Etymology: Latin, it inhabits, from habitare
Date: 1796
b : the typical place of residence of a person or a group
c : a housing for a controlled physical environment in which people can live under surrounding inhospitable conditions (as under the sea)
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How does the habitat/environment affects a person? How much? In what measure and way?
It’s important to relate to the place where we happen to be, temporarily or otherwise. When we like wherever we are, we feel relaxed, at ease and we can release creative energy, we are open. On the other hand, when we don’t like where we are we feel misplaced, not in sync and disconnected. We feel something it’s not right.
The word ‘place’ means something different to different people. Sometimes great people with the best intentions and good spirit can become completely jaded and completely shift their attitude, when living in an inharmonious environment.
I see this as a beautiful reminder that we are animals, we belong to the animal kingdom. No matter how evolved we think we are, we are connected to our habitat and it has nothing to do with the quality of the furniture.
When I travel to a ‘place’ that is not my usual habitat, I’m always curious to experience new feelings. If I’ll end up in a habitat that I don’t like or has a vibe that I don’t like, this change of scenery somehow will affect me, even if temporarily. It will affect the music that I will write and the way I will react to the dynamic of the city. And it’s not necessarily a bad thing.
How do you feel about this?
I literally just read your post- and the next page in the book I’m reading is this quote: “There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.” Nelson Mandela
I feel this way when I go back to Marseille.
I also feel like when I travel far away from anything familiar to me- I feel as though my true self begins.
Having just returned from Bali where there is a rare energy pull thriving in the environment, I can say our habitat can play a big role on our being. The scents of tropical flowers, incense from daily offerings, authentic smiles from the locals, the children playing on the streets, woman carrying everything you can imagine on their heads, the rawness of life. All these affect our daily experience and seep into our being, sometimes unconsciously. But ultimately wherever we find ourselves, it comes down to what we are open to as individuals, what we are willing to take in and what we let bounce off of us. This is why different people have different experiences traveling or being in particular places. Ultimately I believe our habitat has the power to create a metamorphosis within us if we allow it to. A change that can remain and move with us to the next place we find ourselves.