EUTIERRIA

EUTIERRIA: A READING OF PETER MATTHIESSEN'S THE SNOW LEOPARD

Eutierria is a term coined by the Australian environmental philosopher-Glenn Albrecht who

zealously researched on the nexus between Ecosystem and human wellbeing.Eutierria is an ineffable

ecstasy felt when we merge with nature by losing ourselves to it.It can only be attained through

profound contemplation and voluntary submission to nature.Eutierria is beyond human perception and

can only be procured by seers who crave for Satori or Enlightenment.The narrator in the novel The Snow

Leopard is in a similar quest for a great knowledge.

The Snow Leopard is a 1978, National Book Award* winning Novel by Peter Matthiessen.This

multi-genre text is an account of the narrator's Perilous two-month journey to The Himalayas.The

plotline is very simple with the narrator journeying to The Tibetan Mountains along with his companion

and Zoologist George Schaller who was resolved to research on the Himalayan Blue Sheep or

Bharal.Being a follower of Zen Buddhism and also passing through the most woeful moment in his

life,The Crystal Mountains in Tibet was the best retreat the narrator can ever desire for. “The journey to

Crystal Mountains was a True Pilgrimage.”(Matthiessen 7).Well! The writer also wished to have a

glimpse of the exotic Snow Leopard as well.The invitation to go to The Himalayas reached Matthiessen

immediately after losing his wife Deborah Love to Cancer.Her death struck him like a lightening of

Epiphany.He realized the transience of everything.This made him long for Satori-which,in simple terms,is

an enlightenment.But when placed in the spiritual context of Zen Buddhism,Satori attains the

prominence of the Prime spiritual goal.At a point in the novel,we are enlightened with another mystical

aspect "Samadhi"which seems to be his motive in this enterprise.Samadhi is said to be the pinnacle of

mental concentration.

“I might never have had such an experience at all;that great enlightenment was only born out of deep

Samadhi.”(Matthiessen 78)

Besides taking us through the author's spiritual endeavour,this book also sheds light on the rich

ecosystem of The Himalayas since it forms the backdrop of the entire novel.Within this book are found

vivid descriptions of the flora and fauna of The Himalayas.The people,their beliefs and culture have

made the writer look at the entire world from a different perspective.The Himalayas-the highest

Mountain ranges in the world regulate the climate of our planet and also form the source of many major

rivers in Asia.Unfortunately,Exploitation of nature is pervasive in Asia.The Government and the Lamas

who live there have taken measures to protect the Natural Heritage of The Himalayas,since the wildlife

is at the verge of extinction owing to human greed.This novel awakens a sort of consciousness in us and

enlightens us regarding the loss of the Himalayan Ecosystem. The author also doesn’t forget to voice the

urgency with which the wildlife should be preserved.

"In Asia,more than all places on earth,it is crucial to establish wildlife sanctuaries at once,before the last

animals are overwhelmed."(Matthiessen 13).

The concept of discerning Divinity in Nature can be atttibuted to the American

Transcendentalists,who believed that humans can get hold of loftier things beyond the perception of

their immediate senses through intense meditation and contemplation.Emerson,a Transcendental Philosopher was of the opinion that a perfect harmony with nature is inevitable for a person's overall

wellbeing.This school of theoreticians believe in the interconnectedness of the entire universe.They

perceive an inherent connection between nature,God and Man.They urge everyone to look towards

nature for muse and for inspiration.The seemingly ethereal bond one forms with nature can ensue the

renewal of one's self.This self-revelation divulges our concealed self which remains mysterious

otherwise.

Martthiessen begins the chapter 'Westward' with the following words

"Just as a white summer cloud,in harmony with heaven and earth freely floats in the Blue Sky from

horizon to horizon following the breath of the atmosphere-in the same way the pilgrim abandons

himself to the breath of the greater life that...leads him beyond the farthest horizons to an aim which is

already present within him,though yet hidden from his sight."(Matthiessen 9-10).

Only loyal submission to nature can give us a glimpse of the hidden truth.These lines reiterate one of the

prime tenets of Transcendentalism i.e,perception of greater truth through intuition and imagination

rather than confirming it with logic and empiricism which was theorized by John Locke.Our pursuit of

greater things makes us oblivious of the simple but elegant aspects of life.The taken for grantedness

shuts our eyes from acknowledging the tiny pleasures which gratify us.In the novel as well,the writer

talks of the said tiny pleasures like the delight imparted when we witness a little blind girl being led,a

beggar boy who was playing a flute etc.

I'm reminded of Coleridge's words which goes "Wonders of the world before us;an inexhaustible

treasure,but for which,in consequence of the film of familiarity and selfish solicitude,we have eyes,yet

see not,ears that hear not,and hearts that neither feel nor understand."(Enright and Chickera

191).Coleridge in his Biographia Literaria,asserts that familiarity destroys the beauty of

objects,Therefore through Lyrical Ballads Wordsworth intended to 'give the charm of novelty to things

of everyday'(Enright and Chickera 191).This concept was later developed by the Russian Formalists and

named it -The technique of Defamiliarization.This literary device is also called Ostranenie in

Russian.Victor Shklovsky elucidated this technique in his seminal work 'Art as Technique'.According to

him,Defamiliarization is an artistic device which distinguishes Poetic Language from ordinary

Language.When familiar aspects are made strange it can influence a viewer's perception of the object.

In many respects,Transcendentalists sound akin to their European countetparts-The Romantics.The

duo believed in attaining greater knowledge through intense contemplation and pondering. Throughout

the novel,the author kept on identifying himself with nature and the elements of Nature by which we

get to know more about him and his family.His companion George Schaller can be deemed as a foil to

the narrator.GS was interested only in Scientific endeavour rather than any Metaphysical

enterprise.Transcendentalists also believed in Union with Nature.They viewed nature with utmost

sanctity.When humans succeed in identifying a strong bond with nature,they will be successful in

perceiving the 'over-soul'.Over Soul is a term coined by Emerson in his essay titled 'The Over-Soul'.It is

supposed to be a divine spirit which is present in everyone.According to Emerson,Every single

entity,great or small is a manifestation of this supreme being.

"To say I was interested in Blue Sheep or Snow Leopards,or even in remote Lamaseries,was no answer

to his question...I wished to penetrate the secrets of the mountains in search of something still unknown

that,like Yeti**,might well be missed for the very fact of searching?(Matthiessen 91)

At a point in the novel,the author quotes Japanese Buddhist Teacher-Eido Roshi"The snow may signify

extinction and renewal."(Matthiessen 94).Extinction-as an ordinary man and renewal or rebirth as a

spiritual man.Immediately after attaining Enlightenment,Gautama Buddha figuratively died as

Siddhartha and resurrected or reborn as Buddha which means 'The Enlightened One.'This insight leads

us to the fact that-Only Renunciation of Material life can lead us to a Metaphysical Enlightenment.Here

ends my reading and if you are a voracious reader,this book is a banquet feast for you...what if you are

not? Well! You can taste a worthy non-fiction.Who knows...where lies your Satori!?

APPENDIX:

*National Book Award for Contemporary Thought(1979)

National Book Award for General Non-Fiction(1980)

**Yeti=Matthiessen persistently alludes to a Reddish-black animal- Yeti ,the existence of which is

debatable.It is also called'The abominal Snowman' by Westerners.

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Manzari,Alireza."Nature in American Transcendentalism."Canadian Centre of Science and

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Matthiessen,Peter. The Snow Leopard . Penguin Classics,1978.PDF Download

Stang,N F."Kant's Transcendental Idealism." Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy ,4

Mar.2016,plato.stanford.edu/entries/kant-transcendental-idealism/.

"The Snow Leopard Summary."Super Summary,supersummary.com/the-snowleopard/summary/.Accessed

9 June.

Worthy,Kenneth."Eutierria:Becoming One with Nature." Psychology Today ,3

July.2016,psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/the-green-mind/201607/eutierria-becoming-one-nature.

Event:Invited Student Talk Series

Organized by:Al Shifa College of Arts and Science,Perinthalmanna,Kerala.

 -Santhwana Thomas