Full Description
An ecopsychological, ecospiritual exploration of humankind's relationship with the rest of nature.
Our current ecological derangement is not only a biological crisis but more deeply a crisis of consciousness, culture, and relationship. The core ethical responsibility of our contemporary era, therefore, and the aspiration of this ecopsychological/ecospiritual book, is to create a mutually enhancing relationship between humankind and the rest of nature. To address the urgent concerns of global warming, mass extinction, toxic environments, and our loss of conscious contact with the natural world, psychologist Will W. Adams weaves together insights from Zen Buddhism, Christian mysticism, phenomenology, psychoanalysis, and the practice of psychotherapy. Through a transpersonal, nondual, contemplative approach, Adams explores the fundamental malady of supposed separation (or dissociation): mind over body, self over others, my tribe over others', humans over the rest of nature. Instead of merely discussing these crucial issues in abstract terms, the book presents healing alternatives through storytelling, poetry, and theoretical inquiry. Written in an engaging, down-to-earth manner grounded in vivid descriptions of actual lived experience, A Wild and Sacred Call speaks across disciplines to students, experts, and nonspecialists alike.
Contents
Foreword
David R. Loy
Preface: Deep Calls to Deep: Hallowing Our Relationship with Nature
Introduction: Transpersonal Ecopsychology by Way of Phenomenology and Contemplative Spirituality
1. Seeing Those Peach Blossoms Changed My Life: Keeping Joy, Wonder, and Gratitude Alive in Our Heart
2. The Ghost Bird's Haunting Cry: Letting Our Heart Break... Open
3. All Real Living Is Meeting: Losing Nature, Losing Our Humanity
4. The Dissociative Madness of Modernity's Shadow: Constructing, Deconstructing, and Reconstructing Culture
5. The Supposedly Separate Ego: Delusion, Paranoia, and Greed in Conventional (Co)Existence
6. No Longer I: Christian Mysticism, Self-Surrender, and Transpersonal Realization
7. Nature's Conversational Consciousness: Awareness as an Ecological Field of Relations
8. Bashō's Contemplative Therapy for Narcissus: From Ego-Centered Alienation to Eco-Centered Intimacy
9. Nature-Healing-Body-Healing-Nature-Healing-Body: From Desensitization to Embodied Attunement
10. Living Means Being Addressed: Embracing Earth's Wild, Sacred, Ethical Call
11. Love Is Our Nature, Our Calling, Our Path, Our Fruition: It All Comes Down to This
Coda: Deep Calls to Deep—Deep Listens from Its Depths—Deep Serves Deep
Acknowledgments
Notes
References
Index
About the Author
