I’m currently reading “The Earth has a Soul”, C.G. Jung on Nature, Technology and Modern Life“, edited by Meredith Sabini, and it offers real emotive insight into the mind of Jung and how the modern world has, in his opinion, created a disconnect between our archaic, million year old instinctive, naturally aligned self, and the more conscious, rational but feeble-minded, distracted and often confused and miserable modern self.
Whilst these are not Jung’s words, Sabini summary gives a snapshot of the type of life Jung advocates to reconnect ourselves with Nature, not just literally the landscape, but the Nature within ourselves:
The practical advice Jung gave for remedying the loss of contact with Nature, within or without, is not much different from what is widely available today: to live in small communities; to work a shorter day and week; to have a plot of land to cultivate; and to make the sparest use of radio, television, newspapers, and technological gadgetry. The purpose of doing these things, however, is not to repair Nature, but to let Nature affect us. This reversal of the common attitude of domination makes Jung’s contribution unique. Time, money and energy are now dedicated in repairing the damage done to Nature. A balanced interaction between human nature and Nature requires that we also invite – allow – Nature to heal us.
This is essentially a Rewilding philosophy: to let Nature back in, both in a physical sense and a psychological and spiritual sense. To allow Nature back in is to accept our relationship with Nature and is not based on our power over it but conversely, a more modest respect and worship of its infinite power and truth.
the rewild 