Green Psychology: Transforming our Relationship to the Earth

by Ralph Metzner

A visionary ecopsychologist examines the rift between human beings and nature and shows what can be done to bring harmony to both the ecosystem and our own minds.

• Shows that the solution to our ecological dilemma lies in our own consciousnesses.

It is becoming more and more apparent that the causes and cures for the current ecological crisis are to be found in the hearts and minds of human beings. For millennia we existed within a religious and psychological framework that honored the Earth as a partner and worked to maintain a balance with nature. But somehow a root pathology took hold in Western civilization--the idea of domination over nature--and this led to an alienation of the human spirit that has allowed an unprecedented destruction of the very systems which support that spirit.

In Green Psychology Ralph Metzner explores the history of this global pathology and examines the ways that we can restore a healing relationship with nature. His search for role models takes him from shamanic ceremonies with the Lacandon Maya of Mexico to vision quests in the California desert, from the astonishing nature mysticism of Hildegard von Bingen to the Black Goddesses and Green Gods of our pagan ancestors. He examines the historical roots of the split between humans and nature, showing how first sky-god worshiping cultures, then monotheisms, and finally mechanistic science continued to isolate the human psyche from the life-giving Earth. His final chapters present a solution, showing that disciplines such as deep ecology and ecofeminism are creating a worldview in which the mind of humanity and the health of the Earth are harmoniously intertwined.

Genres: Nature, Psychology, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Ecology, Environment

240 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1999

About the author

Ralph Metzner Ph.D. was an American psychologist, writer and researcher, who participated in psychedelic research at Harvard University in the early 1960s with Timothy Leary and Richard Alpert (later named Ram Dass). Dr. Metzner was a psychotherapist, and Professor Emeritus of psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco, where he was formerly the Academic Dean and Academic Vice-president. He received his undergraduate degree at Oxford University and his doctorate in clinical psychology at Harvard University, where he was also the recipient of an NIMH Post-doctoral Fellowship in psychopharmacology at the Harvard Medical School. He had a life-long interest in the many different realms of consciousness and its modifications.

He is the author of The Well of Remembrance, The Unfolding Self, Green Psychology, Birth of a Psychedelic Culture (with Ram Dass); editor of two collections of essays on ayahuasca and on psilocybe mushrooms; and author of a new series of seven books on The Ecology of Consciousness.

Reviews

[Susan Sylvia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was probably one of the most informative, enlightening books I've ever read. Metzner's evolution of man's various faith systems through history was extremely eye-opening in itself and, when coupled with its effect on how we humans interact with our planet, Green Psychology gives us plenty of food for thought. Anyone who is serious about trying to make some positive changes in our world should read this fascinating book.

[David Šír · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good and important, although it gets a little repetitive over time. I appreciated the deconstruction of the great lie of Monotheism (our Aryan ancestors raping and exploiting the primordial life-affirmative culture, later twisting the story by claiming it was the other way around, turning Earth gods into 'demons' and claiming nature life itself is 'evil' and placing their God at heaven, unreachable, despotic, forcing people into ascetism, turning life into desert). Metzner demonstrates all this greatly on the study of myths. That turning upside-down of meaning is still deeply at roots of our perception dissociated from nature (inside or outside wilderness), resulting at environmental destruction and depression, absence, selfdestruction of western culture. This book is nothing groundbreaking but definitely helped me with some further re-connection, and with understanding the psychopathology growing up in the West imposed on us.

[Michal · Rating 2 out of 5]

Genuine concerns mixed with complete mumbo jumbo, and let's blame everything on white men. Two stars.