Seeds for Thought: an Ecopsychology Blog

manic depression

oh I wish I had thrown myself into the sea
and swam for the last rays of the sun
and I could have been happy and I could have been free
and I could have found the strength to carry on

Saturday was a lovely day and I was at the sea. Earlier in the day I imagined the perfect time and place to swim if it got sunny. Busy with family, and too late, would have had to swim off the slipway, and it was not really rough but waves and reflected waves colliding, and I was recovering from a chest infection. couldn't decide, waded in, it was not too cold, I was in shadow but about 10 feet out still had sunshine. 

I cursed myself as a wimp, but condemned the me who wanted to as foolhardy. probably last chance this year. where is reality? or balance? 

how a little bone helped my relationship with the universe

On July 13, I swallowed a 1 1/2 inch salmon bone which became lodged in my throat.  I was looking after my 90 year old mother who was convalescing in my home after hip surgery and I realized that she would panic if I did.  I dialed 911 and was amazed at how helpful the operator was and how quickly the ambulance came up the road.  However, it drove by (up and down a couple of times) and it was only when I told the operator to call my sister next door that the ambulance driver got the address right and roared into my driveway.  By then, my blood pressure was at dangerously high levels and I was very frightened.

Off we went to the nearest hospital, 125 km away east.  It's a small institution and I was met at the emergency by four people who were rejoicing that the itinerant otolaryngologist was in town for his monthly visit.  Wasn't I fortunate?  This doctor swept away all other files and attended to me only to realize that I would have to be anaesthetized so that he could remove the bone.  Problem was there was no anaesthetist.

A Simple Meal

I recently joined a discussion group looking at Sallie McFague’s book, “Life Abundant, Rethinking theology and economy for a planet in peril.” It is a sequel to her, “Super, Natural Christian” and an extension of the “ecological reformation” that she encourages. She quotes with approval, “the rich must live simply so the poor may simply live.” She sees “simple living” as an alternative to the religion of consumerism and consistent with her biblical understanding of an “abundant life”. What makes her theological reflections useful is her tie between what we think and what we do.

this and that

a few links today
Global Warming Is an Immediate Crisis Al Gore (but shouldn't we all be calling it climate chaos?)

The guardian has a moving article about my hero Roger Deakin  I'm looking forward to reading his book Wildwood.

and this one about simplifying stop the world I want to get off

Amy on this blog talking about television for babies and her lovely comment on my last week's post made me think again about those of us deprived of the company of children and those exhausted by it, Amy's co nurtured children and their parents are very lucky to have her. Also this old Onion post - how long before it's true?  "It's almost as if the TV has imprinted itself on his brain as his sole source of mental and emotional nourishment, and he's incapable of any sustained human contact. And I don't have to tell you the kind of hassles that saves a busy parent like me"

No Thanks!

Those of you who know me know I'm pretty pro-technology, but I read an article in the SF Chronicle the other day that showed me where I draw the line - a TV channel for babies between 6 month and 2 years. I lived through the era of TeleTubbies without revolting, but a whole channel!? The channel is called, appropriately enough in this age of Republican double-speak, 'BabyFirst TV'. Harrassed parents with 27/7 access to TV they think is actually GOOD for their children... the thought makes me shudder.

I'm not the only one who's irked at the prospect. Ecopsychologist Allen D. Kanner (who is also a child psychologist) spoke out firmly against this appalling commercial intrusion into our children's innocence. The national group he is part of, Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, went further & actually filed a false advertising complaint against the network.

class II

This is a response to the comment left on class I...

What does this mean for ecopsychology?

If the middle class are more likely to hit rock bottom (and so be able to take on a new world view) or are more likely to be present in the moment (and so be able to take on a new world view), what would we need to do to help them reach that point?

And if the "working class" do not (usually) have those avenues, then how can they reach the point where a new world view can be taken?

Where is the point of engagement for each "class"?

More Food for Thought

It has been suggested that human psychology may have become “separated” from nature in the transition from nomadic hunter/gathering to the fixed life of agriculture. Being “attuned” to the rhythms of weather, seasons and migration patterns is in the repertoire of a predator while routine and technical manipulation is the lot of the agrarian. Michael Pollan explores this in “Omnivore’s Dilemma” and concludes that if he is to include meat in his diet he should be prepared to hunt and gut his prey in order to “honour” the sacrifice of life that becomes his nourishment. He reports the intensity and paradox of that experience - both exhilaration and revulsion.

sharing

The indefatiguable Glen Barry has set up  a new web initiative, Ecological Internet's Sustainability Solutions Initiative

He lists Top Ten Policies Necessary to Pursue Global Ecological Sustainability and reducing greenhouse gases is second. First is population control.

We don't prioritise that do we? perhaps in the fortunate first world we see our problem as overconsumption, and population a third world issue. What could we / should we be doing?

class I

In his book Radical Ecopsychology, Andy Fisher challenges ecopsychology to make political and social critiques, lest it be accused of the things of which deep ecology is accused...

How does class enter the ecopsy equation? Imagine the upper-class, Ivy League, Oxbridge parents (A) versus the working-class, university-not-on-the-radar parents (B)... Both disconnected from nature in their own childhoods (maybe museums, maybe video games, maybe imported caviar, maybe factory-produced frozen meals). Both have patterns of behavior for how they respond to the disconnection. And in order to overcome patterns, to heal, what needs to happen? A hitting of rock bottom? The skill (experience) to step back and look at the full picture, observe and note and act?

In our stereotyping, we might say parents A are more likely to be "trained" in the ability to do the latter, but both sets of parents are susceptible to the former. The latter requires time and energy, as well, and so (possibly) parents B will have less of this leisure time.

Is this correct (or a valid way of seeing things)? And if so, what does it mean for ecopsychology?

Rolling on a River

I spent part of the Labor Day weekend in Reno, Nevada, where I was really impressed by the results of its ambitious Truckee River Project. Restoring the gorgeous river that runs through this otherwise quite ordinary town was one of the best things they could have done to improve their civic health, sense of style, and attractiveness as a place to live.

I saw a very wee little boy with an expression of absolute bliss on his face as he paddled out up to his knees in the shallow rapids, while a little further out a group of kayakers frolicked in a deeper bit with friends who were swimming &/or tubing there.