Seeing Your Place

Let’s get ready.

“Simple awareness is the seed of responsibility.” ~ Jenny Odell, How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy

In her book, How to Do Nothing, Jenny Odell offers ways to resist the attention economy that pulls us away from where we are. By shifting attention to the world around you and listening deeply, you’ll see context and nuance, all necessary to know how to be a true inhabitant and citizen of your place.

I believe that the seeds of responsibility are best planted right where we are, in our own communities. But first, it requires that we have a deep relationship with and connection to our place. 

Each week, I’ll offer a reflection on something I’ve discovered about my place, related to its history, ecology, geology, climate, or culture. Then, I’ll invite you to do something similar through walks, readings, observations, or encounters. It’ll be more sensual than intellectual. Maybe even some art work. It’s up to you.

There may be times when you’re away from home. In this case, do the practice for wherever you are or save it for when you return home. The archive will always be available.

Let’s pledge to take the time to get rooted in the places where we live, to see and listen to all of the voices in those communities - human and nonhuman. Our lives, communities, and even the planet may depend upon it. And, please share what you discover in our comments section. You never know who you will inspire by doing so.

How to Prepare

First, determine your bioregion (click on link and scroll to Discover your Bioregion), a large area that extends beyond the borders of your town. I live in the Interior Plateau and Southern Great Lakes Forests. You can focus broadly, in terms of your bioregion, or narrow it down to a watershed, a city block, or your own backyard. Print out or save a map of your place.

Below are some additional suggestions for getting ready. I suggest you pick at least one, but just doing the weekly practices is also enough.

Keep a visual or written journal (digital or hard copy). 

Most of the practices will be active doings. You can cement your experience by doing reflective writing before, during, and/or after. Your journal can be used to record sightings of plants or animals, cultural events, weather reports, or moon phases. You could write poems or keep a daily visual journal of photographs or sketches; whatever your creative preference. Write your intention at the beginning of the journal. For example, my intention is to set aside time every week to listen deeply without expectation when doing the practice.

Choose a spot to visit regularly, to listen deeply.

I once took a course in Earth Literacy, which emphasized the importance of developing a deep understanding of earth processes. One assignment was to pick a local spot (a park, a body of water, or a special tree) and visit it regularly over the course of a four month period. We were asked to sit and observe and then engage by drawing or writing or photographing or dancing. I wrote about that experience here.

Your goal in picking a spot will be to deepen your relationship with this particular location by observing it over time. Note all of the inhabitants of the place and any changes that occur. It could even be your own backyard if mobility is an issue. For me, the lake is my go to place and I’ve observed and photographed it over 36 seasons now. It’s never the same.

Sign up for a newsletter from a local organization that has to do with nature, culture, history, or environmental issues. 

These will provide you with hyper-local information and maybe ideas for places to visit or events to attend. Keep a list of these places as you discover them. Schedule weekly or monthly dates for outings to engage with these places.

Complement your experiences with reading or listening to a podcast.

Some of my favorite books on the subject of place (that I’ll refer to often), can be found on these lists from Bookshop and Amazon. Or, find a book that is specifically about your place, whether that’s history, ecology, or something of cultural significance; whatever you’re most interested in. I read Pierre Berton’s book about the history of Niagara Falls (10 pages per day) and it was so interesting, especially on the development of hydroelectric power.

Here are a few podcasts I like - Cultivating Place, Bird Note Daily, For the Wild.

Don’t let intellectual knowledge take precedence over experience.

Whatever you experience might prompt your curiosity to learn more. This is great but use it only to enhance your experience. In his book, To Know the World, Mitchell Thomashow recommends balancing “the grasping quality of intellectual stimulation with a bolder penetration into glimpses of wonder."

Here’s to many glimpses of wonder in the days ahead. I’ll be back next week with our first practice.

Side Notes

I once did a 365 day photo project of Indianapolis, the place where I was living at the time. This simple project deepened my relationship with this city (I wrote about it here). 

This project is heavily influenced by a publication called Exploring a Sense of Place: How to create your own local program for reconnecting with nature (2006). You can download a PDF from their site for free.