Feeling the Ache of Earth in Our Bones: The Role of Sensory Anamnesis and Mammalsensing in Sustaining Planetary and Human Health.
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| Title: | Feeling the Ache of Earth in Our Bones: The Role of Sensory Anamnesis and Mammalsensing in Sustaining Planetary and Human Health. |
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| Authors: | Saltonstall, Robin Rose1 (AUTHOR) robin.saltonstall@viridis.edu |
| Source: | Ecopsychology. Mar2026, Vol. 18 Issue 1, p9-20. 12p. |
| Abstract: | As mammals, our most intimate and continuous relationship with the living Earth is our sensory interbeing—a co-evolved, embodied intelligence I call "mammalsensing." This article argues that planetary and human health are grounded in this foundational sensory reciprocity between humans and nature. Yet, in the West, the historical prioritization of sight and objectivity as the most reliable and trustworthy means to "know" the world—originating in the Greek theory of a hierarchy of the senses—has fragmented our perceptual faculties and disconnected our cognitive processes from our Earth-bound mammalsensing intelligence, resulting in a form of selective sensory amnesia: a culturally created condition of disconnection from the living world that contributes to ecological estrangement, climate inaction, and psychological distress. To address this, I introduce sensory anamnesis —a relational and reparative practice of remembering our full immanent multisensory intelligence. Rooted in embodied experience, interoception, and neuroception, sensory anamnesis reactivates dormant perceptual pathways and reweaves our kinship with the Earthworld. Drawing from ecopsychology, neuroscience, Indigenous, and relational epistemologies, this article explores how recovering our mammalsensing can restore a felt sense of ecological belonging, nervous system coherence, ethical attunement, and responsiveness. In doing so, it offers not only a healing modality but also a participatory ethics of care and interdependence essential to both human and planetary flourishing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Ecopsychology is the property of Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | GreenFILE |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: 8gh DbLabel: GreenFILE An: 193016779 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Feeling the Ache of Earth in Our Bones: The Role of Sensory Anamnesis and Mammalsensing in Sustaining Planetary and Human Health. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Saltonstall%2C+Robin+Rose%22">Saltonstall, Robin Rose</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> robin.saltonstall@viridis.edu</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Ecopsychology%22">Ecopsychology</searchLink>. Mar2026, Vol. 18 Issue 1, p9-20. 12p. – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: As mammals, our most intimate and continuous relationship with the living Earth is our sensory interbeing—a co-evolved, embodied intelligence I call "mammalsensing." This article argues that planetary and human health are grounded in this foundational sensory reciprocity between humans and nature. Yet, in the West, the historical prioritization of sight and objectivity as the most reliable and trustworthy means to "know" the world—originating in the Greek theory of a hierarchy of the senses—has fragmented our perceptual faculties and disconnected our cognitive processes from our Earth-bound mammalsensing intelligence, resulting in a form of selective sensory amnesia: a culturally created condition of disconnection from the living world that contributes to ecological estrangement, climate inaction, and psychological distress. To address this, I introduce sensory anamnesis —a relational and reparative practice of remembering our full immanent multisensory intelligence. Rooted in embodied experience, interoception, and neuroception, sensory anamnesis reactivates dormant perceptual pathways and reweaves our kinship with the Earthworld. Drawing from ecopsychology, neuroscience, Indigenous, and relational epistemologies, this article explores how recovering our mammalsensing can restore a felt sense of ecological belonging, nervous system coherence, ethical attunement, and responsiveness. In doing so, it offers not only a healing modality but also a participatory ethics of care and interdependence essential to both human and planetary flourishing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Ecopsychology is the property of Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=8gh&AN=193016779 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1177/19429347251389959 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 12 StartPage: 9 Titles: – TitleFull: Feeling the Ache of Earth in Our Bones: The Role of Sensory Anamnesis and Mammalsensing in Sustaining Planetary and Human Health. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Saltonstall, Robin Rose IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 03 Text: Mar2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 19429347 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 18 – Type: issue Value: 1 Titles: – TitleFull: Ecopsychology Type: main |
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