Beyond Jung – A Jungian Perspective on Climate Change

“Nobody can afford to look around and to wait for somebody else to do what he is loath to do himself. But since nobody seems to know what to do, it might be worthwhile for each of us to ask himself whether by any chance his or her unconscious may know something that will help us.” C.G. Jung (CW 18, par. 599)

Human caused climate change has placed life on the planet in a precarious state. It is imperative we address this situation as soon as possible for the longer we wait, the more we commit future generations to catastrophic disruption. Jungian psychology provides a unique means to understand the problem of climate change for it recognizes the importance of the unconscious in our lives. In this presentation, I explore how the dynamics of unconscious processes relate to climate change and how these processes provide pathways to addressing the problem. I consider current myths that lie at the root of our collective dissociation from Earth and how these myths relate to cultural complexes. The presentation concludes with a discussion of how to reconnect to the sacredness of Earth, which is essential to address the issue of climate change.

Jeffrey Kiehl, PhD, is a Diplomate Jungian Analyst and senior training analyst for the C.G. Jung Institute of Colorado and the Inter-Regional Society of Jungian Analysts. He originally trained in quantum physics before becoming a climate scientist. He has held faculty positions at a number of universities, most recently at the University of California, Santa Cruz and Pacifica Graduate Institute, where he taught courses on ecopsychology. He is the author of Facing Climate Change: An Integrated Path to the Future, which provides a Jungian perspective on climate change. His most recent articles include: A Tale of Two Cultures: Climate Change & American Complexes in Cultural Complexes and the Soul of America: Myth, Psyche and Politics; Mandala as Portal to Healing in ARAS Connections;  Engaging the Green Man: Breaking Our Spell of Enchantment in Depth Psychology and Climate Change; and The Nature of Uncertainty/The Uncertainty of Nature in Our Uncertain World: Challenges and Opportunities in a Dark Time.  Jeffrey lives in Boulder, CO.