Last year I signed up for a short environmental psychology class with Jeffrey Kiehl. We looked at WHY the science is so easy to ignore. Professor Kiehl has a book called Facing Climate Change - I haven’t read it, but I learned a lot in class.
The last few centuries of progress have been shaped by the idea that nature is separate from us, inferior to us (as we’ve moved away from seeing Spirit in nature), and that it can be tamed and exploited. The Age of Reason led to humans thinking of ourselves as superior because the intellect was deemed superior.
The scientific community identified fossil fuels as a problem almost 140 years ago! But their warnings fall on deaf ears. In class, professor Kiehl explained that data doesn’t lead to action because the parts of the brain that are involved in decision making and resolution are emotional, not rational. Decisions involve the Limbic System - in one case, a person’s amydgala is activated (a fearful trauma response) which happens if they are scared of losing security or being threatened. Others are aligned with action, empathy and problem solving; the "anterior cingulate cortex" is activated in this group's brain.
Those who fall into the second neurological response tend to be community-focused rather than individualistic, which makes the prospect of solving a crisis less daunting. They are more likely to do something about climate change, and to feel connected to others and to nature. Less overwhelm.
Denial + inaction are linked to the fear response. Professor Kiehl points to storytelling and archetypes as a vital tool in climate action.
It's what makes us connect with and care about the planet. I’m sharing this now because I watched Don’t Look Up. Loved the movie, but it focuses on alarm, and based on what we learned in class, we probably need to shift our awareness efforts away from alarm and facts, towards empathy and community building. It’s neuroscience. This is a taster of what we saw in class - just one concept in a class that lasted three weeks. Check out Kiehl's website.
Planting trees also helps a ton by bringing down temperature levels 🌤️
We can do it together 🌴🌴🌴
Reiki hugs,
Regina
FYI - I am an energy healer, not a psychologist.
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