Not every story has a happy ending, but the discoveries of science, the teachings of the heart, and the revelations of the soul all assure us that no human being is ever beyond redemption. The possibility of renewal exists so long as life exists. How to support that possibility in others and in ourselves is the ultimate question.
The Possibility of Knowing Ourselves: The Family Tree and the Tree of Life | Priyanka Singh Parihar
Human life and existence are engraved in the memories of the past. We cannot arrive in the present without all our past selves. All our experiences shape who we are.
But where exactly are all our past selves? If one embarks on a quest to search for their past selves, where will the journey take them? Will it begin and end within our bodies, or will it extend backward through the stream of consciousness and the branches of our family tree?
The similarities in the physical traits of a family line are often remarkable. Your eyes might resemble your father’s, and your hands might be a replica of your mother’s. Even your uncle and father might look alike. When you closely observe your grandmother, you might find that her nose is similar to that of your sister.
Your lineage is a branch extended within the tree of life; in totality, it might be a very minute fraction of the whole of existence, but for you, this is it. This is where you will learn the ways of the world, or, more precisely, the ways of your world.
It’s not just the physical traits that repeat within the family; our behaviours, our patterns, our choices, and the way we perceive and project ourselves are often closely knit into the stories of our family.
There is a reason why we call our collective innate behaviour “human nature.” It’s a fruit, a bearing, an extension of a tree that upholds all life and all families, both human and nonhuman alike.
This summer, a few chicks were born into the world, and I watched them grow every day. My aunt told me, “Soon their parents will teach them how to fly.” So, we waited every day for this moment to arrive. We indeed saw two sparrows teaching their chick the most essential skill for survival. We were quiet and observant as the chick took a small, imperfect flight, stumbling across the gate. As hungry dogs approached in hopes of getting a taste of her soft flesh, my aunt intervened. She gently carried the bird back to the garden so her lessons could continue. In a moment when the branches of two family trees became entangled, life sustained life.
Human or non-human; families are one of the most fundamental parts of existence.
We refer to our own behaviour as Human nature.
What about the other spices? What about their nature? Why is bird behaviour not bird nature?
I wonder if the term “human nature” makes us perceive ourselves as more sentient and more familiar with living nature. It could either become a declaration that the aliveness of our species is superior in comparison to nonhuman beings or an acceptance that we are still part of nature, entwined within the branches of the same tree from which everything originates.
I would choose to believe in the possibilities of the latter.
It’s easier to imagine the destructive tendencies of our species and to see ourselves collectively as takers and violators of harmony—the sole reason for the crisis at hand. However, we must believe our desire to heal ourselves and those around us is far greater than our desire to destroy.
Humans are a creative species; their ‘aliveness’ lies in creating connections, families, and things born out of meaning. We have already created abundantly, changing the face of the entire planet. If we choose to become more aware of our creations, we will create a life that reveres the sanctity of our being and nature. It’s the very nature of nature to create, grow, and sustain, and human nature is part of that nature too, even if it sometimes appears contradictory.
We may have forgotten certain aspects of ourselves, remnants of our distant human past, suppressed within the memories of our flesh and land. In difficult moments, the human mind may choose to suppress painful experiences so we can endure trauma that seems beyond our capacity to handle. These are the parts that linger as sensations of memory, holding the secrets that connect us with ourselves, with each other, and with the flow of life.
To restore our connection, we must understand our past selves. The stories of our past selves aren’t just narratives that begin and end with us; if we delve into the streams of our consciousness and the branches of our family tree, we may find that we have been living through the patterns, behaviours, and experiences of our parents and ancestors.
Recent research in the field of epigenetics provides evidence supporting how transgenerational environments and experiences can alter the way DNA expresses itself. We might feel ‘off’ or ‘on’ in certain situations that have impacted our family line. Our DNA is like a library, and based on our genes, it decides which story or information to follow. The way we choose our stories creates a manual for our descendants on how to follow the cues and interpret the information.
Some of us might often choose good stories. However, there is also a possibility that some of us are more attuned to difficult experiences, connections, and situations.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), globally, 1 out of every 4 people is impacted by mental illness at some point in their lives. Additionally, a study and prediction conducted by Harvard Medical School states that one out of every two people in the world will develop a mental health disorder in their lifetime.
Mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, and alcohol and substance abuse are often rooted in trauma.
Trauma lingers within the body, and there is a reason it’s there. It serves as a trigger for a repressed story, a forgotten past that manifests in the present, asking to be acknowledged and heard. This story could be your own or that of your ancestors; nonetheless, these narratives conceal cues that are meant to break us free and guide us to places where we truly belong.
It’s unlikely that we could unveil all the life-changing experiences of many of our ancestors. However, the imprint of the experiences of the last three generations is what affects us the most. As we become eager to know their stories, we will be able to understand our past selves, which gives us the possibility to know ourselves through these narratives.
If we know ourselves, we become better equipped to adapt. When our brains recognize our patterns, they create new ways to read, interact, and reorganise our responses by literally rewiring themselves and the nervous system. This phenomenon is known as neuroplasticity.
We are highly adaptable; we can choose to grow differently and make better choices if we fully acknowledge our past selves.
Thor Hanson is a conservation biologist and author. In his interview for The Sun Magazine, he mentions how various species are adapting in a shifting world through plasticity. “When a species has survived for millions of years, it has lived through other periods of change and probably has a lot of prior adaptations still there in its gene pool.” He further adds how the Humboldt squid, once assumed to be disappeared, reproduced, multiplied, and returned by using evolutionary memories enclosed within their gene pools.
“All it takes to trigger one — like what happened with the Humboldt squid — is a change in the environment. Then it remembers, ‘Oh, yeah, two million years ago my ancestors adapted to a big change, so I know what to do.’”
For us too, I’m certain there are memories waiting to be unlocked. These memories conceal lessons of adaptation, connection, and evolution—memories that will bring our past, present, and future into harmony. They are the memories meant to sustain us in the tree of life. Once awakened, these memories will not just create shifts in our nervous systems but also in our planet.
I believe in possibilities, I believe in transformation, and I believe in Human Nature.
Words by Priyanka Singh Parihar
Photos by Skander Khlif
