Spirituality Green Psychology, author Ralph Metzner

Timothy Leary, Richard Alpert, and Ralph Metzner: in some ways they are the Holy Trinity of mid-1960s serious yet popular psychedelic research. And while Leary continued until the end with his unique mix of charismatic psychedelic genius and soapbox kamikaze pilot, and while Alpert became Ram Dass, only to dissolve into the Hindu ether, Metzner has continued until the present day steadfastly exploring consciousness in all its breadth and depth.

Ralph Metzner has engaged in a wide range of approaches to consciousness: in-depth study of working with energy, primarily through a system called Agni Yoga; practicing psychotherapy; shamanism and alchemy. This book, first published in 1999, explores one of the main themes in his more recent works, that of the relationship of human beings with the rest of nature.

"The natural environment has been excluded from mainstream psychological theory so totally that it might very well be a deliberate conspiratorial act. How could so vast a flaw go unnoticed......?" This quote from the foreword by Theodore Roszak provides the overall context for the book. In particular, it explores how our sense of the sacred became disconnected from the natural world, and how human life has become alienated from the rest of the cosmos. Accordingly, the most effective chapters, in my opinion, are those dealing with 'the psychopathology of the human-nature relationship', 'the split between humans and nature', and 'reunification of the sacred and natural.' Central is the notion that much of the mess that humans are in, and the planet on which we dwell, stems from our alienation from the rest of the cosmos. Consequently, the solution requires not just new technologies, but a healing of that split, a psychological revolution.

On the subject of mind-altering substances, Metzner remains upbeat. In this book, he expresses greater faith in naturally occurring, plant-based psychoactives used in a serious and respectful context, rather than products of the lab, such as LSD and MDMA. A chapter is given over to the subject of the role of psychoactives, in which he discusses the reasons why, as well as re-iterating themes such as the importance of set and setting.

Metzner's writing style is clear and easily understood. It lacks the magnetic quality of some of Leary or Mckenna's work, but is to-the-point, informative, and quietly inspirational. 'Green Psychology' communicates from the heart, and is an opportunity to learn from someone who has devoted many decades to going where many fear to tread, into the depths of the human mind. I would recommend this book as an extremely useful tool for navigating through the confusing psychological landscapes of modern times.

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Excellent review