The Cartesian Body
*VIDEO INTRO TO CARTESIAN BODY + MEDITATION?
Western thought has often framed the body as a machine, separate from nature. This course challenges that notion, embracing an integrated understanding of the body as a living, sensing, and co-evolving entity deeply interconnected with its environment.
From a spiritual herbalist perspective, the body is not an isolated mechanism but a landscape, shaped by cycles, elements, and energies. Just as plants respond to their environments, adjusting their growth and medicinal properties, so too does the human body respond to natural rhythms, lunar cycles, and plant allies.
Exercise: Begin with a grounding meditation. Tune into your breath and bodily sensations. Now, place your hands on a natural fibre textile—what do you perceive? How does the material speak to you through touch? Consider how the body and fabric are in constant exchange—absorbing, releasing, and transforming. Write about your experience in a journal.
Agency of Matter & Material Intelligence
Materials are not passive; they carry their own agency and history. By working with natural fibres and plant dyes, we acknowledge their inherent vitality and their ability to communicate, transform, and heal.
Example: Think about a well-worn piece of clothing—a wool jumper passed down through generations, a linen shirt softened with age. These materials hold memories and shape-shift through time. Each fibre, woven through ecosystems and human touch, is an active participant in an ongoing dialogue with the world. From a non-materialist perspective, such as that of Karen Barad’s agential realism, matter is not a static thing but an ongoing performance, enacting relationships with its environment. The materiality of cloth is never separate from the forces that shape it—weathering, friction, and the microbial life it encounters. Similarly, Tim Ingold’s concept of ‘materials in movement’ invites us to see fabric not as an inert object but as something constantly in flux, shaped by time, human interaction, and the more-than-human world.
From a spiritual herbalist perspective, the energies embedded in fabric are not just physical but vibrational, carrying the essence of the plants they are dyed with. In many traditions, naturally dyed textiles are infused with healing intentions, serving as protective garments or ritual objects. The energetic imprint of plant dyes—whether the grounding red of madder or the calming blue of indigo—resonates with the body’s own subtle energy field, much like the way plant medicine works internally. When we wear or work with naturally dyed textiles, we engage in a reciprocal relationship with plant consciousness, aligning our bodies with the wisdom of the Earth. Just as herbal remedies support our inner well-being, plant-dyed fabrics can be seen as external medicines, offering vibrational healing through touch, colour, and presence.
Exercise: Collect a piece of natural fabric and observe its qualities. Where does it come from? How does it move, absorb light, or respond to warmth? Consider how its existence extends beyond human use—how does it interact with water, air, or microbial life? Reflect on its agency within a larger ecological network. If you were to track its story—its entanglements with soil, labour, and climate—what narratives would emerge?
Example: Think about a well-worn piece of clothing—a wool jumper passed down through generations, a linen shirt softened with age. These materials hold memories and shape-shift through time. Each fibre, woven through ecosystems and human touch, is an active participant in an ongoing dialogue with the world. From a non-materialist perspective, such as that of Karen Barad’s agential realism, matter is not a static thing but an ongoing performance, enacting relationships with its environment. The materiality of cloth is never separate from the forces that shape it—weathering, friction, and the microbial life it encounters. Similarly, Tim Ingold’s concept of ‘materials in movement’ invites us to see fabric not as an inert object but as something constantly in flux, shaped by time, human interaction, and the more-than-human world.
From a spiritual herbalist perspective, the energies embedded in fabric are not just physical but vibrational, carrying the essence of the plants they are dyed with. In many traditions, naturally dyed textiles are infused with healing intentions, serving as protective garments or ritual objects. The energetic imprint of plant dyes—whether the grounding red of madder or the calming blue of indigo—resonates with the body’s own subtle energy field, much like the way plant medicine works internally. When we wear or work with naturally dyed textiles, we engage in a reciprocal relationship with plant consciousness, aligning our bodies with the wisdom of the Earth. Just as herbal remedies support our inner well-being, plant-dyed fabrics can be seen as external medicines, offering vibrational healing through touch, colour, and presence.
Exercise: Collect a piece of natural fabric and observe its qualities. Where does it come from? How does it move, absorb light, or respond to warmth? Consider how its existence extends beyond human use—how does it interact with water, air, or microbial life? Reflect on its agency within a larger ecological network. If you were to track its story—its entanglements with soil, labour, and climate—what narratives would emerge?
The Dynamic Event of Perception & Sensory Experience
- Colour Perception: How do we see and experience colour? How do plants translate their essence into dye?
- The Senses: Exploring the interaction between sight, smell and touch in natural dyeing.
- The Elements & Water: Drawing from Astrida Neimanis’ work on hydrofeminism, we explore water as a medium of flow, gestation, and transformation.
The Senses: Tuning into the Energetic Responses of Colour, Texture, and Aroma
Our sensory experiences are central to how we engage with the world, and when working with plant dyes, our senses are invited into a deeper, more intimate relationship with the plants and materials we use /work with. Each sense—sight, touch, smell, taste* and even hearing—offers a unique pathway to understanding the energies of the plants and their transformations.
Sight: Colour and Emotion
The colour we perceive through natural dyes is more than just an aesthetic; it carries emotional and energetic significance. Each plant and its pigment resonate with particular frequencies that can influence our mood, thoughts, and overall well-being. For example, red hues from madder root are often linked to grounding, vitality, and passion, whereas the soft yellow tones from chamomile and turmeric may invoke calmness, clarity, and creativity.
Energetically, colour can stimulate or soothe, provide a sense of balance or induce a shift in perception. When we wear or work with these colours, they align with our energy centres (chakras), affecting our physical and emotional states. The sight of a deep indigo dye, for instance, is known to calm the mind and deepen intuition, while the brightness of yellow can uplift and energise.
Exercise: Take a moment to observe the various colours of plant dyes you are working with. Notice how each hue makes you feel physically and emotionally. Do you feel more grounded, lighter, or perhaps more introspective? Record these feelings to explore later.
Energetically, colour can stimulate or soothe, provide a sense of balance or induce a shift in perception. When we wear or work with these colours, they align with our energy centres (chakras), affecting our physical and emotional states. The sight of a deep indigo dye, for instance, is known to calm the mind and deepen intuition, while the brightness of yellow can uplift and energise.
Exercise: Take a moment to observe the various colours of plant dyes you are working with. Notice how each hue makes you feel physically and emotionally. Do you feel more grounded, lighter, or perhaps more introspective? Record these feelings to explore later.
Touch: Texture and the Body’s Response
The texture of the fabric or material we work with plays an essential role in our connection to the natural world. Natural fibres such as cotton, linen, or wool each have their own energetic properties that influence our sensory experience. Linen, with its cool, crisp texture, can be grounding and calming, while wool, being warmer and softer, might invoke a feeling of protection and comfort.
When we touch a piece of naturally dyed fabric, the tactile sensation of the plant’s life force imprinted onto it can evoke memories, emotions, or even trigger physiological responses. For example, silk dyed with rose or lavender may provide a subtle yet powerful calming sensation, encouraging relaxation and emotional release.
Exercise: As you hold or touch a fabric dyed with plant-based dyes, take note of your body’s response. Does the fabric feel soothing? Invigorating? Does it remind you of a certain time or place? Share these observations with the group.
Smell: Aromatic Impressions and Plant MedicineSmell is one of the most primal senses, and it’s deeply connected to memory and emotion. The aroma of the plants used in dyeing can evoke a strong sensory experience, as plants carry distinct scents that are intimately tied to their medicinal properties.
For instance, the earthy scent of indigo or the sweet, herbaceous aroma of woad may bring about feelings of introspection and calm. The warmth of yellow dyes made from turmeric or safflower carries an uplifting, energising effect. The act of smelling the raw plant material before it is submerged in water gives us insight into the plant’s energetic imprint, while the scent that arises during the dyeing process allows us to feel the plant’s transformation.
Exercise: Smell the dried dye plant before it is used. How does it make you feel? Now, during the dyeing process, as the plant is immersed in water, pay attention to how the scent shifts. Do you notice a deeper resonance or new layers of fragrance? Reflect on how these changes mirror your personal or emotional shifts during the process.
When we touch a piece of naturally dyed fabric, the tactile sensation of the plant’s life force imprinted onto it can evoke memories, emotions, or even trigger physiological responses. For example, silk dyed with rose or lavender may provide a subtle yet powerful calming sensation, encouraging relaxation and emotional release.
Exercise: As you hold or touch a fabric dyed with plant-based dyes, take note of your body’s response. Does the fabric feel soothing? Invigorating? Does it remind you of a certain time or place? Share these observations with the group.
Smell: Aromatic Impressions and Plant MedicineSmell is one of the most primal senses, and it’s deeply connected to memory and emotion. The aroma of the plants used in dyeing can evoke a strong sensory experience, as plants carry distinct scents that are intimately tied to their medicinal properties.
For instance, the earthy scent of indigo or the sweet, herbaceous aroma of woad may bring about feelings of introspection and calm. The warmth of yellow dyes made from turmeric or safflower carries an uplifting, energising effect. The act of smelling the raw plant material before it is submerged in water gives us insight into the plant’s energetic imprint, while the scent that arises during the dyeing process allows us to feel the plant’s transformation.
Exercise: Smell the dried dye plant before it is used. How does it make you feel? Now, during the dyeing process, as the plant is immersed in water, pay attention to how the scent shifts. Do you notice a deeper resonance or new layers of fragrance? Reflect on how these changes mirror your personal or emotional shifts during the process.
Touch: Texture and the Body’s Response*****
The texture of the fabric or material we work with plays an essential role in our connection to the natural world. Natural fibres such as cotton, linen, or wool each have their own energetic properties that influence our sensory experience. Linen, with its cool, crisp texture, can be grounding and calming, while wool, being warmer and softer, might invoke a feeling of protection and comfort.
When we touch a piece of naturally dyed fabric, the tactile sensation of the plant’s life force imprinted onto it can evoke memories, emotions, or even trigger physiological responses. For example, silk dyed with rose or lavender may provide a subtle yet powerful calming sensation, encouraging relaxation and emotional release.
Exercise: As you hold or touch a fabric dyed with plant-based dyes, take note of your body’s response. Does the fabric feel soothing? Invigorating? Does it remind you of a certain time or place? Share these observations with the group.
When we touch a piece of naturally dyed fabric, the tactile sensation of the plant’s life force imprinted onto it can evoke memories, emotions, or even trigger physiological responses. For example, silk dyed with rose or lavender may provide a subtle yet powerful calming sensation, encouraging relaxation and emotional release.
Exercise: As you hold or touch a fabric dyed with plant-based dyes, take note of your body’s response. Does the fabric feel soothing? Invigorating? Does it remind you of a certain time or place? Share these observations with the group.
Smell: Aromatic Impressions and Plant Medicine
Smell is one of the most primal senses, and it’s deeply connected to memory and emotion. The aroma of the plants used in dyeing can evoke a strong sensory experience, as plants carry distinct scents that are intimately tied to their medicinal properties.
For instance, the earthy scent of indigo or the sweet, herbaceous aroma of woad may bring about feelings of introspection and calm. The warmth of yellow dyes made from turmeric or safflower carries an uplifting, energising effect. The act of smelling the raw plant material before it is submerged in water gives us insight into the plant’s energetic imprint, while the scent that arises during the dyeing process allows us to feel the plant’s transformation.
Exercise: Smell the dried dye plant before it is used. How does it make you feel? Now, during the dyeing process, as the plant is immersed in water, pay attention to how the scent shifts. Do you notice a deeper resonance or new layers of fragrance? Reflect on how these changes mirror your personal or emotional shifts during the process.
For instance, the earthy scent of indigo or the sweet, herbaceous aroma of woad may bring about feelings of introspection and calm. The warmth of yellow dyes made from turmeric or safflower carries an uplifting, energising effect. The act of smelling the raw plant material before it is submerged in water gives us insight into the plant’s energetic imprint, while the scent that arises during the dyeing process allows us to feel the plant’s transformation.
Exercise: Smell the dried dye plant before it is used. How does it make you feel? Now, during the dyeing process, as the plant is immersed in water, pay attention to how the scent shifts. Do you notice a deeper resonance or new layers of fragrance? Reflect on how these changes mirror your personal or emotional shifts during the process.
The Elements & Water: The Sacred Flow of Life
Water holds a sacred place in both the practice of natural dyeing and in plant medicine. It is a conduit for transformation, a mediator that carries the essence of plants into the fibres we create with. As the medium that carries both the plant’s colour and its medicinal properties, water serves as an interface between the Earth and our bodies.
Water as Memory and Medium
According to hydrofeminism (a philosophy that reconsiders the relationship between bodies and water), water is not just a physical substance, but also a carrier of memory and energy. It holds the imprint of everything it touches, and this includes the plant materials used in dyeing. The water becomes a medium of transmission, holding the energetic imprint of the plant’s medicinal and vibrational properties. When we immerse textiles in water, we are also immersing them in the memories and energies of the plants, allowing them to speak to us on a deeper, cellular level.
In this way, water serves as a transformative agent, carrying both the physical (colour) and spiritual (healing) properties of the plant to the fabric. As the plant’s essence is extracted, the water changes in colour and energy, just as we, too, change through our engagement with the plant world.
In this way, water serves as a transformative agent, carrying both the physical (colour) and spiritual (healing) properties of the plant to the fabric. As the plant’s essence is extracted, the water changes in colour and energy, just as we, too, change through our engagement with the plant world.
Water as Elemental Balance
In the context of the four elements—Earth, Air, Fire, and Water—water serves as a balancing force. In the dyeing process, water acts as a medium of flow, gestation, and transformation, just as it does in the body. The water element supports the extraction of the plant’s medicinal properties and dyeing potential, while also balancing the vibrancy and potency of the colours.
Working with water under different conditions—such as the influence of the moon phases, or varying temperatures—allows us to fine-tune the extraction process and harmonise the energy of the plant. In fact, water is so deeply connected to the lunar cycles that certain cultures traditionally timed their dyeing and harvesting of plants based on the moon’s phases, believing that this would enhance the potency of the dye and its medicinal effects.
Exercise: Observe the dyeing process closely, paying attention to the water’s colour and temperature at different stages. Reflect on how the water’s energy changes as it interacts with the plant. How does the water's energy relate to the changing phases of the moon or your personal state of mind? Consider how this sacred water reflects transformation both in the textile and within yourself.
Working with water under different conditions—such as the influence of the moon phases, or varying temperatures—allows us to fine-tune the extraction process and harmonise the energy of the plant. In fact, water is so deeply connected to the lunar cycles that certain cultures traditionally timed their dyeing and harvesting of plants based on the moon’s phases, believing that this would enhance the potency of the dye and its medicinal effects.
Exercise: Observe the dyeing process closely, paying attention to the water’s colour and temperature at different stages. Reflect on how the water’s energy changes as it interacts with the plant. How does the water's energy relate to the changing phases of the moon or your personal state of mind? Consider how this sacred water reflects transformation both in the textile and within yourself.