Revisioning the Earth: A Guide to Opening the Healing Channels Between Mind and Nature

by Paul Devereux

Book Overview

Seamlessly blending science, philosophy, and psychology, Re-Visioning the Earth creates an exciting new paradigm for living with, not just on, the earth.

In this unique and groundbreaking book, Paul Devereux has written a practical guide to using the power and energy of nature to heal ourselves - emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0684800632
• ISBN13: 9780684800639
• Release Date: October 1996
• Publisher: Atria Books
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.0" x 8.8"

Customer Reviews

An Introduction to Self-Healing through Nature

"i shall not tire of re-emphasizing throughout this book that we are engaged here on a study of mind, not the Earth; it is just that the Earth can lead us to a greater understanding of consciousness, of mind and soul, if we let it give us that healing. I am also suggesting that, in a sense, the Earth itself is a state of mind." (pp. 117-118). Paul Devereux has written a book that is not so much about the natural world and spiritual aspects of the Earth as a distinct entity (Mother Earth, Gaia, etc.) but is more focused on helping the reader understand one's own connections to the Earth through developments and applications of ecopsychology, deep ecology, and environmental psychology. It is not the method or worldview of the indigenous cultures, but the cutting edge of western science, as he notes in his introduction, "The Planet Without, the world WIthin" and in his chapter on "The Healing Earth versus 'Healing the Earth'." This is not a book for people trying to engage in nature worship or environmental activism as it is for people who are trying to better understand and heal themselves through engaged consciousness with the Self through engagement with the Earth. Each Chapter leads the reader through the concepts which Devereux has developed over decades of work in consciousness studies such as the famous "Dragon Project" where volunteers slept at archaeological sites and experimented with dreaming. In each chapter, Devereux gives the reader the concepts and examples from around the world, and then provides a section called "Experiential." 1. "Centering: The Ancient Art of Being Here" indicates that we are all, in our own selves, at the crossroads of the seven directions: the four cardinal points, up and down, all meet in us. This locates us as our own nexus in the universe. The "Experiential" portion has exercises in "Being Here," "Getting Your Bearings," and "Drawing the Circle." 2. "Placing: Location and Dislocation: Knowing Our Place" connects us to special sites, not only in space, but in time, going back to prehistory and ancient monuments such as Stonehenge and certain times of the day when such work has special efficacy (dawn and dusk). This helps the reader find his or her own special place in the landscape to begin to work towards a deeper connection to one's self and the Earth. The "Experiential" portion looks at "Monumenteering" (prehistoric megalithic sites), "Let's Go to your Place," "Entering the Twilight Zone (or Roaming in the Gloaming), and "Finding Your Warp Factor" (states of consciousness). 3. "Journeying: Healthy Outdoor Exercise for the Soul" gets us to move around through the landscape, using the ideas of pilgrimage (moving sequentially through sites to an ultimate sacred destination) and vision questing (engaging with the spiritual/natural world at a sacred location). The "Experiential" section has the reader practice "Learning to Walk," "A Stroll Down Memory Lane," "If You Go Down to the Woods Today...," and "Medi

How to use energies of the Earth to heal yourself.

"Heal the Earth" is a common call today.Devereaux points out that it is humans who have to be healed, because it is humans who are doing the damage to the Earth.He advocates that we get in touch with the power and energy of nature to balance ourselves and be in tume with our natural environment.Some methods he suggests are: visiting sacred sites and wilderness areas, exploring the local geography, lucid dreaming, tape recording a waterfall, studying clouds,rocks and bark for suggestive shapes and patterns, and many other activities.A strength of this book is the practical advice it gives on relating to various Earth mysteries and energies.