Join the upcoming LIVE Breaking the Cycle discussion on July 6, 2022 from 12 Noon to 1 p.m. ET, REGISTER to join. Visit the www.BreakingtheCycleFilm.org for more science, film guides, and resources.
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Dear Friends,
The grief many of us are feeling after gun violence yet again taking the lives of children in the USA will hopefully spill over into political action. It signals yet again how upside down priorities are in the USA. Money-making and money-keeping, with their accompanying power to control media messages, have encouraged citizens to link their identities to white Hollywood cowboy authoritarianism—all more important than the lives of children, human wellbeing, a healthy environment, truth.
Those in the USA live in perhaps the country with the most child-trauma-inducing attitudes (harshness instead of tenderness), policies (e.g., no parental leave), practices (e.g., punishment instead of restorative justice) and institutions (e.g., school-to-prison pipeline). Parents are encouraged to bully their babies into conforming to unscientific, cruel norms. Coercion follows children wherever they go, whether it is family, schooling or media manipulators.
The underlying emptiness in many lives is a lack of being cherished in the early years, when neurobiology and personality are shaped. The underloved child becomes an insecure, even angry, adult, easily manipulated by flattering authoritarians and con artists. Or an adult who feels the need to coerce others to their adopted ideals.
The evolved nest is needed not only for the young but for all of us—to feel cherished and mentored in our relationships, welcomed wherever we go, affectionately treated by playful companions, immersed and attached to the natural world, and practicing healing ceremonies regularly. We can all take up one or more practices and share them with others. By nesting ourselves and others we can bring a little more peace to the world which is enroute to some kind of transformation. Let’s make it a nurturing one!
Happy Summer,
Darcia
Darcia Narvaez, PhD
Evolved Nest, Founder
Photo by Mariah Miranda
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"Receptivity is...not just 'expectation to be loved,' but receptivity to love or cherishment. And lack of receptivity, we came to think, is the condition that stops growth cold, that petrifies the open-handed baby inside people and in their projects."
by Elisabeth Young-Bruehl and Faith Bethelard
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Evolving Evolutionary Psychology |
Narvaez, D., Moore, D. S., Witherington, D. C., Vandiver, T. I., & Lickliter, R. (2022). Evolving evolutionary psychology. American Psychologist, 77(3), 424–438. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000849
Abstract: Which evolutionary theory can best benefit psychological theory, research, and application? The most well-known school of evolutionary psychology has a narrow conceptual perspective (a.k.a., “Narrow Evolutionary Psychology” or NEP). Proponents of NEP have long argued that their brand of evolutionary psychology represents a full-fledged scientific revolution, with Buss (2020) recently likening NEP’s scientific impact to that of a Copernican or Darwinian paradigm shift. However, NEP stands on two traditions that are now the subjects of serious debate and revision: the neo-Darwinian adaptationist framework within evolutionary biology, and the computationalist “mind-as-computer” framework within cognitive science. Although NEP calls itself revolutionary, the significant revolutions taking place today in both evolutionary biology and cognitive science reveal NEP to be rooted in the orthodoxies of the past. We propose a more inclusive, developmental evolutionary psychology theory (DEPTH) better suited for our field in multiple ways, from acknowledging epigenesis to incorporating developmental science. To discern appropriate baselines for human nature and for human becoming, one must integrate developmental neuroscience, anthropology, and cognitive archeology. To be of value in addressing and remedying the challenges facing humanity, psychological theories must recognize the central importance of our plasticity, evolved developmental niche, and deep history. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
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To what extent does confounding explain the association between breastfeeding duration and cognitive development up to age 14? Findings from the UK Millennium Cohort Study |
Breastfeeding duration is associated with improved cognitive development in children, but it is unclear whether this is a causal relationship or due to confounding. This study evaluates whether the observed association is explained by socioeconomic position (SEP) and maternal cognitive ability.
At all ages, longer breastfeeding durations were associated with higher cognitive scores after accounting for the child’s own characteristics. Adjustment for SEP approximately halved the effect sizes. Further adjustment for maternal cognitive scores removed the remaining associations at age 5, but not at ages 7, 11 and 14 (e.g.: verbal scores, age 14; breastfed ≥12 months vs never breastfed: 0.26 SD; 95%CI: 0.18, 0.34).
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Biology of Trauma Summit
August 8 - 14, 2022
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We all know that everyone experiences some life trauma and that trauma is stored in the body. In this free online Summit, host Dr. Aimie Apigian interviews over 40 experts on all kinds of trauma from pre-birth to betrayal in marriage and how it becomes our biology, not just psychology. With the focus on knowledge and tools to accelerate the healing journey, this is a Solution Series on Mental Health, Addictions and Burnout. Darcia will be presenting at this event. You can view her invitation to you above.
Free Registration:
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Reclaiming Our Humanity with Our Evolved Nest |
In this podcast episode we focus in on the impact 10,000 years of unnested children is having on our psychology, our morality, and our civilization as a whole. We explore how early life nesting experiences lead to what Narvaez’s calls Cycled Of Cooperative Companionship, and how the undercare of being unnested leads to Cycles Of Competitive Detachment—the cycle most of us are locked into now, a cycle that is definably unhuman.
Furthermore, we explore what it means and what it takes to break that competitive detachment cycle and come back into healthy connection with ourselves, each other, and the natural world.
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California Institute of Integral Studies, CIIS, Presentation |
Through their work and writing, Four Arrows and Darcia emphasize the deep need to move away from the dominant Western paradigm—one that dictates we live without strong social purpose, fails to honor the Earth as sacred, leads with the head while ignoring the heart, and places individual “rights” over collective responsibility. Their most recent collaboration as editors of the anthology Restoring the Kinship Worldview, presents 28 powerful excerpted passages from Indigenous leaders including Mourning Dove, Robin Wall Kimmerer, Winona LaDuke, and Xiuhtezcatl Martinez.
Join Four Arrows and Darcia for a conversation exploring the wisdom of Indigenous worldviews and how embracing these precepts can nourish our individual and collective lives in these challenging times.
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Summer Solstice Edition, 2022, "Restoring Connective Tissue" |
Darcia from the interview: "We forgot that we need to nurture, nurture the heart. And, you have to be immersed in relationships to build the empathy, the sensitivity, and the understanding, and the willingness to forgive, and be generous… All that is part of the Indigenous way, you’re immersed in that kind of social, loving community. And this then allows you to grow your human potential. Which is another thing we’re not doing…"
Listen to the interview with Restoring Connective Tissue's editor, Tom VandeStadt, here.
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Maternal Gift Economy Presentation |
With years of research and experience in Indigenous scholarship and activism, authors Wahinkpe Topa (Four Arrows) and Darcia Narvaez recognize that the original Indigenous understanding of the world, one that guided us for 99% of human history, offers the most pivotal way to restore balance to life on Earth.
In this book, they have put together 28 powerful worldview precepts from various Indigenous leaders. Accompanied by the editors’ own analyses, each chapter reflects the wisdom of Indigenous worldviews such as:
- Egalitarian rule versus hierarchical governance
- A fearless trust in the universe, instead of a fear-based culture
- Emphasizing generosity and the greater good instead of pursuing selfish goals and for personal gain
- The laws of nature as the highest rules for living
Effectively tying each precept to the crises we face today, Restoring the Kinship Worldview is a salve for our times, a nourishment for our collective, and a holistic orientation that will lead us away from extinction toward an integrated, sustainable future.
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Village Book Store Presentation |
Also a discussion of the new book, Restoring the Kinship Worldview, with Darcia and Four Arrows.
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Barbara Rogoff is a psychologist who has studied learning across cultures, particularly Indigenous learning.
See her recent award winning short film with a quick summary of her work showing how Indigenous peoples learn through observation and pitching in, not through classroom teaching here.
Here is a list of her other short films created in past years:
The 2021 3-min NSF research video shows the power of contributing to a community in motivating learning, especially among students from communities that are underserved in schools. The sophisticated collaboration often found among Indigenous-heritage and Mexican-heritage children is part of becoming community-minded.
https://videohall.com/p/1910
Our 2020 3-minute video shows how Indigenous and Mexican-heritage families foster children's contributions at home and help them learn to collaborate.
https://videohall.com/p/1676
Our 2018 3-minute video for NSF, “Learning by Helping,” shows the helpfulness of Mexican-heritage children whose families don’t have much schooling.
http://videohall.com/p/1318
Our 3-minute video from 2017 focuses on the sophisticated collaboration of Mexican-heritage and Indigenous American children.
http://videohall.com/p/1034
Our 3-minute 2016 video "Learning by Observing" draws attention to strengths for learning among Indigenous and Mexican-heritage children.
https://stemforall2016.videohall.com/presentations/693
Our 2019 3-minute video shows the impressive ways that Mexican-heritage children collaborated in a planning task and programming a computer game.
https://videohall.com/p/1346
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Meet the Wayfinders Series: For La Leche League International's 65th Conference |
The Meet the Wayfinders oral history collection of empowering, personal stories features video interviews with nine professionals, parents, and scientists who found ways around breastfeeding advocacy barriers, or just broke them. The series was created at the invitation of La Leche League International in celebration of their 65th Anniversary Conference held October 15-18, 2021. While the series was presented live in October 2021, the puble and conference attendees viewed the collection on LLLI’s website through April 2022, with the recordings being made available to the public in May and June 2022.
Watch Darcis discuss her wayfinder advocacy for breastfeeding, an Evolved Nest component, by integrating the siloed-science of academia and research in the video above, and see the full playlist here.
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Our Millions Year-Old Embodied Wisdom: Indigenous Worldview, A Video With Darcia Narvaez And Four Arrows |
Watch Darcia Narvaez and Four Arrows present a 17 minute overview of their new book, Restoring the Kinship Worldview, in this video.
The Indigenous worldview considers the cosmos interconnected, moral and sacred, and is associated with greater biodiversity preservation. The Indigenous worldview and corresponding philosophy represent the longest empirical “experiment” ever done in biodiverse and culturally diverse settings. The San Bushmen have been in existence for at least 150,000 years. This worldview along with Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) of how to live responsibly-in-place is credited for the majority of biodiversity still in existence (according to a recent UN report, 80% of the biodiversity is held on the 20% of land controlled by Indigenous Peoples).
The Indigenous worldview of interconnection and circular effects, sentience and cooperation among natural systems, is supported by scientific evidence today, from physics to biology.
We present forty precepts showing the contrasting worldviews and how the Indigenous worldview supports biodiversity and the dominant worldview does not.
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Allomothers: We Were Never Meant To Do It Alone |
How Were We Intended To Nurture Babies?
One of the nine components of our Evolved Nest is Allomothers. Allomothers, alloparents or other nurturers support mother during pregnancy and throughout the life of the child, providing responsive care, positive touch and play.
MULTIPLE ALLOWMOTHERS, also called multiple responsive caregivers, refers to responsive caregivers other than mothers (e.g., fathers, grandmothers, aunts, uncles).
About Allomothers
Let’s remember our species’ history of allomothering.
Nurturing babies and children is not just about mothers—it is a community responsibility our species evolved.
Our species’ evolved nest for young children includes soothing perinatal experience, extensive breastfeeding and touch, responsiveness from the primary caregiver and a small group of other caregivers (allomothers), social support for mother and child, positive social climate and self-directed free play in the natural world with multi-aged playmates.
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How Long Should Breastfeeding Last?
The Science Says…
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Modern society lets cultural beliefs about breastfeeding trump biological needs.
KEY POINTS
- Breastfeeding has been made a contentious issue in western culture.
- According to science, typical western breastfeeding practices do not match what children need.
Families are in a pickle. Parents in the USA are unable to provide what their children need from a biological and scientific viewpoint. Stress among American families may never have been greater, even before the pandemic (American Psychological Association, 2019). It may help to understand what has brought us to this point.
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Join Our LIVE Discussions! |
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See the Evolved Nest's Short Film - Breaking the Cycle! |
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Below is your invitation to LIVE discussion about Breaking the Cycle, the Evolved Nest's short film, with Darcia Narvaez, PhD, and Lisa Reagan.
About Breaking the Cycle
"Breaking the Cycle" contrasts the two basic ways societies can function: the optimal approach, which most human societies through time have followed, is the Cycle of Cooperative Companionship, where children’s basic needs are met, they grow into well-functioning, cooperative community members (from neurobiology and on up), and as healthy adults, they maintain the cooperative system. Currently in the United States, the opposite pattern is in place—children’s basic needs are not met and ill-being and dysregulation ensue, creating adults who are detached and distracted and keep this Cycle of Competitive Detachment going. Not surprisingly from a transdisciplinary perspective on childhood adversity and its effects, the United Nations ranks the United States as 41st out of 41 developed countries for child and adult wellness.
See the Evolved Nest's six minute film and discover resources, including a film guide and a Spanish version of the film, at www.breakingthecyclefilm.org
JOIN MONTHLY LIVE DISCUSSIONS
Join Darcia Narvaez and Lisa Reagan for a discussion of the Evolved Nest's short film, Breaking the Cycle. You can watch the film and find resources, including a film guide on this website.
July 6, 2022 from 12 Noon to 1 p.m. ET, REGISTER
The live discussions are free, but you must register to join.
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Moving Toward Primal-Indigenous-Kinship Wisdom and Worldview |
We've collected Darcia's posts, interviews, videos, and podcasts on Indigenous Wisdom and Worldview onto one webpage for your viewing and sharing enjoyment!
Check out the Indigenous Worldview Resource Collection here.
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Join the Eco-Attachment Dance! |
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Join the Evolved Nest COMMUNITY |
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Join Our Mighty Networks' Evolved Nest Community |
We are in the process of creating a safe, kind, and stimulating space to engage and connect with our Evolved Nest community through Mighty Networks!
This platform is ad-free, algorithm-free, and owned by us. You can download the app to the network and post and stay up-to-date with group discussions, research, and upcoming events.
Many organizations are charging a membership fee for these Mighty Networks' platforms, but we are opening up our group to you for free.
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DONATE and Support the Evolved Nest! |
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Read 88 Five-Star Reviews of Our Work and Kindred World! |
The Evolved Nest is an educational initiative of Kindred World, an American 501C3 nonprofit that has Served the Re-Generation Since 1996. Darcia Narvaez, PhD, is the founder of the Evolved Nest and the current president of Kindred World.
Learn more about what we've learned in a quarter century of exploring the creation of a wisdom-based, wellness-informed society, here.
Read our more than 88 five-star reviews here.
Our gratitude to everyone who has supported The Evolved Nest's work over these past four years.
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The Evolved Nest - www.EvolvedNest.org |
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