Grounded by James Canton

Grounded

James Canton

 

This beautiful book is our October book choice

Written by James Canton, author of The Oak Papers

‘This book is a personal journey through our ancient landscapes, and how we can heal our ruptured connection with them and the natural world

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

Grounded opens up the sacred spaces of the past and shows us how amongst the frenzy of the modern world we can find spaces of quiet reflection and learn to stop and slow down’