"Not all rocks are equally sensitive. Most basalt doesn't pay attention. It isn't listening. It's still thinking about the fire in the dark, perhaps. Serpentine rock is always sensitive. It's from both the water and fire, it moved and flowed through other rocks to come to the air, and it's always on the point of breaking up, coming apart, turning into dirt. Serpentine listens, and speaks...."

 

"In general, rocks aren't living in the same way or at the same pace that we are. But you can find a rock, maybe a big boulder, maybe a little agate in a streambed, and by looking carefully at it, touching it or holding it, listening to it, or by a little talking and singing, a small ceremony, or being still and quiet with it, you can enter into the rock's soul to some extent and the rock can enter into yours, if it's disposed to." (LeGuin, 1989, p. 32)