FIRST ATTEMPT WRITTING THE METHODOLOGY
For my first attempt at writing the methodology I realised in order to make it simpler I had to divide it into sections or steps as it were. I have so far separated the methodology into 9 sections : location, walking, offering, acquainting yourself with the more-than-human, finding your rooting ground, opening yourself for listening, creating an open communication pathway, collaborating, thanking and leaving. These are my main sections so far – but when it comes to writing the methodology into booklet form at the start of the booklet I will have a section explaining what the methodology is, why it is needed, what it can do and then have a section on how to use the booklet. Then I will have a page dedicated to some preparation exercises, these for example are breathing exercises to calm the nervous system, and exercises to enable deep-experiencing. Then at the back of the booklet after the methodology is finished I will have a page called Responsibility of post-production and sharing. This section will be about how to ethically share the sounds you and the more-than-human have collaborate, alongside a explanation of how to reference and credit your collaborators. There will also be a small part on editing – talking about what to consider when editing things out. After this section there will be blank pages for thoughts, observations and drawings. On the last page of the methodology there will be what I have called a sonic dictionary. In the written dissertation I have complied a library of phrases and words less deductive than our usual references of take and capture. I will also leave room the holder to add to this dictionary.
This is my first attempt:
WHAT IS THIS METHODOLOGY
This methodology proposes an alternative practice for collaborating with what David Abrams coined “more-than-human” beings through the means of environmental field recording. It focuses on the moments before you press play, and the idea of creating and collaborating ethically, sustainable and responsibility, with the more-than-human.
WHY DO WE NEED IT
In the history of environmental field recording, field recordists have been seen to repeat a deductive patterning of behaviour towards the more-than-human. The practice of recording has been used to centralize the human and produce works based on extractivist mentalities.
WHAT CAN IT DO
This methodology invites an openness in a guide to become a responsible considerate collaborator. It seeks to reconstruct an ethical approach to collaboration with the more-than-human participants. Influenced by the knowledges from Indigenous cultures, Paganism and Shamanism, alongside artists, sound artists and writers such as Glennie kindred, Pauline Oliveros, Robert McFarlane, Sandra Ingerman and Llyn Robert and most importantly time spent being-with the more-than-human. It is proposing a new approach guided by opening of the heart body and mind, to reimagine equal and ethical collaboration.
HOW TO USE THIS BOOKLET
Proposed by an alternative toolkit. This methodology uses what I have called a sonic dictionary. A library of ethical phrases and terms to be used when addressing our more-than-human counterparts. It presents walking, thoughts thought- with, and intuition as valuable tools in communicating with the more-than-human.
You are encouraged to debunk, dismantle, question and remake this methodology, to adapt to whatever collaborative state you are in. Construct it to your own practice and discover the wonders at ethical and sustainable collaboration with the more-than-human. You are also invited to add any phrases or terms to the sonic dictionary that you find valuable.
EXERSIZES FOR PREPERATION
- Breathing exercises to calm the nervous system
- Opening ears heart and body
- Taking walks in your local parks/ outdoor environments to-be and think-with
LOCATION
Try to localise your sonic experiences by exploring lands and the more-than-human in your immediate verticity. If you can, trying walking to the location, the walking will allow you more time for thought and preparation. If you cannot walk then cycle or take public transport. Try your best not to drive, but if driving is your only option, try doing something later in the week such as leaving food out for the birds, cycling or walking to work, or simply substituting something from your daily life that week for a more sustainable option to compensate for this drive.
Is it important and useful for you to know and understand more about where you live and who you live with. This localised collaboration will engage you with your community, allowing for frequent visits constituting to a deeper and more personal collaboration with the more-than-human participants. It is also important to be conscious of where you visit. Is this space protected, will you be interfering with the local ecosystem in a negative way by being there. Make sure to take time for researching into your given location to make sure you fully understand how to best approach and protect what is already there.
WALKING
Many of us walk to clear our minds, to escape something and to jump out of a thought. I invite you to walk directly into your thoughts and feelings, this will be the first step at opening your mind for your collaboration. Walking is a practice which enables us to know and to understand, through walking we think-with our surrounding, two legs carrying us to sound, two legs carrying us to collaboration.
I walk to breathe
I walk to think,
I walk to be
I walk to understand,
I walk to listen
I walk to know,
I walk to explore
I walk to collaborate,
I walk to walk.
Step 1. Once you have arrived at your location, I want you to practice noticing as you walk
Notice the weather
Notice the season are you in
Notice the more-than-human around you
Notice what you’re not hearing
OFFERING
At the end of the exercise, you will be leaving an offer as a thank you to your more-than-human participants for collaborating with you. This offering can be something brought from home, such as native wildflower seeds, but I encourage you to find one on your walk, as this item be it a rock, flower, twig, petal will already be native to this space so wont lead to unneeded disturbances. Once this item shows itself to you pick it up and hold it in your hand as you walk. As you hold it focus on the idea of gifting and thanks. Hold this item close to you until the end of this exercise.
If there is a certain space on your walk that you know you want to collaborate with, please start walking slowly in its direction. Take an unknown route if this space is familiar to you. Take time for observing and engaging with the more-than-human on your walk. If you feel drawn to something weather that is an object on the ground, a bird in the sky or a tree, pause for curiosity and allow time to be with this being.
If there is no pre decided space for collaboration, please start wondering. Allow your feet, feeling and intuition to carry you through your walk. Take time for observing and engaging with the more-than-human on your walk. If you feel drawn to something weather that is an object on the ground, a bird in the sky or a tree, pause for curiosity and allow time to be with this being.
If any thoughts have been repeating themselves whilst walking, please note them down at the back of this booklet.
As you walk your intuition will guide you to a collaborative space. Once you have come across this space it is time to acquaint yourself with its more-than-human inhibitors.
ACQAUNTING YOURSELF WITH THE MORE-THAN-HUMAN
It is time to explore the collaborative space and greet your fellow participants.
Step 2. Take 10 minuets to walk around this space observing and greeting the beings within it. Try identifying the types of more-than-human beings who live here, this will better your understanding of what more-than-human beings you will be collaborating with.
This is your time to really be curious.
Remember that for now you are a visitor, and this is their home. If at any moment you feel unwelcome, or uneasy in this space please move on and keep walking to a new location, listen to your intuition, this feeling will guide you.
FINDING YOUR ROOTING GROUND
Step 3. As you have now acquainted yourself and greeted the landscape, naturally wonder around the space eventually finding a spot to stand or sit which feels comfortable.
If at any moment you feel unwelcome, or uneasy in this space please move on and keep walking to a new location, listen to your intuition, this feeling will guide you.
- As you stand or sit, please take 5 minuets to fully look around your position (what do you see, hear, taste, smell and feel)
- If you are comfortable enough to take your shoes and sock off please do so, enabling you to become in direct contact with the earth – if not please place your bare hands on the earth, getting them dirty if you wish and feel the resonance of the Earth vibrating through your palms
- After 5 minuets has past, please sit or stand upright, rolling your shoulders back imagining your chest and heart opening to the space
- Now take 5 long deep breathes with your eyes closed. Slowly breathe in through your nose, imagine your lungs expanding and the air slowly sinking to the pit of your stomach. Gently push the air lower and lower. Do this for as long as feels comfortable, then exhale at a slow pace through your mouth imaging the air slowly releasing from the pit of your stomach, squeezing it out until feels comfortable.
- Repeat this action 5 times. After the 5th time, with your eyes still closed, gently start to move your fingers and toes, slowly reactivating your body, and when you feel ready take a deep breath in open your eyes and out once open
Now that you have found your rooting ground it is time to root and open yourself to the space
ROOTING YOURSELF
Now that you have calmed your nervous system, you next need to route yourself to the Earth and the more-than-human beings who reside in it.
Step 4. Take time to now look around your space, observing where the trees and rooted beings are in distance to you, repeat out loud or in your head –‘ Hello trees I see you and I greet you, hello plants I see you and I greet you, hello land I see you and I greet you, hello all that lives below my soles I feel you and I greet you.
- Whilst standing or sitting upright imagine a beam of light coming down from the sky into the crown of your head, filling your mind with light. Begin carrying this feeling through your body filling your body with warmth. With every breath in, feel the light tingling around your body
- Feel your knowledge, kindness, love and spirit growing roots from your brain, imagine these roots passing down the back of your throat, spreading downwards through your lungs filling your heart, through your stomach and into your legs. Imagine these roots passing through your soles connection to the ground finally joining with the Earth. Feel your roots growing out to the fellow rooted beings around you, joining with them making you strong and tall, embedding you within the earth.
- Feel your love warmth and knowledge passing through this rotted system into the ground below
- Now out loud or in your mind tell the land that you are thankful to be here and that you greet all beings around
It is now time to open your whole body for listening
If at any moment you feel unwelcome, or uneasy in this space please move on and keep walking to a new location, listen to your intuition, this feeling will guide you.
OPENING YOURSELF FOR LISTENING
Now that you have rooted yourself with the land it is time to open yourself for listening.
Step 5. Keeping upright in your rooted position with your eyes open, start to spread your hands out wide opening your palms to the space, invision the palms of your hands as ears, move them around you to listen in different directions, hold this listening and repeat the same action for your feet, feel them listening to the Earth below you.
With one deep breath in, roll back your shoulders and imagine your chest and heart opening to the to the land as your next ear, listening through your ribcage and your organs.
Keep listening with all of your ears, you are almost there.
Envision yourself listening through your eyes, move them in the direction you want to listen in, feel all of your ears moving with them
Listen very carefully now, as you have now become an active listening body. Every part of you including your thoughts, feelings ,body and knowledge is not ready and rooted into an open connection with the land.
If at any moment you feel unwelcome, or uneasy in this space please move on and keep walking to a new location, listen to your intuition, this feeling will guide you.
CREATING AN OPEN COMMUNICATION PATHWAY
Now that you have a clear connection to the land through you rooted system and opening of all your ears, it is time to create and open communication pathway.
Step 6. Take a few moments to be still, deeply breathing in and out, inviting all beings to communicate with you through your rooted system and open ears.
You can sit down now if standing up is tiering you.
Start listening through all your ears and your thoughts, to everything around you. Feel the presence of the more-than-human, if you find your thoughts wondering remind yourself to listen deeper.
Are there any voices, thoughts or sounds that are being repeated. If so, please write these down at the back of your booklet, this may be the more-than-human trying to communicate with you.
Once again if at any moment you feel unwelcome, or uneasy in this space please move on and keep walking to a new location, listen to your intuition, this feeling will guide you.
COLLABORATING
Once your communication pathway is open it is time to ask the land and more-than-human if they would like to collaborate with you. In your head or out loud ask ‘would you like to collaborate with me today’. If at any moment you feel unwelcome, or uneasy in this space please move on and keep walking to a new location, listen to your intuition, this feeling will guide you.
Listen to your intuition, you should be able to tell that the more-than-human are ready for collaboration now
Step 7. Please ask the more-than-human in your head or out loud if they would be okay with you recording this collaboration.
Now gently take out your equipment and set it up ready for recording .
Before you press play repeat the breathing exercise shown in finding your rooting ground to once again calm your nervous system and open yourself for collaboration:
- Now take 5 long deep breathes with your eyes closed. Slowly breathe in through your nose, imagine your lungs expanding and the air slowly sinking to the pit of your stomach. Gently push the air lower and lower. Do this for as long as feels comfortable, then exhale at a slow pace through your mouth imaging the air slowly releasing from the pit of your stomach, squeezing it out until feels comfortable.
- Repeat this action 5 times. After the 5th time, with your eyes still closed, gently start to move your fingers and toes, slowly reactivating your body, and when you feel ready take a deep breath in open your eyes and out once open.
Remember your root communication system is connecting your creativity and thoughts to the Earth’s, this is how the land will collaborate with you. Through this system, in your head or out loud ask the more than human if you can press play.
As you record don’t be afraid to make yourself known. Don’t be afraid to cough, or a breath loudly, if your position is uncomfortable don’t be afraid to move move. Rember that these sounds are all a part of your collaboration.
If at any moment you feel unwelcome, or uneasy in this space please move on and keep walking to a new location, listen to your intuition, this feeling will guide you.
Once your collaboration feels as if it has come to a natural end, now stop the recording process.
THANKING AND LEAVING
Now that your collaboration has ended it is important to show your gratitude to your fellow participants.
Step 8. Before packing away your equipment it is time to thank your collaborators. Out loud or in your head. Repeat ‘thank you for collaborating with me today’. Take time for silence and stillness recognising what you just both created. Please now pack away your equipment.
You now need to disconnect yourself from the collaboration and the space in order to leave. Repeat this breathing exercise:
- Now take 5 long deep breathes with your eyes closed. Slowly breathe in through your nose, imagine your lungs expanding and the air slowly sinking to the pit of your stomach. Gently push the air lower and lower. Do this for as long as feels comfortable, then exhale at a slow pace through your mouth imaging the air slowly releasing from the pit of your stomach, squeezing it out until feels comfortable.
- Repeat this action 5 times. After the 5th time, with your eyes still closed, gently start to move your fingers and toes, slowly reactivating your body, and when you feel ready take a deep breath in open your eyes and out once open
After your 5th breath, feel your roots gently letting go from the more-than-human beings it joined itself to, slowly recoiling back up though the soles of your feet, through your legs, up to your chest and past your heart, into your throat and back to your mind.
Now once again thank your collaborators. Thank they for inviting you into their space and thank them for collaborating with you today.
To show your thanks it is now time to leave the offering you collected on your walk. Please place this offering on the position in which you collaborated with giving back to your collaborators. Leave this gift as an appreciation of your gratitude.
Now leave this space ending your collaboration. Make sure that you take everything that you came with, checking the surrounding space for any littering that can be taken back with you.
RESPONSIBILITY OF POSTPRODUCTION AND SHARING COLLABORATION
Please be responsible when editing and sharing this collaboration. Rember that your sounds are also a part of this collaboration. Reconsider editing a tummy rumble, hand movement or cough out, allow the collaboration to be truthful to how it was. Ensuring to be true to the perception of the space.
When sharing these collaborations, always credit your collaborators and the land in which they took place, as these collaborations were made with them. Be responsible with sharing the location. If this was a protected area, consider leaving out of the credits the exact location. Still credit all the more-than-human beings who were active participants within the collaboration.
Consider the platform in which you share these collaborations on. Do they in any way directly affect the more-than-human in a negative way. Consider more sustainable and ethical options for sharing these works.
PAGES FOR THOUGHTS
PAGES FOR OBSERVATIONS
PAGES FOR DRAWING
SONIC DICTIONARY
Alternative words when describing recording – emerged, materialised, surfaced, transpired, arose
Participants – a term to describe both the human and more-than-human collaborators
More-than-human – what you would normally refer to as ‘nature’ or ‘environment’
Walking – walking a form of knowing-with the more-than-human
Responsible collaboration
Knowing-with
Thinking-with
Being-with
Listening-with