"Is the Way We Are Living Making Us Sick?" with Dr Vaughan Wilkins
Nov 22, 2023
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Dr. Vaughan Wilkins, an ecopsychologist dedicated to understanding how modern life impacts our mental health, delves into the concept of 'enculturated captivity.' He discusses how the pressures of contemporary living lead to isolation and trauma. The conversation emphasizes our innate longing for connection to nature, urging a return to traditional ecological practices for healing. Dr. Wilkins also critiques contemporary wellness culture and encourages embracing a regenerative way of life that fosters deeper well-being and ecological balance.
Modern lifestyles lead to physical and psychological ailments due to disconnection from ancestral ecology and nature.
The concept of 'inculturated captivity' highlights how societal norms limit our potential for holistic living and foster collective trauma.
Reconnecting with ancestral ecology through practices that enhance awareness and sensory experiences promotes individual health and a regenerative culture.
Deep dives
The Impact of Ecological Disconnection
The discussion emphasizes that modern lifestyles may contribute to physical and psychological ailments due to a disconnection from our ancestral ecology. Research shows that both humans and non-human animals exhibit signs of distress when removed from their natural habitats, resulting in conditions such as zucosis in zoo animals. This disconnection leads to a deeper cultural sickness as society becomes increasingly detached from nature, with many individuals feeling 'off' or unwell due to their environmental context. Such feelings of dislocation underline the importance of fostering connections to the ecological systems that historically supported human and animal life.
Exploring the Concept of Captivity
The concept of 'inculturated captivity' is crucial in understanding how societal norms impose invisible bars on individuals, limiting their potential for holistic living. These bars manifest as psychological and physical constraints, pressing people into a lifestyle that prioritizes productivity over natural instincts. The inquiry into what defines sanity in a society breeds the awareness that norms often uphold a cultural pathology, leading to shared trauma and disconnection. By recognizing these cultural agreements, individuals can start to question and break free from the chains of conformity and reclaim their connection with nature.
Reconnecting with Ancestral Ecology
A key insight is the significance of reconnecting with our ancestral ecology for healing and restoration. Engaging with practices that promote awareness of the present moment, deepen our connection to specific places, and heighten our sensory experiences can facilitate this reconnection. These practices enable individuals to restore the sense of belonging that has diminished over generations due to ecological disconnection. By acknowledging our place within a larger ecological community, we can reclaim our health and well-being while fostering a regenerative culture.
Recognizing Wildness in Modern Life
The conversation introduces the notion of wildness, contrasting it with domestication and societal norms that often lead to disconnection. Wildness is reframed as a state of being rooted in coherent natural laws, standing against the chaos often associated with modern civilization. By recognizing and embracing one's inherent wildness, individuals can break free from the superficial rules that govern daily life and cultivate a deeper understanding of their nature. This journey calls for a rewilding of sorts, reconnecting with the ecological systems that shape human existence and nurturing the innate instincts that have been stifled by cultural captivity.
Steps Toward a Regenerative Culture
Finally, practical steps toward cultivating a regenerative culture are discussed, focusing on individual and collective healing processes. Engaging in somatic practices and wilderness skills can reconnect individuals with their bodies and the natural world, fostering a sense of belonging and health. By learning through traditional ecological knowledge, individuals can contribute positively to their ecosystems, allowing for reciprocal healing between society and nature. This process not only aids personal wellness but also promotes the vitality of the broader ecological community, paving the way for sustainable living practices.
In this episode, I am joined by ecopsychologist Dr Vaughan Wilkins and we ask this very important question: Is the way we are living making us sick?
We explore what Dr Wilkins calls “enculturated captivity” and the invisible bars that may be holding us captive to a way of living that causes suffering, isolation, and personal and collective trauma. We talk about the “offness” many of us feel living in a culture that is unhealthy.
We explore our longing for deep connection to our world and wonder together what it really means to be wild. Dr Wilkins offers us the invitation to return to traditional ecological knowledge as we envision, create, and live into a regenerative culture, and into more freedom.
I also let you know that enrollment for the 2024 Apprenticeship is now open!
***For more info on this 10 month Certificate in Depth Practices click here.
****To schedule a phone call with me to talk about joining the 2024 cohort, click here. If none of the times work for you, send me a message and we'll find a time that works!
For more on Vaughan Wilkins’ work go to:
VaughanWilkins.com
@vaughanwilkins
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