cover of episode Deep Time: Reclaim the Night

Deep Time: Reclaim the Night

2024/12/21
logo of podcast To The Best Of Our Knowledge

To The Best Of Our Knowledge

People
A
Anne Strange-Hampson
L
Leigh Ann Henion
S
Sam Lee
Topics
Anne Strange-Hampson:现代人与自然的夜间节奏日渐疏离,对夜晚的了解远不如祖先。这不仅是科技进步的结果,也意味着我们失去了对自然的一种深刻理解和体验。我们应该重新审视人与自然的关系,并思考在“点亮黑夜”的过程中,我们究竟失去了什么。 Sam Lee:通过在夜晚与夜莺一起唱歌,重新连接与自然的古老联系,这是一种独特的体验,它能唤醒人们对自然世界原始状态的感知。在黑暗中,人们的感官会更加敏锐,对自然的感受也更加深刻。同时,Sam Lee 也呼吁人们关注自然保护和文化传承,并认为艺术可以成为连接人和自然的重要桥梁。他倡导一种新的“夜间仪式”,让人们重新与自然建立联系,并通过这种仪式来唤醒人们对环境保护的意识。 Leigh Ann Henion:在自然黑暗中可以发现许多意想不到的自然奇观,例如萤火虫的同步闪光和各种夜间生物。这不仅能丰富人们对自然的认知,更重要的是,它能帮助人们克服对黑暗的恐惧,重新连接与自然的联系。Leigh Ann Henion 认为,我们对黑暗的恐惧源于对未知的恐惧,而通过探索黑暗,我们可以发现它蕴藏的无限可能和神奇之处。她鼓励人们走出户外,去体验自然黑暗的魅力,并从中获得心灵的平静和对生命的全新理解。 Sam Lee: 在黑暗中行走,让人们回归动物的本能,体验到一种与现代社会截然不同的状态。他认为,在现代社会,人们很少有机会在没有人工光源的情况下行走于黑暗之中,这是一种被遗忘的体验。通过与夜莺一起唱歌,Sam Lee 试图唤醒人们对自然之美的感知,并重新建立人与自然之间的联系。他认为,这种体验不仅能让人们感受到自然的魅力,也能让人们重新思考人与自然的关系,并为环境保护做出贡献。 Leigh Ann Henion: 作者在自己的家乡发现了许多夜间生物,例如萤火虫和发光真菌。这让她意识到,即使在城市附近,也存在着丰富的夜间生态系统。她认为,光污染正在改变自然界的生态平衡,并对许多生物的生存造成威胁。她呼吁人们减少光污染,保护夜间生态环境。

Deep Dive

Key Insights

Why is it important to reclaim the night and experience natural darkness?

Experiencing natural darkness can be profoundly restorative, reconnecting us with the planet's ancient nocturnal rhythms. It can also help us appreciate the natural world and reduce light pollution, which harms nocturnal wildlife and disrupts ecosystems.

What did our ancestors lose when they lost touch with the planet's ancient nocturnal rhythms?

Our ancestors lost a deep connection to the natural world, including the ability to navigate and understand the night sky, the sounds and rhythms of nocturnal animals, and the restorative effects of darkness on mental and physical health.

Why does Sam Lee lead Nightingale Tours in complete darkness?

Sam Lee leads Nightingale Tours in complete darkness to invoke participants' other senses, foster a deeper connection with nature, and create a profound, transformative experience. It also helps in not disturbing the nightingales, which are sensitive to artificial light.

What is the significance of the nightingale in Sam Lee's concerts?

The nightingale is significant because it represents a rare and intimate connection with nature. Its song is a powerful and emotional experience that can inspire people to reconnect with the natural world and appreciate the beauty and complexity of nocturnal life.

How does the nightingale's song reflect the human experience of folk music?

The nightingale's song reflects the human experience of folk music through its solo, lonely voice, which can evoke feelings of melancholy and beauty. Both the nightingale and folk singers often sing in the absence of other sounds, creating a sense of presence and truth.

What is the cultural and environmental impact of light pollution?

Light pollution has significant cultural and environmental impacts. It disrupts natural rhythms, harms nocturnal wildlife, and obscures our view of the night sky. It also affects human health by disrupting sleep patterns and altering our connection to the natural world.

How does Leigh Ann Henion describe her experience with natural darkness and nocturnal wonders?

Leigh Ann Henion describes her experience with natural darkness as restorative and transformative. She discovered a world of nocturnal wonders, including synchronous fireflies and glowworms, which she had never noticed before. This experience challenged her perceptions of darkness and inspired her to explore the unknown.

What is the 'mini death' and how does it relate to experiencing darkness?

The 'mini death' is a practice of sitting still and quiet in darkness to acclimate to the environment. It helps in recognizing the importance of darkness for life and thriving, and it can be a powerful way to overcome fear and connect with the natural world.

What is the role of darkness in human and animal life?

Darkness is crucial for the health and well-being of both humans and animals. It is essential for sleep, circadian rhythms, and the survival of nocturnal species. Darkness also provides avenues of escape for prey and helps maintain ecological balance.

How can we overcome the fear of darkness?

Overcoming the fear of darkness involves understanding what is in the dark and building familiarity with nocturnal environments. Gradually spending more time in natural darkness and learning about the creatures and sounds of the night can help reduce fear and foster a deeper connection with nature.

Chapters
This chapter explores the cultural and sensory loss associated with the widespread adoption of electric light, contrasting the intimate relationship with darkness experienced by past generations with the modern alienation from nocturnal rhythms. It sets the stage for the series' exploration of deep time and reconnecting with nature's time.
  • The cultural loss of experiencing natural darkness is significant and recent.
  • The Milky Way was visible from rural porches in the 1930s.
  • Reconnecting with natural nocturnal rhythms is a way to explore life beyond the clock.

Shownotes Transcript

The longest nights of the year are here, but how many of us will see them? The global spread of light pollution is making it harder to experience dark skies and natural darkness. Learning how to reconnect with the planet’s ancient nocturnal rhythms can be profoundly restorative. Nature writers and darkness activists tell us what we’re missing.Deep Time)* is a series all about the natural ecologies of time from To The Best Of Our Knowledge and the Center for Humans and Nature). We'll explore life beyond the clock, develop habits of "timefulness" and learn how to live with greater awareness of the many types of time in our lives.*

Original Air Date: December 21, 2024

**Interviews In This Hour: **Listening to the song of the night) — Adjusting our eyes to wonders of the nocturnal world)

**Guests: **Sam Lee), Leigh Ann Henion)

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