Body and Earth – Day 23: Plants

In reading this section of the book, the biggest point that I took away was the vast number of plants that inhabit the earth. As is mentioned, every year land plants create 150 tons of new matter. There are twenty different classes of plants that all contain chlorophyll as well as 380,000 species of plants known. The largest plant family is surprisingly the orchid which has over 35,000 species and range in various sizes (pages 165 – 166). I had no idea that there were so many different kinds of orchids especially because I know how touchy of a plant they are to take care of. It is also amazing to think that they are capable of selling for such a high amount at stores especially when there are so many different species and varieties available.

While I had to adapt the Locating a tree through touch (page 168) exercise because I did not have a partner, I was able to feel all the components of the tree that was in my place through touch. The bark was fairly soft in comparison to other tree bark I had felt and I was also able to feel the leaves of the tree which were soft and contained veins. I have had some experience with pressing flowers and drying leaves to use in making candles or cards, so it was interesting to think back to those experiences and how I always would look at the patterns that were created by the natural part of the leaves. The Place visit: Attention to plants (page 170) allowed me to become familiar with some of the plants in my backyard through labeling them their correct names. For example, there is a Deer Fern in the corner of our yard which is in the shade of the large tree. Although I was not able to determine the type of tree that it actually is, it looks as though it is a large Ficus tree because of the leaves and the bark characteristics. I was also more aware of the sound that the leaves of the fern and tree made as the wind blew through the backyard. While subtle, listening specifically for the sounds made me feel more connected with my surroundings overall.

The above photo is a picture of some of the leaf items that I found in "my place". There were smaller bushes that were dying (illustrated by the long pieces in the center) and even smaller, healthy plants as characterized by the smaller leaf clumps. Lastly, there is a large tree that is in the corner of the backyard and has the larger leaves.

Body and Earth – Day 19: Animals

Andrea discusses the impact that animals have on the lives of humans in this chapter. For example, in many countries, humans live in peace and harmony with animals and are interacting with them on a regular basis such as in Kenya. Additionally what animals eat also contributes to the larger food web and how humans get their nutrition (page 137). Over time, there has been an evolution of how humans and animals interact “from being coinhabitants on a landscape to husbandry and dominance” (page 138). She also continues to talk about the impact that pets play in our lives because for many people, pets are the main point of a human’s contact with nature. It was interesting to think about all the different ways that my life has been impacted by animals. At my high school, dogs were used to help train students in the special education department on how to care for someone and how to show affection towards another creature. I also used to volunteer at a retirement center, and cats that roamed the halls often helped to excite residents and provided a companion.

Strong imagery and sensation were employed in the Lateral line (page 140) exercise that required me to draw lines down my body and also picture myself as a fish with both a head and a tail. Feeling the sensation of not having any arms or separate legs was very powerful and allowed me to really think about how a fish moves and swims through the water. In trying to answers questions I would ask an animal at my place through the Reading the signs: Ten questions to ask an animal (page 141) exercise, I realized how different the experience would be if my place were in a more rural area. Because I am in the middle of a city, I feel that the predators, home, social interactions and sounds would all be related to humans whereas in a more natural locations, interactions with other animals would be more common. After watching a bird for the Place visit: Observe an animal (page 142) exercise, I was able to see how they interact with their surroundings by flying from a tree to a fence and also interacting with other birds that were flying as well.

Below are several haikus I created after reading this chapter.

Animal Fusion
We are connected
With our distant ancestry
Through evolution

Impact
Living in one world
Daily our interactions
Affect each other

Around the Globe
Differing cultures
Mean unique relationships
Among all creatures

Body and Earth – Day 17: Air

In reading about the air and it impact on our bodies, I can not help but think how much the air truly affects us as humans. Air is always around us and always touching our skin, hair and feet, but it is also a very powerful tool in thinking that air helps us to function. Air provides a source that helps to energize our brain and provide nourishment for our muscle’s function. Any one air particle itself is the product of many different regions and many different areas as is illustrated in the text “because the atmosphere is a medium of connection, change in one area has distant as well as local effects” (page 122). In the discussion of the different layers of the atmosphere as well as the way the air moves from one region to another and also how it travels around the world it is interesting to think how connected our bodies are to the earth and also to each other. I could, for example, be breathing the same air that someone in Africa is breathing as well. Beyond just the changes in the air and the impact it has on our body, “climate, seasons, and the sun, moon, and stars affect our human moods and imagination, as well as our physical bodies – our environment” (page 124).

The Flute (page 125) exercise required me to feel the effect of all the different senses on my body and also feel the effects of air as it passes through the different regions and areas of my body. In this moment, I was able to feel air as it entered my body and was also able to focus the air as it moved to different areas of my body. When thinking about places in my body that were tired or hurt more (such as my tight hamstrings), I was able to feel how breathing in air to those specific areas helped me to release the tension that I was feeling in the respective areas. Empty spaces (page 125) allowed me to explore the spaces in my room through walking, then speed walking then running. I was able to feel the effect that air had as I became closer to and further away from different objects. I became aware of the objects around me because of the air that I felt passing over my body when I was near different objects. When visiting my place at night as required in Place visit: Attention to air (page 126), I was able to feel the air more vividly because it was cooler than other times I had been outside. There was a slight wind which moved my hair, so I was able to feel the effect of my hair’s movement to my scalp and its feeling. Additionally, I was able to feel the chills that appeared on my arm as a result of the cool breeze that went over my skin.


The above illustration is of "My Place" at night. The location I used for all the "My Place" exercises was my backyard. Even though I live in the middle of a busy town such as Seattle, when I am in my backyard, I feel like I am in a more quiet place when I am in my backyard because it is very calming and serene to me.

Body and Earth - Day 14: Bones

This chapter helped me to create some very powerful imagery around my skeletal structure and helped me to better understand how my bones are connected and how they function. For example, the description of the periosteum and how the “dynamic connective tissue nourishes bones and produces cells (which create osteoblasts) for bone growth” (page 96) really helped me to envision what my bones look like and how they are connected to one another. One of the more interesting things that I read in this chapter was the idea that bones and blood are connected to one another because “when calcium or phosphorus is needed in the blood, bone is dissolved” (page 96). Since I have not studied much about the skeletal system, I was not aware of the connection that bones and blood had with each other. Overall, it was very interesting to read about the number of bones that we have in our bodies (such as 14 in our face alone as mentioned on page 99) and found it very hard to imagine how so many bones coordinating to make up our movements.

The Axial skeleton (page 102) exercise allowed me to move up and down and experience what the vertebrae in my spine felt like. After reading the chapter and all the information about the bones that make up the spine, I was better able to visualize how my spine was moving as I rolled down to the ground. In addition, I was able to better feel the movements in my spine by having someone touch my spine as I rolled down. Moving all the bones (page 103) started with movement in my foot, but quickly moved up my body as I felt the connections between my different body parts and the effects that the movements had up my body. Even though there are less mobile parts of my bones (such as my ribs), I was able to imagine their movement and engage them as much as possible. Where my eyes were looking also impacted my movements because I became intrigued with different objects in my room, and my movements followed where I was looking. While I was exploring the relationship between my feet and the ground in the Place visit: Attention to bone (page 104) exercise, I was able to feel how my weight was distributed across my feet. The sensation helped me to see what my foot felt like when there was an equal amount of force being exerted on all the bones in my feet.

When I was reading this chapter, I was most interested in learning more about the foot bones because throughout any day, I feel that the bones in my feet crack the most. After looking for different images, I thought this one had the best illustration of all the bones that make up our feet.

Additionally, I came across an interesting model (http://www.searchventuracounty.com/DemBones/index.html) that helps to illustrate how the body moves and how bones are moved as a result of other movement in one's body. Although I am not sure how medically accurate it is, it was interesting to see how our bones dislocated from each other, for example, through using some of the different options on the website.

Body and Earth – Day 11: Movement

The most thought-provoking idea that was brought up in this chapter was the idea of movement being efficient and having a purpose. As mentioned on page 71, “in a simplified view of a conscious motor activity, the brain sequences movement for efficient interaction with the environment”. I often think about movement as being more about the mover’s experience rather than an interaction with the environment. In thinking about movement as such, it was interesting to think about all the ways that the environment and our surroundings truly does impact our movements. For example, in class, I am often influenced through my environment because of the other dancers that are in the space. As such, I sometimes have to change my path because there is another dancer that is in the area where I was planning to go. It was also interesting to read about how much movement impacts our health and well-being (page 72). Movement has always been a part of humans’ lives as can be seen through early forms of meditation such as yoga.

In the Yielding and standing (page 75) exercise, I was required to be aware of the feelings and sensations in the surroundings and then yield my weight to the floor. I was able to feel how I was affected by the softness of the carpet I was standing on and also feel the breeze that was coming in from the nearby open window. The Authentic Movement (page 75) exercise allowed me to listen to my body and think about what I wanted to do. Unlike some of the ideas about the externality of movement that we brought up earlier in the chapter, this exercise felt much more internal and I was not feeling very impacted by my surroundings. When I think more about it, though, I do feel like even when I was focused more on the internal aspect of my movement, I was still impacted by the outside environment; how I wanted to move was influenced by how my muscles and body in general felt, which was changed by my surroundings and my interaction with them. The Place visit: Attention to movement (page 76) exercise allowed me to further listen to my body through authentic movement, but in this case I was more impacted by my surroundings. In the moment, I am aware of where I am because I was able to carefully look at the environment around me. I feel a sense of one with the area.

Below is a poem that was inspired by the exercise of Yielding and standing.

Yielding
Giving way
To the earth
My body falls to the ground.
To gravity,
I succumb
Nothing can hold me up.
Feeling the earth
Holding me,
Supporting me.
Mother Nature
Takes me under her wings
And makes me feel
As though we are one.

Body and Earth – Day 10: Touch

Reasons behind touch and being touched are explained and explored in this chapter of the book as the author takes us through many different phases and feelings we have throughout our lives. Babies often use touch to become more aware of their surroundings and explore areas around them. It is interesting that through touch, we find out right and wrong. For example, we discover that an object is hot through touching it. Because we are often not able to decipher this through the use of other senses such as taste, smell, sight or hearing, we rely on trial and error through touch in order to determine what is too hot to handle, for example. In addition, there is discussion over why humans are developed to have hands as opposed to other things such as paws or flippers; our hands are such an important part of our ability to touch items and physically feel things. This passage really helped me to understand why skin is so important because of the language that was used to describe it. Andrea Olsen describes skin as “maintaining both a barrier to and a connection with the environment” and also discusses the importance of our “nerve endings for light touch, pressure, vibration, cold, heat, and pain” (page 65).

Especially after reading such detailed accounts of our skin, I found it very interesting and thought-provoking to complete the exercises as listed in the book. Layers of touch (page 67) required me to think about how my skin and other layers below my skin felt as I rubbed different areas. Because the reading vividly described the different parts that made up my leg (such as the outer layer of the skin, the inner layer of the skin, the muscles, bones and other parts), I was able to clearly visualize what all of these parts felt like as I was rubbing my leg. Even after I was done rubbing my leg, I was still able to visualize and feel the different parts that made up my leg. The Basket of objects (page 68) exercise allowed me to see what an object felt like without having seen it. After looking at the object, I then closed my eyes again and saw how my perception of the object changed after seeing it (see below for additional reflections). The last exercise was Place visit: Attention to touch (page 68) which allowed me to explore different objects through touching them. The exercise required that I keep in mind that I was not only touching different objects, but was also being touched in exchange (see below for additional reflections).

Supplements to Reading

Basket of objects (page 68)
As I felt my object, I was able to feel the smoothness, but also the small imperfections that were present over the entire surface of the object. I felt that there were small particles that were coming off the object, as if there were dust particles that were loosened by my touch. While the surface was fairly smooth, there were also some ups and downs to the object and I felt the object’s round edges. While it was not exactly circular in shape, the object was also not very flat nor was it symmetrical. Upon inspecting the object, I saw that it was a small rock that was a light speckled gray in color. It was long and fairly skinny, although as I mentioned it was not very flat. There were several small clumps of dirt on the surface of the rock that were the particles that I felt come off in my hand. As I close my eyes again and rely on only touch to explore the object, I am thinking about the color of object and trying to see if I can feel any imperfections because the stone was speckled in nature. While I do not actually think that I can feel any differences because of the color, my mind is stuck on the idea of trying to feel the difference that a color might make.

Place visit: Attention to touch (page 68)
As I explored many different surfaces in my backyard, I was better able to understand the different layers that make up our ability to touch and be touched. Depending on the surface of the object and the texture of the object, I was required to exert different amounts of pressure. For example, in touching a stone bench that is in my backyard, I put a lot of pressure to see whether there was any give. Because of how solid the material is that the bench is made out of, I was not able to feel any difference that my extra pressure or weight had on the bench. There were other objects, such as plants that were unpleasant to touch because they were prickly in nature. There was one plant in my backyard that had fairly pointy leaves that caused me to take my hand back. Other objects, such as the grass were more pleasing to the touch and made me want to explore how they felt even more. This exercise really made me aware of how our different senses contribute to how we perceive different items. When we rely solely on touch, there are many objects that are very pleasant which might not otherwise be pleasant because they are not as pretty because of their bland colors or boring shape (such as a rock).

The above picture is some of the items that I experienced while exploring the idea of touch.

Body and Earth – Day 9: Perception

In Olsen’s discussion of perception, she talks about several different ways in which humans and animals have similar perceptions. “For example, human eyes utilize a particular spectrum of light for vision; it is the same spectrum of light that plants use for photosynthesis” and “a bee employs light in the ultraviolet range for navigation – an aspect of light that our eye don’t recognize” (page 56). These are just some of the ways that people are able to become aware and perceive their surroundings. Rather than just one sense being used for perceiving a situation, the senses often work together as “perception is cumulative, generally simultaneous, and necessarily selective” (page 57). While I have often thought of my perception of something as one component, it was interesting to read about the ways in which several different characteristics contribute to our recognition.

Naming the sensory receptors (page 60) allowed me to feel different perceptions that my body was feeling because of how my clothes touched my skin or how my body was connected to the floor. Seeing and being seen (page 60) required that I watch an object for several minutes. The object that I chose was the fish that are sitting on our kitchen counter. It was interesting to watch the fish move throughout their tank and interact with the different objects that are placed in their tank (a little castle and plastic plants). When I began to watch them, though, I could tell they were aware that I was watching them and changed their movements as a result. Using only sight, I had to make “projections”, or assumptions about several different objects during Place visit: Expectation and projection (page 61). I thought this was a very interesting exercise because after reading the chapter, I was tempted to employ other senses in order to get a more accurate picture of what the objects were and how the felt and smelled in addition to what they looked like.

Below are some haikus that I wrote about perception.

Me
Feeling my body
Aware of my surroundings
Quiet dance inside

Sense
Smell, touch, feel, hold, taste
Senses help in realizing
The world around me

Extension
Energy outflow
Seeing beyond my body
Impacted by earth

Body and Earth - Day 8: Visceral Body

After reading about differences between the parasympathetic and the sympathetic nervous systems, I was enlightened about the reasoning behind why we often have different feelings in different situations. For example, the book described how we are often more relaxed after eating a big meal because our parasympathetic system is stimulated to help with digestion (page 52). Although I know that this is often the case, it was interesting to read about the reasoning behind being tired and how that contributed to our overall feelings. Additionally, this chapter talked about the effects of our gut and led me through several exercises that helped me to feel my gut and explore that area.

Pouring the gut body (page 53), required me to shift weight from the center of my body to other areas such as my waist and chest. I was able to imagine and feel my weight being “poured” from my center into other parts of my body and then have it move back to the center of my body. Similar to other exercises that we completed earlier in the quarter, I was really able to feel the effects that imagery had on how I was able to place my weight in different areas. The box exercise required me to place something that was present in my mind in an imaginary box that I then had to put in another location and return to after completing some of the other exercises included in the chapter. I was then required to think about how the object changed from when it was first placed in there to when I was looking at it after completing the exercises (see below for further response). The Inner observer (page 54) exercise required me to imagine a nonjudgmental figure that moved throughout my body. It also required me to reflect on my feelings and awareness as there was an “observer” moving inside of me. During this exercise I felt as though I became more aware of my surroundings and more aware of the noises and smells that were present with me at that moment. It showed me the power of only focusing on my inner voice and my inner presence.

Supplements to Reading

The box (page 53)
At the moment I was doing this exercise, I was able to feel the warmth of the sun as it embraced my body and warmed my soul. In that moment, I was thinking about the sun because I was excited to feel its warmth and presence after such a long winter. When I put the sun into my “box”, I was able to see its brightness and the ripple effect that it had as it illuminated its rays out over the land, trees and landscape in the area. After returning to the box, I found that my perception of the sun had not changed very much. I was still able to see the warmth of the rays of sun, but I feel that I was more sensitive to how the sun made me feel. I was able to feel the effect that the sun had on my skin and was also able to see the colors of the sun more clearly. When I put the sun into the box, I saw the sun as an orange globe, but when looking at the sun after I was able to see that sun was indeed made up of my many different colors. There were different shades of yellow and different shades of orange that changed towards the middle of the circular area. In addition, I was aware of what the sun smelled like. Before, I did not have any sense of smell that the sun let off, but after finishing the exercise, I felt as though the sun smelled like summer – sweet tea, fresh flowers and the smell of salt water wafting through the slight breeze. Overall, I think that I became more aware of my surroundings after completing these different exercises. I think this makes sense especially because these exercises also caused me overall to be more observant of my surroundings.

The above picture is what my suns looked like both before and after the exercise in the chapter. As you can see, before, my sun was fairly plain and not very detailed, but after completing the exercise, I saw the sun with much more detail.

Body and Earth – Day 2: Attitudes

The idea that our environment greatly impacts our attitude is very thought-provoking and made me think of many different situations where this would hold true. As mentioned, “emotional memory is encoded since childhood, associated with specific terrain: the beach explored on family vacations, the tree climbed in moments of retreat, or the room where a child was born” (page 8). As I mentioned in the last post, going to Ballard often reminds me of all the memories that I had while visiting my aunt’s house when I was younger. Additionally, certain smells will also trigger memories of events. For example, whenever I smell something sweet baking (such as cake, brownies or pie), I am reminded of moments as a child when I would bake with my mom.

Body map (page 9) required me to draw a map of my body that extended beyond just my physical body to the outside world as well and try to illustrate how my body was affected by outside factors. Similarly, Place visit: Body scan (page 10), I felt the sensations within my body and thought about whether they were impacted or affected by my outside surroundings. In thinking about this idea (especially after reading the chapter), I realize that my body virtually has an infinite extension because humans are so influenced by many different outside factors. I am also reminded of an art project that my mom had to complete several quarters ago. She had to draw a life-size portrait of herself through several different methods. While she tried to look at her body objectively, I think that her image of herself was different than my image of her. Being in child’s pose for Breathing spot (page 9) allowed me to connect with the ground and also think more about how outside factors impact my body. When breathing heavily, I can imagine all the places that the molecules I am breathing have been. In reflection on all the places I have been during To write: Place story (page 10), I realize how much they have all impacted my life and how I live. Even places where I do not necessarily have physical mementos from have left a lasting impression on me. I think that every place I have been has helped shaped and at times changed my outlook on life or particular situations.

In searching for different body maps online, I came across a site that used drawing a body map as a therapeutic tool. Because we do not often take time to objectively look at ourselves, exercises such as this allow for that self-reflection. The above picture is a body map from a child in Kenya.

Body and Earth - Day 1: Basic Concepts

In completing the Inner and outer awareness exercise in the book (page 4), I was able to get a better sense of how the outside world does affect my body. One of the imageries that I used was the idea that air that was exposed to the outside world was being inhaled by me and then moving throughout many different parts of my body to fuel my movements, energize my muscles and stimulate my brain. With that regard, it was amazing to think how all the air that surrounds us is able to impact our every movement, thought and breath. Ultimately, we are always one with the earth because as the Constructive rest (page 4) exercise showed, our bodies are yielding weight onto the ground. It was very monumental to feel my body completely supported by the ground and very interesting to know that the earth is a constant that will always be there for you for support when you need it. Place visit: Finding your place (page 5) reminded me of an exercise in high school that I did based on the readings of Walden by Henry David Thoreau. We were in charge of creating a journal and reflecting with nature. At the time, I thought the assignment was weird because I did not understand how I was affected by nature or why I should care, but after reading Andrea Olsen's reasoning and explanations, I am now able to comprehend how the earth and outside influences affect the workings of my body. I am now interested in looking back through the journal and seeing how my views of the earth and its impact on us have changed through taking this class and reading Olsen's explanations.

Supplements to Reading
Place Map
For my place map, I drew my aunt's house in Ballard, Washington. Even though she no longer lives there, growing up it was a source of excitement and made me feel very relaxed when I went there. One of my favorite things about that house was that it was on the water (overlooking Shilshole Bay) and I always enjoyed sitting on her couch that overlooked the water and merely watching the sailboats go by. The other interesting thing about her house was that it was right next to a railroad track. Even though it was often annoying to have loud trains barreling next your house about once an hour, throughout the years, it became a very comforting and exciting noise that I heard when I went to visit her. In high school, my aunt's house was often a place of retreat when I was having a hard time with school or just wanted to be pampered for the weekend. She always had an open guest bedroom that I could stay in and I enjoyed staying up late watching movies with her and my uncle. Even today, when I visit Ballard I always think fondly of her and our visits to Cupcake Royale and some of the other cute shops that line Market Street. Many sunny afternoons, we would also lie out in her backyard where there was a large umbrella looking tree. I remember sunbathing while looking out over the water and thinking there was no better place to be in the world. I am sad that she no longer lives there, but Ballard is a place that I love to visit with friends and my memories of lazy weekends with my aunt still live on through those trips to the area.

The above picture is my map of my aunt's house. Some of the features include multiple walking paths to get to the front door, a wall of rocks holding up the front yard and a tree stump as seen to the left of the house. Also, her house backed upon train tracks which were in between her and the water.