The Ouroboro: The Engine of Food

The Ouroboro is an ancient symbol depicting a serpent or dragon swallowing its own tail and forming a circle. It often represents self-reflexivity or cyclicality, especially in the sense of something constantly re-creating itself, the eternal return, and other things perceived as cycles that begin anew as soon as they end. It can also represent the idea of primordial unity related to something existing in or persisting from the beginning with such force or qualities it cannot be extinguished.

What little research I have found never mentions this as a symbol for our need of food and the reproduction of food sources. A gap has grown between the connection of man and their food in the United States. Many of us have no clue where our food comes from. Not too long ago, being able to recognize the simplicity of different plants and herbs and consuming the lesser cuts of meat was a given. Our instant gratification society doesn't seem to care where these cuts of meat and vegetables come from. We want our hamburgers and fries, and we wanted it ten minutes ago.

Most of us think of food as a renewable resource. While that is true, we can't take it for granted. There are people that supply our country with the greatest grains, dairy, produce and meat that are the last of their kind. Once they are gone, there will be no one to take over. I have found it a growing trend of self-sufficient farms and even restaraunts that grow and cultivate their own food sources. Typically, organic foods are associated with these self-sustaining farms. The demand for such organic food stuffs has grown exponetially in recent times. Whatever the cost, many contribute organic eating to being health conscious. Be that as it may, there has to be a rebirth or renewal of such an easy skill to learn.

Just like the snake eating its own tail and reenergizing itself, learning to reap and sow will prolong the life of food and life of ourselves. Thereby, teaching someone to grow something to eat so that they will feed themselves for a lifetime.