Robin Wall Kimmerer

Explains how developing a wider ecological consciousness can foster an increased understanding of both nature's generosity and the reciprocal relationship humans have with the natural world.

Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants

Braiding Sweetgrass

Cassandra Tang

The gifts of the earth are to be shared, but gifts are not limitless. The generosity of the earth is not an invitation to take it all. Every bowl has a bottom.

Ignorance makes it too easy to jump to conclusions about what we don’t understand.

We have enjoyed the feast generously laid out for us by Mother Earth, but now the plates are empty and the dining room is a mess. It’s time we started doing the dishes in Mother Earth’s kitchen.

Maybe there is no such thing as rain; there are only raindrops, each with its own story... Maybe there is no such thing as time; there are only moments, each with its own story.

Wealth meant having enough to give away, social status elevated by generosity. The cedars taught how to share wealth, and the people learned.

When a language dies, so much more than words are lost. Language is the dwelling place of ideas that do not exist anywhere else. It is a prism through which to see the world.

Ceremony focuses attention so that attention becomes intention. If you stand together and profess a thing before your community, it holds you accountable.

Take only what you need and let the rest go by and the fish will last forever.

We need acts of restoration, not only for polluted waters and degraded lands, but also for our relationship to the world. We need to restore honor to the way we live, so that when we walk through the world we don’t have to avert our eyes with shame, so that we can hold our heads up high and receive the respectful acknowledgment of the rest of the earth’s beings.

Experiments are not about discovery but about listening and translating the knowledge of other beings.

The most important thing each of us can know is our unique gift and how to use it in the world. Individuality is cherished and nurtured, because, in order for the whole to flourish, each of us has to be strong in who we are and carry our gifts with conviction, so they can be shared with others.

We are showered every day with gifts, but they are not meant for us to keep. Their life is in their movement, the inhale and the exhale of our shared breath. Our work and our joy is to pass along the gift and to trust that what we put out into the universe will always come back.

It came to me once again that restoring a habitat, no matter how well intentioned, produces casualties. We set ourselves up as arbiters of what is good when often our standards of goodness are driven by narrow interests, by what we want.

You wouldn’t try to restore a forest without knowing what kind of trees you were working with...

Saying it makes a living land into “natural resources.” If a maple is an it, we can take up the chain saw. If a maple is a her, we think twice.

The trees act not as individuals, but somehow as a collective. Exactly how they do this, we don’t yet know. But what we see is the power of unity. What happens to one happens to us all. We can starve together or feast together. All flourishing is mutual.

We say that humans have the least experience with how to live and thus the most to learn—we must look to our teachers among the other species for guidance. Their wisdom is apparent in the way that they live. They teach us by example. They’ve been on the earth far longer than we have been, and have had time to figure things out.

nhu ⋆𐙚₊˚⊹

In a culture of gratitude, everyone knows that gifts will follow the circle of reciprocity and flow back to you again. This time you give and next time you receive.

We could name this tableau Land as Teacher, Land as Healer. With plants and natural processes in sole command, the role of land as a renewable source of knowledge and ecological insight becomes apparent.

Some people equate sustainability with a diminished standard of living, but the aboriginal people of the coastal old- growth forests were among the wealthiest in the world. 

A place becomes a home when it sustains you, when it feeds you in body as well as spirit.

Language is the dwelling place of ideas that do not exist anywhere else. It is a prism through which to see the world.

What is there to even say about this book? It was beautiful, it was overflowing with a love for the earth and its inhabitants that was so contagious, every chapter felt like a prayer. Everyone should read this book; as far as I’m concerned it’s a sacred text. Over the course of reading it I’ve noticed I’ve gotten so much more attuned to the ecology around me in a way that makes me appreciate being alive more; what else could you possibly ask for from a book??

Jessica Gagliardi

Incredibly profound book on practicing gratitude, humility and curiosity. 

this book was such a beautiful blend of indigenous knowledge, botany, love and reciprocity. i hope one day to own this book myself & read passages from time to time as a grounding reminder that hope is out there. there are always people who honour the earth despite everything.

As a botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer has been trained to ask questions of nature with the tools of science. As a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, she embraces the notion that plants and animals are our oldest teachers. In Braiding Sweetgrass, Kimmerer brings these two lenses of knowledge together to take us on "a journey that is every bit as mythic as it is scientific, as sacred as it is historical, as clever as it is wise" (Elizabeth Gilbert). Drawing on her life as an indigenous scientist, a mother, and a woman, Kimmerer shows how other living beings-asters and goldenrod, strawberries and squash, salamanders, algae, and sweetgrass-offer us gifts and lessons, even if we've forgotten how to hear their voices.

An informative and moving book about the natural world and how to care for it. Sweetgrass, beans, corn, strawberries, and other natural wonders are covered. It's a moving piece and makes you wonder if American Indians had not been conquered into submission how the world might've been different. We all come from people that were once indigenous once is Kimmerer's reminder and it's so true. I found the subjects moving and the topics worthwhile, but rate it a little lower due to the sometimes meandering and less than to the point exposition. Admittedly I wish I had more patience for it, because it's a decent book, but it didn't fit well into what I normally like to read.

BC Hark

Really an excellent blend of history, botany, and philosophy. The anecdotes and descriptions really bring this book to life. I really appreciated how much passion there was for plants and the natural world. I will say that the book felt a little unstructured at times, but given what is being said, I understand why that was the case.

Sivani

Nando

"As a leading researcher in the field of biology, Robin Wall Kimmerer understands the delicate state of our world. But as an active member of the Potawatomi nation, she senses and relates to the world through a way of knowing far older than any science. In Braiding Sweetgrass, she intertwines these two modes of awareness--the analytic and the emotional, the scientific and the cultural--to ultimately reveal a path toward healing the rift that grows between people and nature. The woven essays that construct this book bring people back into conversation with all that is green and growing; a universe that never stopped speaking to us, even when we forgot how to listen"--

Time and time again, this book continues to amaze me. I’m captivated by how Kimmerer lays bare our collective sins, holding each of us accountable for the progressive degradation of nature. Through her seamless blend of scientific insights and spiritual teachings, she calls on humanity to recognize our complicity and embrace a more harmonious way of living with the Earth. I am now aware of the oldest teachers, the trees, the teachings of Nanabozho, and the berries way of gratitude and reciprocity.

🏹

If grief can be a doorway to love, then let us all weep for the world we are breaking apart so we can love it back to wholeness again.

Time and time again, this book continues to amaze me. I’m captivated by how Kimmerer lays bare our collective sins, holding each of us accountable for the progressive degradation of nature. Through her seamless blend of scientific insights and spiritual teachings, she calls on humanity to recognize our complicity and embrace a more harmonious way of living with the Earth. I am now aware of the oldest teachers, the trees, the teachings of Nanabozho, and the berries way of gratitude and reciprocity.

'A hymn of love to the world ... A journey that is every bit as mythic as it is scientific, as sacred as it is historical, as clever as it is wise' Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love As a botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer has been trained to ask questions of nature with the tools of science. As a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, she embraces the notion that plants and animals are our oldest teachers. In Braiding Sweetgrass, Kimmerer brings these two ways of knowledge together. Drawing on her life as an indigenous scientist, a mother, and a woman, Kimmerer shows how other living beings - asters and goldenrod, strawberries and squash, salamanders, algae, and sweetgrass - offer us gifts and lessons, even if we've forgotten how to hear their voices. In a rich braid of reflections that range from the creation of Turtle Island to the forces that threaten its flourishing today, she circles toward a central argument: that the awakening of a wider ecological consciousness requires the acknowledgment and celebration of our reciprocal relationship with the rest of the living world. For only when we can hear the languages of other beings will we be capable of understanding the generosity of the earth, and learn to give our own gifts in return.

There’s no words to explain how beautiful, honest, sad and hopeful this book is. It was a very interesting perspective combining science, beliefs and nature. I’ve always felt connected to nature, but after reading this book, one of my resolutions for 2025 is not only to be more connected to nature, but also to have a reciprocity dynamic with it. 

Ani Velasquez

Beautiful and thought provoking prose. This book helped me rediscover a primal knowledge of the relationship we share with nature. 

Nicole Neuman

written w so much wisdom and compassion… if i could make everyone read this i would

chiara

Beautiful. Especially powerful to listen to while tending to plants or enjoying nature :’) the asters are so beautiful next to the goldenrod. 

Kelly Bergh

         I’m in a Facebook group that is what they call a “safe space.” It’s intended to be free from anything offensive, and I’ve genuinely learned quite a bit about how to be a more safe person.  I was unaware of the term “ableist” prior to this group and I had no idea that there was anything called a “closed religion” or a “closed culture.”   In one heated discussion thread, a member of the Orthodox Jewish community left the comment: “My religion is not for your entertainment.”  Those words have stuck with me for a while. The remainder of the thread was an argument amongst two member of different Native American tribes, and the aforementioned Jewish person.  One woman commented that, closed religion/culture or not, education goes a lot way to clear the path towards understanding, acceptance, and thus end discrimination and hatred towards any groups.  That whole conversation has been taking up space in my brain for a long time. 

            It’s not up to me to decide whether either of those points are correct.  I think they both have value.  However, I am an intensely curious human, so I struggle with the idea that closed religions or cultures should remain shrouded in mystery, but again, none of that is up to me.  I do, however, sincerely appreciate the information I can find on closed religions and cultures, because I feel like I can be a better human by understanding others.  Diversity is powerful, and a path to embracing diversity is forged through understanding and acceptance.  When my co-admin of my online book club suggested this book for one of our selections, I jumped at the chance to read it. 

            I was completely impressed that this woman decided to marry her love for botanical science with the Indigenous knowledge she grew up learning and continued to learn along the way.  I will never underscore the importance of education, but as a former educator, I will also never underscore the importance of knowledge learned through lifetimes of doing.  The Indigenous of North America have a vastly different relationship with the land than others, with the key being the word “relationship.” The view is that it has to be symbiotic, not one-sided, and it makes far more sense to me than the idea the land is simply there for humans to take from. 

            Kimmerer’s book is like a series of vignettes; short stories, if you will, that illustrate how the Indigenous live with the land.  I personally noticed that simply observing and appreciating the natural world can provide an abundance of insight that she was eventually able to apply to her institutional studies.  Throughout this book, it is easy to see that she has a deep appreciation for all things “nature,” and I loved every part of it.  I would recommend this book to anybody.  There is a lot of knowledge contained within the stories in this book, and anybody with a heartbeat could benefit from reading it. 

Kristen Claiborn

         I’m in a Facebook group that is what they call a “safe space.” It’s intended to be free from anything offensive, and I’ve genuinely learned quite a bit about how to be a more safe person.  I was unaware of the term “ableist” prior to this group and I had no idea that there was anything called a “closed religion” or a “closed culture.”   In one heated discussion thread, a member of the Orthodox Jewish community left the comment: “My religion is not for your entertainment.”  Those words have stuck with me for a while. The remainder of the thread was an argument amongst two member of different Native American tribes, and the aforementioned Jewish person.  One woman commented that, closed religion/culture or not, education goes a lot way to clear the path towards understanding, acceptance, and thus end discrimination and hatred towards any groups.  That whole conversation has been taking up space in my brain for a long time. 

            It’s not up to me to decide whether either of those points are correct.  I think they both have value.  However, I am an intensely curious human, so I struggle with the idea that closed religions or cultures should remain shrouded in mystery, but again, none of that is up to me.  I do, however, sincerely appreciate the information I can find on closed religions and cultures, because I feel like I can be a better human by understanding others.  Diversity is powerful, and a path to embracing diversity is forged through understanding and acceptance.  When my co-admin of my online book club suggested this book for one of our selections, I jumped at the chance to read it. 

            I was completely impressed that this woman decided to marry her love for botanical science with the Indigenous knowledge she grew up learning and continued to learn along the way.  I will never underscore the importance of education, but as a former educator, I will also never underscore the importance of knowledge learned through lifetimes of doing.  The Indigenous of North America have a vastly different relationship with the land than others, with the key being the word “relationship.” The view is that it has to be symbiotic, not one-sided, and it makes far more sense to me than the idea the land is simply there for humans to take from. 

            Kimmerer’s book is like a series of vignettes; short stories, if you will, that illustrate how the Indigenous live with the land.  I personally noticed that simply observing and appreciating the natural world can provide an abundance of insight that she was eventually able to apply to her institutional studies.  Throughout this book, it is easy to see that she has a deep appreciation for all things “nature,” and I loved every part of it.  I would recommend this book to anybody.  There is a lot of knowledge contained within the stories in this book, and anybody with a heartbeat could benefit from reading it. 

Gentle, powerful, emotive, a wonderful set of stories and experiences that share Indigenous wisdom, technologies, rituals, and the power of respect and reciprocity.

Patty Pforte

important message but I don't understand how animal welfare isn't considered... 

Elisavet Rozaki 

How Robin Wall Kimmerer marries science and Indigenous knowledge/storytelling, as well as her vivid imagery, has made me a lot more thoughtful about how I approach the natural world and the relationships I build with it. A slow read because I needed time to savor and digest it, and a must read.

alice

Jazz

“Even a wounded world holds us, giving us moments of wonder and joy. I choose joy over despair. Not because I have my head in the sand, but because joy is what the Earth gives me daily and I must return the gift.”

Rebecca Lum

Mandatory reading. 

“Even a wounded world holds us, giving us moments of wonder and joy. I choose joy over despair. Not because I have my head in the sand, but because joy is what the Earth gives me daily and I must return the gift.”

I haven’t come across a nonfiction work that has spoken to my soul this much since the first time I read Silent Spring. Every chapter moved me to tears.

There are definitely moments in this book where metaphors feel contrived or information gets repetitive, but these are minimal. Push through and you will be rewarded.

Multiple people recommended that I listen to the audiobook version of this, and I have to agree (even as an audiobook hater). Hearing Robin Wall Kimmerer’s voice really adds another dimension to the experience. 

I feel both humbled and renewed after finishing Braiding Sweetgrass. This book reminded me of my purpose on this Earth. I really think everyone should read this, not just those working in ecology-related careers.

Madi

Wow. 

I haven’t come across a nonfiction work that has spoken to my soul this much since the first time I read Silent Spring. Every chapter moved me to tears.

There are definitely moments in this book where metaphors feel contrived or information gets repetitive, but these are minimal. Push through and you will be rewarded.

Multiple people recommended that I listen to the audiobook version of this, and I have to agree (even as an audiobook hater). Hearing Robin Wall Kimmerer’s voice really adds another dimension to the experience. 

I feel both humbled and renewed after finishing Braiding Sweetgrass. This book reminded me of my purpose on this Earth. I really think everyone should read this, not just those working in ecology-related careers.

Joy Bush

WOW!! This is my favorite non fiction of all time! 

It has my morals and values, ecology, nerdy stuff, nature, and stories all wrapped up in one gift. 
Also the authors voice is very soothing, highly recommend the audio book. 

I bought a physical copy for my bookshelf too!

Sarah Schumacher

My favorite book; certainly in my top 5. Incredible writing, and an absolute masterpiece.

Bo Jeanes

Highly recommend the audiobook route for this one. Her writing is beautiful, the content is impactful and important, and her spoken word communicates and underscores that all the more.

momo-reads

Sweetly told stories but at a pace that made it hard to stay engaged. Took nearly a year to finish.

Braiding Sweetgrass Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants

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