Material and cultural environment

When we talk about ecology and the environment, we primarily think of the physical environment, the green world versus to the urban or rural environment.

Note that it is necessary to distinguish between nature and countryside, which is a deeply humanized avatar, with all the consequences that monocultures or overgrazing can have on the habitat – and that this modified habitat can have by boomerang effect on the vital balance of the individual. Man is in constant interaction with these environments, and it is certainly very important to regain contact with the first kind – or what is the closest. This is the purpose of Ecopsychology.

On the other hand, the first principle of ecospychology is that all the environmental factors, that is the whole context of life, can affect balance and well-being of the individual. It takes into account not only the physical, but also the social, cultural, moral context, and anything that can affect mental functioning.

This influence can take place in present time, as social pressure, harassment, administrative complications ( tax, unemployment, court proceedings …), moral pressure (possessive partner, shyness, sexual prohibitions, homophobia …) , food contingencies (bulimia, obesity, diets …), and other factors that oppose the vital needs. It can also go back to the past experiences, especially in very early childhood, where all constraints may leave very irreversible mark on the psyche development.

Psychoanalysis has taken in its sights sexual prohibitions and their consequences in terms of neurosis. But there are many other elements that could induce disorders in psychic structuring, such as methods of punishment or reward, dietary constraints (the child forced to eat what he does not want, or deprived of dessert …), the first impact with other children, sometimes very impressive for infants, the angry father, impatient mother, mocking siblings, etc.

Finally, we must also consider the magical dimension of the child’s psyche: every child aspires to something beyond mere physical or relational reality. Many observations suggest that the child would normally have psychic abilities, such as telepathy and clairvoyance. These are to be evacuated from the explanation field imposed by parents or school teachers, and therefore repressed. The few children who live these experiences face the ridicule of their classmates or misunderstanding adults. The result is a feeling of frustration and uneasiness, because the child must give up a dimension of inner life he feels essential and develop on a track that is utterly alien to him.

All of these affect our adult lives and can generate all sorts of discomfort and inhibitions or deep suffering when circumstances further aggravated the situation. Evolutionary Ecopsychology, through the consideration of all these factors, and thanks to use of psychic abilities, is certainly the safest and most efficient way to get around unsatisfaction and pain, to find once again natural balance, bringing together feeling happiness, creativity, perseverance, generosity, openness and efficiency…