Humans as Midwives for the Earth’s Dark Night of the Soul: A Transpersonal Ecopsychology Perspective

By harnessing fossil fuels for personal use, humans have arguably become the most creative, and the most destructive, species on the planet. Indeed, in order to survive as a species, it is likely that humans need to develop a healthier and more considerate relationship with the ecosystem. Transpersonal ecopsychology is a field that considers these topics by exploring the role of individual transformation in contributing to a larger evolutionary process of psycho-spiritual development – a process that may help humans find their niche in the greater ecosystemic whole. Transpersonal ecopsychology often describes humans as behaving in a destructive fashion that is out of alignment with spiritual principles, and argues that we need to adjust this situation in order to avoid ecosystemic collapse. The current article considers an alternative perspective, namely that human-caused ecological destruction might actually be a sacred and necessary aspect of the spiritual development and transformation of both humans and planet earth. In other words, humans might be undertaking the sacred role of acting as midwives for the earth’s dark night of the soul. While difficult and provocative to consider, this dark night might be necessary for the evolution of human consciousness. This article begins with a description of the role of the dark night of the soul in spiritual awakening, followed by an exploration of the possible human role in midwifing the earth’s dark night, and concludes with a personal reflection on releasing attachment to the outcomes of environmental activism.