Field Observation in qualitative research requires zen-like attention.
In this state-of-"no-mind" one is witnessing what is rather than looking for. Looking for is a state associated with experimental and positivist research designs. It is human nature to project what is desired onto the activities around oneself. Alan Watts, Eckhart Tolle, Coehlo, Tich Nhat Nanh, Deepak Chopra describe that most people are crippled by thoughts that are not even their own. Chopra says, “we don’t so much think as we get thought.” We do not SEE so much as project what we want to see on what is. Interpretation (more like judgment) is happening concurrently with looking which clouds the reality of what is there in plain sight.
Why is it so difficult to see without interpretation or judgment? We are taught that most things we do require effort. The greater the effort the better the reward we are told. And so we live our lives with this mantra quietly in the back of our minds whispering for us to work ever so harder and faster for that elusive reward. What the great sages tell us, however, is that the true rewards can only come from relaxing and broadening our vision and seeing what is instead of what we want to see (based on conditioning, parental influence and societal pressures). We can never escape our “selves” and we will always have experiences that limit and enhance our perceptions but we can move toward more authentic ways of seeing by relaxing into our field of vision. We need to learn to see with our bodies (which feel) instead of our minds (which label and judge).
Try this. Go to a public place and simply witness what is happening. Do not judge it, do not wish for it to be different. Just see what is and let it pass. Let people, activity come and go. See it, let it pass, let it go. If you begin thinking,” I like that hat”, “I don’t like that shirt”, etc.. remind yourself not to judge and try to broaden your view to see more than one thing at a time. Can you concentrate on what’s happening in the distance at the same time as what is happening nearby? Freeing up judgment frees up space to SEE more. Field notes are not supposed to be interpretations or judgments. They are notes of what is actually happening. There will be room for interpretation later and that interpretation will be richer because there will be distance from the experience.
1 comment:
Great. There's so much letting go we need to be doing to be effective. But think about the work required in interviewing, a very very active task, rather than observing, which can be passive if we work at it (if you will allow that conceit). How do lead the discussion, manage your field guide, follow the conversation where it goes, while still holding back and letting it happen non-judgmentally. There's some real contradiction or at least challenge there.
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