Animism, the Common Wild Tongue & Remembering Relationship with Rachel Fleming

In this conversation, Victoria Loorz is joined by Rachel Fleming, climate scientist, former Environment Agency policy advisor, writer, educator, and part of the Animate Earth founding circle. Together they explore modern animism, the remembering of the “common wild tongue,” and what it means to rebuild intimacy with a living, intelligent world. Rachel shares her journey bridging climate science, holistic ecology, and spiritual practice, reflecting on the limits of purely technical or policy-based responses to ecological collapse. Through stories of place, trees, and faithful return, the conversation traces the long human exile from belonging and the quiet emergence of a different way of being human rooted in listening, love, and relationship. Weaving themes of grief, beauty, ancestral memory, and hope, this episode invites listeners to remember that transformation rarely begins with grand solutions, but with simple, devoted acts of attention that restore our capacity to speak with and listen to the living world.Connect with Rachel:Website: animate-earth.orgSubstack: The Common Wild TongueMentioned in the episode:Stephan Harding pioneering Holistic ScienceColin Campbell: colincampbell.co.zaMonica Gagliano: monicagagliano.comAnna Breytenbach: animalspirit.orgOxford Real Farming Conference: orfc.org.ukNathanial Hughs & The School of Intuitive Herbalism: schoolofintuitiveherbalism.weedsintheheart.org.ukPatrick MacManaway-The Land Whisperer: patrickmacmanaway.comDr. Lyla June Johnson: lylajune.comConnect with the Center:Website: wildspirituality.earthVictoria's Website: victorialoorz.comEmail: [email protected]: linktr.ee/ctrforwildspiritualityInstagram: @center_for_wild_spiritualityTimestamps:07:26 – Interview begins with invocation10:18 – The mountain that raised Rachel14:37 – How Rachel comes to this work through science19:57 – Holistic science21:33 – Animate Earth25:59 – The common wild tongue31:10 – Bridging “woo”35:09 – It is actually simple38:20 – Evolution is a spiral42:49 – The importance of subtle work44:48 – Needed medicine47:19 – Interconnection goes so deep48:42 – The heart field51:55 – Neighbor ash tree55:38 – Rachel’s work57:54 – Invitation to advocacy59:53 – Credits