human connection series | Episode 1 : Connection in nature

TL;DR

• Humans possess an innate, hardwired need for connection that extends beyond mere physical and emotional fulfillment.
  
• Nature provides profound examples of interconnectedness, such as the mycelial network linking trees globally, akin to a natural internet for survival.
  
• Patterns observed in both micro and macro scales, from tree rings resembling human fingerprints to neural networks mirroring cosmic webs, underscore a universal interconnectedness in life.
  
• Across species, from ducklings imprinting on their mother to humans developing through mirroring and attachment, interconnectedness is fundamental for survival, development, and thriving.
  

The fundamental need for connection seems to be hardwired into humans. But we may wonder, why are we not just sensory automatons with all our physical and emotional needs contained inside ourselves? Why the messy need for social connection, relationships, and attachments? Why do we crave genuine connection? Does it point to our intrinsic nature — a unified source of life, the very code of creation itself?

To begin answering these questions, we look towards patterns and symbolism woven throughout the natural universe. An astute glance at nature reveals parallels between and within humans and organisms throughout the planet, and beyond.

A prime example of this is mycelium, the root network of mushrooms. The mycelial network connects trees all across the world, acting as nature’s original “internet”, carrying important signals between trees and all fauna linked by this fungal root system. This mycelial interweb helps each tree or plant access vital nutrients or send distress signals that help them survive.

If we take a more granular look at a single tree, we see intricate patterns of connection inside its trunk. These rings have an uncanny resemblance to the fingerprint patterns on humans, further reifying how all of nature is connected through the inherent artistry of life.

If we zoom out for a macroscopic view, we see the sacred synchronicities of life extend to the outer cosmos. For example, the neural network inside the human brain closely mirrors the cosmic web of vast star systems. Even the heralded Fibonacci sequence can be witnessed from outer space: the spiraling arms of a galaxy show the same ratio, sequence, and patterns as those found in pinecones, flower petals, tree branches, shells, hurricanes, and even human faces. Scope back inside the human body, and see how our nervous system has a remarkably close resemblance to tree roots. The ubiquity of these phenomena reveal how connection is not only fundamental to existence — it is the quintessential expression of life itself.

Nothing in nature happens in isolation. Every organism and action affects at least one other thing. For example, the instinct to imprint on our mother is innate in many creatures throughout the natural kingdom. Little ducklings instinctively orient towards their mama duck and follow other ducks in line everywhere they go, demonstrating innate biomechanics for survival. Crows mirror their mother bird’s actions and quickly learn how to eat, fly, and forage. 

This interconnectedness is also embedded directly into human development, and was one of the most important keys to our species’ survival up to this point (and surely for our future growth). From conception to birth, the human being is connected to their source of life — the mother — via an umbilical cord. After birth, the young human’s survival depends on her ability to mimic, mirror, and attach to their caregiver(s) in their immediate environment. As a neurologically-sophisticated creature, the human being possesses mirror neurons that allow us to accurately mimic and re-create the actions and expressions of important persons in our environment to help us survive, develop, and thrive.


*To continue this exploration, check out Episode 2 of the Human Connection Series.