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Sympoietic Thinking Tool

The Sympoietic Thinking Tool

Introduction

Designing for isolated entities can lead to unintended consequences as nothing can exist entirely on its own. There is an urgent need to recognise the interconnection and entanglement of life on Earth. Many cultures recognise these entanglements, in deep knowledges learned across many generations, but some cultures with industrial practices have developed worldviews based on ideologies that separate humans from the rest of nature.

Dualist ideologies that seek to understand through establishing specialist areas have revealed a paradox; we may gain insights into the functioning of a specific component, but in doing so, we lose sight of how it exists in the wider world. How might recognition of entanglement affect approaches to the multiple predicaments we and all beings of the Earth face, such as the effects of climate change, physical and mental wellness, equity and how wealth is quantified?

My MA in Sustainable Design master work explores sympoiesis, which means to “make-with”. How do we learn to “make-with” the other beings, forms and forces we are entangled with, but speak a different language to? I propose a sympoietic thinking tool as an exercise to encourage designers and researchers to consider the interconnection and interdependence of the beings, forms, and forces within their project, and to challenge anthropocentric thinking. The tool is influenced by the people and places I know first-hand, as well as insights from Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe, Māori, Buddhist, Ecofeminist and Anthropocentric Scientific knowledges, of which I recognise my understanding to be only partial. It has been designed for use in industrial cultures, and I acknowledge that it might not be relevant to all people or cultures.

A written version of the tool can be found below, as well as examples and templates. Audio recordings of the tool can be accessed from Soundcloud from this link.

[1]Haraway, D. J. (2016). Staying with the Trouble: Making Kin in the Chthulucene. Duke University Press.

[2] Hernlund, J. W. (2020). Syngeosis: Application of the Principles of Symbiosis to Geological
Processes. Japan Geoscience Union. https://confit.atlas.jp/guide/event- img/jpgu2020/U11-01/public/pdf?type=in

[3] Haudenosaunee Confederacy. (2022). Values. https://www.haudenosauneeconfederacy.com/values/

The Tool

Begin

Take a deep breath, in and out. Close your eyes. Take another deep breath. In. And out. And another. In. And out.

Count to 20 and focus your attention inwards, into your body.

After this, scan your mind across your body. Notice if you feel any particularly strong or different sensations in particular parts of your body. Acknowledge any feelings that may (or may not) come up for you. Take as long as you’d like to do this. Starting with the top of your head, move down to your eyes, ears, mouth, throat, neck, shoulders, your arms, wrists, hands, fingers, then your chest, abdomen, hips, thighs, calves, ankles, feet, to the tips of your toes. When you feel ready, open your eyes and take another deep breath, in and out.

Decide on a topic

(i.e. a project/activity/occupation/object/being, form, or force/anything that comes to mind) to consider with the sympoetic thinking tool. A couple of blank templates can be found in appendix 1 but feel free to record this information in any way that resonates for you. It is up to you how you wish to record this information – you could draw, create a table/grid/circle or make cards. It may also be helpful to look at the examples shown in appendix 2.

Think of a being, form, or force to add to each of the scales below, in relation to your chosen topic. It can be anything, allow your mind to wander, or if you are doing the activity with others, see if you can come up with a couple of ideas – they can be literal or metaphysical.

• Internal (within)

• External (near)

• External (national)

• External (global)

• Internal and External

Consider the below prompts for the being, form, or force chosen for each of the scales, based on your existing knowledge, or intuition. Again, allow your mind to wander, your answers can be literal or metaphysical.

Where is it situated?
How long does it live for?
How long would seven generations be?
What does it need to be healthy?
How does it communicate?
Does it live with other beings?
Is it a parent/child? Why?
What do we know about it not in relation to humans?

You might find that you can’t answer some of these questions, such as how long the being, form, or force lives for. That’s ok. Reflect on what you do and don’t know. If this brings up any insights, make a note of them.

Chose a picture/audio file/colour/something that you feel represents each being, form, or force in some way.

Now fill in any gaps in your knowledge - use tools such as the internet, books and journals to find out more information and to create a fuller picture of the being, form, or force.

Consider the politics of the information you were able to find (or not find). For instance, was the information presented impartially or from a human-centred perspective, perhaps the information available relates to the way(s) the being, form, or force interacts with humans (for example, did you find out whether it is beneficial or harmful in its interactions with humans)?

Now reflect on what you found out by answering the below questions (and your own questions if they come up):

In what ways are the beings/forms/forces within your project tangled with each other? Is it possible to separate them physically or in terms of their interactions, i.e., without one, what is the impact on the other? What might happen if one of them vanishes? Is it possible to find this out?

In what ways does thinking about your topic in this way enable you to see the beings/forms/forces differently?

In what ways does thinking about your topic in this way enable you to see your project differently?

Are there any actions you could take (or not take) in the design of your project to consider the wellbeing of the seven generations of the beings/forms/forces you have thought about?

Can you spend time with the being(s), form(s) or force(s) you have considered? How might this change how you conceive of them?

Are there any other questions you want to ask?

Conclude

Take a deep breath, in and out. Close your eyes. Take another deep breath. In. And out. And another. In. And out.

Count to 20 and focus your attention inwards, into your body.

After this, scan your mind across your body. Notice if you feel any particularly strong or different sensations in particular parts of your body. Acknowledge any feelings that may (or may not) come up for you. Take as long as you’d like to do this. Starting with the top of your head, move down to your eyes, ears, mouth, throat, neck, shoulders, your arms, wrists, hands, fingers, then your chest, abdomen, hips, thighs, calves, ankles, feet, to the tips of your toes. When you feel ready, open your eyes and take another deep breath, in and out and come back into the space.