The “guardian of the river” dispels the “silent fog”

Productive imagination and ethics of care from ecofeminist hermeneutics

Abstract

Pastoral accompaniment, in its highest conception, constitutes an act of communication that transcends mere words to tune into the language of feelings and emotions, which is often unveiled through metaphors, images, and rituals. This symbolic universe, both personal and collective, operates as the fundamental map of human experience, delineating the perception of reality, identity, and faith.

If pastoral caregivers restrict themselves to a merely discursive plane, focusing on the facts of an experience without exploring its underlying dimensions, they run the risk of being superficial. Ignoring the rich topography of the symbol, therefore, causes the accompaniment to lose essential keys for the comprehension of deeper conflicts, longings, and hopes. In contrast, approaches that recognize, validate, and actively interact with the symbolic universes of individuals and communities are established as powerful mediations not only for healing but also for growth and the call to transformative praxis.

This article develops a hermeneutical exercise based on a case study, with the main objective of becoming a pedagogical tool for various Practical Theology courses. We base our reflections on the case of an adolescent from the Ngäbe ethnic group through three conceptual frameworks: Narrative Approach, Ecofeminist Liberation Theology Hermeneutics, and Paul Ricoeur’s “The Imagination in Discourse and Action.” We examine how metaphors become privileged pathways for pastoral accompaniment that respects the singularities of people’s symbolic universes, worldviews, and the wisdom of communities. We consider cross-cutting axes and intersectional perspectives of gender, age, culture, and ethnicity within the Latin American and Caribbean context.