Home Tags Posts tagged with "Ecopsychology"
Tag:

Ecopsychology

AllAweMindfulnessNatureNature

Nature and Spirit

by Cordele Glass
written by Cordele Glass

Positive psychology can bridge ecopsychology and transpersonal psychology.

Bridging nature

Development within natural ecosystems and a strong sense of identification with something larger and more expansive than the self have gained enough research and attention to lead to the fields of ecopsychology and transpersonal psychology respectively. Each of these fields is currently on the periphery of mainstream psychology, but each focuses on aspects of development that are crucial to well-being and a life of peace, contentment, and connection. This article helps to outline their overlap with each other and their relationship to positive psychology in the hopes of promoting further psychological research, application, and interest in the under-represented realms of nature and spirit. It concludes with several practices that people can use to benefit from the convergence of these three aspects of psychology.

Transpersonal Psychology

Transpersonal psychology is a western scientific attempt to explore the cross-cultural and cross-generational phenomenology of self transcendence, altered states of consciousness, and mystical experiences. It is not a set of beliefs, a dogma, or a religion. It is an attempt to bring a full range of human experience into the discourse of psychology.

Time lapsed photo of stars

Just like other subfields of psychology (cognitive, social, psychotherapy), the sense of separate self is seen as a product of one’s personal history and is characterized by a sense of autonomy and separation from surroundings. The transpersonal approach explores the psychological realm beyond these awareness constraints by researching and describing states in which the self transcends the narrow identifications of the body, one’s roles, and one’s personal history or social groups.

Self-transcendence refers to states of consciousness in which the sense of self is expanded beyond the ordinary boundaries, identifications, and self-images of the individual personality and reflects a fundamental harmonious unity with others and the world. This is a phenomenon that has occurred for thousands of people from every culture on the planet and throughout all recorded history.

Transpersonal psychology is concerned with the study of humanity’s highest conscious potential, a goal perfectly aligned with the field of positive psychology.

Ecopsychology

Ecopsychology operates under the notion that human experience, development, and well-being are inextricably linked with the natural environment. Human development takes place within the processes and systems of our natural ecosystems in a deeply bonded and reciprocal communion. The denial of this bond is a source of suffering both for the physical environment and for the human psyche. The realization of the connection between humans and nature is healing for both.

Girl in nature

Proponents of this field are bringing the contributions of ecological thinking, the values of the natural world, and responses to environmental destruction to psychotherapy and personal growth by fostering lifestyles that are both ecologically and psychologically healthy. Recognizing the systems in which humans are embedded is currently the cutting edge of theoretical approaches in positive and developmental psychology, but typically the emphasis is on social, cultural, or economic systems rather than ecological or natural systems.

Nature, Transcendence, and Flow

Ecopsychology is based on the recognition of a fundamental nonduality between humans and nature, and on the insight that the failure to experience and act from this nonduality creates suffering for both humans and the environment.

Nonduality is equally at the foundation of transpersonal psychology in the sense that the duality between self and world can be transcended through altered states of consciousness. Transpersonal psychologists and ecopsychologists (and even Buddhist psychologists and many other Eastern philosophies) argue that our ordinary experience of ourselves as separate autonomous beings is incomplete and inaccurate.

Admittedly, many of these claims and concepts run dangerously close to the domain of religion. According to Dr. Csikszentmihalyi, one of the founders of the field of positive psychology, “…there is a distinction between religiosity and spirituality. The latter is a non-denominational way of speaking about what religions sometimes do. So for instance, meditation, mindfulness, gratitude, respect and love of nature – all of these things are very much part of Positive Psychology.” All of these things are clearly vital aspects of ecopsychology and transpersonal psychology as well.

When Dr. Csikszentmihalyi started studying altered states of consciousness and optimal experiences in artists and musicians, the literature on ecstasy (from Greek ekstasis, literally ‘standing outside oneself’) resonated with his findings, specifically the feeling of losing oneself in something larger and the way one’s sense of time disappears. He suggests that peak altered states of ecstasy can be achieved through very long periods of training like in Hindu mystical practices, yogic techniques, or deep flow experiences. He says if you achieve the ecstatic experience, through meditation for example, you are actively connected to a larger experience.

“Nonduality encompasses those states of being and consciousness in which the sense of separate individuality and autonomy has been metabolized or dissolved into the flow of experience. Self-identity becomes integrated into a qualitatively higher (or deeper) perspective in which personal identity and the world are not separate. The world does not melt into non-differentiation, perception continues, and actions flow.” – Davis, J. (1998)

So far, the studies that have been done on flow and the brain are few, but they suggest that what is happening is transient hypo-frontality: the frontal part of the brain (executive functioning and conceptualization) is not interfering with the rest of the brain. This pattern is consistent with brain scans done on master meditators that enter deep transpersonal states of trance. In yet another convergence, ecopsychologists Kaplan and Kaplan contrast the concept of flow with the concept of compatibility, i.e., a fit between one’s needs and capacities and what the environment offers. Compatibility is a necessary part of any flourishing natural ecosystem, and it maps almost directly onto a central aspect of flow often conceptualized as a balance between challenge and skill. These are but a few examples of the overlapping and corroborative results found in the fields of transpersonal, eco, and positive psychology.

Applications of Positive, Eco, and Transpersonal Psychologies

There are a number of practices to elicit ecopsychological awareness and insights. They can also be used as part of a transpersonal or spiritual practice. They all lead to enhanced well-being, connection, and flourishing as espoused by the field of positive psychology.

    Clouds, trees, mountains

  • Awareness and mindfulness practices: Sensory awareness exercises which include awareness of the natural world are useful for both being aware of ecological systems themselves, and for revealing your connection to them. For example, spend an hour in a quiet green space and treat your awareness as if you are the eyes of nature perceiving itself. This has been shown to create a significant shift in how we relate to our environment. 
  • Place-bonding: Relate to a particular place over a period of time (e.g., a semester or a year). Preferably alone in nearby nature that is easily accessible from home. During this time get to know it in as many ways as possible. Listen for ways to take care of it, and let it listen to you. Enter the place in deep silence and observe your concepts, idealizations, and judgments about it. Most discover how their “use” of the place and the filtering of their perceptions of it are tied to a sense of their own separate selves and their projections, fears, and hopes. 
  • Environmental Action Projects: Work on a specific environmental project. For the purposes of this exercise, some kind of direct action, such as cleaning up a section of a stream or a vacant city lot or digging a hole to plant a tree, works better than a more abstract or intellectual project. In addition to improving the physical environment, attempt to reflect on your perspective and motivations. You may even use it as a mindfulness exercise or meditation-in-action. 
  • Wilderness Expedition: Spend several days deep in a wild natural area with a small group, possibly with a wilderness guide, with the goal of connecting to the natural environment at large. You can use the surroundings as a tool to interpret your current life situation for deeper understanding of yourself in a naturalistic and more ecologically aware state of mind.

I invite you to apply these practices with your clients or try them for yourself.
 

 
References

Bynum, E. (1997). A brief overview of Transpersonal Psychology. The Humanistic Psychologist, 20 (2 and 3), 301-306. Abstract.

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2014) Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi on flow, ecstasy and the spirituality of Positive Psychology. Interview on Philosopy for Life Web site.

Davis, J. (1998). The transpersonal dimensions of ecopsychology: Nature, nonduality, and spiritual practice. The Humanistic Psychologist, 26(1-3), 69-100. Abstract.

Kaplan, R., & Kaplan, S. (1989). The Experience of Nature: A Psychological Perspective. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Image Credits
Waterfall Photo by Blake Richard Verdoorn on Unsplash
TIme lapsed photograph of stars by Christian Nielsen on Unsplash
Girl in forest photo by Andraz Lazic on Unsplash
Clouds over the mountains photo by Sasha • Stories on Unsplash

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
AllAppreciation of Beauty and ExcellenceChangeNaturePathway 3 "Meaning"

Nature and Purpose, Part 2

by Cordele Glass
written by Cordele Glass

This article contains the last 13 suggestions for nature-based development tasks that simultaneously foster a strong relationship with the natural world and develop a meaningful sense of purpose. The list was started in part 1 of this series.

Going Deeper with Self Exploration

Self-Observation

After developing a socially viable sense of self, we can begin to dive into that self much more deeply by exploring authenticity even further. Our secure and curious exploration of both the natural and social environments can now be turned inward as we begin to identify some of the most meaningful underlying values that allowed the attitudes and interests of the social self to come forth.

Understanding coherently our natural environment, our social environment, and our own deepest values allows us to begin developing a sense of purpose, which is another facet of a meaningful life as outlined by Martella and Steger.

All of the above ingredients are necessary for a genuine sense of purpose according to Positive Psychologists Damon, Menon, and Bronk who define purpose as “a stable and generalized intention to accomplish something that is at once meaningful to the self and of consequence to the world beyond the self” (p. 121). The previous tasks involved exploring the ecosystems beyond the self, and now we must explore further into the self that resides within these ecosystems. The goal of deeply exploring the depths of the mind and its mysteries is to emerge with an intention toward which a meaningful life can be oriented.

Exploring the deeper mysteries of nature and your own mind is the next task. You can begin this exploration by…

  1. Deepening your meditation practice. This may mean longer and more intentional sitting meditations, new guided meditations such as loving-kindness meditation, or an exploration of other contemplative practices such as Yoga or Breathwork.
     
  2. Limiting or removing addictions, substance use, and distractions like T.V. or video games. This will allow more attention to be available for your underlying thoughts, feelings and desires to be noticed and explored.
     
  3. Reflective journaling, creative writing, poetry, dance, or other expressive arts that cultivate articulation of your deeper ideas, interests, and values.
     
  4. Responsible use of psychedelic or entheogenic compounds with the intention of self-discovery. This should be done with the help of trained and experienced guides or therapists.
     
  5. Embarking on wilderness expeditions. These may be guided or solo, and often include the practice of fasting for three or more days.

Expression

After exploring the nature of one’s deeper self with the same wide-eyed curiosity as a child in a new forest, and finding a personally meaningful purpose that will contribute to the ecosystem beyond the self, we can begin to explore the expression and embodiment of a life purpose. We begin to move away from exploring what nature is and towards exploring how we can contribute to nature in an authentic, personally meaningful, and ecologically valuable way.

Self-expression at the pottery wheel

We do this by becoming competent in a delivery system that allows us to live out our purpose and sustain our basic needs concurrently. Competence is a crucial ingredient in this developmental task because in addition to being another psychological need according to Deci and Ryan, competence is what allows us to successfully transform our goals and intentions into useful actions that can help sustain ourselves and our ecosystem.

Identifying and becoming competent in an ecologically valuable delivery system for your life purpose is the next task. You can begin this process by…

  1. Identifying one or more cultural settings for the work that aligns with your purpose. Where can you find people who value your purposeful intentions?
     
  2. Shadowing or apprenticing yourself to an elder or older professional who is doing inspiring work, or work that is aligned in some way with your purpose.
     
  3. Developing the skills that will allow you to best embody your purpose. This may include classes, certifications, degrees, books, trainings, or personal work.
     
  4. Cultivating a lifestyle that will support the successful embodiment of your purpose. This may include diet, exercise, sleep, friendships, and time management.

Your successful embodiment of an ecologically valuable and culturally viable delivery system will eventually give way to further expressions of your life purpose. Innovation and the development of new and unique applications for your skills and interests becomes your focus. You can begin creatively flexing your expertise within your ecological niche in a way that no one else can.

Super tree

This will look completely different for every individual. Examples include new genres of music, new forms of poetry, new social or political programs, or new methods within an already existing medium. Expertly contributing novel resources to one’s ecosystem can be high in value, worth, and importance. These three factors comprise what Martella and Steger refer to as significance which, along with coherence and purpose, completes their articulation of a fully meaningful life.

The unique expression of one’s innermost purpose also aligns well with the height of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, which he refers to as self-actualization: effortlessly manifesting the unique and valuable aspects of one’s deepest and truest self. This phenomenon of deep self is often referred to as the soul, and the work that allows the truest self to shine most bright is known as one’s soulwork. Soulwork simultaneously nourishes the world and the individual. At this point the ecosystem is now developing itself through you. You have become the very ecosystem that has been under investigation for so long.

Going Deeper with Expression

The art of forging unique and significant cultural resources is the next task. You can develop this skill by…

  1. Letting your intuitions about processes and systems guide many of your actions and decisions. You needn’t always fully understand an insight for it to be significant.
     
  2. Allowing your imagination to flow and your mind to wander and make free associations. Record your ideas, however fleeting they may be. Taking walks, naps, and breaks often helps to let ideas incubate and bubble up later with even more insight.
     
  3. Paying attention to your dreams and recording them often. Your mind is free to draw connections and experiment in unique and creative ways that are informed by your budding expertise. Keep a notebook and pen next to your bed and record dreams and ideas often.
     
  4. Continuing the valuable work of all the previous developmental tasks. Security, exploration, social skills, deep contemplation, and improving competence will all contribute to how well you create and deliver your unique contributions to your ecosystem.

Further Development

Beyond all of these developmental tasks comes the job that Erikson calls generativity. Mentoring others in this entire process becomes the central task of those who have long contributed to their ecosystems in unique and significant ways. We move from investigating nature, to contributing to nature, and finally, to nurturing nature.

Mentoring children in nature

Nurturing others for security, curiosity, belonging, self-discovery, and self-expression becomes the focus of those who have successfully navigated their own exploratory journey through the natural world. Coherence, purpose, significance, autonomy, competence, and relatedness all play vital roles in successfully completing our developmental tasks. The guidance of elders and mentors can be an invaluable resource in navigating this complicated terrain.

Ultimately, a successful relationship with nature will eventually lead one back to the beginning of the cycle, to an emphasis on merely being within this vast cosmos. The grace of equanimous presence may be the most valuable mentorship of all.

 

 

References

Glass, C. (2018). Nature and purpose, Part 1. Positive Psychology News.

Martela, F., & Steger, M. F. (2016). The three meanings of meaning in life: Distinguishing coherence, purpose, and significance. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 11(5), 531-545. DOI: 10.1080/17439760.2015.1137623.

Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4), 370-396.

Plotkin, B. (2010). Nature and the Human Soul: Cultivating Wholeness and Community in a Fragmented World. New World Library.

Image Credits

Self observation photo by Laurenz Kleinheider on Unsplash

Pottery Wheel by Quino Al on Unsplash

Super tree photo by Chen Hu on Unsplash

Mentoring children by Nikoline Arns on Unsplash

0 comment
1 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
AllChangeCuriosityNaturePathway 3 "Meaning"

Nature and Purpose, Part 1

by Cordele Glass
written by Cordele Glass

How does a relationship with our natural environment help develop a life of meaning?

Our relationship with nature and our ecological environment begins in infancy. As we explore ourselves, our community, and the world around us, we begin to develop an understanding of our own ecosystem. We can then develop an understanding of our most authentic and rewarding role within this system. Deep Ecologists call this naturally fitting into an ecological niche, and Positive Psychologists call this a meaningful life purpose.

Using the Wheel of Life Model by Ecopsychologist Bill Plotkin as a guide, this pair of articles outlines the overlap between Ecopsychology and Positive Psychology by identifying 26 developmental tasks one can undertake to simultaneously foster a strong relationship with the natural environment and develop a meaningful sense of purpose in the world. These nature-based developmental tasks fall under the categories of exploration, self-discovery, and expression.

Beginning Exploration

The joy of paint

The preservation of innocence and security is the primary task of infancy, but it can be fostered and developed at any point later in the lifespan, a feature that is true of all developmental tasks. Newborn babies are champions of merely being in the present moment with no pretensions, judgments, or preconceptions. This innocence is easily tainted by an environment that is dangerous or neglectful. Worries about a low likelihood of needs being met often lead to anxiety or ambivalence as noted by attachment theorists like John Bowlby and other prominent developmental psychologists, such as Erikson and Damon. Feeling safe in one’s environment is a necessary prerequisite for maximum success in all subsequent developmental tasks. This is why Abraham Maslow lists physical needs and safety as the foundation of his hierarchy of needs.

Curiosity, wonder, and self-exploration are thwarted by fear and apprehension, but a sense of security and the preservation of innocence can foster a brilliantly curious and inquisitive approach to life. Practicing the art of simply being in your environment without worry is the first task. This skill can be developed by…

  1. Simply going out to be in a beautiful natural environment with no goals, objectives, or fears. The Japanese call this forest bathing.
     
  2. Starting a mindfulness or meditation practice with a focus on the present moment and nothing more.
     
  3. Fully engaging in a creative process like painting, sculpting, or music merely for its own sake rather than any accolades or accomplishments.
     
  4. Spending time with a baby and letting her take the lead in activities. Apprentice yourself to the infant in a safe, preferably natural, environment.

Practicing Exploration

The next developmental task involves fostering wonder and curiosity. This includes independent investigations, explorations, and explanations of the natural environment around you.

Standing on a cliff looking out

These explorations can include wild nature as well as your body and senses, your imagination, and your emotions. Freely exploring the world around you with your already developed sense of security as an aid can lead to a deeper understanding of the cosmic niche you inhabit. It gives you the opportunity to make sense of your experiences in our ecosystem. Martella and Steger call this basic understanding of what is going on in the world around you coherence, and they include it as one of three facets of a truly meaningful life.

In this case we are developing a sense of environmental coherence. Self-directed exploration has even been considered a basic psychological need across the lifespan, often referred to as autonomy by Deci and Ryan in their Self Determination Theory. This drive for awe-inspiring wonder and exploration is present in all children that have not been forced into submission by intense obedience training, and even if this is the case, which it all too often may be, like all other developmental tasks it can continue to be fostered throughout the lifespan.

Practicing the art of curious and inquisitive exploration is the second task. This skill can be developed by…

  1. Playing out in nature! Build shelters, dig a hole, climb a tree, collect treasures, hide in a cave, ride a mountain bike, skip, jump, leap, and roll around in a pile of leaves.
     
  2. Learning what you can about the mountains, rocks, streams, trees, and animals in your area without the use of books or websites. Use nothing more than your physical senses and imagination.
     
  3. Gazing deeply into the night sky and allowing yourself to wonder. Bonus points if you use a telescope. Extra bonus points if you create your own constellation story.
     
  4. Going to a children’s museum, zoo, or amusement park.
     
  5. Playing tag, hide and seek, kickball, or duck duck goose with some playful children between ages 5-10. No goals or measurements, just have fun!

Self-Discovery

Sunset Rejoicing

As humans, one of the most important aspects of our ecosystem is our social environment. We can explore our social landscape with the same curiosity and wonder we used to explore the mountains and trees in the prior developmental tasks. Because humans are so ubiquitous and we so frequently rely on each other for survival, exploring human relationships is a crucial part of understanding our environmental niche. We are designed to be especially compelled to explore this particularly brainy bipedal creature found within our ecosystem, sometimes to a fault leading to anthropocentrism.

This type of exploration can help to build our social coherence- making sense of our experiences with other people. This can be just as vital to a meaningful life as environmental coherence, maybe even more so. Indeed, Deci and Ryan include relatedness as another one of our psychological needs. If we want to feel connected to our environment while living a life of meaning and purpose, we must feel that we belong within a human ecosystem.

Practicing the art of being socially acceptable without sacrificing one’s natural and personally authentic expression is the next task. To accomplish this valuable and complex task you can try…

  1. Identifying your genuine interests and style, as distinct from what is expected by others, proper, or popular. Which types of art, music, sports, or social activities are your favorite? Why?
     
  2. Engaging in new and diverse social roles and relationships. New foods, new jobs, new social groups, new political persuasions, again, with the security, wonder, and self-directed curiosity fostered in the previous developmental tasks.
     
  3. Developing conflict resolution skills that allow you to express your ideas, interests, and views, while still remaining socially acceptable. This may include nonviolent communication, active listening, or validating the emotions of yourself and others without diminishing them.
     
  4. Becoming comfortable and familiar with your sexuality. Determining your sexual orientation, practicing physical and emotional safety, celebrating the diverse orientations of others, displaying and recognizing interest, and drawing clear boundaries are all crucial aspects of our social ecosystem.

Come back tomorrow for the final 13 actions, going deeper into self-discovery and venturing into expression.

 

 

References

Bowlby, J. (2008). Attachment: Attachment and Loss Volume One. Basic books.

Damon, W., Menon, J., & Cotton Bronk, K. (2003). The development of purpose during adolescence. Applied developmental science, 7(3), 119-128.

Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2008). Self-determination theory: A macrotheory of human motivation, development, and health. Canadian Psychology/Psychologie canadienne, 49(3), 182-185.

Erikson, E. H. (1959). Identity and the Life Cycle. W. W. Norton.

Lee, J., Park, B. J., Tsunetsugu, Y., Ohira, T., Kagawa, T., & Miyazaki, Y. (2011). Effect of forest bathing on physiological and psychological responses in young Japanese male subjects. Public health, 125(2), 93-100. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2010.09.005

Martela, F., & Steger, M. F. (2016). The three meanings of meaning in life: Distinguishing coherence, purpose, and significance. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 11(5), 531-545. DOI: 10.1080/17439760.2015.1137623

Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4), 370-396.

Plotkin, B. (2010). Nature and the Human Soul: Cultivating Wholeness and Community in a Fragmented World. New World Library.

Image Credits

Paint smeared child courtesy of Senjuti Kundu on Unsplash

Sunset Rejoicing photo by Levi Guzman on Unsplash

Standing on a cliff photo by Erico Marcelino on Unsplash

0 comment
2 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Seesaw
AllConferencesGlobal PoliciesGoals

Well-being and Materialism on a Seesaw (#CPPA2014)

by Kathryn Britton
written by Kathryn Britton

One of the benefits of attending conferences is encountering people you already know and catching up on what they’ve been doing since you last saw them. Another benefit is meeting new people whose ideas and work were outside your knowledge space before, broadening your understanding of what’s included in the field.

In that respect, one of the great benefits of the Canadian Positive Psychology Association conference this summer was hearing Tim Kasser speak. Kasser is a professor at Knox College. He states on his web site, “My primary interest concerns people’s values and goals, and how they relate to quality of life. Over the last decade I have been especially focused on studying ‘materialistic values,’ i.e., being wealthy, having many possessions, being attractive, and being popular.” The slides for The Good life or the Goods life: Using the science of values to live well together are available for you to view if you want more after the taste I give below.

What’s the Goods Life?

What does he mean by the goods life? That’s the allure of materialism.

I once worked in an office where there was an ongoing tongue-in-cheek game called, “Whoever has the best toys wins.” At one time it was stereo equipment. At another, it was mountain bicycles. At another, it was fine wine and crystal to serve it in. Material goods were not just a way to gain pleasure. They were also a way to establish status in our little corner of the primate world.

Kasser showed some frightening examples of the extent of advertising for the goods life in our current society: people becoming product billboards with advertisements on their foreheads, advertising in school buses, Channel One TVs donated to schools with the proviso that children watch advertising during school hours along with educational programming.

The underlying messages of the goods life are:

  • People can purchase happiness.
  • It’s important to society that people work and consume.
  • Life is meaningful and people are successful to the point that they have money, possessions, and the right image.
What’s the Alternative?

Kasser made the point that materialism and well-being tend to be related to each other like two riders on a seesaw. When one goes up, the other goes down. As measures of well-being, he used some of the old favorites: low negative affect, high positive affect, and overall life satisfaction. He also used a number of other measures related to psychological health. In particular, he referenced the psychological needs described by Deci and Ryan and stated that “Materialistic values lead to choices and experiences that do a relatively poor job of satisfying psychological needs.”

Kasser showed a number of studies that indicated the seesaw nature of materialism and well-being. He also showed the relationship between materialism and ecological attitudes.

He characterized the good life as one where we live well together, using the definition of Deneulin and McGregor. Living well together can only occur when the characteristics, practices, or situations that promote happiness do not interfere with others’ opportunity to “live well,” where others include

  • Other living humans
  • Future generations of humans
  • Other species

A materialistic culture where people consume without consideration of the impact on the planet, on other life forms, or on future generations is not living well together.

When people have values that contribute to living well together, such as self-acceptance, affiliation, and community feeling, they tend to have more happiness, more life satisfaction, more vitality, less anxiety, and fewer physical symptoms. Society benefits because there is more cooperation, more empathy, more prosocial behavior, and less antisocial behavior.

“One of my main take-aways from the conference is that the more you focus on intrinsic values, the less you rely on extrinsic sources for your well-being. Community values drive out materialistic values.” ~ Andrew Soren, conference participant

Two Ways to Move Forward

One of the interesting ideas that comes out of the seesaw metaphor is that there are two ways to make progress:

  • Decrease materialism by limiting exposure to advertising and working on healthier attitudes toward money and possessions. Kasser has recently published a study that included interventions aimed at helping people differentiate between needs and wants, form a money plan, save and share, and explicitly use values to make financial decisions.
     
  • Increase well-being through interventions such as mindfulness practices, expressing gratitude, and reflecting on a person that accepts you.

Kasser described a number of studies that show that both approaches work. Raising well-being tends to lower materialism, and lowering materialism tends to raise well-being.

Policy Questions

Kasser argued that there actions that could be taken at the society level to take advantage of the seesaw and work toward greater well-being.

Twin Falls: Thinking about the environment in which we live

Twin Falls: Thinking about the environment in which we live

For example he argues that American policies that allow companies to write-off advertising as a business expense are detrimental to the overall well-being of the American public. Instead, we could have society-wide investment in protecting the environment and encouraging individuals to protect the environment by careful consuming.

Kasser showed some slides comparing the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to the Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI), a measure that is designed to include environmental and social factors. The GPI shows little upward progress over the last 50 years, in contrast to the GDP. As he mentions in the Bellagio Initiative briefing paper, we could “develop alternative indicators of progress that de-privilege extrinsic/self-enhancement values and that include assessments of
intrinsic/self-transcendent values in their calculations.” He also argues in favor of increasing time affluence instead of financial affluence, since that gives people the wherewithal for self-transcendent behaviors, such as investing in their communities.

“What endears me further to the science of positive psychology and the people who embody it, is this attitude of abundance in regards to its application in practice, education, leadership, and research. For me this translates to endless access to information, openness and curiosity by others when you share your ideas and dreams, and trust in the level of inquiry. What a context for learning! I viewed the CPPA conference as an recipe to help us live well, as Tim Kasser put it, “with others, the environment, and for future generations.” What a legacy that would be!” ~ Cathy Parsons, conference participant

 

 

References

Brown, K. W. & Kasser, T. (2005). Are psychological and ecological well-being possible? The role of values, mindfulness, and lifestyle. Social Indicators Research, 74 (2): 349-368.

Deci, E. & Ryan, R. See the Basic Psychological Needs page of the Self-Determination Theory site for links to a number of papers about basic psychological needs.

Deneulin, S. & McGregor, J. A. (2010). The capability approach and the politics of a social conception of wellbeing. European Journal of Social Theory, 13(4): 501–519.

Hurst, M., Dittmar, H., Bond, R. & Kasser, T. (2013). The relationship between materialistic values and environmental attitudes and behaviors: A meta-analysis. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 36: 257–269. Abstract.

Kasser, T. (2003). The High Price of Materialism. Bradford Press.

Kasser, T. & Kanner, A. (2003). Psychology and Consumer Culture: The Struggle for a Good Life in a Materialistic World. American Psychological Association.

Kasser, T. (2011). Cultural Values and the Well-Being of Future Generations: A Cross-National Study. Journal of Cross-cultural Psychology 42: 206-215.

Kasser, T. (2011). Values and human well-being. The Bellagio Initiative, Briefing Summary.

Sheldon, K. M., Nichols, C. P., & Kasser, T. (2011). Americans recommend smaller ecological footprints when reminded of intrinsic American values of self-expression, family, and generosity. Ecopsychology 3: 97-104.

Sheldon, K. M., Gunz, A., Nichols, C. P., & Ferguson, Y. (2010). Extrinsic value orientation and affective forecasting: Overestimating the rewards, underestimating the costs. Journal of Personality, 78, 149-178.

Photo Credit:
Following two via Compfight with Creative Commons licenses
I want, I want, I want courtesy of ATIS547
Kids playing on a seesaw courtesy of Dave ®

Playground map painting courtesy of John Oliver at BeMore Photograpy. My sister, Polly Heninger, was participating in a community project to paint a map of the USA on the blacktop outside Hampden Elementary/Middle School in Baltimore in May 2012. BeMore Photography is an example of a prosocial project. From their mission statement: “BeMore Photography helps non-profit organizations in the greater Baltimore-Washington area gain access to skilled photographers living in their community.” See their tagline: Give More. Do More. BeMore.

Twin Falls, near Twin Falls, Idaho courtesy of Kathryn Britton.

2 comments
1 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
AllPositive EmotionSpirituality

Raising the Sun: Ritual and Emotion

by Kevin Simmons
written by Kevin Simmons

“Death: HUMANS NEED FANTASY TO BE HUMAN. TO BE THE PLACE WHERE FALLING ANGELS MEET RISING APES.” All interspersed quotations are from Terry Pratchett’s novel, Hogfather

Cain killed Abel. The story is well known: Both brothers offered sacrifices to their god. Abel saw this as an opportunity for worship and gave his prized lamb. Cain saw only a waste of his hard work, giving rotten eggs and tomatoes. The meaningful offering was accepted, the hollow one rejected, and the rest of the story is legendary.

This tale sheds light on many things, but I would like to turn that light towards the nature of rituals: their impact is contingent upon attitude and belief. When a ritual is accepted and experienced as meaningful it produces joy and fulfillment, but when it is viewed as hollow or burdensome it breeds contempt.

George Vaillant briefly discusses ritual in Spiritual Evolution. He suggests that religions have value because they promote rituals that reliably create positive emotions through spirituality and mystical experience. Jonathan Haidt also addresses rituals in his writings. In The Happiness Hypothesis, Haidt asserts that these acts require symbolism and tradition to be meaningful, and they can serve to bond people together within communities. Both Vaillant and Haidt acknowledge an ancient truth: meaningful rituals reliably produce positive emotions.

While this statement is true in both the empirical and historical sense, it is a dangerous one linguistically. Ritual is a loaded and layered word. Eating dinner with family; kissing at a New Year’s party; holding hands to pray; burning the dead on a pyre; sacrificing to a god… all can be ritualistic. The benefit lies less in the act itself than in context and intention.

Death: STARS EXPLODE, WORLDS COLLIDE, THERE’S HARDLY ANYWHERE IN THE UNIVERSE WHERE HUMANS CAN LIVE WITHOUT BEING FROZEN OR FRIED, AND YET YOU BELIEVE THAT A BED IS A NORMAL THING.

Context Matters

I want to consider the context of rituals for a moment. Imagine you are jogging. You have decided to take all the research with rats seriously: enriched environments build better brains, with the room to run and exercise being of vital importance. So you have donned your cross-trainers and sweatbands, and headed out to your favorite running route in hopes of turning this exercise program into a lasting ritual. Imagine that route more fully… I have a hunch that most people imagine themselves jogging in a place filled with natural beauty. It may be down a trail through a park, along a sandy beach, or through a nicely landscaped neighborhood, but it probably is not the back allies or busy streets that most would choose for their favorite running routes.

This idea is encapsulated in the biophilia hypothesis: humans are hardwired to connect with nature and other living systems. Ecopsychology has arisen recently to study and propagate the implications of this idea. Proponents of this and related fields of study have criticized the positive psychology movement for the lack of a framework to consider the contextual factors of well-being. A variety of research has shown that situations and environments matter a great deal in the development of emotions. Research by Richard Ryan and others has indicated that natural surroundings are effective at producing positive emotions, restoring health, and building character. Richard Louv discusses these findings fully in The Nature Principle, encouraging people in our technologically obsessed society to connect purposefully with nature on a spiritual and physical level in order to lead to more fulfilling lives and create a more desirable world.

Death: IT IS THE MOST AMAZING TALENT… A VERY SPECIAL KIND OF STUPIDITY. YOU THINK THAT THE WHOLE UNIVERSE IS INSIDE YOUR HEADS.

Celebrating Seasonal Changes

Consider this ritual: In the olden days, huge bonfires lit up the hilltops during the seasonal festivals. The entire tribe would gather to appreciate the rhythms of nature, and to ensure another year of prosperity. These events were intended to be celebrations of life, community, and the cosmos. But even in then, every person had a choice: hollow party or meaningful ritual. I am sure that many Cains stood around the fire with their drinking horns in hand, completely failing to understand the meaning behind the tradition, while the Abels in attendance stared into the flames, believing their participation necessary to keep the sun rising.

Times have changed. We are not even allowed to light those fires without permits, and would probably not even know the date to celebrate anyhow. So the solstices and equinoxes go by largely unnoticed in modern society. Robert Heinberg wrote, in Celebrate the Solstice, “The recovery of the ancient seasonal festivals is more than a symbolic gesture. It can be a meaningful way of reminding ourselves of the natural order of things.” Consider that you are standing on a madly spinning ball orbiting a fiery sphere circling a giant hole; the rhythms of nature and cycles of life are still there, waiting for the believers to fill them with meaning again.

So, make meaning. Take context and nature seriously. Take tradition, symbolism, spirituality and mystical experience seriously. Develop a ritual, connect with nature, raise the sun, and flourish.

“Death: NO… THE SUN WOULD NOT HAVE RISEN… A MERE BALL OF FLAMING GAS WOULD HAVE ILLUMINATED THE WORLD.”

 

 
References

Haidt, J. (2006). The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom. New York: Basic Books.

Heinberg, R. (1993). Celebrate the Solstice: Honoring the Earth’s Seasonal Rhythms through Festival and Ceremony. Quest Books.

Louv, R. (2011). The Nature Principle: Human Restoration and the End of Nature-Deficit Disorder. Algonquin Books.

Pratchett, T. (1999). Hogfather. Harper.

Ryan, R. M., Weinstein, N., Bernstein, J., Brown, K. W., Mistretta, L. & Gagne, M. (2010). Vitalizing effects of being outdoors and in nature. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 30, 159-168.

Shaar, M.J. & Britton, K. (2011). Smarts and Stamina: The Busy Person’s Guide to Optimal Health and Performance. Philadelphia, PA: Positive Psychology Press. The chapter called Embrace Mother Nature discusses ways to build mood by experiencing fresh air and nature, building on the observations of Ryan et al.

Vaillant, G. (2008). Spiritual Evolution: A Scientific Defense of Faith. New York: Broadway Press.

Images
Procession at Uyeasound courtesy of Mike Pennington [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Jogging in the park courtesy of Kasia
Bonfire courtesy of Iyad Tibi

7 comments
1 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail