How Images Facilitate Transformation
When you see the earth from the moon, you don’t see any divisions there of nations or states. This might be the symbol, really, for the new mythology to come.
—Joseph Campbell
One of the most iconic photographs in history is that of Earth suspended in the darkness of space. Taken in 1968 by the Apollo 8 astronauts, this single image of Earth rising above the Moon’s horizon makes us aware of the beauty and wholeness of our planet. Looking at this image, I become aware of the rich complexity of earth, ocean, air, and ice. Swirling patterns of bright, shining clouds encircle the world like white cloth–enshrouded dancers. Beneath these shimmering, irregular objects rests the vast royal-blue oceans, and the continents present themselves without political borders. This image of the planet surrounded by the vastness of space unveils the natural beauty of Earth.
Why is this particular picture of Earth so moving? I believe that something inside us resonates with this subtle, silent sphere suspended in space. Curiously, certain images seem to move us emotionally; they remain with us for life. We may even tell stories of these images and the way they move us. I think of Galileo as he stared at Earth’s moon, how in that moment his telescope brought that distant silvery object into his earthbound human experience. Gazing further into space, he viewed the moons circling Jupiter and brought forth to consciousness a revolution in how we view the cosmos. Images transform consciousness. They create revolutions in psyche. With Galileo’s gaze into the cosmos, humanity was released from its earthbound condition. Our imaginations soared into space, launching us into an age of unprecedented scientific discovery.
Immersing ourselves in the realm of image invites us to imagine. We begin to picture what could be by releasing ourselves from the constraints of what is. When we enter the world of imagination we connect to things unseen. Out of this playfulness emerges the not yet. Our imagination incubates the future: in this way we build bridges from the known to the yet to be known. Thus, imagining is the first step to creating a flourishing future.
One of the challenges in communicating the seriousness of climate change is that we have yet to find a universal image connecting people to the issue. The image of the lone polar bear on a piece of floating sea ice touches some but does not resonate with others. A single image may not be possible to represent the diverse implications of climate change. We may need a collection of images that touch specific geographic regions or cultures. Historically, images have been socially transformative. The profound emotional effect of such images indicates their archetypal nature. Of course, the image need not be visual. Consider the role of music, for example, the importance of rock and roll on society during the 1950s and 1960s. Stories have had a profound effect on us throughout history as well; consider works such as: the Bible, Homer’s Odyssey, Dante’s Divine Comedy, the works of Shakespeare, or even Uncle Tom’s Cabin.
In my lifetime, I can point to certain images that played a critical role in social transformation. In terms of visual images, many people remember the picture taken during the Vietnam War of the young girl, her naked body scarred by napalm fire, running down a village road. Others remember the image of Martin Luther King Jr. standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, the clock used by the Union of Concerned Scientists to alert us to the threat of nuclear destruction, or the image of Neil Armstrong taking that first step on the surface of the moon.
The picture of Earth suspended in space became an icon for many. It was more than just a picture; it had symbolic meaning. We realized the beauty and wholeness of Earth, and soon after the appearance of this picture the environmental movement began. Our perception of the world is influenced by image and story. Image and story contain symbols of transformation.
How have our symbols and stories transformed over time? In the Western world, our earliest stories involved the relationship between man and nature, a world where animal spoke to human and human spoke to animal, a world where everything was animate. This prescientific world developed narratives—first oral, then written—providing individuals and whole societies with a related sense of place and purpose in the cosmos. These grand stories evolved and flourished, giving mankind a vibrant connection to being in the world. Inherent in these stories were symbols of meaning. Animals, such as the bear, took on specific significance. They became messengers between human and nature. Bones and stones were carved with intricate patterns holding special meanings. Unique images became archetypal patterns that resonated with both individual and whole societies and provided not only understanding but also a numinous experience of the world. Over time, the narratives moved from interpreting our direct experience with the natural world at hand, to the heavens above, then to a distant divinity residing in the heavens. The early Greeks were perhaps the first to experience the separation between humankind and the natural world. We reached a point at which we began to define our relationship with the surrounding world through a divine grand design. Each of these stories moved us further from a direct experience with the nonhuman world.
The scientific revolution defined a new path for interpreting the world. We developed ways to observe both the vastness of the heavens and the microscopic details of the infinitesimal. We applied our rational acumen to these observations and used the symbolic language of science to bring order and predictability to the observed world. We categorized, classified, and quantified all that could be perceived. This approach assumed that the world was completely separate from us. We adopted this belief so that our measurements would not be influenced by our presence, and this scientific mindset led to an astounding array of accomplishments. We could describe and predict the movements of the solar system and, later, the universe. We could look into the structure of life itself and describe how it evolved through time; with the dawn and development of the Scientific Revolution, reason became our dominant worldview. We also developed the worldview that all that exists is material and can be reduced to separate pieces. The ordering principle became reductionist and materialistic. The symbols representing this worldview first showed God as the master architect, followed by the beautiful scientific instruments of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and now the spectacular images from the Hubble space telescope.
Stories of our separation from the natural world are not new. I am reminded of an ancient Greek myth, an allegory, well over two thousand years old, about a man who wants to build the largest house in town. To obtain the wood needed for his project, he cuts down the largest tree in the sacred forest. He does this despite dire warnings from Demeter, the goddess of the tree, who proclaims that he will suffer grave consequences if he proceeds in his efforts. The man disregards the warning and aggressively fells the great tree, which drips blood upon feeling the blade of the ax. For cutting down the tree the goddess asks her sister Famine to provide a fitting punishment. One evening, Famine enters the man’s house and breathes into him a sense of never-ending hunger. In that moment he begins to dream of being hungry. Upon waking he cannot find sufficient food to satisfy his hunger. Eventually, after selling everything in his house, he sells his only daughter to buy more food. Still he cannot end his longing for fulfillment. Finally, the man consumes his own body to end his hunger. This disturbing myth arose around the time the Greeks were building their massive array of ships to expand their might into the Mediterranean. To build such an armada required cutting down most of the trees in the Greek peninsula. The result of this deforestation was the loss of valuable topsoil necessary for agriculture. Thus the story is an allegory about neglecting and destroying nature and the consequences of such a path. It is also a story of how our separateness from the sacredness of nature leads to an insatiable desire to consume our world. The man, whose name translated from the Greek is Earth-Destroyer, was vain and profane. He was cut off from the sacredness of the world around him. This state of isolation led to his willingness to cut down the sacred tree. There is also the arresting image of the father selling his daughter to assuage his hunger. Metaphorically, this depicts how by feeding our current endless hunger we discount the future for our children. In addition, his disconnection from the feminine, also represented by the sale of his daughter, means he cannot relate in a healthy way to others. This tale from the beginning of Western civilization shows how old our tendency is to objectify the world and to feel cut off from others.
A more recent story reflecting this attitude is from J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. We see how the great wizard Saruman the White begins his stay in Middle-earth by living in harmony with nature. He wanders the beautiful forests of this land making friends with many beings. However, Saruman becomes possessed with the desire for more and more power, corrupting his heart and mind. He devalues the trees and other beings in the forests and orders the forests cut down to fuel the fires needed to create weapons of mass destruction. Ultimately, Saruman’s lust for power leads to his own destruction. This twentieth-century saga—no doubt influenced by Tolkien’s experiences in the Great War—shows how perception rooted in separation and power leads to destruction.
These two stories illustrate the consequences of what happens when we remove ourselves from direct contact with the natural world. The good news is that we can create stories that allow us to see how connected we are to one another and the natural world.
Perhaps the most powerful narrative motif is the hero or heroine’s journey. This motif, popularized by Joseph Campbell, describes how one is called to go on a journey, which is awakened through a disturbance in life. The first inclination is to ignore the call, but after overcoming doubt, the hero begins the journey. Soon after, they must descend into a dark place, often portrayed as a forest or cave. Upon entering the dark place and overcoming obstacles, the hero discovers a treasure. Retrieving this boon, the hero returns to share the treasure with the world. This powerful narrative is the foundation of many myths, legends, and tales of old as well as of many modern films. Psychologically, this archetypal pattern is about confronting a problem that cannot be addressed from our dominant perspective. Our tried-and-true way of seeing and dealing with the world breaks down. Our dominant paradigm no longer works. In tales, the image of the ailing king represents an old and worn-out ruling principle. The kingdom does not thrive and has become a wasteland. Because of this, we are challenged to find a new viewpoint, one that allows us to deal with the problem confronting us. In terms of stories, the old king must be replaced by a new one, representing a new ruling principle. When this happens, the kingdom is restored to health. The accomplishment of this transformation in viewpoint often requires deep inner work in which we reflect on what is keeping us stuck or blocked. Therapists accompany us on this inner journey to work with these blocks, or complexes. Very often the inner discovery appears in the form of a symbol, which could be an image, a felt experience, or a new storyline. With this new discovery we can enter our life with renewed energy and the ability to deal with the problem.
The hero’s journey not only pertains to an individual’s journey through life. It can also represent the trajectory of a whole society. I see this motif playing out around the issue of climate change. The call to begin the journey is the scientific evidence that the climate is changing. The rise in global temperatures, the melting of the ice sheets, and the rise in sea level are all signs that disrupt our inner and outer worlds. The hero often resists heeding the call, which can be seen in attempts both to dismiss or ignore the scientific evidence. Those who heed the call and have awakened to the evidence have begun the journey of transformation. Each person within society, in his or her own way, begins to follow a path to address this issue. Scientists continue on their journey to explore the depths of nature and understand better the direct and indirect consequences of global warming. Engineers work on better ways of creating energy from renewable resources. Policy makers strive to find acceptable political solutions to the issue. Citizens take to the streets to raise consciousness around the issue. Many have begun the journey to finding the treasure of a flourishing future. The descent is hard work, and obstacles are encountered along the path. Merchants of doubt work to sow seeds of confusion around the science, funding is diverted from those working to create alternative energy sources, and politicians refuse to understand the science or consider revenue-neutral ways to address the issue. The descent into the darkness is never pleasant, but it seems to be a necessary part of the hero’s journey. Ultimately, the hero discovers the treasure in the midst of this darkness. What is the treasure associated with the hero’s climate journey? What boon awaits us within the darkness surrounding the challenges of climate change? From a scientific perspective, the treasure will be a clearer understanding of the climate system. Improved technology will add to our ability to observe what is happening in the world. The capability of climate models to look at smaller geographic regions will improve, and more interactions within the climate system will be included, providing a more integrated sense of what is changing. From the energy perspective, the treasures will be renewable means to generate, store, and distribute energy. On the political side, the treasures will be the passage of legislation that insures a transition off of fossil fuels without damaging the economy. From a lifestyle perspective, the boon lies in learning to live within our means.
It is clear that the new story—our new map for the journey—needs to contain the power and beauty of science but also ways to bring us into closer heart-connection with the world. In this way, our worldview preserves the gifts of science but includes and restores what our early ancestors held in terms of relatedness to the nonhuman world. In essence, our story for a flourishing future holds both head and heart.
In my work on communicating the issue of climate change, I have come to value my interactions with artists. Given the power of imagery and story, is it at all surprising that the disciplines of the arts are essential? During a discussion with an artist friend on the relationships between the sciences and the arts for a group of interested citizens, my friend and I realized the many ways these two fields complement each other. The sciences and arts dance well together. They provide a more holistic and creative way to look at the issue of climate change. Those listening to our conversation became very animated by the possibilities unleashed by this dance. Perhaps this is to be expected, given that artists thrive in the world of image, sound, body, and metaphor. It is truly heartening to see so many artists joining the journey of transformation. Imagine what this community will bring back from their hero’s journey!
Perhaps it is appropriate for one more story, one more hero’s journey, from the twentieth century. Many of the qualities needed to create a promising future are nicely portrayed by the hobbits in The Lord of the Rings. The characters Frodo and Sam care deeply about the earth, each other, and life in general. Despite their reserved nature, they are willing to take risks and make sacrifices to work for the good of Middle-earth. These are beings attuned to their place and time. Sam holds the caring sense of the gardener, one who tends to life. He is able to extend this caring sense beyond his personal sphere to the many. Frodo takes on a burden requiring terrible personal sacrifice in order to free Middle-earth from darkness. He consciously chooses to work for the good of all, knowing he will need to overcome great challenges. Tolkien’s message in this story is that unbridled power is not the way to create a flourishing future. The way forward is found in the devotion of a humble fellowship working for good, in which each member of their group brings something unique to their collective quest. We can view this tale as a metaphor for how to act toward one another and the greater world. The Lord of the Rings is a perfect example of the hero’s journey. I feel the overarching theme of fundamental goodness is why The Lord of the Rings books continue to be some of the best-selling books ever published. The great popularity of the books—and now movies—indicates that the images and metaphors in the story touch people deeply. Such overwhelming popularity indicates the powerful force of living archetypal images in the story. We are captured by these stories because their images live within us. Psychologically, Middle-earth can be viewed as an image of our psyche, containing our creative and destructive tendencies. Which aspect of this inner world is most prevalent within us? Will we choose the path of blind power, or will we follow the path of connected cooperation? On our personal hero’s journey to address the threat of climate change, will we heed the call to face climate change and be willing to overcome the dark forces opposing our progress to a flourishing future?
I believe this is possible, for once a society is seized by a powerful symbol, change happens quickly. This is actually a reassuring fact when we consider the pressing need for social transformation concerning global warming—and the need to act now to avoid the worst consequences of climate change. If the time is right and a unifying symbol strong enough, change will happen. Given the power of symbols, it is important for us to be conscious of what images, patterns, or metaphors could activate such transformation.
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In the midst of a catastrophe like a flood, strangers come together to help one another. Frequently the human spirit transcends separation and opens to selfless cooperation. The image of many hands working as one comes to my mind. We grasp situations and hold onto what matters. We have the capacity to lend a hand and to take action. We tend to forget these aspects of our being in the world, but they are always present. Reaching out to another in the moment, the other responds, taking our hand. Moving beyond struggle, we tap into our inherent ability to help not only in times of crises but also in times of relative calm.
Imagine weaving together head and heart into a way of perceiving our world, a new worldview that might just lead to a very different way of living. Through such a lens we would view problems like global warming very differently. Our connection to the world would obviate the need to minimize our disruption. We would look for ways to live that would leave a smaller footprint. We would build a connecting web to distribute energy around the world efficiently. Our sense of cooperation would allow us to see this distribution of energy and other resources as a natural part of living on the planet. We would not horde energy but would make sure that it went to those in need, and we would consider the effect of creating energy on biological, physical, social, and psychological aspects of the world.
We must imagine and envision a new way forward. Allowing ourselves to imagine something differently is a necessary step in creating a new way. It means looking at the price we have paid for our old way of living following the old worn-out paradigm of separation. The first step of a new journey is always difficult, but today we have no choice. To build a flourishing world for our children, we must change the way we see things. That iconic image of Earth taken so many years ago was perhaps the first step. Seeing the world without borders and political differences creates an atmosphere for cooperation and connectedness. Seeing how Earth’s air, water, ice, and land interconnect and flow together is attunement on the grand scale.
What of the next step on our journey? The world seems full of tension and polarity. People are at odds with one another. How do we creatively hold the tension of opposites?