Nature, the Numinous, and Individuation

Abstract

In an era of ecological and social crises, this study aims to better understand relationships between humans and nature. More specifically, this research seeks to identify experiences which might shed light on the perceived, but problematic, psychological disconnection between humans and nature in the Western world, about which many ecopsychologists have written. Employing ecopsychological and Jungian theory, including Jung’s concept of individuation, this study explores wilderness guides’ numinous encounters in wild nature for their transformative potential to bridge this disconnection. Eight wilderness guides were interviewed about their nature-based numinous experiences, after which their narratives were analyzed using phenomenological methods. Analyses of interviews generated themes which reveal that numinous experiences in wild nature serve as significant initiations to the individuation process outlined by Jung. The perceived split between psyche and nature also seemed to disappear for participants who, as a result of their numinous encounters, have committed their lives to deeper relationship with nature and psyche, including greater attention to and care for the natural world. The study concludes with a discussion of the implications of these findings, both at the individual and collective levels. Suggestions are offered regarding individuation-based psychological development and advocacy for the restoration and preservation of wilderness, whose presences show potential to restore human consciousness to its embeddedness in the natural world.