Vista Views
Vista Views
There are two kinds of view situations that are primally relevant to our deepest mammalian heritage. One is the vista view. Evolutionary biologists speculate that this tracks back all the way to our times as tree-dwelling pre-hominids. The vista view encourages a neuroception of safety.
Our deep evolutionary biology seems to appreciate in particular two kinds of visual situations. The first is a vista view, and it generally happens when we are elevated and able to look out over a wide field of view. Evolutionary biologists theorize that this has to do with our descent from the trees, and the safety and advantage of being up high, with the ability to see. Have you noticed that property values are generally higher up in the hills? Vista views are expansive; they convey a sense of spaciousness and power. It is safer to be above the fray. When you are high, in the mountains, bring attention to how this feels at a visceral level, and how it impacts you to feel a sense of spaciousness around you.
This is contrasted with refuge views. Refuge views are comforting, close, intimate. They correlate with being protected, being held close, surrounded. Refuge views are more correlated with nesting.
Related Practices:
From the standpoint of vision–using the eyes–related to Soften the Gaze, and Stare Vacantly into Space and Look Up. To contemplate the long arc of human evolutionary history, check out The Origin Story, as well as our film Turning on the Connection System.Video: Distill | Photography: Stein Egil Liland | Licensed from Pexels.com, used with permission.