{"id":915,"date":"2026-03-12T15:56:14","date_gmt":"2026-03-12T19:56:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/contemplative-pedagogy\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=915"},"modified":"2026-03-13T16:25:01","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T20:25:01","slug":"sitting-on-the-earth","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/contemplative-pedagogy\/chapter\/sitting-on-the-earth\/","title":{"raw":"Sitting on the earth","rendered":"Sitting on the earth"},"content":{"raw":"<h4><span class=\"NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW215089309 BCX0\">Kariwentha<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW215089309 BCX0\"> Lee Scott<\/span><\/h4>\r\n<strong>Category \/ branch (in the <a href=\"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/contemplative-pedagogy\/part\/seeds-of-contemplative-pedagogy-and-practices\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">tree of contemplative practices<\/a>): <\/strong>Stillness, ritual\/cyclical\r\n<h1>Awareness through Haudenosaunee worldview and \"All Our Relations\"<\/h1>\r\nHow do You commune with the natural world?\r\n\r\nWe are all a part of the natural world in every way and are unable to exist without our Mother the Earth.\r\n\r\nWhen we recognize how scrumptious that fresh picked apple is we are acknowledging that being, maybe we even express our appreciation to it.\r\n\r\nWhat about the fresh breeze that sneaks in and touches our face in the midst of a heat wave? What about the medicines growing close to our doorsteps, a reminder that we may need their help during the winter.\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>All our natural foods come from the soils of the earth, our water comes from the skies and underground water supplies.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>We breathe air, we drink water, our food is grown in soil.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>What we refer to as \u201cAll Our Relations\u201d provides everything we need to survive and prosper in our body, mind and spirit.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>It is up to each one of us how we recognize and express thanks for\/to \u201cAll Our Relations\u201d.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_920\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"5616\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-920\" src=\"http:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/contemplative-pedagogy\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/73\/2026\/03\/pexels-peterfazekas-1089451.jpg\" alt=\"Dew drops on blades of grass\" width=\"5616\" height=\"3744\" \/> Photo by Peter Fazekas from Pexels[\/caption]\r\n<h2>The Healer within - what does this mean?<\/h2>\r\nI think of it as the place inside of humans that knows how to learn from communing with our natural world.\r\n\r\nIt is quiet and observant of ourselves and the other (whether it is a person, a gust of cool air, a bug, a frog or other living being) we have the opportunity to listen deeply, with every cell of our being. Listening deeply can mean opening all of our senses and our awareness to possibilities. We can listen to Ourselves, to our own needs, our health and our wellness.\r\n\r\nDo we need fresh air, do we need quiet, do we need to unravel an issue, do we need someone to show us how to do that etc.?\r\n\r\nWe share the earth with many beings, mammals, fish, insects, water, winds and tend to forget we can commune with these beings as we do with humans. All of Our Relations\/Nature supports us as we discover what it is that we need for ourselves and our communities.\r\n<h1>Instructions<\/h1>\r\nThis is a solo activity.\r\n\r\nSitting on the earth is an opportunity to check in with yourself. Some good ways to start is to introduce yourself to nature.\r\n\r\nAcknowledge the life around you and take a really good look at what grows and lives beneath, above and all around you.\r\n\r\nAcknowledge these beings and express your gratitude for everything they provide; that you may have fruits, vegetables, water, clean air, etc.\r\n\r\nAsk yourself about your needs and wants in your life at this time, then listen and open yourself for the answer(s). The live beings that share the the earth with you may have something to share with you.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"textbox\">\r\n\r\n<strong>Related content<\/strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>While outside, you can also try the <a href=\"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/contemplative-pedagogy\/chapter\/earth-altars\/\">earth altars practice<\/a> shared by LeeRay Costa<\/li>\r\n \t<li>See other stillness or ritual\/cyclical practices shared by our contributors: <a href=\"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/contemplative-pedagogy\/chapter\/arriving-breathing-focusing-practice\/\">arriving\/breathing\/focusing<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/contemplative-pedagogy\/chapter\/aimless-wandering\/\">aimless wandering<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/contemplative-pedagogy\/chapter\/orienting\/\">orienting<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/contemplative-pedagogy\/chapter\/box-breathing\/\">box breathing<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/contemplative-pedagogy\/chapter\/centering-stillness\/\">centering stillness<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n&nbsp;","rendered":"<h4><span class=\"NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW215089309 BCX0\">Kariwentha<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW215089309 BCX0\"> Lee Scott<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><strong>Category \/ branch (in the <a href=\"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/contemplative-pedagogy\/part\/seeds-of-contemplative-pedagogy-and-practices\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">tree of contemplative practices<\/a>): <\/strong>Stillness, ritual\/cyclical<\/p>\n<h1>Awareness through Haudenosaunee worldview and &#8220;All Our Relations&#8221;<\/h1>\n<p>How do You commune with the natural world?<\/p>\n<p>We are all a part of the natural world in every way and are unable to exist without our Mother the Earth.<\/p>\n<p>When we recognize how scrumptious that fresh picked apple is we are acknowledging that being, maybe we even express our appreciation to it.<\/p>\n<p>What about the fresh breeze that sneaks in and touches our face in the midst of a heat wave? What about the medicines growing close to our doorsteps, a reminder that we may need their help during the winter.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>All our natural foods come from the soils of the earth, our water comes from the skies and underground water supplies.<\/li>\n<li>We breathe air, we drink water, our food is grown in soil.<\/li>\n<li>What we refer to as \u201cAll Our Relations\u201d provides everything we need to survive and prosper in our body, mind and spirit.<\/li>\n<li>It is up to each one of us how we recognize and express thanks for\/to \u201cAll Our Relations\u201d.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_920\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-920\" style=\"width: 5616px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-920\" src=\"http:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/contemplative-pedagogy\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/73\/2026\/03\/pexels-peterfazekas-1089451.jpg\" alt=\"Dew drops on blades of grass\" width=\"5616\" height=\"3744\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-920\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo by Peter Fazekas from Pexels<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>The Healer within &#8211; what does this mean?<\/h2>\n<p>I think of it as the place inside of humans that knows how to learn from communing with our natural world.<\/p>\n<p>It is quiet and observant of ourselves and the other (whether it is a person, a gust of cool air, a bug, a frog or other living being) we have the opportunity to listen deeply, with every cell of our being. Listening deeply can mean opening all of our senses and our awareness to possibilities. We can listen to Ourselves, to our own needs, our health and our wellness.<\/p>\n<p>Do we need fresh air, do we need quiet, do we need to unravel an issue, do we need someone to show us how to do that etc.?<\/p>\n<p>We share the earth with many beings, mammals, fish, insects, water, winds and tend to forget we can commune with these beings as we do with humans. All of Our Relations\/Nature supports us as we discover what it is that we need for ourselves and our communities.<\/p>\n<h1>Instructions<\/h1>\n<p>This is a solo activity.<\/p>\n<p>Sitting on the earth is an opportunity to check in with yourself. Some good ways to start is to introduce yourself to nature.<\/p>\n<p>Acknowledge the life around you and take a really good look at what grows and lives beneath, above and all around you.<\/p>\n<p>Acknowledge these beings and express your gratitude for everything they provide; that you may have fruits, vegetables, water, clean air, etc.<\/p>\n<p>Ask yourself about your needs and wants in your life at this time, then listen and open yourself for the answer(s). The live beings that share the the earth with you may have something to share with you.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox\">\n<p><strong>Related content<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>While outside, you can also try the <a href=\"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/contemplative-pedagogy\/chapter\/earth-altars\/\">earth altars practice<\/a> shared by LeeRay Costa<\/li>\n<li>See other stillness or ritual\/cyclical practices shared by our contributors: <a href=\"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/contemplative-pedagogy\/chapter\/arriving-breathing-focusing-practice\/\">arriving\/breathing\/focusing<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/contemplative-pedagogy\/chapter\/aimless-wandering\/\">aimless wandering<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/contemplative-pedagogy\/chapter\/orienting\/\">orienting<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/contemplative-pedagogy\/chapter\/box-breathing\/\">box breathing<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/contemplative-pedagogy\/chapter\/centering-stillness\/\">centering stillness<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":79,"menu_order":8,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-915","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":119,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/contemplative-pedagogy\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/915","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/contemplative-pedagogy\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/contemplative-pedagogy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/contemplative-pedagogy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/79"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/contemplative-pedagogy\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/915\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":947,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/contemplative-pedagogy\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/915\/revisions\/947"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/contemplative-pedagogy\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/119"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/contemplative-pedagogy\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/915\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/contemplative-pedagogy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=915"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/contemplative-pedagogy\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=915"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/contemplative-pedagogy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=915"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/contemplative-pedagogy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=915"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}