Wednesday 10 September 2008

Holistic landscape study

We look at the landscape and the landscape looks at us, What are we seeing


When landscapes are felt the same way as friends are, a place is created for us, a friendship with the environment, enjoyment of each others company and free expression of each others feelings.

Have you ever asked yourself what it is that makes a landscape a landscape? I feel that what makes a landscape a landscape is as much around us as it is within us. Think about the following experience; If you look at any given portion of the earth's surface, you may ask yourself whether you will call it just land or rather a landscape- and then try and explain- why? If you call it a landscape, it is because it will have aroused a certain emotion in your thinking, it will no longer be a collection of objects, but in fact something much deeper. Something that can only be defined in terms of yourself and the landscape, all as one.

Having had the great opportunity to look into the experiences that occur between people and landscapes I now feel the confidence to share the intricate and mysterious relationship that occurs every time we encounter a landscape. I encourage anyone to experience the transforming act of feeling the landscape!

When encountering a landscape feel it as living being that communicates with other living beings, and that therefore, like humans it has expressive qualities. Like pets, landscapes have a body language that speaks to us about their inner life. A personality we can appreciate when you search the words that describe its body language, the qualities the landscape communicates to you.

At any moment you can ask yourself what is it like to be this landscape?

By doing this, you are deepening your spontaneous experience of landscapes. Learning more about your environment and about yourself.

Let me invite you to a journey, whilst sitting there and reading these words, let your imagination free itself from place and time; and let us travel somewhere high in the Picos de Europa, a place where we can feel an authentic sense of Identification.

Suppose we are pleasantly walking in a gorge, it isn't your first time, having hiked for some days up high in the mountains. As we are soaking in the scenery we come across a sweeping meadow. The gentle wind waves the long grass, every grass all as one, whispering the only sound to be heard. We sit on a rock, quietly contemplating the profound communion of flowers and grasses. The sun high in the east is moving towards midday. As the time passes you notice that the flowers in the meadow turn towards the sun, following the sun as it moves. Suddenly you rejoice in the profound sense that the grass is gently enjoying the breeze and the flowers appreciating the warmth of the sun. Just like you! sat there satisfying your soul.

By being there, sat in the meadow, you feel identified with the meadow!

You may one day come and meet some of our amazing Asturian Landscape's, if you do so, it will be a time to share each of our own experiences; meanwhile breathe and sense the fullness of your own world.

Love
Seb

Blog entrance by Sebastian Eslea Burch

You can find more about Sebastian's studies and work on his web page: http://www.sebastianburch.es/

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

...Estoy mirando, oyendo,
con la mitad del alma en el mar y la mitad del alma
en la tierra,
y con las dos mitades del alma miro al mundo.

Pablo Neruda

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Hotel Posada del Valle is a small hotel in Asturias Northern Spain surrounded by its own organic farm and where we are passionate about organic farming, food, and sustainable livelihoods. In this Blog those of us who live and work at Hotel Posada del Valle open a door to share with all of you who are interested in what we are doing.