A practice of adopting the viewpoint of animals we exploit, revealing the absurdity of human superiority and our unexamined assumptions about nature's hierarchy.
Nasreddin Hodja's famous stories often feature a donkey as protagonist or mirror, forcing readers to see human folly through animal eyes. This concept invites us to imaginatively inhabit the lived experience of animals we use—the dairy cow, the laboratory mouse, the circus elephant—and observe how our ethical systems collapse under genuine perspective-taking. By embracing the Hodja's playful paradox, we discover that animals possess their own logic, dignity, and resistance to our narratives. This practice destabilizes the examined joyful life by revealing where we've stopped examining: our casual cruelty. It transforms animal rights from abstract principle to embodied understanding, making it impossible to unknow what we've seen through the donkey's eyes.
Peri can explain this concept, give practical examples, help you decide whether it applies to your situation, or recommend a journey if appropriate.
Explore related journeys or tell Peri what you're working through.