Читать книгу EcoChi: Designing the Human Experience - Debra Duneier - Страница 12

Environmental psychology is a fascinating, interdisciplinary science focused on fostering a greater understanding of the interplay between human beings and their environments. The field defines the term broadly; it can include natural environments, designed environments and learning, social and informational environments. It is believed that protecting, building and creating a “preferred environment” increases a sense of well-being in all human beings and facilitates behavioral effectiveness.

The questions addressed by this discipline are these: Do our homes, offices and public spaces make us feel peaceful, happy and sheltered? Do they feel like the safe havens they were meant to be? Are they calming, sustaining, mood-elevating and strengthening? All of this is attainable, and can be made possible with natural ventilation, lighting, plants, colors, shapes and views.

Looked at from a greater perspective, environmental psychology is about our relationship with Mother Earth. There are many different theories as to why we, as a species, have found ourselves seemingly intent on destroying our own planet. Some environmental psychologists believe that when we left our tribal way of living, we were separated from our mothers far too early in life. Under this theory, we experienced premature separation from the mother at the same time as we were being isolated from the natural world. This abrupt disconnection, the theory holds, has led us to suffer a kind of post-traumatic stress disorder. Underlying this hypothesis is the belief that feeling connected to the natural world is an essential component for proper maturing and responsible behavior toward the environment.

Others in this field hold that we as a species are suffering from a “disassociation syndrome.” While similar to post-traumatic stress disorder and multiple personality disorder, this thinking is based on a belief that many, if not most, people are no longer able to respond appropriately to the natural world. The complex causes, as argued by the advocates of this particular theory, involve advertising, economic systems, politics, and our schools and universities, all of which reportedly have “disassociation” built into their fabric. Yet another theory is that humans may just be suffering from a form of collective amnesia. We have forgotten about our inherent link to nature and the lessons of our forefathers. If you want to look into this in depth, I encourage you to do your own research and draw your own conclusions. The more people who study this subject, the more aware we will all be. This can serve us as a society and bring us closer to living responsibly.

As I studied and undertook new projects, my findings took me by surprise. I could clearly see how environmental psychology could be integrated with feng shui and green and sustainable practices to enhance and deepen the human experience in our indoor spaces and in our world. Now I had my three-legged stool and EcoChi began to take shape.

As I said earlier, and it bears repeating throughout this book, what we look at, hear, taste, smell and touch influences our mood, our health, our success, our happiness and our future. Spaces that are birthed and bathed in the golden light of EcoChi create an inviting atmosphere and a place where people feel safe, secure and embraced.