• "Rinda West weaves together vast knowledge of ecopsychology,
environmental philosophy, ecocriticism, and Native American literature
to offer a major contribution to environmental studies in general,
not only to the field of environmental literature. West's message
about the importance of understanding the language of story and
the psychology of renewal is profoundly important at this time in
history, as we come to terms with global capitalism and the legacy
of colonialism."
—Scott Slovic, author of Life/Savor: Engagement, Retreat,
and Ecocritical Responsibility
•"In Out of the Shadow: Ecopsychology, Story, and
Encounters with the Land, Rinda West suggests that the recovery
of connection with nature may be tied to a rediscovery of the numinous.
Together, these may nourish and grow from new attempts to restore
wildness to the land and to psyche. If you want to know what ritual
is about, how it isolates and bridges people, communities, and cultures,
and of its power to bring about war and peace, healing and harmony
with the earth, this is the book to read."
—Jerome S. Bernstein, Jungian analyst, author of Living
in the Borderland: The Evolution of Consciousness and the Challenge
of Healing Trauma
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In western culture, the separation of humans from nature has contributed
to a schism between the conscious reason and the unconscious dreaming
psyche, or internal human "nature." Our increasing lack
of intimacy with the land has led to a decreased capacity to access
parts of the psyche not normally valued in a capitalist culture.
In Out of the Shadow: Ecopsychology, Story, and Encounters
with the Land, Rinda West uses Jung's idea of the shadow to
explore how this divorce results in alienation, projection, and
often breakdown. Bringing together ideas from analytical psychology,
environmental thought, and literary studies, West explores a variety
of literary texts—including several by contemporary American Indian
writers—to show, through a sort of geography of the psyche, how
alienation from nature reflects a parallel separation from the
"nature" that constitutes the unconscious.
Through her analysis of narratives that offer images of people
confronting shadow, reconnecting with nature, and growing psychologically
and ethically, West reveals that when characters enter into relationship
with the natural world, they are better able to confront and reclaim
shadow. By writing "from the shadows," West argues that
contemporary writers are exploring ways of being human that have
the potential for creating more just and honorable relationships
with nature, and more sustainable communities.
For ecocritics, conservation activists, scholars and students of environmental studies and American Indian studies, and ecopsychologists, Out of the Shadow offers hope for humans wishing to reconcile with themselves, with nature, and with community.
Rinda West, Professor Emerita of English at Oakton Community College, is a landscape designer specializing in native plants for city gardens.
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