“ Deep ecology work offers a way to express the feelings and to transform grief and despair into compassion, connection and constructive action. ”
Deep Ecology
Deep ecology is a term coined in the 1970's by Norwegian philosopher Arne Naess. It literally means 'mutual belonging' and refers to the fundamental interconnectedness of all life. The work of deep ecology helps us experience this interconnectedness so that we may be enlivened and motivated to participate in creating a sustainable way of life.
For me, the bridge between my work as a psychotherapist and the work of deep ecology is grief. The stages of grief we encounter when losing something or someone we love have been well documented. Most of us know the denial, the anger and sorrow, and finally the acceptance that attend any major loss.
The current environmental crisis stirs all of these feelings in us and yet our culture has no rituals for grieving them. How do we grieve the losses of habitat, of wild species, of clean water and air when these losses don't have a finite beginning or ending?
Deep ecology work offers a way to express the feelings and to transform grief and despair into compassion, connection and constructive action. By engaging in this work, we gain a deeper sense of connection with life and a felt understanding that we are all part of a vast web.
When we live with this understanding, it is easy to take care of one another and our immediate surroundings. It is also easy to remember that each action, even the smallest action, taken on behalf of the earth impacts the whole.
The above article expresses the opinions of the author and doesn't necessarily reflect the views of other members of the Women's Therapy Referral Service.