Grounded : a journey into the landscapes of our ancestors

From the author of The Oak Papers comes a beautiful meditation on how to foster a profound and healing spiritual communion with the natural world, exploring how the sacred can be accessed by looking to the past, to our ancestors and how they tread through their worlds. “Canton's writing has an exquisite, somewhat dreamlike quality.”—Peter Wohlleben, author of The Hidden Life of Trees When James Canton walked into Suffolk’s Lindsey Chapel, it was the beginning of what would become a new journey in his life—hours away from the bustling city of London and distant from the years in his early twenties when he traveled from Egypt to Argentina. Standing inside the quaint chapel, Canton realized that his past cosmopolitan desires had been replaced by an intense yearning to understand the history of the place he called home, a burning curiosity about the past and the spiritual ways and beliefs of the people who came before us. In Grounded, Canton retraces his steps into the places where our ancestors have experienced profound emotion, otherwise known as numinous experiences, to help us better understand who we are. Through lyrical meditation, reflection, and a thoughtful consideration of the ways and beliefs of the people who came before us, Canton seeks to know what our ancestors considered to be human, and what lessons we can learn from them to find security in our contemporary selves. Steeped in literary and folklore references, Grounded is a powerful exploration of the power of nature to soothe, nourish, and inspire the human soul. Grounded is about healing our ruptured connection with our ancestors & with the landFor thousands of years, our ancestors held a close connection with the landscapes they lived in. They imbued it with meaning: stone monuments, sacred groves, places of pilgrimage. In our modern world we have rather lost that enchantment & intimate knowledge of place.James Canton takes us on a journey through England seeking to see through more ancient eyes, to understand what landscape meant to those that came before us. We visit stone circles, the West Kennet long barrow, a Crusader round church & sites of religious visions. We meet the Dagenham Idol & the intricately carved Lion Man figure. We find artefacts buried in farmers' fields. There is history & meaning encoded into the lands & places we live in, if only we take the time to look.Our natural world has never been under more threat. If we relocate our sense of wonder, veneration & awe in the landscapes we live in, we might just be better at saving it. Dr. James Canton is Director of Wild Writing at the University of Essex. He is the author of The Oak Papers (2020), Ancient Wonderings: Journeys into Prehistoric Britain (2017) & Out of Essex: Re-Imagining a Literary Landscape (2013), which was inspired by his rural wanderings in East Anglia. He has written for the Guardian, reviews for the TLS & Caught by the River, & is a regular on television & radio. @jamescanton | @jrcanton1 | jamescanton.co.uk For thousands of years, our ancestors held a close connection with the landscapes they lived in. They imbued them with meaning: stone monuments, sacred groves, places of pilgrimage. In our modern world we have to a large extent lost that enchantment and intimate knowledge of place. James Canton takes us on a journey through England seeking to see through more ancient eyes, to understand what landscape meant to those who came before us. We visit stone circles, the West Kennet Long Barrow, a crusader round church and sites of religious visions. We meet the Dagenham Idol and the intricately carved Lion Man figure. We find artefacts buried in farmers' fields. There is history and meaning encoded into the lands and places we live in, if only we take the time to look. Our natural world has never been under more threat. If we relocate our sense of wonder, veneration and awe in the landscapes around us, we might just be better at saving them For Thousands Of Years, Our Ancestors Held A Close Connection With The Landscapes They Lived In. They Imbued It With Meaning: Stone Monuments, Sacred Groves, Places Of Pilgrimage. In Our Modern World We Have Rather Lost That Enchantment And Intimate Knowledge Of Place. James Canton Takes Us On A Journey Through England Seeking To See Through More Ancient Eyes, To Understand What Landscape Meant To Those That Came Before Us. We Visit Stone Circles, The West Kennet Long Barrow, A Crusader Round Church And Sites Of Religious Visions. We Meet The Dagenham Idol And The Intricately Carved Lion Man Figure. We Find Artefacts Buried In Farmers’ Fields. There Is History And Meaning Encoded Into The Lands And Places We Live In, If Only We Take The Time To Look. Our Natural World Has Never Been Under More Threat. If We Relocate Our Sense Of Wonder, Veneration And Awe In The Landscapes We Live In, We Might Just Be Better At Saving It. A WATERSTONES BEST BOOK OF 2023: NATURE AND TRAVEL For thousands of years, our ancestors held a close connection with the landscapes they lived in. Seeking that lost connection, James Canton takes us on a journey across ancient England: from stone monuments to sacred groves, places of pilgrimage and sites of religious worship. Grounded invites us to step away from our modern world, to rekindle the wonder and awe in the places we live in, to discover the history and meaning encoded into the land – if only we take the time to look.