Are plants conscious? | Marvin Liyanage @marvinliyanage

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Rani Madhavapeddi

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Jun 7, 2026, 8:06:18 AM (5 days ago) Jun 7
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https://youtube.com/shorts/O6u1v-8BJt0?si=D1gwy3xCFbGlwGGh

Rani Madhavapeddi Patel

Paul Rezendes

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Jun 7, 2026, 9:04:25 AM (5 days ago) Jun 7
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Rani,

Thanks for putting that up. There is a mass of scientific evidence pointing to the intelligence of plants, as well as mycelium. It seems to me, as I think you would agree, that intelligence permeates everything organic and what we call inorganic.

What I found interesting in that short video was that person who was dropping the plant and every time he dropped the plant it would flinch. But it learnt it wasn't getting hurt and stopped flinching. Does this have something to do with memory? Or is the intelligence in the plant realizing what happens? Just like an intelligence wakes up to the false self but sometimes there's still a reaction from the false self from the tissue in the brain. After a while, as the intelligence doesn't respond to that mechanical reaction in the tissue, the tissue atrophies. Is there something similar going on in the plant? Most scientists are going on the assumption that thinking and history is intelligence. 

❤️
Paul

On Jun 7, 2026, at 8:06 AM, Rani Madhavapeddi <rmadha...@gmail.com> wrote:

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Dan Kilpatrick

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Jun 7, 2026, 10:15:06 AM (5 days ago) Jun 7
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Rani, Paul and Everyone,

Rani, thanks, I believe you shared something earlier along these lines about an Indian scientist who measured electrical responses in plants.

In listening to this, a question came up. Does being conscious simply mean being sensitive, to be alive to what is happening? Responding unavoidably to whatever we (or anything) might be attuned to, in whatever ways, even what we sometimes call unconsciously.....  

To me, this feels unrestricted as to any particular circumstance or form..... 
Thanks, -Dan



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Jeffrey Angelson

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Jun 7, 2026, 10:20:01 AM (5 days ago) Jun 7
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Paul Rani
Interesting post!
I know that my plants know me and even sense my state and react  to my attention 

What caught my attention in the plant video wasn’t whether plants are conscious in the way humans are conscious.


The plant initially reacted each time it was dropped. Then, after repeated exposure, it stopped reacting. Somehow, the plant learned that what was happening wasn’t causing harm.


Scientists may explain this in terms of adaptation, memory, or biological processes. Fair enough.


What interests me is the role of repetition.


In my own experience, particularly through somatic work, understanding something intellectually is often not enough. The mind can know, “I am safe,” while the body continues to react as if danger is present.


Yet when sensations are felt directly, and this is repeated over and over, something begins to change. The body learns. The reaction loses strength. What once triggered fear no longer has the same hold.


The change doesn’t seem to come from thinking differently. It comes from meeting experience repeatedly.


This makes me wonder about the plant.


Did it “think” its way to a new conclusion? Probably not.


Yet something learned.


Perhaps there is a kind of intelligence that does not depend on thought. An intelligence that learns through direct experience and repetition.


A plant stops flinching.


A nervous system learns safety.


An old emotional reaction loses its grip.


Different expressions, perhaps, of the same principle: repeated experience changes the relationship to what is happening.


Maybe there is a knowing without thought, and repetition is one of the ways that knowing reveals itself.




Jeff Angelson

On Sun, Jun 7, 2026 at 9:04 AM Paul Rezendes <pho...@paulrezendes.com> wrote:

Rani Madhavapeddi

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Jun 7, 2026, 11:09:23 AM (5 days ago) Jun 7
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Paul,
So true,
Every day I keep wondering when I watch a creeper move against gravity and reach for the open skies a slender thin tendril comes and hooks itself finding its way to tether itself to a branch that’s stronger so it can move forward and upward! 
Life is beautiful 
Reminds me of
‘What is this life if full of care 
We have no time to stand and stare ‘ 
Here is the full version.

93b98fe5958133abd672134bbf223407.jpg

Rani Madhavapeddi Patel


On Jun 7, 2026, at 7:20 AM, Jeffrey Angelson <jeff.a...@gmail.com> wrote:



Rani Madhavapeddi

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Jun 7, 2026, 11:16:49 AM (5 days ago) Jun 7
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Jeff,
That’s what I was thinking there is a learning and change. Paul pointed to also that it has history like us. Knows how to react to weather ( curling of leaf due to heat to preserve water) etc.
I heard a scientist say that trees do not feel as much as we do pain, if they did they would learn to run! 
I do think there is pain. When we chopped off our 60 year old eucalyptus tree ( neighbor was pestering us), I apologized to it and have a small piece of bark in my altar . 
Love peace and joy! 

Rani Madhavapeddi Patel


On Jun 7, 2026, at 7:20 AM, Jeffrey Angelson <jeff.a...@gmail.com> wrote:



Paul Rezendes

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Jun 7, 2026, 11:48:23 AM (5 days ago) Jun 7
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Rani,

I really love the poem you sent. Thank you.

Paul

On Jun 7, 2026, at 11:08 AM, Rani Madhavapeddi <rmadha...@gmail.com> wrote:

Paul,
So true,
Every day I keep wondering when I watch a creeper move against gravity and reach for the open skies a slender thin tendril comes and hooks itself finding its way to tether itself to a branch that’s stronger so it can move forward and upward! 
Life is beautiful 
Reminds me of
‘What is this life if full of care 
We have no time to stand and stare ‘ 
Here is the full version.

Paul Rezendes

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Jun 7, 2026, 11:54:09 AM (5 days ago) Jun 7
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Jeff,

What you said in your email seemed similar to what I was saying.

Paul

Jeffrey Angelson

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Jun 7, 2026, 2:11:34 PM (5 days ago) Jun 7
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Paul,


I think I learned much of this from you. We may express it differently because we’re approaching it through different experiences, and it’s still relatively new territory for me.


What I hear you pointing to is that intelligence is more fundamental than thought. My post was an attempt to explore that same intuition through the lens of somatic experience and repetition.


Jeff




Jeff Angelson

Jeffrey Angelson

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Jun 7, 2026, 2:18:09 PM (5 days ago) Jun 7
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Rani All 

I agree. Trees have it made. They don’t sit around thinking I wish I was taller. Or maybe I shouldn’t get taller or someone will cut me down. Wish my leaves had more color. That my good side faces the front of the house lol. 
They let the leaves fall when the weather changes. None of these letting go projects. No self improvement. Yep they felt the pain but didn’t waste  a lot of time thinking about it. 


Jeff Angelson

Paul Rezendes

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Jun 7, 2026, 3:36:42 PM (5 days ago) Jun 7
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Jeff,

👍🏼
Paul

Rani Madhavapeddi

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Jun 7, 2026, 3:54:06 PM (5 days ago) Jun 7
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🙏🏻💐💜
Rani Madhavapeddi Patel


On Jun 7, 2026, at 11:11 AM, Jeffrey Angelson <jeff.a...@gmail.com> wrote:



Rani Madhavapeddi

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Jun 7, 2026, 4:46:23 PM (5 days ago) Jun 7
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Nor did they wilt in self pity ! That’s one great learned behavior we humans have 😁
Love peace and joy! 
Rani Madhavapeddi Patel


On Jun 7, 2026, at 11:18 AM, Jeffrey Angelson <jeff.a...@gmail.com> wrote:



Rani Madhavapeddi

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Jun 7, 2026, 5:00:18 PM (5 days ago) Jun 7
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Dan,

Great question and response. I think as mentioned earlier by Paul there is an increasing recognition that everything is swimming in consciousness, including us. So if it pervades in everything how can we separate anything? 

Love, Peace and Joy
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