How Reconnecting with Nature Awakens a Deeper Part of Ourselves
Nature is one with humans, and humans are one with nature, unified through the collective conscious. Understanding this relationship, however, requires a massive revision of our modern values and beliefs—beliefs that have taught us we are separate from the world we inhabit.
This post explores the deep connection between the natural world and our own consciousness, and what that connection means for our holistic well-being.
The Great Split: How Western Thought Separated Us from Nature
For centuries, Western philosophy, heavily influenced by thinkers like René Descartes, has promoted the idea of a mind-body split. This is the dualistic belief that the mind (nonphysical) is separate from the body (physical). This idea naturally extended to our environment, creating a perception that our consciousness—our "I"—is separate from the physical world of nature.
As philosopher Ken Wilber explains, trying to understand consciousness from this dualistic perspective is like an eye trying to see itself or a knife trying to cut itself. The observer cannot be separate from the environment, because the observer is the environment.
An Alternate View: The Wisdom of Non-Duality
This non-dual understanding has been central to many traditional Indigenous cultures for millennia. Animism, for example, is the belief that every living thing has a soul—including trees, rocks, and waterfalls.
This worldview is beautifully reflected in the language of the Okanagan Nation. Their language refers to the land and the body with the same root syllable, meaning, "we are our land and place." This isn't a metaphor; it's a statement of reality. Consciousness is seen as one interconnected web uniting humans, animals, plants, and elements.
The Ecological Unconscious and the Path to Healing
When a society represses its innate connection to the natural world, it creates what ecopsychologists call the "ecological unconscious." We have the ancient wisdom of our connection to the Earth within us, but it has been buried by modern culture.
This "dissociative split between 'me' and 'nature'" makes it easy for us to damage and objectify the planet without realizing we are also damaging ourselves. This is the root of both our ecological crisis and much of our own personal suffering. The path to healing, therefore, lies in awakening this dormant part of our psyche.
How Nature Heals Our Consciousness
Modern research is now confirming that spending time in nature can induce alternate states of consciousness and provide profound holistic healing. One study identified three common spiritual experiences that people have in nature:
Discovering Nature's Vastness: Coming into contact with the deepness and largeness of nature allows us to think outside of ourselves and expand our perspective on life.
Encountering a State of Nonduality: People often report feeling "one with the universe." This feeling of interconnectedness fosters a deep and unequivocal sense of belonging.
Seeing the Self Reflected in Nature: By observing the connection between our inner world and the outer world, we learn more about who we are, find our truth, and gain wisdom.
Ultimately, our psyches are a part of the Earth, not separate from it. We are the Earth. Reawakening this primal self is crucial for healing our relationship with nature and, in turn, healing our human species.
References
Armstrong, J. (1995). Keepers of the Earth. In M. E. Gomes, T. Roszak, & A. D. Kanner (Eds.), Ecopsychology: Restoring the Earth healing the mind (pp. 316-324). Counterpoint.
Bailey, R. (n.d.). The science behind nature and emotional well-being. Nature Me.
Bauer, S. (2008). Body and earth as one: Strengthening our connection to the natural source with ecosomatics. Conscious Dancer, 8-10.
Bell, R., Irvine, K.N., Wilson, C., & Warber, S.L. (2014). Dark nature: Exploring potential benefits of nocturnal nature-based interaction for human and environmental health. European Journal of Ecopsychology, 5.
Charlton, B. G. (2007). Alienation, recovered animism and altered states of consciousness. Medical Hypotheses, 68(4), 727-731.
Chen, H., Tu, H., & Ho, C. (2013). Understanding biophilia leisure as facilitating well-being and the environment: An examination of participants' attitudes toward horticultural activity. Leisure Sciences, 35: 301-319.
Davis, J.V. (2011). Ecopsychology, transpersonal psychology, and nonduality. International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 30(1-2): 137-147.
Don, C. (Director). (2013). Ed Duran Video [Film]. YouTube.
Durning, A. T. (1995). Are we happy yet? In M. E. Gomes, T. Roszak, & A. D. Kanner (Eds.), Ecopsychology: Restoring the Earth Healing the Mind (pp. 68-76). Counterpoint.
Fitzgerald, S. (2019). The secret to mindful travel? A walk in the woods. National Geographics.
Garis, M.G. (2020). How to use the 5 elements of feng shui to bring harmony to your home. Well and Good.
Hansen, M.M., Jones, R., & Tocchini, K. (2017). Shinrin-yoku (forest bathing) and nature therapy: A state-of-the-art review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(8): 1-48.
Hartley. L. (2004). Somatic psychology: Body, mind and meaning. Whurr Publishers Ltd.
Hoffman, D. (Director). (2015). Donald Hoffman: Do we see reality as it is? [Film]. YouTube.
Irvine, N.K., Hoesly, D., Bell-Williams, R., and Warber, L.S. (2019). Biodiversity and spiritual well-being. Biodiversity and health in the face of climate change.
Jacobson, S. (2018). What is ecopsychology?. Harley therapy counseling blog.
Johnson, L. (2021). Ecotherapy. Live wild: Connecting people with nature.
Metzner, R. (1995). The psychopathology of the human-nature relationship. In T. Roszak, M. E. Gomes, & A. D. Kanner (Eds.), Ecopsychology: Restoring the earth healing the mind (pp. 55-67). Counterpoint.
Naor, L. & Mayseless, O. (2020). The therapeutic value of experiencing spirituality in nature. Spirituality in Clinical Practice, 7(2), 114-133.
National Institute of Health. (2013). The world of Shakespeare's humors. NIH U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Rodgers, K. (2019). Biophilia Hypothesis. Britannica.
Sarris, J., De Manicor, M., Hargreaves, F., and Tsonis, J. (2019). Harnessing the four elements for mental health. Frontiers in Psychiatry.
Smith, T. (n.d.). Animism. Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy: A Peer-Reviewed Academia Source.
Thinking Allowed TV (Director). (2011). Theodore Roszak: Towards an Eco-Psychology (excerpt) -- Thinking Allowed DVD w/ Jeffrey Mishlove [Film]. YouTube.
Wilber, K. (1993). The spectrum of consciousness. Theosophical Publishing House.
Yari, D. (2015). Consciousness and the experience of immersion in nature: A personal exploration (Publication No. 1692024) [Masters thesis, Pacifica Graduate Institute]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database.
