A focus on reintegration: socially, culturally, and ecologically
When it comes to understanding the world around us, a multilayered approach is required to connect the dots between our relationships with each other and with the natural world. As Kidner so prominently protrudes in his writing, “lack of cultural structure” in all realms, “represses aspects of self that potentially relate us to what is outside of self” (Kidner, 2000, p.102). Adapting our world to be simultaneously social, cultural, and natural in order to reintegrate is both possible and absolutely necessary in creating lasting change when it comes to our connections with the natural world at large. Kidner, Darlaston-Jones, Sanchez, and Kimmerer call for a “reintegration” of the world, prompting us as readers to really ask ourselves, “is how we function today helping or hurting our relationships with both ourselves and the natural world?” Is our society working simultaneously in all aspects—socially, culturally, and ecologically? Is the fear factor working, or would “appeals to love, devotion, and a ‘psycho-emotional bond’ with nature be a better remedy for a solely-detached society? All four authors dive deep into what exactly their call for “reintegration” means, and why it is vital in creating lasting change.
In Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, scientific knowledge and the teaching of plants, she explores the alternative forms of Indigenous knowledge outside of traditional scientific methodologies, in-depth. In a chapter titled “Asters and Goldenrod,” the author writes about the strictness of traditional science by using her story of being enrolled in a plant science course at University. Seeking out the relationships between plants and humans, Kimmerer writes of how she struggled to understand the primacy of scientific thought and reasoning, reflecting, “My natural inclination was to see relationships, to seek the threads that connect the world, to join instead of divide. But science is rigorous in separating the observer from the observed, and the observed from the observer” (Kimmerer, 2014, p.57). Throughout her time in University, followed by a Ph.D. and a faculty position, she taught the mechanics of plants, just like she had been taught. After years of teaching the tools she was provided with, she ultimately recognized she’d really spent those years “teaching the names and ignoring the songs” (p.58). In other words, the relationship between humans and plants she once was fascinated by had disappeared - pushed out of her mind by the ideologies of strict science and mechanics. Ignoring the connections and bonds between nature and human beings is ignorance—and Kimmerer reflects this thought throughout the entirety of Braiding Sweetgrass, and specifically within this chapter. Can Western knowledge and Indigenous perspectives be learned simultaneously to understand the world around us? “I wanted to know why we love the world, why the most ordinary scrap of meadow can rock us back on our heels in awe,” Kimmerer reflects (p.63). Though a deep understanding of scientific mechanics is necessary, a foundational understanding of our relationships to the ecological world is indispensable if we wish to reintegrate a society that is socially, culturally, and ecologically equal.
In both similar and different ways, Darlaston-Jones’ chapter titled “Challenging Psychology: reflecting on Riley’s ‘Manifesto for Change,’” in The Journal of Critical Psychology, Counselling and Psychotherapy also provided context reinforcing the need to strike a balance between both Western ideologies and Indigenous knowledge. Questioning the nature of her traditional psychology education and the normative assumptions she was taught that reinforced these ideologies, Darlaston-Jones longed to explore another perspective—one that “spoke of liberation and social justice and that was concerned with wellbeing beyond the individual” (Daralston-Jones, 2016, p.184). The author describes the need for individuals to explore their own personal, professional, and national identities in order to be able to deconstruct certain biases and move forward with an open-minded approach to viewing the world. Accomplishing this requires critical consciousness but must be done to avoid making assumptions that “may contribute to oppression, marginalization and voicelessness” (p.185). The author’s reading is in some ways connected to the words of Kimmerer, in reflecting upon the need to widen world views and incorporate Indigenous knowledge alongside western paradigms. Both of these articles promote the need for this incorporation to happen in all educational settings, regardless of major or program—for Kimmerer and her experience studying plant science, and for Jones; when it comes to the complex field of psychology.
“This intersection of an intact Indigenous worldview and the modern world generates a new understanding of what it will take to transform our society for the coming millennia—an understanding that everything we face is inextricably interconnected” (Sanchez, 2017, p. 50-51). When uncovering the root meaning of Sanchez’ writing, it is important to remember she does not dismiss science. The author makes a point of noting that “not all science has distanced itself from a holistic worldview” (Sanchez, 2017, p.49). In addition to Sanchez’s perspective on a combined worldview, her perspective on reintegration stands out for a few reasons. The author dives into the basics of applied Neurophysiology, with the goal of proving that our interconnectedness with the people and the world around us makes us more likely to feel a sense of safety and community (Sanchez, 2017). The author further explores how the connections between the lower and midbrain “allow the neocortex more opportunity to analyze and plan for positive outcomes” (p.50). Furthermore, this scientific research proves that when oxytocin, or the “happy hormone” is released, “we feel a positive, caring connection to other humans (and nature)” and “our reflection, understanding, rational abilities, and creative abilities are heightened” (p.53). In this article, Sanchez draws on both the positives and negatives of Western ideologies. On one hand, her belief of the indigenous worldview that “the spirit, the people (human beings), and the earth—all nature and the cosmos—are interconnected,” shows her perspective of how Indigenous views should be more valued. On the other hand, she speaks in-depth about the advances of Neurophysiology - showing how Western advancements in science have helped prove a great deal of significant research when it comes to human-nature relationships. Sanchez’s writing provides us with a great two-tone perspective: reintegration of these topics into society is of vital importance if we hope to progress in all areas of our lives.
Kidner’s perspective on reintegration encompasses many of the other author’s main points as well. When it comes to our relationship to the natural world—whether that be individually or societally— “if we lack such cultural means of expressing these feelings and intuitions, they necessarily remain part of that innermost, private, personal realm…” (Kidner, 2000, p.102). In addition to the writings of Kidner - Kimmerer, Darlaston-Jones, and Sanchez do a remarkable job of explaining the concept of reintegration. Uncovering where we went wrong in the modern-day world, and what we need to learn from Indigenous knowledge - these authors explore similar topics, expressed in different formats; telling different stories. If we really hope to “reintegrate,” we must recognize our past mistakes, learn from prior wisdom and knowledge at our fingertips, and utilize new advancements. A balance between Western ideologies and Indigenous knowledge is more than possible. Therefore, reintegration socially, culturally, and naturally is vitally important if we hope to escape this “reality” of industrialism and redefine our roots to the natural world.
References
Darlaston- Jones, Dawn (2016). Challenging Psychology: Reflecting on Riley’s ‘Manifesto for Change’. Journal of Critical Psychology, Counseling and Psychotherapy, 16(3), 182-185.
Kidner, David. (2000). Nature and Psyche: Radical Environmentalism and the Politics of Subjectivity. (p. 67-105).
Kimmerer, Robin Wall. (2014). Asters and Goldenrod. In Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge and the teaching of plants. Milkweed Editions
Sanchez, Anita. (2017). Intersection of an Indigenous Worldview and Applied Neurophysiology. In Canty, J. (Ed). Ecological and Social Healing: Multicultural Women’s Voices. NY, NY: Routledge.