkwardness. I acknowledge my progress in remembering to greet the nature spirits and trees each morning, to express my admiration and gratitude, but then what? The following transcript from one of Barbara’s sessions with the Council of Gnomes gives a good sense of how…