West Lake field trip was a refreshing way to start the week. Looking out towards the lake felt like being surrounded by serenity and purity. The freshness in the lake and air was evident. When I first arrived at West Lake, I immediately went towards the lake, taking in deep breaths while admiring the brisk, cool, foggy morning. As the fog moved across the lake and towards the vast atmosphere, there was a lingering sense of mystical energy. In this moment, I felt feelings of wonder, reflection and utter bliss. Experiential learning through observation and experiencing rather than reading about it is so much more therapeutic and rewarding.
The first exercise we were asked to take a few moments for mindfulness along the lake and think about how bodies of water (lakes, creeks, oceans) have meaning in our life and what makes us connected to them. I really enjoyed this reflection as I feel deeply connected to bodies of water. As I walked along the lake, I instantly felt a sense of calming and warm sensation around me. Any body of water has always been grounding for me. Growing up on the ocean, in Prince Rupert, I’d often go for walks on the waterfront and admire the ocean views. Especially throughout my grief journey, I have found that anytime I want to write to my little brother and reflect in my journal; I go to the creek by my house where I can hear the sound of the water running along the rocks. It helps me regulate when I’m sad and overwhelmed with my feelings. Bodies of water have always been a source of spiritual connection for me. Whenever I am near the ocean or lakes, I feel more connected to the earth. I’m able to reflect deeply while journaling my thoughts at a beach or sitting by the creek.
A land based activity that we did was called “borders walk” where we were asked to notice the transitions on our walk, where the borders appear on the walking space and around us. This activity got me to think about the types of borders around me. Imaginary (not feeding the ducks, not leaving food scraps on the ground) human created borders (park benches) and nature created (water and sand). Even looking out towards the water, there was a border from the sky to the lake and where the trees end to where the sky starts.
Another land based activity we did was thinking about who was here before us and what evidence there was indicating that. My partner and I walked along the lake towards the small bridge where we noticed three big rocks in the middle of the creek water. We shared our thoughts of how they must have gotten to those spots as it did not look like it was naturally there from the creek. Our theory was that some children had been playing around there and were trying to jump from the big rocks so they placed them there strategically facing the lake. We then noticed a tree stump that also did not look like it was there naturally. We noticed that the stump also faced the lake which was a gorgeous spot to sit and admire nature while even writing in a journal. This activity would be great for elementary students as it allows them to use their senses while out in nature and have conversations that spark curiosity, wonder and creativity. Children have vast imagination and giving them prompting questions allow them to critically and creatively think about connections they can make on the land.
This day was my favourite outdoor field trip this semester as I remember it so vividly and the sensations it brought me allowed me to deeply connect with the land and place.
