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Empathy and Plants

Posted Jan. 24, 2021, 8:13 p.m. by Ensign Tabris Asam (Engineering Officer) (Brian Richards)

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Sharah Fayth (Chief Science Officer) in Empathy and Plants

Posted by Ensign Tabris Asam (Engineering Officer) in Empathy and Plants
(snip)

Tabris took a breath, working to just let his mind act like a scanner, simply identifying what was in front of it but not focusing on it. “Carrot. Potato. Coriander. Red Pepper. Curry.” He stopped and took another breath, letting his head hang slightly as he thought. “I don’t even know what a few of those are, but that was the ‘flavor’ I guess I tasted? Oh this is really overwhelming isn’t it to begin with.”

Tabris, Eng

“It can be,” Sharah agreed. “Alright, I think that’s enough for today. I want you to put your mind back the way it was before we started. Kind of like rearranging a room back to the way it was. Or if we go with this soup idea, put the soup in a container and put it away. That way you won’t be feeling anyone else.”

When he was done Sharah gave him another cup of the tea. “At the end there you were picking out several things. You identify them with taste. Which makes sense. Taste and smell are the two strongest senses in the body to help recall memories. So it is possible that those flavors you are tasting are actually associated with a memory of a particular emotion. It’s an interesting idea, the way the mind works is compli…” Sharah stopped and looked a little embarrassed. “I’m sorry Tabris, you didn’t need all that. You aren’t here for a medical lesson. I guess sometimes I miss being in sickbay.”

“So what I would like you to do, is think about those flavors and what emotion they might be. You don’t need to tell me now. You can go home and think about it. It might take awhile to identify some of the more subtle words used to describe the different emotions we are capable of. On your own you might try some meditation that focuses on YOUR feelings and what flavor you might associate with them. It will help you identify what you are feeling from others later.”
Lt. jg Fayth, CSO

Tabris quietly listened to the room as it started to fade, he was attempting to set his mind back correctly, a task that he was finding more difficult than he might have previously imagined. He breathed in and out slowly as he shifted his neck, a few cracks and pops from his spine as he eased the tension in his shoulders he didn’t realize was there. He opened his eyes and warmly smiled as he took the tea and sipped, enjoying the delicate balance of flavors in the cup while he listened and said, “Sharah please. I’m more than happy to listen to the theories and science. In a weird way this remind me of being a kid again. I’m learning something about myself that I didn’t know I was capable of and you’re connecting it to ideas and concepts I do understand.” He took another sip and had an idea, “If it helps, pretend that I’m a 12 year old kid. Old enough to grasp those higher concepts but young enough that there are still aspects of the world and who he is that he doesn’t yet understand. Teach me about being empathic as though you would teach a kid. Heavens knows I’ll need your help teaching Neltus!” He finished the cup and returned it. “I’ll go start a good old fashioned journal! We’ll see what I can come up with.”

Tabris, Eng

A twelve year old? She supposed that would be about right. “I’ll have to think on that idea. I mean I’m pretty good,” actually she was more than pretty good. Sharah was amazing, “with kids. As a doctor. But I’ve never really taught this kind of thing before, or thought about it. I’ll have to do a little more research I guess on how El-Aurian and Betazoid empathy works similarly and the differences. Each race is unique in how it works. Maybe a medical scan....” and she was off, speed talking, going from one thought to the next, and unless someone was adept at telepathy and was reading her thoughts, none of it would make sense. She was excited by the idea, something about brain chemistry and activity and correlating it to qualitative descriptions of how people interpreted the empathic feedback they perceived.

She stopped a few minutes later, looking sheepish. One thing was obvious, her mind was brilliant, and whatever over sensitivity she dealt with on a daily bases, didn’t effect her brilliance. “Sorry, I’ll stop now. But let’s say we’ll try again in a week? And bring your journal with you.” She sipped at a bottle of water to hide her embarrassment.
Lt. jg Fayth, CSO

Tabris chuckled lightly as he said, “Oh I don’t doubt your abilities Sharah I doubt my ability to learn quickly. And of course, please feel free to get as in depth as you like! I’m a kid when it comes to my understanding.” He made a mental note to practice and journal as often as he could. “I’ll meet you here in a week then?”

Tabris, Eng


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