In these times of global crisis, our trust in place has been shaken, creating a need for deep reflection on our connection to nature. This paper studies a professional development course focused on ‘sit-spot’—a designated natural place for contemplation—as a tool for fostering a connection to nature and assisting in rebuilding place-based trust. Exposure to nature impacts on human health, both physiological and psychological-emotional, and has healing potential. Additionally, spending more time in nature prolongs feelings of happiness and hence environmentally friendly behavior.

Sit-spot are common across various cultures, akin to the Japanese practice of forest bathing, which emphasizes the importance of sitting in nature while listening and deeply observing. Different approaches to spending time in nature resonate with the sit-spot idea. Some describe methods for selecting a sit-spot where solitude and reflection in nature act as a teacher. Others highlight connections between mindfulness meditation, sit-spot, and artistic tools like mandala drawing as therapeutic methods. While the use of sit-spot has been explored in various contexts, it has not been extensively studied. This research aims to examine the use of sit-spot as a tool for building a sense of trust in place in educational work. Accordingly, we asked: How has integrating sit-spot into daily practice strengthened the participants’ sense of trust in place?

The research project introduced the concept of sit-spot, emphasizing goals such as experiential engagement to actively build a sense of trust in place. The introduced tools aim to foster connection with internal sources of resilience and can be integrated into daily life to enhance well-being. Nine participants have chosen to join the research project and are expected to apply the tools in their educational practices following their personal experiences. The research adopts a collaborative self-study approach. Participants co-create the research objectives, questions, and tools, and analyze findings to draw conclusions. The study unfolds over 2 hours seven documented Zoom sessions. The research involves the participants’ documentation through writing, drawing, photography (photo-voice), and written and verbal reflective explanations recorded during meetings.

We found three main themes. Attentiveness to the ever-changing nature phenomena is the first. Participants noticed the minutest shifts in light, small animals’ placement, and the growth or recovery of plants, as well as larger changes such as cloud movements, foliage and weather. Secondly, a deep sense of place is present in the drawings, photos, and texts — the participants’ bodily sensations as well as their sensual experience of the place. Finally, these first two themes serve as the infrastructure for the site-specific interconnectedness of human and nature and their mutual influence, the third theme. Nature here serves as a guide and a source for both inward and outward contemplation. These themes show the healing and resilience development potential of the sit-spot in nature. In the research’s next stages, we will examine the participants’ utilization of the sit-spot tool in their educational field.

Keywords: Outdoor learning, contemplative education, sit-spot, education for sustainability, sense of place.