244
Subtle Agroecologies
physical sensitivity may involve muscle testing or kinesiology, or using instruments such as a pendulum or dowsing rods (Kieft, 2006). Physical rituals are also important as they reduce the neural
signals related to both performance anxiety and the impact of experiencing failure (Hobson et al.,
2017).
As well as increasing somatic awareness in general, several authors also concur that the heart
plays a central role and more attention should be paid to this aspect (Erickson, 2011; Kieft, 2015;
McCraty, 2015). McCraty (2015: 52), in particular, explains how coherence between the heart’s
rhythm and the brain can be intentionally activated by focusing on positive emotions, thereby bringing intuitive signals of all kinds to the conscious awareness.
Various works by Steiner, including Knowledge of the Higher Worlds (1923 [1904]), provide
instructions for developing self-awareness, as well as the capacities of intuition and intuitive communication. Other practical handbooks for developing these capacities include those by Andeweg
(2009), MacManaway (2013), Conroy and Alexander (2014), Gurney (2001), Williams (2003) and
Raven (2012). All these authors and many others recommend four common critical aspects: (1) to
seek the truth through allowing the heart to guide decisions, (2) to meditate as a daily practice, (3) to
spend time in nature, silently, and (4) to remain grounded. As Kieft (2015: 184) explains, ‘the intuitive or ‘sensing’ techniques applied by farmers look very much like the way the mystic describes
his/her access to deeper information’.
Based on the above, this author proposes that becoming an intuitive farmer is a journey of
personal development and transformation, requiring courage and dedication. This may require
psycho-social support, which is not currently available from mainstream agricultural organisations.
Therefore, attention is required from not only farmers but also farm support services, researchers and
policy-makers, to provide the supportive and enabling frameworks for farmers who wish to develop
their intuitive capacities and thus become co-creative decision-makers with their farm ecosystems.
CONCLUSIONS
There is no unifying defnition of intuition, but it is clear from the existing research that intuition
is fast, is an inevitable part of all decision-making and provides useful and accurate information
beyond whatever analytical approaches can access. The small, but growing, evidence base on the
practical value of intuition and intuitive communication in farm management decision-making indicates that it deserves more attention from agricultural research and practice.
Some authors have found that intuition may also play a crucial role in intuitive or interspecies
communication. Emerging research, such as the two case studies of intuitive farmers presented
here, suggests that this co-creative approach to food growing holds the potential to offer farmers
more agency, autonomy and confdence, to make better-informed, customised and more environmentally appropriate management decisions, not least because they gather direct feedback from the
other-than-human.
Methods for developing intuitive capacities already exist for farmers. All of these methods
emphasise the need to willingly and actively self-critique and manage emotional triggers, which
may be supported through increased awareness of somatic sensitivity. The process of personal
transformation in the development of intuitive capacities may be challenging and lengthy. But
perhaps the transformation of the farmer in the search for inner knowing may be what is needed to
help transform mainstream agriculture towards more regenerative, harmonious engagement with
nature.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Chin Kung Multicultural Education Foundation is acknowledged for acting as intermediary and translator in communications with the farmer in Case Study 2. The research in the case
studies presented in this chapter was supported by funding from the Department of Science and
Subtle Agroecologies
physical sensitivity may involve muscle testing or kinesiology, or using instruments such as a pendulum or dowsing rods (Kieft, 2006). Physical rituals are also important as they reduce the neural
signals related to both performance anxiety and the impact of experiencing failure (Hobson et al.,
2017).
As well as increasing somatic awareness in general, several authors also concur that the heart
plays a central role and more attention should be paid to this aspect (Erickson, 2011; Kieft, 2015;
McCraty, 2015). McCraty (2015: 52), in particular, explains how coherence between the heart’s
rhythm and the brain can be intentionally activated by focusing on positive emotions, thereby bringing intuitive signals of all kinds to the conscious awareness.
Various works by Steiner, including Knowledge of the Higher Worlds (1923 [1904]), provide
instructions for developing self-awareness, as well as the capacities of intuition and intuitive communication. Other practical handbooks for developing these capacities include those by Andeweg
(2009), MacManaway (2013), Conroy and Alexander (2014), Gurney (2001), Williams (2003) and
Raven (2012). All these authors and many others recommend four common critical aspects: (1) to
seek the truth through allowing the heart to guide decisions, (2) to meditate as a daily practice, (3) to
spend time in nature, silently, and (4) to remain grounded. As Kieft (2015: 184) explains, ‘the intuitive or ‘sensing’ techniques applied by farmers look very much like the way the mystic describes
his/her access to deeper information’.
Based on the above, this author proposes that becoming an intuitive farmer is a journey of
personal development and transformation, requiring courage and dedication. This may require
psycho-social support, which is not currently available from mainstream agricultural organisations.
Therefore, attention is required from not only farmers but also farm support services, researchers and
policy-makers, to provide the supportive and enabling frameworks for farmers who wish to develop
their intuitive capacities and thus become co-creative decision-makers with their farm ecosystems.
CONCLUSIONS
There is no unifying defnition of intuition, but it is clear from the existing research that intuition
is fast, is an inevitable part of all decision-making and provides useful and accurate information
beyond whatever analytical approaches can access. The small, but growing, evidence base on the
practical value of intuition and intuitive communication in farm management decision-making indicates that it deserves more attention from agricultural research and practice.
Some authors have found that intuition may also play a crucial role in intuitive or interspecies
communication. Emerging research, such as the two case studies of intuitive farmers presented
here, suggests that this co-creative approach to food growing holds the potential to offer farmers
more agency, autonomy and confdence, to make better-informed, customised and more environmentally appropriate management decisions, not least because they gather direct feedback from the
other-than-human.
Methods for developing intuitive capacities already exist for farmers. All of these methods
emphasise the need to willingly and actively self-critique and manage emotional triggers, which
may be supported through increased awareness of somatic sensitivity. The process of personal
transformation in the development of intuitive capacities may be challenging and lengthy. But
perhaps the transformation of the farmer in the search for inner knowing may be what is needed to
help transform mainstream agriculture towards more regenerative, harmonious engagement with
nature.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Chin Kung Multicultural Education Foundation is acknowledged for acting as intermediary and translator in communications with the farmer in Case Study 2. The research in the case
studies presented in this chapter was supported by funding from the Department of Science and