Noticing

“Mindfulness is nothing more than

the simple act of actively noticing things.”

- Dr. Ellen Langer, Social Psychologist,

“The Mother of Mindfulness”

Ellen Langer, professor of psychology at Harvard University and the author of eleven books, knows a thing or two about mindfulness. She came into my life two weeks ago as a guest of Krista Tippett in her November 2, 2017, On Being podcast (listen to the interview here).

She maintains that our experience of the world is determined by the words we use to describe that experience. Her favourite example is renaming work as play. Her research shows that this change of wording can lead to the activity being experienced as “delight” rather than “drudgery”. However, it is the attitude of mindfulness that accompanies the change of wording that makes the difference. And for her, the path out of mindlessness towards mindfulness starts with the simple act of actively noticing things.

Not through yoga or meditation, but by simply noticing things.

Sometimes the most powerful concepts are the simplest: be kind, be generous, be honest...and notice things.

And of course, noticing is one of the great pillars of photography. One of my favourite activities is simply taking my camera out for a walk and...noticing.

In that spirit, I commend the following ten photographs, all recorded in the last two weeks. The first five come from the backroads of Hastings County; the second five come from the ravines near Edwards Gardens in Toronto.

I hope you enjoy noticing them.

Ray Road, Hastings County

Ray Road, Hastings County

Fuller Road, Hastings County

Tuftsville Road, Hastings County

Highway 41, near the boundary of Lennox & Addington and Hastings Counties

Wilket Creek Park, near Edwards Gardens

Edwards Gardens

Edwards Gardens

Edwards Gardens

Wilket Creek Park, near Edwards Gardens