THE IMPORTANCE OF PASSIVE OBSERVATION
By Irene Perrett
27th August, 2020
How often do we use observation as a tool? We tend to monitor, assess, and weigh up whether what we observe is what we would like to see. We question ourselves – are we getting closer to the goal, nearing the outcome of our agenda? How do these observations cause us to feel, are they enhancing or detracting, creating insight or a barrier?
Bear with me, I’ve been mulling this over – by removing pre-conceived perceptions from
observation, we can develop Passive Observation. Observing with no agenda or judgement, but instead just using our senses to absorb the activity of the living that is taking place all around us. Gradually the things that initially seem to be so obvious and important start to drift into the background as we learn to notice the micro world that exists alongside us and, through its subtlety, offers gifts which heighten our awareness. As the noise of human activity dulls, we realise that we are surrounded by birdsong, the wind rustling the leaves in the trees, the buzz of insects, the footsteps of a beetle, the vibration of the earth – as each level of sound diminishes, we become aware of the quieter layer beneath until we are absorbed within the sounds themselves.
We place no agenda on the birds to sing a certain song, or the beetle to choose to take a particular path, yet we find each fascinating in their own way. They are living their own lives, just as the trees above us and the soil beneath us hold millions of lives in their midst. These lives beings beyond the human hand, though it is our choice whether to enhance or destroy, or to simple observe. Passive observation gives us the chance to step aside from the treadmill of life where we so often find ourselves, and to wonder at the beauty and connectivity of earth’s inhabitants.
How is this relevant to dogs, and in particular, to a rescue dog who has been traumatised and learnt to withdraw from interaction with humans? To one extent or another, we all use observation throughout our day; it is a part of our continuous learning process. If we think about it, when we observe, we are already adding to that observation – adding our own bias, history, and expectations. Our thoughts and interpretations will colour what we see; the action we observe creates an emotional response within us. None of us are a vacuum, we each are made up of the genetics handed down from our ancestors, and the experiences we have held over our lives. It is sometimes hard to leave this part of us aside and simply observe without adding meaning or outcome to what we are absorbing. Perhaps we can remember back to our childhood and the fascination of discovery, in a time when observations were noted and left to float away.
Quietly watching a dog from a distance, reading a book and glancing across now and again, feeling her presence without any expectation, walking away to create space – until one day you notice that she is lying a little closer to you, that she doesn’t feel the need to move when you move nor hold her breath as you walk past. The subtleties of breath, the movement of the skin beneath the hair, the placement of the bodyweight over the feet as she moves, the rhythm as she laps the water she drinks; each we passively observe without expectation.
Within this context, we start to observe the nuances of conversation between one dog and another. A traumatised dog will often just lie and watch, not wishing to become involved but gradually learning about the happenings around her. As she becomes more familiar with the ebb and flow, she starts to assimilate information about others in her environment; taking in the routines and relationships, the dynamics that create a family. She watches the other dogs, she learns from their actions, their body language, their emotional state, until she feels ready to attempt interaction. From tentative steps, she begins to find courage; the responses she gains from the others show her how to adapt within her new world. Each day as I passively observe, I notice that she releases; she lets go of the smallest pieces of her story of trauma – the years she spent growing up while chained in a yard with her mother, the trauma of separation and further years fending for herself in a Romanian shelter – and the hidden chapters that only she knows. Recovering from trauma, she learns first that she can find safety, and from that place of safety she can start to trust herself, to gain resilience and self-reliance. I doubt this journey would happen as it does without the other dogs who live here; Maggie the calm overseer who reads every situation completely, and interprets the emotional state of others in a language I understand, Walter the wise and independent guardian, and Tibbsy who is quietly companionable and gentle. They work in unison to enable a traumatised dog to understand that humans can be kind and trustworthy.
Through authenticity, I can help Martha to understand that humans are ok to be around. She has autonomy to choose how her journey moves forward, my role is non-
judgemental observation and guidance. The insights I gain through periods of passive observation allow me to understand her more fully, simply being rather than doing. When I live beside a foster dog, I know only one thing for certain – that each will teach me something more about myself, almost by osmosis and without conscious thought.
Through passive observation we are able to absorb the clarity of thought that is the wisdom of non-human animals. I suspect that none of us who have the honour to work with an animal who has suffered from trauma will forget the moments that reflect their courage as they begin to explore and expand their world, the world that from necessity has been reduced as a part of their mechanism to cope. The art of combining observation, guidance and monitoring environmental factors is key to engendering feelings of safety; but beyond this practical application, we can hold regard through calm, mindful and non-judgemental intention. We cannot put on a front and expect a dog to respond, we have to be genuine and authentic in our regard – or give them space and come back another time. The lessons that a rescue dog may teach us can be profound, they show us how to be at peace with ourselves, even for just a while. Passive observation is simply a term I use to describe those moments when we feel complete within ourselves and hold the capacity of intimate awareness of others in the worldaround us.
Irene is an active part of IEP and volunteers her time to be part of our Administration Team. She is based in Devon and works with both equines and dogs.
Irene has fostered numerous dogs and given them the time and space they need to emotionally rehabilitate, helping them to navigate their world and develop their self-regulation skills.
For more information about Irene, please click here to visit her biography page
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