“We’re not the first human beings to realise we feel more peaceful sitting next to a tree. People have known this for millennia. This is utter basics”
Dr James Canton, author, Director of Wild Writing at the University of Essex and lover of oak trees, shares an insight into his personal relationship with the Honywood Oak. This 800 year old ancient Oak tree, which would have been a sapling when the Magna Carta was signed, teaches us how to slow down, shift our perspectives and activate our senses.
He shares insights from visiting the Honywood Oak at different times of the day and night, weather and seasons. From frosty daybreaks clutching a thermos of coffee, to the emergence of Spring sat within the canopy of leaves amongst the Blue Tits. This “sit-spot” practice is often used in nature therapy to identify a safe and wholesome spot which is visited on a regular basis to build a connection with the place.
Join us on a physical, sensual, historic, intellectual, psychological, philosophical and meditative journey to re-connect with the wonder of trees and discover how this can help improve your outdoor coaching practice.
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Our guest
James Canton is a writer and lecturer who has written widely in creative non-fiction forms and taught on the MA in Wild Writing at the University of Essex since its inception in 2009, exploring the fascinating ties between the literature and landscape of East Anglia.
His first book From Cairo to Baghdad (2011) explored the writings of British Travellers to Arabia from 1882 to 2003. Out of Essex: Re-Imagining a Literary Landscape (2013) is inspired by rural wanderings in the county. Ancient Wonderings: Journeys into Prehistoric Britain was published by William Collins in 2017 and tells some remarkable tales of life in ancient Britain.
His latest book The Oak Papers was published with Canongate in July 2020.
