This study explores the lived experience of women who have survived spiritual abuse within contemporary ceremonial and spiritual healing spaces through the lens of existential phenomenology. The research identified seven main themes following (1) the dynamics of power and control in spiritual leadership (2) the lived experience of spiritual and metaphysical transgressions (3) the emotional effects and trauma responses of participants (4) navigating the reconstruction of trust and vulnerability (5) the work of reclaiming personal spiritual authority and self-agency (6) cultivating modes of discernment and fostering community support. This investigation introduces the coined term transpersonal abuse to expand our understanding of the subtle violations occurring through non-ordinary and ontological contexts. This includes sub-themes of psychic coercion, energetic manipulation and astral intimidation. These often invisible violations noted deep somatic wounds and transpersonal fragmentation on the participants. The study underscores the immediate need to expand education around discernment, ethical guidelines for emerging ceremonial spaces and trauma-informed leadership. It also proposes the introduction of personalised spirituality as a form of personal protection and empowerment which may offer survivors an alternative path for the reconstruction of the sacred and the self. Limitations include cultural specificity and sample size, noting the harrowing fear of potential persecution caused by discussion of this topic. The following section outlines potential directions for future research such as neurosomatic mapping of spiritual trauma and cross-cultural inquiry of transpersonal abuse. This work intends to contribute to the expansion and integrated understanding of the contemporary issues surrounding spiritual violations and recovery.
This study explores the lived experience of awakening to ‘something beyond’ the separate self among individuals working with or within the public sector in Aotearoa New Zealand, and examines how this awakening influences selfhood, leadership, and service. The research employed Intuitive Inquiry (Anderson & Braud, 2011), a qualitative transpersonal methodology that integrates intuitive and intellectual ways of knowing, unfolding across five iterative cycles of interpretation. Seven preliminary lenses were identified as the researcher’s initial ways of understanding the phenomenon. Seven participants engaged in in-depth, semi-structured interviews. The data were analysed using Sultan’s (2019) heuristic approach, drawing on indwelling and focusing exercises, incorporating the researcher’s drawings, soundscapes, and movements to surface impressions of the data. Individual portraits of each participant’s experience were crafted and then integrated into a composite portrait from which seven core themes were identified. Through recursive engagement with the data, these evolved into fifteen revised lenses, from which four overarching meta-patterns emerged: (1) foundations for awakening and transformation; (2) the relational nature of awakening and transformation; (3) leadership as transformation of the separate self through practice; and (4) service as the creative outpouring of a deliberate developmental process contributing to the wellbeing of the whole. The findings suggest that transformational leadership and service arise through a deliberate inner developmental process—integrating the separate self, enabled and supported by relational, cultural, and systemic conditions. The study concludes that inner transformation might expand leaders’ capacity for presence, humility, and service, offering practical implications for embedding inner development within public service leadership frameworks.
Women living-with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and ADHD combined with autism (AuDHD) struggle to live up to societal expectations and experience anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. Research suggests that Nature contact reduces ADHD symptoms in children. Research also suggests time in Nature is restorative, reduces anxiety, and increases general health while individuals with a Nature connection (NC) receive greater well-being benefits. This study used heuristic inquiry to examine the experience and meaning of NC for women living-with ADHD/AuDHD within a societal context. Data from seven co-researchers was collected by semi-structured interviews. Data analysis holistically approached sections of meaning and was finalized through coding. Results are presented as individual depictions of co-researchers, a composite depiction of their combined experience, and a creative synthesis. The composite depiction representing co-researchers’ NC consists of six themes: Therapeutic, Spiritual, Being in Relationship, Safe Space, Natural and Meaningful, and Ecological Awareness and Concern. NC provided co-researchers a space away from societal expectations where they felt supported, accepted, and connected to something larger. Findings suggest the importance of Nature for well-being and the importance of non-judgmental spaces for women living-with ADHD/AuDHD. Protecting natural areas may provide a supportive resource for women living-with ADHD/AuDHD.
This study investigates whether a clinically diagnosed episode of major depressive disorder (MDD) can be experienced as a psychologically significant event associated with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and/or domains of posttraumatic growth (PTG). A cross-sectional, quantitative design was used. A total of 102 participants completed an online survey including the Centrality of Event Scale CES, the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 PCL-5, and the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory PTGI. The results showed a strong and statistically significant correlation between event centrality and PTSD symptomatology across all symptom clusters. No significant correlation was found neither between event centrality and total PTG scores (except for a weak association with the appreciation of life subscale), nor amongst PTSD and PTG (except for two weak correlations between the PCL-5 subscale of intrusion and the PTGI subscales of appreciation for life and new possibilities). The results offer a preliminary step in the reconceptualization of MDD as a psychologically significant experience which may lead to processes of traumatisation and invite further reflections on the potential mediators and/or moderators of transformation.
Research on self-empowerment in perimenopause suggests a process that is both positive and challenging for women. Little is known, however, about these experiences of growth from the perspective of women who are in perimenopause and who self-identify as being self-empowered in this transition. A transcendental phenomenological design, incorporating in-depth semi-structured interviews, was employed to explore the experiences of self-empowerment in perimenopause among nine self-empowered women. Data were analyzed using Moustakas’ phenomenological process and thematic analysis for shared themes. Findings revealed six textural themes; awakening to health challenges and difficulties, activating the medicine woman within, birthing the inner activist, validating her inner processes and needs, enlivening her path of growth forwards, feeling confident and empowered in her reality on her terms, and four structural themes; ongoing symptoms out of the ordinary, perimenopause experienced as unknown or unreal by the medical system, identifying what no longer aligns or resonates, empowered actions. The composite description suggests a journey of growth coexisting with personal and systemic challenges and difficulties for women, which may have created the impetus for the journey towards self-empowerment during perimenopause. Implications suggest women’s experiences of self-empowerment during this transition can be enhanced when they have access to accurate information on perimenopause and when they actively seek out better outcomes in their lives.
This inquiry explores how to integrate Indigenous practices into a Western context without recolonising the Indigenous other. The primary aim of this study was to understand how experienced earth-based, animist practitioners of multicultural heritage have integrated Indigenous traditions, that are not their own, into their spiritual practise. A secondary aim was to find out how the co-researchers had processed and integrated cultural shadow, such as colonialism. The research method is based on heuristic inquiry but has been adapted to reflect certain principles of earth-based practise such as the phases of the moon and the seasons. The study showed that the co-researchers had integrated their own living histories, as multi-cultural individuals, into their practise by working with their cultural shadow in ways that were inspired by Indigenous traditions but adapted to work within their own social political context. In addition, the co-researchers’ spiritual practises were often contextualised within a political purpose that had developed beyond the personal growth paradigms that are familiar in the West. The findings suggest that working with Indigenous traditions, that are not your own, in a Western context, has the capacity to foster cultural reconciliation rather than perpetrate the recolonisation of Indigenous cultures when certain factors are taken into consideration.
This study employed an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) approach to explore the lived experiences of individuals using Ghost Point acupuncture within a Western cultural context to alleviate depressive symptoms. It aimed to uncover how participants perceived their treatment experience, its effects on their depressive symptoms, and the meanings they attributed to these experiences. Several clinical studies have investigated the efficacy of acupuncture in treating depression; however, little attention has been given to a specialised form of acupuncture, such as Ghost Points, and qualitative research into the experiences of people receiving these types of alternative treatments compared to conventional therapy. Seven individuals (two males; five females) were voluntarily recruited, all of whom had self-identified as being diagnosed with depression. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews lasting less than an hour. All interviews were transcribed verbatim, and interpretative phenomenological analysis was applied to examine the data. Four overarching themes emerged: Integrating the Eastern Other, Trust in the Practitioner, The Ceremony of Needling: A Technique for Transformation, and Embodied Experience of Healing. The analysis revealed disillusionment with conventional treatments for depression, highlighting alternative approaches such as Ghost Point acupuncture and the embodied experiences related to it—such as the flow of energy (Qi), emotional release linked to stored trauma and suppressed feelings, and an understanding of the body as a vehicle for health and healing. Additionally, participants described various pathways to integrating these experiences, including painting, exercise, and walking in nature. Key findings are somewhat consistent with previous clinical research; however, they are also distinctive due to the qualitative nature of this study. Future directions for research and implications for practice are also discussed.
A purposeful heuristic research analysis was conducted to examine the narratives of six adults reflecting on childhood trauma who engaged in healing through spiritual and wellbeing practices. Semi-structured interviews examined how participants characterised life-changing events and embraced changes through a whole-person approach. Five themes emerged: Transformation, Spirituality as a Healing Framework, Integration of Holistic Practices, The Role of Community and Compassion and Forgiveness. Trauma was reprioritized as significant for personal growth, which changed the views of self-worth, identity, and purpose. Spirituality seemed to help make meaning, while a connection to holistic practices helped healing. Community support was instrumental for some participants, and compassion and forgiveness were ways of relieving their pain. Wellbeing practices had a reconstituting effect on the trauma narrative, helping individuals transition to an empowered vision. This study highlights a spiritual and holistic approach to healing as a potential tool for facilitating post traumatic growth (PTG) and an individualised process of trauma recovery based on personal history.
This research explores the crucial role of ontological preparation (OP) in facilitating safe and effective psychedelic experiences, particularly those induced by Ayahuasca and DMT. Through in-depth qualitative interviews with experienced psychedelic facilitators, the study identifies OP as indispensable for mitigating risks associated with profound ontological shifts and enhancing the integration of these experiences. Key findings highlight that effective OP involves rigorous screening, personalised interviews, holistic practices, and spiritual and psychoeducation. Innovative tools, such as theatrical demonstrations, help familiarise participants with complex internal landscapes, reducing distress. The research also underscores the importance of intrinsic motivation for positive outcomes. While facilitators strive to minimise priming, the inherent paradox of preparing for experiences that challenge fundamental reality is acknowledged. The study advocates for a hybrid model that integrates traditional wisdom with Western scientific rigour, emphasising the need for comprehensive, ethical preparation protocols to navigate the spiritual and existential dimensions of psychedelic journeys.
This heuristic inquiry investigates how shadow work influences feelings of unworthiness in romantic relationships, often stemming from dysfunctional family dynamics and shame. The experiences of eight women, acting as co-researchers, are analyzed through a heuristic approach that explores both their perspectives and that of the researcher to develop new insights. In modern society, unrealistic standards influence relationships because of cultural expectations and societal shifts within a conformist culture. While traditional relationship therapy has evolved, divorce rates continue to rise. Conventional therapy methods focus on individual experiences, but accessing the emotion of shame can remain challenging. Growing focus on emotional connection and shared values reflects evolving reasons for romantic partnerships, promoting holistic approaches that include the mind, body, spirit, and subconscious. The co-researchers’ transformative journey started with a move from organized religion to personal spirituality, aiming for deeper meaning via self-exploration, namely through transpersonal experiences. Insights showed that early exposure to Western religious experiences led them to link shame with strict dichotomies, often heightening perfectionism driven by feelings of unworthiness. Co-researchers noted external judgments fueled unworthiness and shame about sexual purity and societal norms. As they progressed in their healing journey, which included committed and ongoing shadow work, they gained greater self-awareness and compassion for themselves and others. By relaxing their egoic control, they could reclaim the fragmented pieces of their psyche.
This study examined the associations between the flow states of experienced improvisational musicians and the meditative states of experienced meditators, specifically in the context of nondual experiences. The study employed an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. The quantitative portion of the research involved 50 participants and examined the comparison between flow states and meditative states using the Nondual Awareness Dimensional Assessment – Trait (NADA-T). Data analysis revealed that there was a statistically significant difference in the NADA-T scores of musicians and meditators, that experience level, in years, was associated with increased NADA-T scores in meditators specifically, and that there was a statistically significant difference in the scores of musicians who used psychedelics compared to those who did not. Qualitative data, collected through semi-structured interviews with six participants (those with the top three scores in each group), revealed several themes such as dissolution of the ego, feelings of bliss, changes in time and perception, sacredness of the experience, the importance of surrender, and the importance of prior experience when accessing ASCs. This study highlights the potential for harnessing flow states and other ASCs outside the context of regular meditation and using them for healing and therapeutic purposes.
Transpersonal psychotherapy aims to integrate spiritual elements into practice, a psychotherapeutic approach in infancy. Ethical scandals exist in spiritual approaches to healing, from shamanism to transpersonal psychotherapy. This study sought to explore how psychotherapists who integrate spirituality foster and embody a deeper ethical awareness to prevent harm and promote an ethical, professional practice. A heuristic inquiry (HI) was employed to encompass alternative ways of knowing aligned with transpersonal approaches. Co-researchers were seven women psychotherapists from the West, an unintentional sample. A fifty-minute semi-structured interview with each co-researcher uncovered fostering and embodying a deeper ethical awareness as a co-creative process. This included cultivating self-awareness of the therapist, honouring the relationship to the client and considering boundaries, both in frameworks and a metaphysical sense. In conclusion, a formal ethical framework would not suffice for transpersonal psychotherapy. Instead, a self-guided process for the therapist to journey through, increasing self-awareness, deepening presence in the client relationship and embodiment of boundaries is recommended.
This qualitative study explored how nature-based portrait sessions empower women to deepen their self-connection. Using the methodological approach of organic inquiry and drawing from art-based research, the study recruited six women to participate in a nature-based photoshoot and engage in three interviews each to track their experiences before the photoshoot, immediately after, and upon viewing the resulting images. Results revealed an overarching theme of the photoshoot serving as a ritual for self-exploration, with six interconnected subthemes: emotional responses and self-reflection, presence and embodied awareness, self-love and self-acceptance, connection to nature, encounters with the sacred, and the role of the photographer as co-creator and space holder. These themes point to an expanded view of self-connection as including both intrapersonal and interpersonal or transpersonal (beyond self) elements. These findings suggest that nature-based portraiture, when held as ritual and guided with intention, can facilitate meaningful self-connection by integrating embodied, relational, and transcendent aspects of experience.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is often underdiagnosed and misunderstood in women, with conventional treatments frequently overlooking their embodied and spiritual needs. In response, many seek alternative ways to manage symptoms. Kundalini Yoga (KY) integrates somatic and contemplative elements, and emphasises inner transformation, offer distinct benefits for emotional regulation and self-awareness that potentially exceed those of posture-focused yoga. However, its specific impact on women with ADHD remains under-researched. This study used heuristic inquiry to explore the lived experiences and perceived outcomes of KY practice among eight women formally diagnosed with ADHD, all of whom engaged in KY for at least 60 minutes per week over a six-month period. Data was gathered through semi-structured interviews and analysed thematically, guided by the phases and processes of heuristic inquiry. The process yielded individual depictions, exemplary portraits, a composite depiction, and a creative synthesis. Seven themes emerged: potent and unconventional; agency and self-efficacy; embodied pedagogy; spiritual and symbolic meaning-making; belonging and co-regulation; barriers to engagement; and risks and critical engagement. Co-researchers described KY as empowering, enhancing their ability to navigate ADHD-related challenges such as emotional dysregulation, mental fog, and disconnection from the body. While experienced as transformative, the practice also demanded discernment, particularly regarding intensity, vulnerability, suggestibility and the need for trauma-informed support. This study highlights the potential of KY as an adjunctive support for women with ADHD and underscores the value of embodied spiritual practice in cultivating psychological and emotional well-being.
Meaning in life is often constructed through social discourse, with language shaping our understanding of norms, values, and power structures within cultural systems. This discursive framing influences how coherence is found in relationships and everyday interactions. For involuntarily childless women, the experience of dominant narratives, especially those positioning motherhood as central to feminine identity, can be excluding and marginalising. Although research into involuntary childlessness has expanded in recent years, the lived experiences of these women’s daily conversations with friends, family, and colleagues remain underrepresented. Fourteen involuntarily childless women were interviewed for the current transcendental phenomenological study to explore the following research question: How do individuals who are involuntarily childless experience social discourse surrounding normative family life? Four themes emerged from the thematic analysis, which revealed deeply personal and often painful encounters, with social conversations that were often marked by assumptions, judgements, and invasive questions. However, participants also shared powerful stories of transcending trauma to reclaim autonomy and agency, through purposeful contribution and meaningful relationships, regardless of parental status. The findings suggest that for some involuntarily childless women, meaning can be found by actively challenging dominant cultural narratives and refusing to remain silent.
This study seeks to understand how Tarot practitioners experience Tarot as a tool for psychospiritual growth; that is, as a tool to support humans to deepen their understanding of their own psychological landscape, and then to grow beyond the individual ego towards knowing of the ‘divine’. Constructivist Grounded Theory is used as the methodology to understand the processes and experiences that happen within this type of Tarot interventions (rather than Tarot used for fortune telling). The data reveals six core categories, grouped into two triads. The first triad describes the contextual dimensions necessary for Tarot to function meaningfully as more than a deck of cards. The second triad describes the process that unfolds within a specific Tarot intervention, that catalyses psychospiritual growth. The implications of this new theory on our understanding of how Tarot ‘works’ are explored, as well as Tarot’s potential as a technique for transpersonal coaching and therapy. The limitations of the study are discussed, and future directions for research in the rapidly-growing field of Tarot are identified.
This dissertation explores the role of ceremony and ritual in shaping transformative experiences within contemporary psilocybin use. Drawing on ten in-depth interviews with experienced facilitators and participants, this qualitative study employs Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to examine how ceremonial elements influence meaning-making, healing and integration. Findings suggest that ceremony functions as a dynamic psychospiritual container that supports transformation through structured symbolism, somatic attunement and collective process. Participants described threshold experiences that cultivated heightened receptivity, awareness, belonging and reverence, seen to amplify emotional release, facilitate ancestral connection and cultivate direct relationship with the more-than-human world. Themes included nature’s sentience, intentionality, the potency of sound and the ethical weight of structure and boundaries. Communal witnessing and non-hierarchical relationality were central to how transformation was held and integrated. Some participants also expressed tensions around cultural appropriation, performance and the dilution of ritual integrity in contemporary settings. The study argues for a pluralistic and ethical approach to facilitation, centred on ceremonial literacy, ecological consciousness and collaborative care. By re-situating psilocybin healing within relational and symbolic frameworks, this research contributes to a more holistic, culturally sensitive understanding of evolving entheogenic practice.
This study explores the therapeutic mechanisms activated when Internal Family Systems (IFS) is integrated with psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT). Drawing on in-depth interviews with ten experienced IFS-informed psychedelic practitioners, the research investigates how healing unfolds across preparation, psychedelic experience, and integration phases. The resulting theory, Self-Led Synergy—identifies the synergistic operation of three relational intelligences as central to transformational change: the client’s Self-energy, the intrinsic intelligence of the psychedelic medicine, and the Self-led presence of the facilitator. A process model illustrates how these forces interact across treatment stages to support emotional safety, coherence, and durable integration. Findings highlight that Self, as defined by IFS, is not only a conceptual anchor but also a reliable therapeutic mechanism that bridges clinical and transpersonal domains. The model challenges mainstream psychotherapy’s emphasis on symptom management by affirming the value of inner wisdom, relational attunement, and non-directive facilitation. Implications include new competencies for facilitator training, ethical standards based on internal system dynamics, and expanded frameworks for psychedelic care. This study presents a theoretically grounded, practice-informed model that supports the safe, effective, and spiritually coherent application of PAT within psychotherapeutic contexts.
This dissertation explores how intuition is experienced and integrated across five domains of human life: emotional, intellectual, mental, physical, and spiritual. Defined as a form of direct, non-linear knowing beyond analytical reasoning, intuition is examined through a heuristic methodology that foregrounds the researcher’s lived experience alongside participant narratives. Seven purposefully selected participants engaged in semi-structured dynamic interviews, providing rich, reflective accounts of their intuition.Data was transcribed and analyzed through layered thematic coding, preserving the uniqueness of individual depictions while identifying shared patterns and unique aspects. Key findings suggest that intuition is not a fixed trait but a dynamic, context-sensitive process. Participants described intuition as embodied, emotionally resonant, and emerging most clearly in moments of decision-making, creativity, or personal insight. Integration across domains deepened their sense of meaning, coherence, and self-trust in their intuition. The researcher’s self-inquiry as part of personal transformation (in the context of burnout recovery) reflected the heuristic phases of immersion, illumination, and creative synthesis, allowing personal resonance and divergence to inform interpretation. This study contributes to a multidimensional understanding of intuition and underscores its value in therapeutic, educational, and personal development contexts and proposes a five-domain heuristic model to improve generalizability.
This Constructivist Grounded Theory study explores the role of self-compassion in the everyday lives, spiritual practices, and ongoing development of adults identifying as Spiritual But Not Religious (SBNR). It presents self-compassion as central to psychospiritual growth. 10 SBNR adults (5 women, 4 men, 1 non-binary; aged 31–62; diverse origins and spiritual backgrounds) participated in semi-structured interviews. Data collection and analysis were conducted concurrently through a constant-comparative method. Theoretical saturation was ensured through purposive sampling, and memo-writing supported theory. The participants’ stories highlight self-compassion as an ongoing, multifaceted, personal journey fundamental to psychospiritual growth. Findings are presented through six interrelated categories: (1) the SBNR context; (2) internalized barriers to self-compassion; (3) the nonlinear and gradual development of self-compassion; (4) its lived experience and practice; (5) growth outcomes (healing, wholeness, authenticity, surrender, resilience, balanced development, deepened spirituality); and (6) interpersonal dimensions. Overall, self-compassion emerges as central to the SBNR path, empowering individuals to meet life’s challenges, deepen their spiritual connection, and cultivate compassion for others. Integrating self-compassion training into psychotherapy, spiritual teachings, and community practice may support both individual and collective transformation. Future research may refine these findings through focused lenses, cross-cultural perspectives, and complementary methodologies.
This qualitative research explores how individuals experience the Pathwork method as a means of integrating spiritual awakenings. Spiritual awakenings, which are often spontaneous, blissful and disruptive, can initiate transformative psychological shifts. That said, the integration process remains underexplored in both clinical and spiritual literature. Drawing on the frameworks of transpersonal psychology, this research investigates the lived experience of five individuals who engaged with the Pathwork Method as a long-term integration practice. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted to identify recurring themes across participants’ narratives. Five key themes emerged, Spiritual Awakening and Initiation, Trauma and Integration, Practice and Commitment, Community and Support, and Intuition and Trust. These themes highlighted the complexity of spiritual transformation and the crucial role of ongoing inner work, community support, and embodied practice. The findings support existing theoretical models by figures such as Grof, Jung, Wilber, and Campbell, while also offering modern insights into the integration process. The research shows that spiritual awakening is not a single event, but a deep and often challenging journey that requires sustained engagement. Results are offered for therapeutic practice, spiritual communities, and future research, with a special focus on recognising and supporting psychospiritual crises within modern psychological and cultural contexts.
Morphic resonance is a theory posed by Rupert Sheldrake which—within the context of learning—predicts that a skill should become easier to learn as more people practice it due to the pattern of learning existing within a morphic field, to which others can tune in. Several studies have empirically investigated this theory—some providing preliminary support for its predictions. The present research was split into two studies which both used the online game Wordle. It was hypothesised that as the day progressed, Wordle scores should improve because of resonance from earlier players. Study 1 used a questionnaire to collect participants’ Wordle scores and the time they completed the puzzle. A correlational analysis did not reveal a statistically significant correlation between these variables and thus did not support the hypothesis. Study 2 used WordleBot to collect data based on a random sample of all Wordle players. A two-sample z-test for proportions revealed a significant increase in the percentage of players solving the puzzle from morning to evening on the first two guesses, but a decrease on the latter three guesses. These results partially confirmed the hypothesis and might reflect the way in which conscious cognitive processes interact with morphic resonance.
Dreams are often credited as the source of innovative and creative ideas, yet research on how specific types of dreams, such as lucid dreams, are utilised by visual artists remains limited. This study aims to explore the use of lucid dreams in the creative processes of visual artists. Employing the qualitative method of heuristic inquiry, a holistic and investigative approach was taken to integrate dreams and artworks. Seven visual artists with experience in lucid dreaming were recruited as co-researchers, participating in semi-structured interviews and contributing artworks related to the theme. The findings suggest that lucid dreams serve as a significant source of inspiration, offering an environment for exploration, experimentation with materials, and experiencing boundless creative possibilities, which subsequently influences their waking life artistic practice. Variations were observed among co-researchers in their preferences for depicting lucid dream elements, ranging from accurate and literal representations to evocations of the dream’s essence and feeling. The study discusses these findings in relation to relevant literature and concludes by considering the value of lucid dreaming for various creative practitioners and its potential to enhance general creativity. Limitations and suggestions for future research, including the therapeutic potential of creating visual art from lucid dreams, are also presented.
The resurgence of interest in psychedelic-assisted therapy has brought classic psychedelics like psilocybin to the forefront of modern mental health research and practice. Considerable attention has been given in recent years to determining contextual factors (set and setting) that influence the quality of psychedelic experience, focusing primarily on the mindset states of individual journeyers (Russ et al., 2019) and the characteristics of the physical spaces where journeys are carried out (Strickland et al., 2020). Little to no attention has been given to understanding the mental, emotional and energetic qualities cultivated by psychedelic facilitators, that inform the experience of holding space, a critically important skill set for facilitating non-ordinary states of consciousness (Peacock, 2024). This study employed a qualitative phenomenological approach to explore the lived experience of holding space for psilocybin journeys. In depth interviews were conducted with eight experienced psychedelic facilitators representing three practice contexts (i.e. clinical, non-clinical, indigenous/ceremonial). Thematic analysis yielded eight key themes illuminating the focus on providing multi dimensional safety and containment supported by deep presence and attunement. The necessity of self work, including personal work with psychedelics, was emphasized as critical for space holders in this context. Study results indicated, among other things, the need for facilitator training that emphasizes transpersonal and spiritual perspectives and includes somatic and energetic modalities.
Lucid dreaming is a type of dream in which, while asleep and still in the dream, one realizes they are experiencing a dream and not waking reality. Research exploring lucid dreaming meditation is emerging, including associations with meditation practice frequency and styles, mindfulness and the role of meta-awareness. The present study delved into experiential aspects and effects of meditation in lucid dreams. It employed a two-phase mixed-method sequential explanatory design, a novel method in this field, with experienced lucid dreamers. The research was guided by the following question: How do individuals experience meditation in lucid dreams compared to their experience of meditation during wakefulness? Seventeen participants were recruited from online lucid dreaming communities and completed questionnaires measuring meditation depth and state mindfulness following a three-minute mindful breathing practice in wakefulness and lucid dreaming. Seven participants were interviewed to explore their lucid dream meditation experience. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to explore descriptions and meaning of this intimate and fascinating phenomenon. Lucid dream meditation was associated with greater curiosity on the Toronto Mindfulness Scale. Furthermore, a positive relationship was found between curiosity and meditation depth following lucid dreaming meditation. The interview themes include prior beliefs impacting meaning, altered time perceptions, enhanced, non-ordinary and non-dual experiences, positive qualities, distractions, and impacts extending into waking life. Overall, findings suggest that the experience of meditation in lucid dreams differs from wakefulness meditation, with impacts extending into waking life, highlighting the value of mixed-methods research in understanding the unique aspects of lucid dream meditation.
Breathing does not only perform the function of keeping the body alive but plays an important role in promoting our physical, emotional and mental wellbeing. Practising conscious manipulation of breath movement have shown to produce positive effects on the body such as improving sleep quality, reducing stress, increasing the body’s vitality, as well as inducing feelings of calmness and relaxation (Goldman, 2017; Grof & Grof, 2010, Nestor, 2020; Seppala, 2023; Victoria & Caldwell, 2013). SKY Breath is a unique breathing practice involving several types of rhythmic breathing patterns, ranging from slow and calming to rapid and stimulating. Studies have shown that SKY Breath technique could effectively eliminate stress, exhaustion and negative emotions resulting in the mind calm and body energised and relaxed (Agte & Chiplonkar, 2008; Kanchibhotia et al, 2021, 2022; Sharma et al, 2017). This research studied the lived experiences of the individuals who practice SKY Breath. Of the nine participants who took part in this study, all practice SKY Breath on regular basis and did not report any negative experiences with SKY Breath. From understanding the SKY Breath participants’ experiences in this study, it was noted that participants reported the following phenomena: (i) Experience positive feelings; (ii) Increased sense of connection; (iii) Experience cleansing effect; (iv) Emotionally stable; (v) Feeling empowered; (vi) Feeling energised; and (vii) Feeling SKY Breath became part of self. The findings showed that SKY Breath participants viewed that their quality of life as well as their overall wellbeing have improved through practising SKY Breath. The findings also suggested that SKY Breath enables access to the non-ordinary state of consciousness allowing the emergence of unconscious and superconscious materials, which brings positive benefits to the participants
This research was motivated by the ongoing opioid epidemic that plagues the United States and Canada. The ongoing opioid epidemic is the biggest public health crisis to occur in North America since the turn of the 21st century. Traditional treatment methods have not delivered the much-needed results required to end the epidemic. Psychedelics have reemerged as tools for healing and transformation since the turn of the century. Ibogaine, the psychoactive alkaloid found in the root of the tabernanthe iboga bush, has been shown to disrupt opioid craving and withdrawals, while also providing a psychedelic introspective journey. Iboga is traditionally used by the Bwiti people of Gabon in low doses as a stimulant, and in higher doses during ceremonial and cultural rites of passage. These rites of passage three-phase structure offers a conceptual framework through which one can understand their addiction and its treatment using ibogaine. Intuitive inquiry was chosen as the research methodology, with semi-structured interviews and thematic content analysis being preferred for data collection. Five interviews were conducted with individuals who have used ibogaine to treat their opioid addiction successfully. The themes that emerged were I was Hopeless, Taking Advantage of the Window, Plant Medicine as a Tool, You Separate it; and It Doesn’t Affect You, Progress; not Perfection, I Have a Purpose. These themes were explored and revealed the transformative nature of ibogaine and its impact on opioid use cessation. This research suggests that ibogaine could pose a potential avenue for combatting the opioid epidemic. Further research to refine our understanding of how ibogaine works to develop protocols to ensure safety, might be a bright light in the otherwise dark shadows of opioid addiction.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of Trauma Centre Trauma-Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY) on individuals’ lived experience of embodiment. Using a transcendental phenomenological research design, in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with five individuals who experienced disembodiment in the aftermath of trauma and a greater or more positive experience of embodiment through practicing TCTSY. Analysis of the data led to the emergence of five key themes: 1) Inhabiting the Body whereby participants experienced a newfound sense of safety in the body and a greater capacity to feel their emotions and sensations; 2) Empowered Sense of Self, which included a greater sense of self-knowing, self-compassion, and self-agency; 3) Authentic Relating, referring to participants’ improved ability to express themselves and relate to others more authentically; and 4) Expanded Capacity for Connection, highlighting that, as participants connection to themselves deepened through TCTSY, so did their capacity for interpersonal and spiritual connection. The fifth theme, Choice-Making, refers to TCTSY’s emphasis on making movement choices based on interoception (one’s internal sense of their body), and this seemed to be the catalyst for participants’ newfound experience of embodiment. In this light, TCTSY may open up new possibilities for working with trauma by offering a path, beyond symptom reduction, toward to depth of sensuality, vitality, and spiritual aliveness that comes with being embodied.
This research explores the concept of the soul, focusing on how it manifests in lived experience and shapes our identity, purpose and transformation. Inspired by the vision of an “Inner Empire” symbolizing harmonious multiplicity within, this study seeks to answer the question: “What do individuals consider to be the key elements that constitute their soul, and how do these elements manifest in life and identity?” Combining intuitive inquiry with autoethnography, the research draws on two datasets: qualitative interviews with spiritually experienced but not religious participants and personal diaries spanning 13 years. The findings reveal the soul as a dynamic attractor-like inner-most essence with five key functions: (1) a context and compass, guiding individuals toward meaning and socio-ecological niche; (2) a catalyst for transformation, inspiring healing and growth through challenges; (3) a source of love and creativity, enabling connection and driving self-expression; (4) a gateway to the mystical and spiritual, enabling experiences of deep and expansive unity; and (5) a reservoir of life-force, imbuing vitality and presence in our life and encounters. These themes offer practical insights for personal growth & integration, therapy, and education. This study illuminates the soul’s relevance in addressing contemporary disconnection and nihilism. It provides an example for researching soul as a lived experience (instead of objective consciousness) and resources for working with people to fostering resilience, direction and authenticity. Finally, this work invites individuals to live their soul’s whispers and transform their lives into unique, passionate and purposeful adventures that resonate deeply with their innermost essence.
Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is commonly considered a chronic, neurodevelopmental disorder, approached and treated with a focus on its deficits. My personal experience of its positive aspects, along with noticing how these were un(der)represented in research and psychoeducation, gave rise to this heuristic inquiry where I together with seven co-researchers explored how individuals diagnosed with ADHD experience the positive/beneficial qualities of their neurodivergence, to foster deeper understanding, empowerment and aid destigmatisation of the condition. Co-researchers shared various positive aspects of their ADHD, conveyed thematically as creative and holistic cognition, socio-affective attunement and adaptability, and dynamically driven, adept actionability. These were experienced within a greater context of ADHD as a double-edged sword. While the majority reported an inability to express/experience the condition’s positive aspects at the time of their diagnoses, they all mentioned engaging psychoeducation which led them towards greater self-understanding and self-acceptance. Through a combined effort of constructively re-narrating self-images following their diagnoses, and their conception of ADHD from one of deficit to difference, supported by intentional nurture of these differences, positive aspects of the condition became apparent. I argue that this study’s findings, and its relation to other findings on ADHD-positives, posits rational, empirical and ethical imperative for approaching our investigation and social conception of the condition and its treatment through a lens of neurodiversity rather than pathology, as this can be done without neglecting the disabling aspects of ADHD, and is likely to benefit, not only neurodivergent individuals, but also the collective.
This heuristic inquiry was conducted to find out more about labelling anomalous experiences during the altered state of consciousness named psychosis by psychiatrists. There are differences in opinion from psychiatric and transpersonal psychological perspectives regarding the nature of psychosis. These perspectives could be better informed by understanding the lived experience of those who have had anomalous experiences which have led to a psychosis diagnosis. The questions guiding the research were: How does one describe anomalous experiences during psychosis? How does the label evolve in relation to inner experience and external environment? This research looks into the role of inner experience and external environment on the development of descriptions and labels during psychosis. Participants were invited to give an account of their experiences of describing and labelling anomalous experiences in semi-structured online interviews. They described how anomalous experiences changed their perception of reality and their sense of identity. They described a complex process of adopting and rejecting labels based on resonance or dissonance with the language available to them. The research highlighted the role of stigma as a motivator for rejecting psychiatric terminology and the role of shame in seeking to dismiss their experience. Participants described how stigma led to a continued search for descriptors in unorthodox places such as transpersonal psychology. The research raises further questions about the utility of psychiatric diagnoses in the age of the internet, where individuals have a wealth of resources available to guide them and support them to find their own labels.
This qualitative study investigates the lived experience of seven female adults in the age range of 52 to 62 years old, all of whom have endured Medically Unexplained Psychosomatic Symptoms (MUPS). A transpersonal lens is used to explore transformation within their lived experiences, reflections, and processes, and how this integration provides meaning. The research tentatively concludes that the transpersonal lens not only offers new perspectives but also provides valuable insights into MUPS, offering a hopeful and optimistic view of the potential to understand and treat these symptoms through an alternative, more empowering holistic methodology. The Heuristic Inquiry (HI) research method underpinned the central query of my research, which explores the link between the mind and the body. Two semi-structured interview processes utilised intersubjectivity, providing reflexive and recursive narrative and contextualisation to analyse the co-researcher’s lived experience of MUPS. Transcribed datasets and interpretive analysis included the application of transpersonal approaches, providing a holistic perspective of empirical evidence. The results revealed that the awareness and linking of emotional states of mind to psychological experiences contributed strongly to the lived experience of MUPS, providing some healing through a process of growth and transformation. Physical disease and psychological disorders are multifaceted with complex origins that are often difficult to identify, understand and treat within the current Cartesian healthcare model. Facilitating the treatment of MUPS through a multi-disciplinary, transpersonal, integrative approach that considers psychological, physiological, neurological and immunological aspects, provides an effective set of perspectives that reaches beyond the human experience, underpinning the opportunity for change. A deeper understanding of spiritual experiences, inner growth and the inter-relationship between mind and body provides a deeper more exemplary inquiry into MUPS that facilitates a whole-person approach.
Muslim law is often stereotyped as oppressive to women. Despite Islam’s growth, little is known about the emotional, embodied and archetypal dimensions of women’s lives under Muslim law. This research explores the experiences of Muslim and non-Muslim women marrying and living in a Muslim-governed legal system. Using heuristic inquiry, which is autobiographical and holistic, the study employed two transpersonal arts-based methods: intuitive painting and storytelling, along with semi-structured interviews with the ten co-researchers. Findings revealed that the co-researchers, whether religious or not, had a deep love for spirituality, and for their (former) partners, despite varying relationship dynamics. Women experienced a range of emotions and psychological responses to systemic patriarchal influences, from naivete, codependency, and rebellion, to healing and agency. Key results highlighted the importance of being informed about financial support rights and circumventing patriarchal inheritance laws. Additionally, the study found that a healthy masculine allowed women to explore more receptive, surrendered roles, while remaining empowered and whole. The research concludes with a call for more “Sisterhood” gatherings to inform women of their Islamic rights, and strategies to navigate outdated laws and cultural and family pressure. Overall female-male dynamics deserve greater exploration. Arts- based research has great value in transcending ego defenses, and worth exploring in gender relations or entrenched societal conflicts. Limitations, including time constraints, are discussed. Future studies are suggested with mothers who were denied child custody, Muslim husbands, and other cultural and intersectional groups.
For more than 50 years it has been public knowledge that the Earth is a finite environment incapable of supporting unlimited levels of development and resource consumption. Humanity’s inability to address the disparity between current practices and sustainable utilization has created a global polycrisis which has significantly degraded planetary health and human wellbeing. Our failure to understand the nature and dynamics of interrelationships within complex natural systems has been identified as the underlying source of this crisis. Climate change and systems theory scientists have clarified that movement toward sustainability requires transformation across all reams of human activity, at practical, political, and personal levels. Systems theory identifies the personal factors which motivate human behavior as internal dimensions – the collection of mental states which include individual values, beliefs, and worldviews. This Integral Inquiry study has explored these internal dimensions by asking What is the relationship between a transformative life experience, and engagement with activities focused upon sustainability? Quantitative tools were utilized to identify a sample of 145 participants demonstrating authentic transformation and sufficient integration of profound personal change. Qualitative inquiry gathered in-depth information from a subset of the sample, exploring values, beliefs, worldviews, and engagement with movement toward sustainability. The central finding identified that transformative experiences which produce a felt sense of intraconnection organically clarify the universal values, beliefs and actions which support movement toward a more sustainable future for all life.
This research investigated the role and characteristics of contemporary psychedelic facilitation in shamanic and ceremonial settings within the country of the shaman’s origin. While research interest in psychedelics has increased in recent years, there is a paucity of studies that have focused on the process of facilitation within these environments. To address the gaps, this study employed a comprehensive constructivist grounded theory approach. Semi-structured interviews with eight purposefully chosen, highly skilled facilitators were used to collect the data. The interviews explored the complexities of facilitators’ work and their competencies within shamanic and ceremonial contexts. The study identified several key themes depicting facilitators’ navigation of their roles and responsibilities. This study provides information on today’s psychedelic practitioners’ responsibilities, capabilities, and challenges in non-clinical and non-recreational environments. The aim is to contribute to establishing the guidelines and best practices for safe and effective facilitation within ceremonial and shamanic settings and to expand the view on the importance of the role of these facilitators.
This dissertation delves into the plateau experience (PLEX), a transcendent state described by the late Abraham Maslow, using a participatory approach in Transpersonal Psychology. The study aims to define and explore the co-creative, relational, embodied, and transformational aspects of the PLEX as reported by individuals who have undergone such transpersonal states. The research uses qualitative methods, including semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, to identify common themes and characteristics of the PLEX. Core themes include entanglement, intention, witnessing, surrender, connection, aliveness, and transformation. These themes were contextualised within Ferrer’s participatory paradigm. The study finds that the PLEX, distinct from peak experiences and flow states, offers a sustained, serene, and integrative form of consciousness, bridging the boundary between spiritual practice and daily life. The Participatory PLEX Matrix and Model are proposed, illustrating the cyclical nature of transformation and the ongoing evolution of ordinary experiences into a sense of sacred being. The research highlights the potential applications of the PLEX in enhancing personal well-being and facilitating transformation through the integration of the mundane and the sacred. Future research avenues include cross-cultural studies, cognitive and neurophysiological investigations, and the development of practical tools for measuring and facilitating PLEXs in various contexts. This study contributes to the under-researched concept of the PLEX and offers a fresh perspective on integrating transcendent experiences into everyday life.
This study examined the associations between work-related synchronistic experiences (WRSEs), meaningful work, and work engagement, and the lived experiences of individuals who have encountered WRSEs, through an explanatory sequential mixed-method design. The quantitative component of the research tested whether WRSEs are positively associated with meaningful work and work engagement, and if meaningful work mediates the relationship between WRSEs and work engagement. Self-report questionnaire data were collected from 108 full-time employees using the Synchronicity Awareness and Meaning-Detecting (SAMD) Scale, the Work and Meaning Inventory (WAMI), and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES). The findings revealed significant positive correlations between WRSEs, meaningful work, and work engagement. Mediation analyses demonstrated that meaningful work significantly mediated the relationship between WRSEs and work engagement. Qualitative data, gathered through semi-structured interviews with seven participants who had high scores on all three of the self-report questionnaires, identified four themes: types of WRSEs, mechanics of WRSEs in work and careers, WRSEs enhancing meaningful work, and WRSEs enhancing work engagement. The integration of the quantitative and qualitative findings underscored the central role of meaningful work in mediating the impact of WRSEs on work engagement. This study highlights the potential of WRSEs to enhance work engagement by fostering meaningful connections, offering significant implications for both employees and employers.
This study examines how counselling professionals integrate spirituality into therapeutic practice. Recent research has suggested that spiritual methods can promote therapeutic goals; this study extends this research by focusing on the lived experience of real-world practitioners. I interview ten therapists, coaches and counsellors, from diverse cultures and with different practice styles, all with long experience in employing spiritually integrated approaches. All ten report that they encounter and engage a spiritual presence that is helpful to the therapeutic process. Most conceive of this helpful presence as a disembodied, intelligent spirit or guide; this helper can be invited, and may profoundly impact the course of counselling. The results suggest that spiritually integrated approaches might be especially effective for treatment of trauma, an area where more cognitively-oriented methods have often failed. Participants’ descriptions of the spiritual helper vary widely, but it is consistently experienced as nonordinary and humbling; it often can be sensed in the body; it frequently takes the form of a client’s deceased ancestor. Participants suggest several methods that can help to create a therapeutic space, so that meaningful interactions with the sacred realm become more probable. Chief among these is the use of silence. I place the results in context, considering the historical evolution of spiritually-integrated psychotherapy, and I offer a unifying theory that suggests that practitioners may integrate spirituality by inviting a spiritual helper, and by creating a spiritually therapeutic space.
This dissertation explores the transformative impact of psychedelic and near-death experiences on beliefs about and relationships with death. Employing a qualitative approach through Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, the study investigates how these profound experiences influence existential and psychological well-being. Key themes identified include the Sense of Oneness, Experience of Ego Dissolution, Encounter with Light, Reassurance of Continuity, and Experience of Love. Participants reported significant reductions or disappearance of fear of death and a deeper understanding of the web life and death as interconnected aspects of a larger continuum. These themes fostered peace, clarity, and acceptance of mortality, promoting a more holistic and connected perspective on existence. The findings suggest the potential therapeutic applications of psychedelic-assisted therapy and other non-psychedelic practices in enhancing end-of-life care. The study bridges the gap between spiritual understandings and scientific investigations, offering valuable insights for integrating these transformative experiences into clinical practices to affect people’s well-being and end-of-life care. Future research should concentrate on exploring the therapeutic applications of these findings in clinical settings, especially in palliative care and talking therapies.
There is a global rise of shamanism, however there is debate as to what a shaman is, whether a white person of the West can become a shaman and whether healing undertaken by Western shamans can be as effective as healing undertaken by Indigenous shamans. Furthermore, there has been very little academic research on the experience of shamanic practitioners in the West. This present study used Intuitive Inquiry as the research method to explore Western shamanic practitioners’ lived experience of shamanic power in Western society. It includes the sub-questions of what has changed in the shamanic practitioner’s daily life since they gained access to this extraordinary shamanic (spirit) power. Using a snowball sampling technique, seven Western shamanic practitioners participated in semi-structured interviews, and each undertook a 10-minute shamanic journey seeking an answer to a preset question. Eleven themes emerged describing a process of transformation from a personal to a transpersonal sense of self that involved engaging with spirit as ontologically real while seeking freedom from external control and deriving concrete value from their shamanic practice. Using Intuitive Inquiry, the researcher’s imagination was stimulated to generate concepts through which intuitive insights could be garnered. These included a shamanic teacher, the bee as a spiritual ally, the story of Orpheus and Eurydice and the astrological archetype Pluto. Through engaging these concepts, it is suggested that the Western tale of Orpheus and Eurydice may describe the development of a transpersonal sense of self. Implications and suggestions for further research are discussed.
This thesis addresses the role of belief as experienced amongst healing practitioners, in themselves, their clients and their healing approach. The methodology used was qualitative through interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). The participants (sample size, n=7) were healing practitioners purposely chosen for this homogeneity of the sample, while their distinct modalities provided idiographic richness (spiritual, physical, psychological, medical, ministry healing, energy healing and shamanism). The findings from the results highlight eight themes. The first three, related to transpersonal values, address the meaning of healing work as greater than career and ego; the scope of treating the person is holistic; healing is about the best unforced outcome. The following four, related to transformative practice focus on: the healing encounter has love as an activating force; practitioners trust their perception or knowing of what is; hypersensitivity is an attributable characteristic of the medium; healers hold space, then, clients accept the invitation to pass a threshold; attribution is important in discerning issues or blocks to treatment. An important limitation was insufficient findings specifically relating to placebo effect and nocebo effect. The transformative nature of this study was highlighted by the emergent transpersonal findings. From these, there is an inherent call for a paradigm shift to seeing the person from a holistic, sacred, or spiritual perspective.
This dissertation is a heuristic exploration of the experiences of a Western Kambô practitioner in establishing a direct connection with the indigenous tribes of the Amazon Basin. The study delves into the transformative impact of these relationships on the practitioner’s life, emphasizing the importance of ethical practices and cultural reciprocity. The research utilizes a qualitative methodology, incorporating in-depth interviews with nine co-researchers who have significant experience in serving Kambô and maintaining connections with Amazonian tribes. The findings highlight the profound personal transformations experienced by practitioners through their engagement with Kambô, including improvements in mental health and overall well-being. The accounts reveal a shared commitment to preserving indigenous knowledge and practices, emphasizing the importance of ethical reciprocity and sustainable harvesting of Kambô. The co-researchers’ stories illustrate the necessity of continuous communication and collaboration between Western practitioners and indigenous communities to ensure that the benefits of Kambô practices are mutually supportive and culturally respectful. The paper identifies key themes such as the motivations behind practitioners’ involvement with Kambô, the ethical considerations in their practices, and the impact of these relationships on both the practitioners and the indigenous communities. The study also explores the challenges and opportunities in bridging cultural gaps and promoting mutual understanding between Western and Amazonian perspectives. In summary, this research contributes to the field of transpersonal psychology by illustrating how Kambô can serve as a catalyst for deep personal and spiritual growth, while also highlighting the critical importance of maintaining ethical and respectful relationships with the indigenous cultures that have preserved this knowledge for generations. The research calls for further study into the long-term effects of Kambô and the development of a framework to ensure the sustainability and ethical integrity of its practice.
This study sought to explore the differential diagnosis debate. A phenomenological qualitative study with eight co-researchers, clinically diagnosed with psychosis, explored how they derived transformative meaning from their extreme states and identified factors influencing their meaning-making processes. Through the potential of heuristic inquiry to advance social justice, the research aimed to contribute to the creation of a bridge between the fields of transpersonal psychology and psychiatry. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight co-researchers. The findings suggest that all co-researchers underwent a positive personal transformation as a result of their experience, due to the meaning they harnessed from it. Reframing their experiences as a deeply meaningful process hermeneutically liberated co-researchers. Findings are discussed in relation to previous literature. A proposal is made for the field of transpersonal psychology to abandon the concept of differential diagnosis to align with the leading-edge of mental health research in order to support the emancipation of suffering for the collective. Limitations are discussed and future research suggested, including a repetition of this study with non-white Western participants to harness indigenous insights, and an explorative study into the efficacy of transpersonally-informed approaches in the clinical treatment of psychosis. The study concludes by suggesting that a transdisciplinary, transcultural approach could provide an evolved, multi-perspectival lexicon for extreme states, interweaving indigenous wisdom, decolonised language and perspectives, and trauma-informed clinical practices.
This study explores the potential of lucid dreaming (LD) as a viable spiritual practice within a contemporary, secular context. Traditionally rooted in religious and cultural frameworks such as Tibetan Dream Yoga and Hindu philosophy, lucid dreaming has often been associated with profound spiritual experiences. However, as increasing numbers of individuals identify as spiritual but not religious, this research examines how LD can support personal growth and spiritual development outside institutional traditions.Using heuristic inquiry, the study involved seven experienced lucid dreamers who engage with LD as a spiritual practice. Data was collected through interviews, highlighting themes such as the emotional and spiritual growth facilitated by LD, the role of dream characters as guides and teachers, and the importance of dream settings in fostering transcendental experiences. Participants reported that LD deepened their sense of connection, empathy, and self-awareness, sometimes leading to moments of ego dissolution and non-dual awareness.The findings suggest that lucid dreaming offers a unique and accessible spiritual practice, capable of enhancing spiritual intelligence and integrating spirituality into waking life. This research contributes to the growing understanding of secular spirituality and portrays LD’s transformative potential for those seeking meaning and connection in modern times.
There is an urgent need to address sources of the environmental crisis. Research has begun to consider how psychological and emotional factors (i.e. inner sources) are driving the outer environmental crisis, and how such factors may contribute to pro-environmental behaviour. Exactly why individuals engage with pro-environmental behaviour is poorly understood. This exploratory study employed narrative inquiry to examine the journeys of Western professionals currently engaged in practice which aims to address states of disconnection from nature. Such practice diverges from and challenges widespread norms within Western cultural environments. Critical and transpersonal lenses were used to identify impulses and mechanisms which may be excluded from traditional approaches to research. Research question: What are the spiritual, psychological and emotional impulses, within Western cultural contexts, which facilitate professional action to address the inner sources of the environmental crisis? Thematic analysis revealed four key themes. Immersion in nature served as a catalyst for nature-connection, and emergent pro-environmental orientations (Theme 1). Participants widely discussed a spiritual dimension of their life that involved human-nature relationships, and related drives to be of service (Theme 2). Non-ordinary states were a significant part of experience of participants, encompassing experiences in nature. Participants were widely engaged in moving beyond cultural limitations, engaging in emerging practice (Theme 3). Participants commonly engage in the instrumental employment of creative practice, some of which were polyphasic (Theme 4). The novel approach of this study revealed a widespread spiritual orientation of human-nature relationships, demonstrating the importance of interdisciplinary collaborations between ecopsychology and transpersonal psychology.
There exists a gap in the research regarding the Online NeuroDynamic Breathwork (NDB) integration process. This case study research design aims to explore the following research question: Through investigating the reported integration of online NDB participant subscribers after a minimum of ten, 60-90-minute NDB sessions, what are the factors that contributed to the participants’ integration and its resulting outcomes? An in-depth understanding was formulated through multiple data sources. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five NDB subscribers. Thematic analysis data was supported by transpersonal research skills, such as mandala drawing and additional creative expression material provided by the participants. Three themes emerged for integration outcomes: Self-discovery (with the three sub-themes being; Person Growth, Transformation, and Healing), Spiritual connection, and Interconnectedness. Regarding factors for integration also three themes emerged: Journaling, Support and safe system, and Mindfulness /Quiet time. The results indicate that each participant underwent personal growth through self-discovery, enriching both their self-awareness and their relationships with others. The transformative journey was experienced by all, guiding them to transcend their spiritual boundaries and embrace interconnectedness and healing. Journaling, meditation, and group sharing served as primary methods for integration. Journaling was the most popular method of integration practiced by all participants.
Embodiment is at the heart of this creative Organic Inquiry, exploring the role of Open Floor Movement Practice as an axis of self-care through the lens of helping professionals. Delving into the lived experiences of therapeutic practitioners, exploring motivations intrinsic to helping vocations, this trauma-informed study seeks to understand how embodied movement practice contributes to well-being and resilience. The findings reveal significant themes around personal healing, emotional navigation, relationality, and spiritual connection, offering valuable insights for enhancing holistic self-care strategies in the organisational realm of social care and shining line on the importance of an embodied approach to pedagogy. By contextualising the endemic of trauma inextricably woven into the sub-culture of helping vocations, with contemporary understanding of embodiment and somatic healing, this study beckons consideration of embodied self-care as a collective responsibility, promoting systemic awareness and accountability. Poetic vignettes and creative synthesis engage the reader in the intimate stories behind the research, a soulful, relational, and deeply personal approach to academic findings.
There is a longstanding debate on the subject of psychedelics and mystical experiences. One type of mystical experience, known as an awakening experience, is characterized by an intensified state of awareness, often entailing a sense of interconnectedness, ego dissolution, and a feeling of oneness. Some triggers for an awakening experience include spiritual practice, depression, turmoil, contact with nature. Another trigger is psychedelic substances, including 5-Methoxy-N,N,-Dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT). The aim of this study was to contribute to the debate of psychedelics and mystical experiences, as well as explore the similarities between the effects of 5-MeO-DMT and an awakening experience. Two groups were recruited, each consisting of five participants. Group A included individuals who have had an awakening experience, while Group B comprised those who have experienced the effects of 5-MeO-DMT. A semi-structured interview with the same eight questions was conducted with both groups. The results showed significant overlap, with participants describing experiences that had many shared themes, such as identity shift, interconnectedness, and positive outcomes. However, the intensity of the experience was more extreme in Group B, and Group A showed greater variation in the duration of their experiences.
In the fast-paced profession of hairdressing, the nature of work involves a continuous flow of clients and direct interactions. As a frontline job, the personal service of hairdressing demands efficiency, exceptional interpersonal skills, and excellent customer service. These professional challenges can generate significant performance pressure, impacting the mental, emotional, and physical well-being of the hairdresser. This study considers the practice of Open Awareness (OA), a transpersonal coaching technique, as an approach to enhancing resiliency and capacity under the stressful conditions experienced in this profession. This study has investigated the value of OA as an approach to decrease burnout and improve the overall well-being of hairdressers. Utilizing a purposeful sampling method, nine active hairdressers in the UK, spanning the ages of 24 and 60 years old, took part in evaluations of stress at the start and end of the study process. Participants were taught the practice of OA, and reinforced their learning with dedicated daily practice. Individual interviews were conducted, allowing reflection and evaluation of changes in wellbeing. Employing Heuristic Inquiry methodology, six themes were identified: insight, personal development, impact of practice, work-related stress, emotional well-being, and professional impact. The findings illuminate the range of co-researchers` development processes, challenges, and insights, and indicate that willingness, responsibility and commitment to self are central to OA practices. In this small pilot project, participants found that OA holds potential to decrease stress and increase wellbeing in the personal service profession of hairdressing.
This study investigates the underexamined phenomenon of underwhelming psychedelic experiences with psilocybin. While much of the current research highlights transformative and intense experiences, this study focuses on the nuances of journeys that do not meet expectations. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), semi-structured interviews were conducted with five participants, exploring the lived experiences and integration processes of these less intense journeys. Participants reported high expectations before the psilocybin session, hoping to experience profound transformation, altered reality, and immediate change. During the psilocybin journey, there was a spectrum of experiences, including feelings of underwhelm and an amplification of pre-existing psychological patterns and personality structures. Participants often inwardly blamed themselves, leading to feelings of shame and disappointment, or outwardly blamed the substance for the underwhelming experience. While the experience of unmet expectations was mostly negative, participants also identified some positive aspects from the psilocybin session, such as moments of deep relaxation or increased introspection. After the psilocybin journey, participants reported positive aftereffects, such as enhanced emotional openness and generally feeling better. Participants also had evolving insights and perspectives about the experience and its meaning over time. These findings challenge the traditional focus on profound psychedelic experiences, highlighting that even subtle or underwhelming journeys can contribute significantly to personal growth and self-reflection. This study emphasizes the importance of recognizing the value in all types of psychedelic experiences, broadening the understanding of the diverse effects of psilocybin.
This qualitative phenomenological research aims to explore the role of mindful somatic practices, such as the body scan, among regular meditators who undergo transpersonal coaching. Ten participants provided insights into their lived experiences of the body scan within the context of transpersonal coaching sessions through in-depth semi-structured interviews. Existing research is focused on the body scan as part of a mindful meditation therapy but not contextualised as part of a transpersonal coaching framework. The core activity of transpersonal coaching is referred to as transitioning to a higher level of consciousness. While this coaching journey is a highly individual experience, the research reveals that the body scan is complementary to transpersonal coaching, and the practice enables transformational pathways, which is a core focus area of transpersonal coaching. The research identified further common themes across participants, highlighting the potential benefits of mind-body connection, emotional awareness, spiritual deepening and overall well-being. This research emphasises the need for further studies to understand the lived experiences of somatic practices and their broader significance within transpersonal coaching.
This dissertation explores the perceptions of spirituality among HR professionals and its potential integration into Human Resource Management (HRM) practices. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), this study examines individual HR professionals’ attitudes toward spirituality, discrepancies between personal attitudes and organisational roles, variance in understanding spirituality, readiness to integrate spiritual practices, and barriers to embedding spirituality into workplace practices. Key themes emerged, highlighting the potential of spirituality to imbue work with purpose and the linguistic barriers that complicate its acceptance within corporate environments. These findings highlight spirituality’s significant role in HR professionals’ lives and their challenges in integrating it into their work. This research underscores the need for a paradigm shift in HRM, advocating for integrating Transpersonal Psychology (TP) principles to catalyse profound organisational transformation and foster a more holistic approach to employee well- being and organisational health.
This research explores the experience of awakening the heart. The heart is a symbol across time and cultures, conveying the qualities of wisdom, intuition and love and that ancient people across the world viewed as the seat of consciousness. Recent research on awakening the heart shows this type of awakening to occur in the chest; for there to be a connection between the heart and a beyond-ego state; for a connection with one’s own deep truths/ intuition to be experienced and for positive affective states to be experienced. This study used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to analyse the data from six participants about experiences of an awakened heart. Findings show heart awakening experiences to not be a one-off occurrence, rather, something that endures in the experiencer’s life over time, sometimes decades and brings characteristics of positive affective states; spiritual experiences; transformation; development of emotional awareness and the decision to choose the guidance of one’s own heart over previous forms of guidance. Heart awakenings can be described as a peak experience and an exceptional human experience, where one also experiences post-traumatic growth. Heart awakenings can be described a sub-type of awakening experiences.
This research explores the transpersonal in sport, with an emphasis on how the transpersonal coaching method of Open Awareness affects current or former sportspeople. The research question is inspired by my personal journey through being a professional sportsperson to integrating those experiences into regular life. Moustakes’ Heuristic Inquiry (1990) is a qualitative methodology ideally suited – informed by the researcher’s personal experience – to exploring seven participants/co-researchers’ experiences as current or former sportspeople and how they can be impacted by Open Awareness. Open Awareness is a state of being that can be accessed at any time and any place, and allows individuals to step out of tunnel awareness, reduce self-talk, activate relaxation, sharpen sensory acuity, and reduce reactions of fear and stress. Co-researchers were provided with an Open Awareness information sheet and asked to explore the tool for a period of 4 weeks, at which point they were interviewed. Analysis of interviews uncovered themes and the results are presented through individual depictions, an exemplary portrait and composite depiction, and a creative synthesis. The discussion adds insight to transpersonal psychology and suggests that Open Awareness can be a useful transpersonal coaching tool to benefit sportspeople on and off the sporting field.
According to a new research report published by Finaccord, the total number of expatriates worldwide amounted to around 66.2 million in 2017. This figure has grown at a compound annual rate of 5.8% since 2013. By 2021, Finaccord forecasted that the number will reach around 87.5 million. Among them, retirees account for 5.2 %, roughly 4.6 million in 2021. However, if academic research on forced immigration or expatriated workers is extensive, very little literature exists on people who chose to live abroad when retired as perhaps engaging with death and old age is a taboo subject in Western societies. Thus the present research may contribute to the understanding of this phenomenon as a new class of citizens is emerging, symbolized by the archetypes of the Old Sage and the Traveller, transnational, promoting multiculturalism and looking for novelty and freedom. Using organic inquiry as a research method, the dynamics behind the decision of moving abroad are explored as well as the transformative process experienced not only by the expatriated retirees but also by the host and the home countries. The psychological and spiritual consequences are scrutinised through a transpersonal lens, i.e., focusing on the transformation of the self, the unfolding of a new identity, and the emergence of a different level of consciousness. Three main themes emerged from this research: (a) the multidimensionality of the causes of the departure ; (b) the transformational and challenging dimension of the journey making the return to the home country impossible and (c) the impact of multiculturalism and transnationality.
This dissertation is a study of integrating spiritual emergency. The qualitative research method of transcendental phenomenology and semi-structured interviews were utilized to describe seven individuals’ lived experience of integration. This study specifically looks at healthy integration as participants were sought who found themselves to be in a more authentic, mature, and fulfilling state of life. What emerged conclusively were contexts for integration: the body, nature, safety; alongside the understanding that this is a lengthy phenomenon spanning decades. There was strong disdain for the western psychiatric model of pathology, in that it was viewed as a deterrent to integration. Through trust and surrender, participants experienced integration as healing, re-defining boundaries (physical and non-physical), and a discernment of the ‘right’ support. Integration was a lonely process for participants, which ultimately led them to finding belonging. Three phases are proposed for experiencers of spiritual emergency (self-regulation, integration, and balance). Integration is becoming a balanced, stable, grounded, and functional human being who can comfortably hold consensus reality and non-ordinary experiences. Study results add to the existent transpersonal theoretical literature and limited academic research on this phenomenon, for the benefit of clinicians and experiencers of spiritual emergency.
This study aimed to explore the experience of ancestral grief of the motherline, and the nature of transformation when engaging with practices of reconnection. The research project uses the qualitative method of heuristic inquiry, with a topic that is grounded in the personal experience of the researcher as a self-identified culture maker. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five co-researchers. Three of them contributed additional materials in the form of images. The results indicate that ancestral grief is experienced within the body, and that the transformational process of reconnection brings about themes of longing, cultural context, land and lineage, presence, and collaboration. The findings identify primary places of disconnection from loss, the importance of connecting in more embodied ways and developing compassion for the motherline, the importance of land when there is difficulty connecting directly with lineage, expanding intuition, and gaining clarity of one’s collective purpose.
Single Spiritual But Not Religious (S,SBNR) mothers face marginalisation for being spiritual (Eise & Rawat, 2023) and for being single (O’Reilly, 2021). Oppressive patriarchal ideology and rising individualism in western culture augment maternal responsibilities. Feminist perspectives (Glaser, 2021; O’Reilly, 2010) highlight developmental and sociocultural concerns yet gaps in theoretical knowledge limit effective interventions. Molina (2021) found maternal spiritual connections were beneficial in married mothers, yet little is known about single mothers. The meaning and impact of Spiritual Community (SC) to six S,SBNR mothers was explored in this heuristic inquiry featuring interviews and personal experimentation. Moustakas’ (1990) stages of immersion, incubation, illumination and explication manifested the intuitive and creative thematic analysis. Main findings demonstrate this demographic is uniquely challenged, and that SC is a vital component in maternal and child wellbeing trajectories. SC is a safe space for processual unfolding, reduces allostatic overload, stems loneliness and maintains spiritual integrity. SC is preventative to toxic stress and improves motivation and commitment to conscious parenting. The research expands theoretical perspectives and shows S,SBNR mothers are enacting a paradigmatic shift in parenting and in mental health. Future directions should increase social justice through exploring potential interventions to make it easier to build quality community in motherhood.
The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between trauma and spiritual awakening, investigate how inner transformation is experienced and described, determine its aftereffects and the potential deeper meaning that these descriptions may convey. Five participants from diverse age groups and ethnic backgrounds were interviewed within Organic Inquiry framework. The data was collected and analysed in a non-linear manner and involved working with transpersonal ways of knowing and beyond-ego sources in the liminal realm. The findings are supportive of previous research into posttraumatic transformation and highlight a positive shift in various aspects of wakefulness including changes in outlook on life, general well-being, increased sense of purpose and transformation of personal relationships. The main shared aspect reported by the participants relates to the sense of oneness and connectedness that seemed to manifest through a variety of somatic sensations, cognitive insights and perceptual changes. From this perspective, the experience of posttraumatic transformation can be understood as an awakening to a reality of oneness that results in a reorientation of values and life purpose. This refocus appears to stem from a realisation of connectedness and interdependence that brings about an increased drive to add value to the world. The transformation of the researcher’s and participants’ perspective seemed to be furthered by engagement in the study.
This qualitative study investigates the transformative mechanisms that underlie health behaviour changes following meaningful experiences with classic psychedelics. Drawing upon existing literature that highlights the potential of psychedelics to foster positive health outcomes and lifestyle changes, this research seeks to identify and elucidate the psychological mechanisms propelling these changes. In this context, the study aims to address the gap in empirical research elucidating psychedelic-induced health behaviour change. Using the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), semi-structured interviews were conducted with 9 participants who reported changes in health behaviours post-psychedelic experience. The interviews focused on their retrospective accounts of psychedelic experiences and subsequent health behaviour changes, including traditional aspects such as diet and exercise and newer components like spiritual practices and nature time. The findings underscored connectedness as a fundamental transformative factor, fostering shifts in health behaviours. This connectedness, experienced at an intrapersonal, interpersonal, and nature-related level, appeared to be mediated by emotional acceptance, embodiment, spirituality, and personal values. These mechanisms revealed through participants’ narratives, have substantial implications for the field of health behaviour change, suggesting a potential role for psychedelics in facilitating healthier lifestyles. In conclusion, the study highlights the capacity of psychedelic experiences to induce positive health behaviour transformations. These insights hold potential for the design of novel, substance-free interventions encouraging health behaviour changes and healthier lifestyles. The research also calls for continued investigation into the complex interplay between psychedelics and other lifestyle practices, contributing to the growing dialogue surrounding the transformative potential of psychedelics.
Previous research investigating the relationship between anger expression and spirituality has yielded conflicting results. It has focussed on exploring the quantitative relationship within limited populations (students), using measures too narrow to account for the multidimensionality of anger expression. This study aims to enhance understanding through a mixed methods approach using multi-dimensional measures. This explanatory sequential study aimed to explore the relationship between anger expression and spirituality by obtaining quantitative results from surveying 50 experienced meditators and following up with five purposely selected meditators to explore those findings further. The quantitative findings suggest that spirituality and mindfulness (observing and non-reacting facets) are associated with reduced reactivity and aggressive expression and increased calm, assertive verbal expression. Surprisingly, existential spirituality was associated with less aggressive, not more assertive, anger expression. In the follow-up qualitative phase, Transcendental Phenomenological analysis revealed four major themes: 1) enacting spiritual purpose; 2) emotional healing; 3) personal and spiritual evolution; and 4) becoming conscious. The results of each phase are discussed in reference to previous research. Due to only females being interviewed in the second phase, caution in generalising the findings across genders should be exercised.
This phenomenological study aims to bridge the notable gap in understanding what it means to be a good person by exploring the lived experiences of six individuals who self-identify as being good and have spent sufficient time reflecting on this self-perception. Through in-depth interviews, the study seeks to answer the research question: What is the lived experience through a transpersonal perspective of being a good person? Combining Moustakas’s transcendental phenomenology and Wilber’s quadrant model allowed for a deep exploration of the participant’s experiences and perspectives, leading to the emergence of four key themes: 1) Goodness is a Choice, emphasizing conscious decision-making; 2) Autonomy, highlighting the individual’s capacity for independent action while acknowledging their interconnectedness with others; 3) The Good Place, representing an internal oasis of goodness that individuals strive to cultivate within themselves; and 4) Healthy Boundaries, which involves setting protective limits for personal well-being while considering the needs of others. The four themes are further underpinned by the central theme of ‘Holons,’ revealing that genuine goodness involves rejecting dominance within influential collectives and pursuing a greater good that benefits all. Good individuals are integral, autonomous parts of larger wholes, displaying characteristics of both self-preservation and self-transcendence.
This case study investigated the healing potential of the ancient technique of shamanic journeying on self-disclosed generational trauma with experienced journey practitioners. Currently, there are no studies on the exploration of the shamanic journey within the context of generation trauma. The aim of this study was to gain insight into the potential that the shamanic journey could offer in healing generational trauma. Current psychotherapeutic techniques that are used for healing trauma have risks of retraumatisation and treatment can last up to months and maybe years. Shamanic practices fundamentally treat trauma, and can be effective with one single journey session. Shamanic journeying is an ancient technique that involves entering an altered state of consciousness to access spiritual realms to gain knowledge, healing and understanding. Five participants experienced with the journeying process and had self-disclosed generational trauma, were taken through a set of three journey sessions, facilitated by me. The intention set within these sessions was to gain resources and guidance in healing personal generational trauma. Interviews were conducted before and after the sessions to ascertain the participants position with generational trauma. Significant, beneficial changes were reported with no negative experiences within the time frame of three to four weeks. In conclusion, shamanic journeying is a worthwhile tool to consider in healing generational trauma and needs further research to explore its efficacy on the wider scope of generational trauma.
Psychedelics are a class of psychoactive substances that bring about non-ordinary states of consciousness characterised by qualitative changes in perception, mood, cognition and sense of self. Psychedelic integration refers to the period of time after a psychedelic experience, during which the emergent lessons and insights are woven into daily life. This research uses a transpersonal qualitative method of investigation called intuitive inquiry to explore the lived experience of integrating a psychedelic experience through participation in the ACER Integration framework. Intuitive inquiry invites the researcher to balance intuitive and compassionate ways of knowing with logical discernment in a hermeneutical process comprised of five cycles. Interviews were semi-structured and thematic analysis revealed four main themes and 10 sub-themes. The findings suggest that psychedelic integration is a non-linear process lacking clear time boundaries, which is supported by the presence of community and integrative practices that assist with embodiment.
With the global unfolding of climate and ecological crises, there are growing concerns around its direct and indirect impacts on mental health. Particularly climate activists are at risk of experiencing increased mental health difficulties due to their closeness to the topic and emotional investment in catalysing change. Objective: The present study pursued an intuitive inquiry to explore how therapeutic practitioners can better support climate activists in their lived experience of eco-grief, and nurture individual and collective wellbeing. Methods: Eight participants (M=58.625) who facilitate wellbeing practices to support activists were invited to attend single semi-structured interviews. Findings: Participants introduced a range of supportive practices and outlined core conditions required to facilitate emotional processing and integration. These conditions addressed active acknowledgment, regenerative community building, self-care, honouring grief through compassion and ritual, language, safety, active hope, embodiment, and interconnectedness. Implications and limitations were discussed. The findings offer a more holistic engagement in activism and may provide guidance for the work of therapeutic practitioners and individuals working in climate science and ecological contexts. The results of this study may also offer insights for individuals outside of climate activism to support their emotional responses to climate breakdown and healthily adapting to cultivating greater ecological consciousness.
The purpose of this ethnographic study was to explore and understand the lived experiences and meaning-making processes of an online social media group called Frock Up Friday and the ritualistic act of ‘frocking up’ during Covid-19 and beyond by identifying cultural themes, how relationships were maintained, and wellbeing supported and if there are any significant impacts that may have taken place. Eleven participants were recruited, and semi-structured interviews were conducted. Participants were two transgender females, one male and eight females hailing from UK, USA and Spain and were aged between 45-71. Data was additionally triangulated from other various sources and analysed by using iterative inductive thematic analysis. Three themes emerged from the data, support, and social connection; growth and creativity; and finally, strangeness. It was found that the ritualistic practice of ‘frocking up’ and the sharing of selfies in their outfits on the site were found to be beneficial in creating a safe space during Covid for self-expression, creativity and self-confidence and was beneficial in increasing well-being overall and endorses a co-creative space towards healing.
Modern clinical trials suggest early evidence for the safety and efficacy of psychedelic assisted psychotherapy (PAP) in domains such as addictions, dysphoria related to life-threatening illnesses and depression. Research suggests that the mystical experience (ME) under psychedelics appears to play a key role in positive outcomes. With a growing evidence base, it is possible that PAP may be available in the National Health Service in the near future. As such, the current case study explored the following research question: What are the attitudes towards the potential therapeutic benefits and potential risks of the mystical experience in the context of psychedelic assisted psychotherapy amongst psychiatry trainees based in the West of Scotland? Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five junior psychiatry trainees. Through thematic analysis of interview material, supported by transpersonal research skills such as meditation, four main themes emerged: General Knowledge About the Mystical Experience; Openness to Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy; Implications for Psychiatry; and Concerns. The collective case summary suggests that the group were open to the introduction of PAP in psychiatry, despite concerns regarding potential risks. They also recognised the need for training in its delivery. There was a consensus that ME represents a neurochemical reaction and it was often compared to a psychotic episode. The findings were explored in relation to relevant literature regarding PAP and transpersonal aspects of the ME which may occur as a result. As PAP gains credibility a holistic approach integrating the understandings of modern psychiatry with transpersonal aspects may be of value.
Research shows cannabis can induce non-ordinary states of consciousness (NSC) similar to psychedelic experiences under appropriate conditions. However, this aspect of cannabis is not well recognized or studied. The present study aimed to understand how NSC induced by cannabis in therapeutic settings may contribute to the person’s healing process. These states are described as cannabis-induced holotropic states of consciousness (HSC) (i.e., states of consciousness with healing potentials). I interviewed six participants (four females and two males, aged 23-38) who experienced cannabis-induced HSC in sessions that followed a protocol that is similar to psychedelic-assisted therapy, which includes preparation, dosing and navigation, and integration. I analysed the data using a qualitative method, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, to understand how the participants experienced these sessions and how they contextualized the experience in their healing journey. The findings indicate that an appropriate set and setting with the agency (a unique quality of cannabis) can create a safe container for exploration. This allows the person to be present to and engage with direct experiences of various sensory, transpersonal and intrapersonal phenomena. These experiences inspire insights into oneself through new awareness, acknowledgement, and acceptance that allows the person to connect and to tend to themselves in a new way. The study also revealed that cannabis-induced HSC has qualities similar to psychedelic-assisted therapies, mindfulness and body-oriented trauma healing modalities. While further research is anticipated, this study explored participants’ accounts of cannabis-induced HSC and addressed its potential to support a person’s healing journey.
This multi-site case study explores the lived experience of nine evangelical ministers’ wives in their roles as spiritual leaders. Five major themes are uncovered: Faith as primary motivator; Freedom to choose their own path; the importance of Relationships; Service, or finding meaning in doing for others; and Coming Home to Self, which is the culmination of the self-actualisation processes for each participant. To better understand the underlying motivations for each woman’s leadership and Coming Home to Self, underlying value systems are explored using a modified version of the SVT Model of Relations among 10 Basic Values. Results indicate two distinct mythologies under which the participants have created their roles: Drawing In, which aims to bring others into alignment with their religious beliefs and subculture, and Reaching Out, which aims to understand the perspectives of others without a proselytising agenda. The two mythologies are each rooted in love, and though distinct from one another, they each have transpersonal self-actualising characteristics.
There is increasing evidence supporting the use of somatic approaches such as yoga and somatic experiencing to treat trauma. Other somatic modalities remain under researched, including the conscious dance practice 5Rhythms. The present study addressed this research gap by employing the method of interpretative phenomenological analysis to explore the lived experience of healing relational trauma through 5Rhythms in a sample of seven dancers. The research sought to answer the following question: How do people who have healed from relational trauma through the practice of 5Rhythms dance experience this healing? Participants expressed that healing was often slow and multifaceted and included interconnections between experiences on and off the dancefloor. It involved returning to their body and reconnection with their authentic self. Connecting with others facilitated healing and participants gave accounts of embodying many new ways of relating. A sense of safety supported vulnerability and the mind played some role, although this was often secondary to the body. These findings suggest that the experience of healing relational trauma through 5Rhythms is a multidimensional process embedded within a larger healing path. The results contribute to filling a gap in the literature into 5Rhythms as a somatic approach to trauma healing.
This research investigates the psycho-spiritual dynamics underlying pro-ecological behaviour. By employing the qualitative and transpersonal approach of Organic Inquiry, it explores the experiences of six individuals who are actively engaged in pro-ecological work. With a focus on understanding the psychological, emotional, and spiritual factors that influence actions, the research adopts a transpersonal ecopsychological perspective, relating the ecological crisis facing the planet to a crisis within the human psyche. Findings centre around the use of storytelling, combining a creative synthesis of the interviews with an imaginal narrative, alongside the analysis of the interviews. The emerging themes reflect a complex interplay of factors in pro-ecological behaviour, catalysed by critical thinking through an ecological lens. Grief and suffering are revealed as significant factors, but above all, it underscores the experiential hope embedded in the role of stewardship, suggesting that pro-ecological efforts can yield a new qualitative abundance. Transpersonal psychology, which challenges traditional notions of consciousness and mainstream psychology, proposes interconnectedness as a fundamental aspect of human experience. With an ecological lens, transpersonal psychology may play a unique role in shaping our future on Earth.
Purpose: Interest in the intersection of leadership and spirituality is growing. Whilst scholarly literature in this field has primarily focussed on ‘what’ business leaders can do to practically apply spirituality at work using spiritual intelligence (SQ), little research exists on ‘how’ leaders can be supported in their development of SQ through tailored coaching initiatives, such as transpersonal coaching (TPC). The purpose of this paper is to explore how transpersonal coaches can effectively help business leaders in their development of SQ. Design/methodology/approach: Spirituality, intelligence, SQ, and transpersonal coaching are discussed in the context of contemporary leadership development. Qualitative, semi-structured interviews with eight transpersonal coaches were conducted and analysed using grounded theory methodology. Findings: Different cognitive, emotional, and spiritual/experiential strategies are proposed which coaches can draw on to help leaders develop SQ and, as a result, inspire a transpersonal mindset shift, greater emotional integration, and more resourceful behaviour among executives. Originality/value: This study provides coaches, consultants, business leaders, and those charged with executive education with a foundational understanding of the role and development process of SQ for effectively leading oneself, others, and business through complex and uncertain times. A conceptual framework of the SQ development process is provided.
This qualitative study explored Western women’s experience of integrating the inner masculine or animus. Utilising Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, the study focused on the experience of integrating the inner masculine for Western women participating in women’s circles and communities. Through line-by-line analysis of nine semi-structured interviews, five research themes were established. Those were: a cyclical five-stage process of integration, the recognition of inner imbalance, reconnection with and definition of the inner masculine, the impact of this process upon relationships, and the impact of women’s circles and communities upon the integration process. By comparing these findings with those of past research on inner masculine and feminine qualities and the journey to individuation, the study aimed to bring experiential research on animus connection in women into the 21st century. It is hoped that these findings, and the further research recommended, can support women in the Western world through the process of inner masculine integration in pursuit of the state of inner union once known as the sacred marriage or inner hieros gamos that could benefit them, their relationships, and the wider world.
This phenomenological qualitative study investigated the lived experience of the participants unpacking their dreams and dreams of others in a group setting. None of the existing studies focus on the phenomenon of transformation for the individual group members. The aim of the present study was to understand the transformative potential of group dream work. The research question to be answered was: What is the transformative potential of unpacking a dream in a group setting? A new online dream group was formed with four participants who worked on their dreams together with me in six sessions. The Dream Tending method was applied as the underlying foundation for group dream work. Two semi-structured interviews were conducted with each participant to understand the lived experience of working on their dreams and the dreams of others in the group. A multitude of detailed experiences were described by the participants. Four themes emerged after a transcendental phenomenological analysis was applied: a) gratitude, b) deep and meaningful experience, c) sense of oneness and interconnectedness, and d) transformation. Participants generally found the experience positive although a few negative experiences were observed. The conclusion made is that dream groups have the potential to contribute to the positive transformation of the individual group members.
This Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) study examines how films can cause viewers to have significant emotional, cognitive, and spiritual reactions by drawing on transpersonal psychology theories and methodology as well as pertinent material from film studies, Jungian psychology, and post-psychology. It looks into how the phenomenological experience of observing film tropes such as storylines, aesthetics, archetypal symbols, and transcendence themes, might influence changes in the manner in which its viewers may interpret their everyday reality. Five participants were asked to watch Christopher Nolan’s 2010 film, Inception, after which they participated in a 20-30 minute long interview. The study’s findings include a deeper comprehension of the transpersonal influences that films have on viewers’ consciousness as well as the recognition of crucial filmic components that support transformative experiences. This study also aims to contribute to the development of therapeutic strategies and transpersonally oriented film interventions that maximise the therapeutic and personal development potential of film. The significance towards understanding the transformational potential of film on an individual basis should not go unnoticed. All participants reported a degree to which the film impacted their concept of reality, either in the moment of immersion in the film, or in the time afterwards.
The present study explored the experience of surrender in living out a calling among Filipino Millennials. Using intuitive inquiry (ii) as the research method, it flowed through the five hermeneutical cycles that made use of imaginal dialogues, enabled an iterative unfolding of meaning units, and allowed the transformation of the lenses of the researcher. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six Filipino Millennials who were living out a calling. Nine themes emerged after conducting a thematic content analysis: understanding my calling; wholehearted commitment; continuous discernment; how calling is shaped; the call changes; faith and trust in God; happier and fulfilled; it takes a lot from you; and control led to my burnout. These themes transformed the preliminary lenses and added new ones. Surrender emerged as an inevitable part of living out a calling as it promotes alignment of the true self with a higher power and other-oriented purpose. The willingness to relinquish control and be part of the grander flow of life runs counter in a society predisposed to independence and self-sufficiency. Since calling was found to evolve through time, the practice of surrender requires continuous discernment. The strengths, limitations, and directions for future research were also discussed.
Near-death experiences (NDEs) have received significant attention, yet limited research has focused specifically on encounters with living individuals during these experiences and their psychological implications. This qualitative phenomenological study aims to explore the experiences of encounters with living beings during NDEs from the perspectives of both the near-death experiencer (NDEr) and the living individuals encountered, highlighting the distinctive features of this NDE subtype. Through in-depth semi-structured interviews, eight participants provided subjective and occasionally intersubjective accounts, providing insights into these encounters and their transformative effects. Encounters between NDErs and living individuals during an NDE are complex and multifaceted, involving unexpected thrusts into the encounter for NDErs and interpretations that appear to be shaped by pre-existing spiritual or religious beliefs for the encountered individuals. These encounters give rise to extraordinary phenomena, such as the sense of empathic connections and out-of-body experiences. They additionally involve distinctive features that go beyond the typical characteristics of NDEs, including the formation of transpersonal bonds, a sense of liberation from perceived victimhood, and a newfound belief in multidimensional consciousness. Participants experienced personal growth, and re-evaluation of values, ultimately leading to a deeper understanding of self and the reconstruction of life’s meaning. Sharing and integrating these experiences presented social and cultural challenges unless they were intersubjective experiences which appeared to facilitate a smoother integration into the social fabric. This study emphasises the need for further research to understand these experiences and their broader significance within near-death phenomena.
This research provides an in-depth exploration into the personal self-care practices and psychospiritual hygiene of volunteers in the field of psychedelic peer support/harm reduction (PPS/HR). Utilising Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), the study investigated the experiences and challenges faced by seven diverse volunteers, each with a minimum of two years of experience in PPS/HR. Key findings encompassed five Group Experiential Themes (GETs), detailing the external and internal challenges associated with PPS/HR, inner resourcing factors, and general as well as session-specific self-care practices. The study provided crucial insights into the physical safety concerns, session-related anxiety, and the personal significance volunteers find in their roles. Emphasising the necessity for comprehensive volunteer support strategies, the research underscored the importance of ensuring adequate staffing, facilitating regular breaks, providing sufficient medical support, and the vital role of community and debriefing in supporting volunteers during and post-shift. As the field of psychedelic care continues to evolve, the study’s findings suggest the need to incorporate these experiences to enhance psychospiritual wellbeing in the field of PPS/HR, and crisis-line services more broadly, potentially leading to better strategies to mitigate risks of compassion fatigue and vicarious traumatisation and promoting compassion satisfaction and vicarious resilience in this demanding yet rewarding field.
Inflammatory bowel disease is broadly defined as chronic and relapsing inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Physical symptoms include but are not limited to abdominal pain, bloody and loose stool, urgency, nausea and vomiting; all ranging from mild to an acute presentation. Due to the increasing prevalence of IBD, in Australia and across the globe, the physical indicators of the disease are extensively researched; and in the absence of a permanent cure, many clinical trials and treatments are available. However, what is lacking in the literature, research and treatments pertaining to IBD, is the consideration of the whole-person wellbeing experience of people with IBD. In this study, wellbeing is considered to be the balance between an individual’s physical, psychological, emotional, social and spiritual resources and challenges. Consequently, through a transpersonal lens case study, this paper inductively explores how wellbeing is perceived and experienced by six adult Australians with IBD. Here, the transpersonal lens is understood as the whole-person, multi-disciplinary and transformative inquiry into human existence, in connection with this world, its beings and the transcendent. Through meditation, thematic analysis of the interviews, and reflection, the following seven themes emerged: connection with others, growth and development, limitations, self, shame and guilt, treatment and action, and uncertainty. In the review and discussion of said themes, what comes to light is the essentiality of considering the whole-person within any future studies and treatments of IBD. With that in mind, the active inclusion of transpersonal therapy, in partnership with medical treatment, is put forth and explained as a step in the right direction.
This qualitative study investigates shamanistic aspects in rock performance and relative contributing factors, through the stories of four women who sing and play in rock bands. Elements in their performance are analysed through a Narrative and Organic Inquiry, which emphasize the voice of participants and researcher in the development of major themes. Some rock stars are recipients of religious-like adoration, and the parallel between shaman and rock-star has been previously explored. However, literature on the topic is limited, and lacking in perspective of performers and particularly women’s performance. The study found that the participants can experience intense spiritual and transcendent moments during their concerts, that present similarities to the shaman’s activity. These included entering an altered state of consciousness, empowerment, adopting ritualistic aspects in performance, including embodiment of a stage-persona, and a degree of service and energy exchange with the public. Whilst the performers may not be considered as shamans, due to substantial differences in experiences, ontology, and cultural context, they can be seen as shaman-like figures. The richness and intensity of their experience is found to be empowering and enriching to them and potentially the audience.
This research aimed to better understand the lived experience of those who have participated in psychedelic experiences, and inquire on how they have integrated that experience into everyday life. This study uses a qualitative transpersonal research method called intuitive inquiry, a unique methodology in that the researcher is able to draw on both intellect and intuition while moving through a 5 cycle hermeneutical process. The main focus of interest was the practices that nine participants developed or are still developing during their integration phase, and who is supports their journey. Further insights were brought forward into the underdeveloped understanding of psychedelic integration in non-clinical settings. Non-clinical include ayahuasca/mushrooms ceremonies, transformational/music festivals, curious participants experiencing psychedelics in their homes, and/or underground psychedelic-assisted therapies. The goal of integration is to merge the psychedelic experience with a person’s daily life in a way that helps them live a fuller life with less distress, and to maximize benefits while minimizing harms in an integral lifestyle context. As non-clinical psychedelic use increases and psychedelic-assisted therapy gains mainstream acceptance, it is critical that in order to maximize integration, an individual should have a myriad of practices that touch on physical, mental, emotional, interpersonal, and spiritual domains. This process should also be supported by a transpersonal support system helping facilitate an integration lifestyle.
The World Health Organization reports that of the one million annual deaths by suicide, 75% are men. The disproportionate number of men’s suicides are linked to male gender socialisation making it difficult for men to experience, reveal and express vulnerable emotions. Research of emotional experience is often approached from a cognicentric framework and there is a paucity of transpersonal perspectives exploring emotion from somatic-centred experience. My dissertation explores how men described the effects of somatic awareness (through Mysore-style Ashtanga yoga) of their experience of emotions informed by participatory theory. A narrative enquiry method was employed to capture the full complexity of the men’s lived experience and enrich the data beyond limitations of ‘expression’ meaning verbal articulation of emotional vocabulary. Results revealed an overarching theme in the men’s narratives of Mysore-style Ashtanga yoga as an accessible mediator to engage with emotions in men’s narratives. Men experienced concealing vulnerable emotional experiences from others and had experiences of emotional isolation in shared spaces with other men. They reported their practice of Mysore-style Ashtanga yoga had a positive transformative impact on their experience of emotions as their body and emotions revealed intuitive sources of wisdom. My findings indicate the importance of finding practices and contexts for men to experience their emotions without gender socialisation inhibitions. These findings also offer new insight that may contribute to further research into alternative participatory approaches to expression of emotion beyond verbal articulation.
Vajrayana Buddhism is considered the third turning of the Dharma Wheel, that incorporates a more dynamic range of practices including deity and mantra work. Quantitative and qualitative research has looked at the key differences between Vajrayana and other Buddhist approaches in terms of specific forms of meditational techniques, but there is a lack of research into the lived experiences of following a Vajrayana path. Six participants were interviewed who were living at Clear Sky Meditation Center, a conscious community that aims to follow a traditional Vajrayana approach whilst working within the modern world. An Interpretive phenomenological analysis approach was used to delve into the lived experience of the individuals experience of spiritual development whilst following a Vajrayana path of practice. Five superordinate (major themes) emerged from the data analysis alongside subordinate (minor) themes within them; 1 beyond the self, 2 pain as an integral part of spiritual development, 3 the relational aspect of spiritual development, 4 sangha as amplifier/verifier/safeguard/caregiver and the 5 importance of a dynamic practice. The findings overall suggest that spiritual development involves radical changes of selfhood from a rigid and constricted sticky self towards an expansive lighter and brighter being, that is aided through having repeated exposures with transpersonal states such as emptiness alongside a quenching of inner dialogue. Pain was reported as a reoccurring experience that is intertwined with significant spiritual development. The importance of a teacher and spiritual community were discussed, alongside the relational aspect of spiritual development that can be aided through interpersonal shadow work.
The aim of this study was to explore the different meanings that the nine enneagram types give to five different transpersonal concepts. Using a grounded theory approach (Charmaz, 2016), focus groups were conducted to research the meanings that each type gives to the concepts of heaven, bliss, love, heart, and God. The findings showed that, while each type defined each concept differently, yet an overarching core meaning to each of these five transpersonal concepts could be identified. The study also provided clearly different interpretations to each of the concepts for each of the nine types, showing how the types have different worldviews and different interpretations of the transpersonal concepts. In addition, a common link between the five concepts was also identified from the results, showing how these concepts relate to each other. The results of the study show how transpersonal concepts can have different meanings for individuals of different Enneagram types, and how behind these different meanings there is a common core meaning that all types are referring to.
Leading voices in transpersonal psychology urge more attention for practices oriented to environmental action. However, women’s bodies have been neglected as a focus of research, despite the fact that mothers are our first environment. This Organic Inquiry explored transpersonal aspects of breastfeeding, as this practice has been acknowledged to considerably contribute to climate change mitigation, and it is linked not just to physical, but also to emotional wellbeing of women, children, and nations. The initial research question, how might breastfeeding activate a mother’s transpersonal qualities, helped the author explore transpersonal benefits of breastfeeding, and their role in participants’ success overcoming the patriarchal structures that control this practice. The study focuses on the experience of breastfeeding advocates as this demographic is exceptionally successful at surmounting social barriers, and remarkably achieves their breastfeeding goals, which have been recognized as optimal by the W.H.O. Twelve participants reported that transpersonal qualities like transpersonal self-concept, spiritual insights, interconnectedness, discernment, alignment with nature and transformative changes might have been activated or enhanced as a result of their breastfeeding experience. This study suggests that participants felt empowered by a spontaneous alignment of body, mind and Spirit which translated into compassionate action and social transformation.
Mystical experiences (ME) are a special type of altered state of consciousness most commonly associated with spiritual practices and psycho-active substances. While research investigating non-psychoactive engendered ME (NPME) is scant, there is a plethora of literature emerging from psychopharmacological experiments reporting the therapeutic benefits of ME engendered with psychoactive agents (PME). Within the latter the Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ43) has been developed and refined to the most recent version, the MEQ30. This instrument is now being used to measure NPME. The present study investigated the appropriateness of the MEQ30 for measuring NPME. Participants (N = 136) completed an online survey about their experience which included the MEQ43 and its subset of items that make up the MEQ30. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the factor structure of the MEQ30 was not a good fit for NPME. Further exploratory factor analysis of the MEQ43 suggested that an alternative set of items and corresponding factors could be more appropriate. The newly proposed scale, the MEQ25, retains 25 items from the MEQ43 and has four underlying factors that account for all of the MEQ43 factors. The MEQ25 factors are Sacred Unity, Noetic Quality, Time Space Transcendence and, Ineffable and Paradoxical. The new scale is unique in that it has a separate factor for noetic quality which is considered a salient aspect of ME. The MEQ25 demonstrated excellent internal reliability (α = .93) and, significant strong external validity. Further confirmatory factor analysis is need to support these preliminary findings.
This phenomenological study is set out to find common healing experiences among the practitioners of Shibari, also referred to as Kinbaku or Japanese rope bondage. Within a framework of 10 semi-structured interviews, the study focuses on real examples of individual experiences in Japanese rope bondage that have brought about transformation and healing for the practitioners. The following transpersonal topics surfaced dominantly throughout the interviews in reference to healing: transformations, catharsis, embodiment, altered states of consciousness, exceptional experiences, life changing shifts. The regular practice of Shibari appears to have an overall positive impact on people ́s lives and their personal development. This study attempts to find the essence of healing experiences in Shibari within the given interviews, discuss the relevant findings, and suggests further research topics. The study contributes to a growing field of transpersonal psychologists and BDSM enthusiasts and promotes a more expansive way to look at these experiences as a way of healing and transforming towards wholeness and awareness within the practice and beyond.
This study explores the experiences of the bereaved who searched for meaning in their loss through a mediumistic communication, and examines the influence of transliminal myth on the bereavement experience. This was a qualitative study utilizing Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The seven participants purposively selected had been bereaved for a minimum of ten years and had sought the services of a medium after losing a loved one. They were interviewed online using a semi-structured interview schedule and recordings were transcribed and analysed. Four primary themes emerged in the findings: the nature of the grief experience; beliefs regarding reunification and afterlife connections; transformative influences of the mediumistic communication; and the relevance of transliminal myth to the bereavement process. The results show that those who have lost loved ones suffer a depth of emotional upheaval that can result in long periods of despair, physical pain, and loss of identity. All expressed that the mediumistic communication was a significant step in their healing journey through grief. Some expressed relief at knowing their deceased loved ones were safe, and all found the experience transformational in some way. Participants’ choices of myth were based predominantly on their emotional affinity with the characters in the story and identification with the circumstances and setting of the narrative. More research is warranted to thoroughly investigate the therapeutic relevance of transliminal myth to the grief experience, and its application in transpersonal therapy and clinical practice.
This dissertation consists of a phenomenological study of an exploratory nature within the niche of archetypal cosmology, a novel discipline that employs the ancient art of astrology and connects it with modern transpersonal and depth psychology. This research study endeavours on the one hand to investigate the holistic and embodied experience of the Uranus opposition transit as it is recollected by individuals who have already experienced it and, on the other hand, it explores whether astrology proves to be a useful and valuable tool in the decision-making process of individuals and in the way they attribute and create meaning for their lives.A purposive sample of seven participants has been selected and qualitative data has been gathered through interviews based on semi-structured questionnaires. Results show that participants underwent significant shifts in their lives reflecting moments of sudden and unexpected change, emotional turmoil, as well as an expansion into a newer, larger version of themselves, confirming the general themes highlighted in the relevant literature. In addition, participants did not actively use astrology to navigate the period of their Uranus opposition transit, but all agreed that, when used retrospectively, astrology is a valuable and powerful tool of self-reflection allowing to create deeper meaning when looking back at one’s life. Therefore, this study not only gives a contribution when it comes to developing a deeper understanding of the different facets and themes involved in the Uranus opposition transit, but also opens avenues for further research in the use of astrology as an instrument for psychological self-reflection, creation of meaning, and growth.
The human relationship with honeybees has existed for at least ten thousand years, as evidenced by cave paintings in Spain. It seems as if the evolution and fate of our two species is interwoven, a view offered by such visionaries as Rudolph Steiner (1923). I embarked on an organic research project to investigate the nature of this relationship through the lens of transpersonal psychology. A group of five apiculturists and one practitioner of bee shamanism shared their stories about their relationships with honeybees. The emergent thematic patterns from these conversations merged with insights from the liminal realm cultivated by the methodology of an organic enquiry, resulting in rich individual vignettes, composite depictions and a final creative synthesis. The experiences of the participants revealed the way in which we project much of ourselves onto another species and romanticise the nature of the relationship to validate our use of them for our own ends. The organic qualities of the unfolding inquiry meant that certain meanings were shaped by a transpersonal intelligence, emphasising trends in our behaviour such as sensual greed and anthropomorphic fascination. Following several months of intensive research, I came to conclude that if we are able to transform our consumer desires and tendency to possess what we idolise, we may find the true gift in our relationship to honeybees: not the physical products of the hive, but the means to shift into an elevated and more connected state of consciousness in their presence.
This qualitative study explores the relationship between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and depth and transpersonal psychology methods. My aim in this research was to understand how these methods affect the lived experience of individuals with ADHD. I chose a heuristic inquiry approach to delve into the experiences and transformation of five participants, who, per the heuristic inquiry protocol, I refer to as co-researchers (Sultan, 2019). Thematic analysis of interviews and shared artifacts illuminated six core themes which are presented in the results section through individual and composite explication and a creative synthesis. All co-researchers collectively experienced a connection to the body, external manifestations of change, inner self-transformation, living in a new relationship with dis-ease, mindfulness, and states of transcendence. The discussion builds on existing research and offers insights gained from the findings as well as discusses limitations of the study and future directions in research. The results suggest that depth and transpersonal methods foster a compassionate and aware self-belief system and offer holistic, strength-based support to individuals who are diagnosed or self-identify with ADHD.
Pilgrimage, one type of long-distance walking, has long been associated with transformation. Despite the growing number of female pilgrims and anecdotal evidence, little research has been directed toward understanding their experience. The aim of the current study is to examine the solo female travelers’ experience of transformation associated with walking the Camino de Santiago. The research project makes use of the qualitative method of heuristic inquiry which is known for its autobiographical, embodied, and holistic approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven co-researchers. Five of them contributed additional material such as poems, blog posts, and journal entries. The findings suggest that the participants became more authentic, connected deeply with others and nature, and discovered a new appreciation for their bodies. They reported implementing various lifestyle changes upon return and spoke about wanting to be of service and make a difference in the world. Although they all experienced moments of profound realization along the way, the co-researchers acknowledged that transformation is an ongoing process. After discussing the findings in relation to previous literature, the study concludes by recommending pilgrimage as an antidote to the epidemic of busyness, materialism, and alienation from self, others, and nature. Limitations are discussed and future research suggestions, including the investigation into whether going on a pilgrimage periodically fosters the transformative process, are made.
This Organic Inquiry aims to understand the lived experiences of five Gen Z Elders, who turned eighteen during the Covid-19 Pandemic. As part of the inquiry, a series of workshops were co-created using mask making, ritual, creativity, and storytelling. Analysis of interview transcripts uncovered how the Pandemic created feelings of abandonment, mental health challenges, and a surreal presence of time. At the end of the project, I discovered my chosen research method to be a suitable model in supporting the storytelling process, with each co-researcher participating in activities to access liminal spaces through creative channels. Masks were chosen as suitable vehicles considering the dominant presence of face masks during the Pandemic, and archetypes were used to personify the Pandemic and to explore rite of passage into adulthood. Stories were recollected and reframed through revisiting, and the importance of a story spiral became evident. This raised the question of the role storytelling can play as a form of rite of passage for a generation, who became adults in isolation, fending for themselves and feeling unprepared for the challenges ahead. The final creative synthesis honored the collective through a collage, and each individual story was captured in the form of an imaginal quest based on the experiential activities the co-researchers participated in.
This research explored the question: what are the transpersonal effects of intentional, guided, light-deprivation (darkness) over an extended period of time on the conscious self? This, explored through the lens of the author and as experienced by the study participants, all of whom attended the same darkness workshop held by the Sacred Trust in 2019. The research reflects my own interest in darkness and explored how sighted-individuals reacted and interacted when placed in an unknown, unfamiliar environment without external vision – and how this disruption in normal reality served as a catalyst for personal growth. The research itself is a qualitative, cross-sectional analysis using Evocative Autoethnography (Bochner & Ellis, 2016), that seeks to delve into and express deeply the human experience of a transformative process, expressed through storytelling. The research follows five participants from their arrival, to their lived experiences and the contributing factors thereof and through to their evolution and incorporation of those unique experiences to the present day, covering a span of three years. The individuals, 3 males and 2 females, ranging in ages from 45-65, come from all walks of life and various occupations, and live spread across four countries, on two continents. The overall product in addition to this dissertation is an Evocative Autoethnographic narrative, a non-chronological composite story, with the intent to evoke a thought-provoking emotional response from the reader. The framework of the narrative is based on the common themes found across the participant interviews and using specific quotes taken directly from the participant interviews. his narrative covers the importance of the container of the experience; the role of belief systems; altered states of consciousness as a catalyst of understanding, consciousness expansion and personal growth; deep self-reflection of one’s own attitudes and motivations (fear vs. acceptance); and the sometimes-profound iterative integration of insights gleaned into daily the participant’s daily life (confirmation, separation, changing careers).
This dissertation describes a research process designed to explore the lived experience of four Israelis and three Palestinians who participated in and facilitated peacebuilding initiatives embedded in transpersonal approaches. In parallel I personally participated in three transpersonal peacebuilding events at which the processes and dynamics of such encounters could be observed. Only a limited number of studies have examined Israeli and Palestinian peacebuilding projects rooted in the transpersonal, however they do not identify the transpersonal as an overall descriptor. This research project transcends the singular by assembling transpersonal peacebuilding approaches under one roof and exploring the transpersonal container in which these approaches are held. The Constructivist Grounded Theory was chosen as the conceptual analytical framework for this research project as it links macroscopic issues to the phenomenon under investigation, meaning that broader contextual matters like the Israeli and Palestinian conflict are given appropriate recognition in the development of theory. Furthermore, I resonate with the constructivist paradigm as it assumes that the researcher is an active agent in the construction process, which is congruent with the research project’s aim. The beginning of a framework has emerged from the data that centres around how opposing narratives between Israelis and Palestinians can be exposed and contained during these peacebuilding events. For relational transformation to be experienced, both people need to (re)humanize each other. This was attained through a variety of integrative methods, including working with symbols and embodiment methods for the potential activation of transformational purposes.
This study examines the personal and professional experiences of mediums who partake in an intuitive community of shared integrative transpersonal practices. The aim was to understand participants’ perceived experiences regarding the influence of community involvement on their faculties of intuition, psychism, and mediumship, as well as on their mental, physical, emotional, social, and spiritual wellbeing. A qualitative research design (IPA) was used. Using purposive sampling, six participants were selected from the larger online Sophia community. A third-party interviewer used a semi-structured interview guide to gather participants’ reflections of consistent involvement in Sophia over a one-year period. The results clearly indicated that, prior to attending Sophia, participants were frustrated with the dearth of professional and personal support and systematic mediumistic education. They strongly voiced their support for a community that addressed the components of esoteric history, critical thinking, skill development, current knowledge and research, and the opportunity to be “visible” with others sharing intuitive faculties. The results highlighted the need for the continued holistic development of the medium to further the wellbeing of the mediums themselves, and to raise the standard of mediumistic service for the public. It appears that there is relevance of the format of this holistic model to participant satisfaction and their reported changes, not only to those working in the intuitive professions, but to other organizations looking for pragmatic avenues of transpersonal evolution.
Embodied Spiritual Inquiry (ESI) is a participatory approach to transpersonal learning, developed by Jorge N. Ferrer, proposing the integration of the multiple ways of knowing of our physical, somatic, vital, emotional, mental and spiritual attributes into research. Published studies highlight the theoretical framework of the method while the focus of this study is the dynamics of the experience and its potential transformative value for inquirers. Through six months of phenomenological research in applying the analytical procedure of Colaizzi (1978) seven individuals were interviewed providing for video, written and artistic data. Eight main themes emerged, four of which textural: transpersonal experiences (collective field; subtle communication; vivid dreams; shadow integration; enhanced states of awareness); intimacy; transformation in everyday life; serendipity, and four structural: inquiry container; inquiry tool; collaboration; enhancement of other practices. Investigation results present participant experiences in regard to intrapersonal, interpersonal and transpersonal dynamics, suggesting that ESI may provide for evolutionary means of research in educational settings, supportive of surprising and comprehensive results as well as the potential for individual and academic growth for students. Though this study also presents some limitations, it may generate curiosity and encourage further research with the method as well as inspire ESI studies in educational settings and beyond, highlighting the potential implications of transpersonal research for the field of psychology and society.
At the intersection of expressive arts and spiritual experience lies a journey made by many peoples and cultures throughout time. Using Heuristic Inquiry, this paper explores this intersection by asking the question, “What is the embodied spiritual experience of expressive arts?” With a group of eight co-researchers, concepts such as: liminality; co-creating reality; exploring the intersection of expressive arts and spiritual experience; breaking through blocks are explored. An outcome during this exploration has been how the co-researchers’ collective experiences could be categorized as a “shamanic journey,” made popularly known by anthropologist Michael Harner. A more surprising theme has been the “Monomyth” as conceived by comparative mythologist Joseph Campbell. This paper attempts to map spiritual experiences onto the Monomyth through collective experience. Through this exploration, perhaps not only are we capable of reconnecting to our primordial selves by using a shamanistic framework, but we may become the heroes of our own spiritual journeys by using the Monomyth as a roadmap.
This study examines what brings highly educated, global citizens to seek earth-wisdom teachings. To derive at this answer organic inquiry is used as a methodology, appropriate to examine psycho-spiritual growth. The methodology is suitable for uncovering subtleties and mundane spiritual experiences using the researcher as instrument in the research and inviting also the co-researchers to access liminal or unseen realities to remember deeper experiences, small or large, as well as transpersonal signals. Six co-researchers were invited to share their story after being guided through an intentional breathing exercise helping them bring back memories. Follow up questions around the co-researchers prior psychological and spiritual experienced were added. The co-researchers were also asked to bring a special item that reminded them of the tradition. Ten themes were derived from the study, which has been distilled into two main reasons why people join descending earth-wisdom teaching; a desire to “integration earth-wisdom philosophies into all aspects of life” with “self-authorship” at the core. Secondly, the research suggests that it is the co-researchers lived experiences, or the e-motions attached to the experience, be it positive or negative, that move them towards a spiritual tradition, while transpersonal signals are crucial in making the actual decision. Further research into a larger sample would be needed, to detect if such patterns are more widely spread. Additional research into the specific tradition, which the co-researchers have joined, called the Origin of the Delicate Lodge Teachings, may also add to transpersonal research within the areas of earth-wisdom teachings.
This creative, depth psychological intuitive inquiry explored the transformative effects of the creation of artworks in the context of bereavement and loss. In doing so it attempts to investigate and address a gap in art-therapy literature, namely the underreporting of theoretical models, and lack of operationalisation of interventions, in the context of bereavement. Four semi-structured interviews were conducted with artists who had experienced a bereavement or loss and used artmaking as part of their healing process, and the researcher’s own bereavement experience was additionally included in the data. Thematic content analysis was used to code the data, and the research process was informed and shaped by intuitive practices, including the cultivation of symbolic images, imaginal dialogues and empathic identification with these images, and the processes of their creation. The twelve themes that emerged from the data were: having always made art, artmaking as obsessive, emotional processing, the creation of a separate physical space, entering a distinct psychological state, the emergence and overcoming of ego wounds, feeling grounded in the self, connecting to others, continuing bonds, processing transpersonal experiences, and creativity as a reusable resource. The research concluded by interweaving findings with transpersonal lenses and suggesting transpersonal theories could serve to underpin art-therapy practice and form the basis for the operationalisation of art-therapy interventions.
The aim of this study was to explore the lived experience of individuals using creative expression as a way of documenting or processing experiences that occur beyond the threshold of ordinary consciousness. Integral Inquiry (Braud, 2011) was used in connection with Narrative Inquiry (Kim, 2016) and Arts-based Methods (Leavy, 2015) to investigate the connection between transliminal art, boundaries, and heightened perception. A holistic, multi-modal approach was used during data collection and analysis. A purposive sampling strategy focused recruitment on individuals who had created a piece of art based on a nonordinary state of consciousness, or who had an unusual experience related to a piece of art. Twenty five participants shared their stories and experiences in an online survey, and were subsequently invited to send a digital copy of their artwork. Ten of these individuals were interviewed on Zoom. All data were collated, analysed, re-storied and validated by participants. Themes were then identified across cases. Throughout the process, the focus was on an inclusive approach using multiple ways of knowing including analytical and intuitive, embodied and cognitive, as well as ordinary and nonordinary states of consciousness. Results showed that although the artwork was often created in challenging circumstances, a co-creative process emerged with participants often feeling a connection to a transpersonal source. Creative practice provided a pathway for self-expression that was not always possible in everyday life. As the participants were from a Western background, the findings are culture-specific. Although the intention of this study was to focus on lived experience, integrating a validated scale of measurement may have substantiated the findings. In addition to implications for wellbeing, the participants’ stories support the perspective of post-materialist science and may indicate innate human potential to access non-physical information.
Scientific leadership in mainstream academic circles plays a crucial role in the scientific advancement, yet it seems to be in crisis. Therefore, this study aimed to explore and understand how scientific leaders, who hold a transpersonal perspective (i.e., post-materialist, spiritual, contemplative…), approach leadership, interpersonal and team dynamics, and the challenges they cope with in their daily lives. The main research question was: What are the values, attitudes, and practices of scientific leaders who hold a transpersonal perspective, and how is this perspective informing their leadership style? Constructivist grounded theory by Charmaz (2006, 2014) was used to analyze 6 semi-structured interviews with scientific leaders holding a transpersonal perspective. Findings suggested that main themes fell into 4 areas of participants life: Person, Role (as a Leader), Environment and Transpersonal Approach. Six major themes or categories emerged within those areas: Never aspiring to be a leader and not identifying as one; Prioritizing caring relations, Choosing distinct personality traits in new students/team-members (over intellectual capacity); Ensuring wellbeing of individuals as well as collective; Pervasive egoism in academic circles; and Spiritual practice positively affecting leadership. Findings suggested that transpersonal inspiration served as a guiding light for the values, attitudes and practices of participants in this study. The hope for this study is to fill the existing gap in the literature, since there is a lack of empirical studies looking at the real-life experience of leaders inspired by a transpersonal perspective and possibly enable future comparisons with the mainstream scientific leadership currently predominating in our academic institutions.
Research suggests that synchronicity as a participatory experience requires further study in order to explore the transpersonal aspect rather than the psychological aspect of synchronistic experiences. This study is one of very few qualitative studies on synchronicity, and the focus is on the experience of synchronicity by channelers of ‘Universal Consciousness’. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with a total of seven Omani channelers who completed the 9-day level one retreat at Dira International in Oman, whose age ranged from 37 to 46. Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis was used to analyze data. Participant descriptions of synchronicity yielded a range of themes that displayed both positive and negative associations with synchronicity. Findings revealed that channelers of ‘Universal Consciousness’ have a wide range of personal and collective experiences of synchronicity, with a wide range of personal and collective impact. Results also showed that channelers tend to associate synchronicity with the self, the world, intuition, and channeling. Possible explanations for findings are discussed, including the strengths, limitations, and implications of this study. Recommendations for further research are outlined.
This intuitive inquiry explored the lived experience of the Fierce Feminine in the lives of women. Drawing on both intellect and intuition, this study aimed to answer the following questions: 1) What does it take to reclaim the Fierce Feminine? 2) What is the nature of the Fierce Feminine? 3) What are the effects and consequences of living the Fierce Feminine today? The six semi-structured interviews were analyzed using thematic content analysis as outlined by Anderson (2004). The findings indicate that the journey to reclaim the Fierce Feminine requires a descent into the underworld to meet the Dark Goddess within and shed the layers of the upper world, good-girl persona which nearly all women adopt as a means to make it in a man’s world. The Fierce Feminine expresses itself in the embodiment of four distinct archetypes: a) the seer, b) the warrioress, c) the sexual priestess and d) the mystic. The consequences of living the Fierce Feminine entail both blessings and challenges. The blessings include genuine self-love, creative flow, power and a sense of aliveness and fulfillment; for the world, the potential of transformation. The challenges include the loss of belonging and social approval, depression and loneliness.
Can prayer offer a tool to enhance life-circumstances? One assumption about prayer is that it is a self-fulfilling prophecy. This paper investigates prayer practice and its effects and potentials for transpersonal states of consciousness, embodiment and transformation of inner feeling-states. An experiential study on self-created heartfelt embodied (SCHE) prayer was conceptualized and conducted with eight research participants over the course of six weeks during the uncertain times of COVID-19. SCHE prayer is a prayer practice designed to be used as a creative psychological tool and access point to transpersonal experience. Participants were provided with optional guideline materials and two group prayer webinars. They documented their experiences through 1) a preparation and response prayer workbook and 2) two open-ended questionnaires. The present study falls into the field of qualitative research and applies a heuristic inquiry methodology. This method provides a loose creative framework beneficial for investigation of unexplored territory. Gained insights along with a descriptive analysis and various representations of data are presented. Contemporary evidence-based studies are used to examine and compare results. With this pilot study, the researcher aimed to understand the effects of SCHE prayer with regards to spiritual and psychological well-being, on both personal and collective levels.
Autism is on the rise globally. The lived experiences of South African mothers from a stable socio-economic household whose children have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder were explored using a narrative methodology. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five purposely sampled mothers. Past medical reports, and case histories were incorporated co-construct chronological personal life stories. These were analysed thematically and arranged into three overarching categories: educational and financial impacts, emotional and coping responses, and spirituality and transformation. Results indicated that mothers shared common experiences and emotional discomfort. Limited educational choices impacted mothers’ stress levels and quality of life negatively despite financial resources affording access to private therapies and schools. Mothers utilised varying bio-psycho-social-spiritual coping strategies to embarked in an ongoing process of adaptation. Over time they revised their world view and their belief systems, including transpersonal elements of gratitude, acceptance, and spirituality. Increased educational and therapeutic resources for children regardless of socio-economic standing is indicated. Parent-centered and integrated support systems that focus on the psychology of transformation are further indicated.
The aim of this study is to explore individuals living experiences in nature using Moustakas’ qualitative method of Heuristic inquiry. One-on-one interviews were conducted with six co-researchers between the ages of 29–59, lasting between 75–105 minutes, from which several shared themes emerged. Co-researchers revealed how personal difficulties in their lives gave rise to a desire to go into nature to find healing. Nature was deemed to be non-judgemental and provide space for feelings to surface, be acknowledged and integrated, creating the possibility for healing and spiritual growth. Nature was perceived as healer and teacher, providing the opportunity to discover a sense of oneness and connection with nature and the self. This also promoted some degree of altruism and an increase in the intrinsic aspirations of the co-researchers. There is a consensus regarding the limitation of language in verbalising nature and the transformational experience. Understanding the dichotomy of human and nature as separate appears to be a key step in the journey, resulting in the realisation of our commonality and connection. Results indicate that human-nature connection is intrinsic in human beings and this research illustrates the potential psychological, physiological, physical, and spiritual benefits to our wellbeing.
There is increasing evidence that unresolved father-daughter relationships are impacting subsequent relationships of the daughter in adulthood. This interpretational phenomenological study addresses the early ‘lived experiences of the daughter and explores their influence on her through the lens of her intimate partnerships. This study evaluates six accomplished women who have established independence and success in their careers in yoga and the wellness and/or healing industries. They have been specifically selected as an archetypal group of women, which illustrate some of the common challenges of the daughter-father relationship. From these early life impressions, commonalities and meanings can be linked to their romantic partnerships. Participants are aged between 32 and 61, and are from multicultural backgrounds; English, Chinese, Italian, French, American and Swiss. The interviews were all conducted online and transcribed using an interpretative phenomenological research approach (IPA), as outlined by John Smith, (Smith, Flowers, Larkin, 2009) and by (Moustakas, 1994). The research data produced five central father themes and five relational adult couple themes. The father themes were; 1) Father Poor Boundaries 2) Father Objectification 3) Father Betrayal & Infidelity 4) Father Abandonment 5) Father Over-Closeness. The five relational themes were 1) Relationship Betrayal or Infidelity 2) Relational Power/Control 3) Relational Withdrawal 4) Relational Copying 5) Relational Attachment. As part of linking a daughter’s ‘lived’ father experiences to patterns in her intimate partnerships, we can develop greater awareness as to what daughter-father phenomenon support and distort her ability to go on and develop healthy coupled relationships in adult life. Furthermore, by comparing early daughter experiences of the father, the possibility of developing greater insight as to how seeded archetypal personality structures can be recognised and understood and then resolved within a therapeutic or transformation process.
Most psychological research into yoga in jails examines emotional and behavioural outcomes of the practice for inmates, but there has been scant investigation into how yoga teachers experience teaching this population. Likewise, contemporary Western yoga research has focused on exploring the physical, mental and emotional benefits of postural yoga and meditation, while it has neglected exploring the self-healing potential of Karma yoga (selfless service). Although there is a flourishing global community of yoga practitioners teaching yoga in jails as part of their commitment to selfless service, there is little or no research into how this practice might facilitate self-healing for those who engage in it. This intuitive inquiry seeks to address this problem by asking how teaching yoga in jails may contribute to self-healing for women yoga teachers. A purposive sample of seven women who teach yoga in jails was developed, and semi-structured interviews employed to gather data from the women. Chaos, calling, place of suffering, revealing, sharing, magic, resilience, and authenticity, emerged as final themes from the data, echoing episodes of classical myths of individuation, constellating into five archetypal stages of self-healing: separation, initiation, purification, expansion, and integration. A key finding was that teaching yoga in jails enabled participants to recover and re-integrate projected elements of their wounded selves as they deepened their embodiment, and attuned empathically and somatically with inmates. The research concludes by suggesting that more research is needed into how practicing Karma yoga in contained environments with symbolically significant others could provide opportunities for all involved to expand their sense of self beyond dualistic notions of victim-victimiser, student-teacher, and saviour-saved.
This case study is a transpersonal exploration of a senior business leader’s transformative journey and how his organization was affected. An in-depth understanding was formulated through multiple data sources. Three semi-structured interviews were conducted, and documents from the organization, which included associate surveys, business presentations and reports, office images and leadership meetings’ photo-protocols, were analysed and integrated. Six key themes emerged from data analysis: preparation, the leaders’ journey of dissolution, the organization’s soul encounter, metamorphosis, enactment and actualized senior leader. These themes were explored in relation to the relevant literature regarding the experience of global business leaders, followed by an exploration of a calling for leadership transformation, aiming to cope with uncertainty and constant rapid change, and finally, the impact on the organization, when leadership matures from silo- and individual-thinking to a common-purpose direction. From the themes, a textural description was written to explore the essence of each step of the transformative journey, starting from the senior leader and followed by a collective shift of the organization’s ego. The research investigated how the transpersonal approach might bring an actualized view to business and leadership, enabling a collective transformation, giving rise to more engaged and happier people, reaching high performance and positive business results.
Globally, we are experiencing a pandemic mental health crisis. Adolescents and adults have not been adequately educated with tools and practices to regulate the difficult emotions inevitably present in life. This can lead to mental dis-ease. Personal mandalas are being increasingly used in therapeutic and clinical settings to enhance psychological well-being, integrate trauma, reduce negative mood states and increase self-knowledge. The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore the lived experiences of five individuals. We follow their experiential process of creating three personal mandalas and attempt to understand if they enter an altered state of consciousness similar to meditation. Meditation is known to be a practice that brings physiological and psychological benefit that involves focused attention and calm to the mind. It is theorized that the mandala may be a valuable alternative to meditation with similar benefits. Results indicate that all five participants had a meditative-type experience while creating mandalas, and four of those five may have entered what might be considered an altered state of consciousness.
The purpose of this Organic Inquiry is to explore the lived experiences of women who engaged in the so-called Inner Dialog, with the archetype of wisdom, to find support during times of global crisis. The literature describes an archetype of wisdom as a pre-existent form of the collective unconscious symbolising natural ways of knowing associated with inherent wisdom that is part of the feminine aspect of the Psyche. Eight in-depth interviews via Zoom were completed with middle-aged women who described themselves as Good Girls. They engaged in guided imagery to connect with the Wise Woman metaphor in their Psyche. The lens of the researcher’s reflexivity is employed to provide a more accurate representation of the participant’s perspective and voice. Various theories rooted in women’s psychology, archetypal and transpersonal psychology were applied to examine the data. The data analysis revealed that the women identifying as Good Girls resonated with the characteristics found in the literature. Furthermore, the results demonstrated that when the women engaged in active imagery, they embodied the dynamic structures of the inner feminine way of knowing. The implication of this research suggests that women connect with the archetype of wisdom that expands their frame of being and brings a sense of support that has the potential for integration with their intrapersonal and interpersonal, and transpersonal dimensions of life.
The aim of this study is to examine the effects of following a spiritual health programme on the wellbeing of people who live with Fibromyalgia (Bloom, 2018). The study was carried out using four participants suffering from Fibromyalgia aged over eighteen years. The data was collected from Zoom interviews with the participants which comprised of six open-ended questions designed to elicit information about the experience of the participant when following the programme. Analysis was carried out using Quirkos, a computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software programme (CAQDAS) which assists in qualitative research with the analysis of text data and was used alongside personal analysis of the data by the researcher (Turner, 2021). The analysis showed that following the spiritual health programme enabled a change of focus from the condition, which caused feelings of vulnerability, isolation, and powerlessness, to enhanced coping using spiritual practices such as meditation, and activities which enhance connection and could be considered to be spiritual practices, such as being in nature and creative writing.
Altered states of consciousness (ASC) occur when there is a deviation from normal levels of psychological functioning. They can be self-induced through meditative practices and therapeutically induced through processes like hypnotic induction. They are determined physiologically when brain rhythms drop from the ‘beta’ rhythm of waking consciousness to the ‘alpha’ and ‘theta’ rhythms of meditation and dreaming sleep. ASC offer a window into the workings of the psyche. This pilot qualitative Grounded Theory study, seeking for commonalities of experience, explores ASC through the lens of four therapeutic modalities, namely hypnotherapy, past-life regression, voice dialogue and soul-centred healing. The research findings are based on interviews with three individuals (a trainer, a practitioner and a client) from each of these modalities, totalling twelve interviews. The commonality themes of this research indicated a conviction in an element of human consciousness, the core-self or the soul, which transcends death and holds memories from perceived past lives. These experiences were seen as part of a journey of individuation to higher states of consciousness within an apparent spiritual realm. The multiplicity of the different inner world elements was also recognised, containing various characters sometimes known as sub-personalities, ego-states or simply ‘parts’.
This qualitative study used intuitive inquiry to investigate the links between the Overview Effect experienced by astronauts in Space, the COVID-19 pandemic and self-identity. Secondarily the role of telematic communication in these phenomena was considered. This inquiry examined how the Overview Effect and the pandemic, as potentially perspective-shifting phenomena, might be linked to self-identity in a specific set of expatriates whose sense of identity had already been challenged by immigration. Four adult South African immigrants, residing in England during the pandemic, were selected using criteria which mirrored the experience of the researcher. Two interviews were conducted with each participant and audio-visual material was employed to introduce the Overview Effect. Drawing on Thematic Content Analysis, themes in the data included: awe and fear; stewardship of living Earth; separation versus connection; belonging; change and transformation. The findings suggest that a number of factors link the Overview Effect and COVID-19 pandemic with self-identity, as evidenced in accounts by these expatriates. The experience of immigrating encourages a shift in perspective, similar to that induced by the Overview Effect, with attenuated feelings of nationalism and increased sense of interconnectedness. The experience of COVID -19 pandemic lockdown measures has been seen to encourage acts of altruism among community members and heighten a sense of the fragility of mankind and planet Earth, much like the altered sense of self described by some astronauts having experienced the Overview Effect.
Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) is a healing energy psychology (EP) technique based on the stimulation of determined acupressure points through soft tapping, alongside the repetition of certain words and phrases. Whilst the efficiency of EFT is reasonably substantiated by more than 200 publications, of which 100 are research studies, five are meta-analyses and 12 are review articles which have been published on EP methods in peer-reviewed journals. No research which explores the lived experience of EFT clients was found. This study sought to elicit the clients’ lived experiences using EFT and its procedures, through a phenomenological enquiry. Based on an interpretative phenomenological analysis approach (IPA), nine participants were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire protocol. All interview transcripts were carefully explored, from which five major themes emerged. The results indicated that the clients’ lived experiences with EFT go beyond the healing of a specific physical or psychological health challenge, with results constituting important life milestones or being even completely lifechanging and, as one interview strongly suggests, lifesaving. Further research is necessary to understand a wider spectrum of EFT users and their experiences. Nevertheless, the insight provided by this study may assist EFT practitioners and other health professionals showcase the possible impact that EFT can have on a person’s mental and psychological wellbeing, to achieve long-term results, which is in alignment with the findings of several studies.
The present study aimed to explore the influence of early first-time motherhood on a woman’s sense of embodiment, while using Anderson’s (2004) method of Intuitive Inquiry. The study followed five hermeneutical cycles in order to create a rigorous and transparent framework for research and transformation. Seven participants, all early first-time mothers, were interviewed through a semi-structured questionnaire. Thematic Content Analysis, and Narrative Thematic Analysis were used to refine eight recurrent themes. Overall, the results suggested that the entry into motherhood is an extraordinary journey that leads to strong bodily experiences, both of hardship and self-sacrifice, and of development of embodied awareness and the reconstruction of an empowering embodied image of self.
Freedom has many definitions; therefore, it is important to define the meaning used in this research. Freedom is the individual sovereignty defined as a state of being, condition or quality. The aim of the research was to explore the personal meaning and experience of freedom. A qualitative method of heuristic inquiry (Moustakas, 1990) was chosen, using the processes, and phases of this inquiry, to explore the nature of the phenomenon of freedom. This was explored through an online platform, with recorded interviews, using a semi-structured interview protocol. There were 11 participants, who are identified as Co-researchers, these were six males and five females, of various age and social background. Through the meaning and experience of freedom, three themes emerged: limitation to freedom, inner sense of freedom, and spiritual freedom. Limitation was identified as restriction and challenges. Inner sense of freedom was an embodiment experience of connection to self. While spiritual freedom was a transpersonal experience of the higher-Self and the experience of awakening, to a spiritual Self or a connection to something greater than self. However, the findings show all themes of limitation to freedom, inner sense of freedom, and spiritual freedom, each have an experience of embodiment, as the overarching experience.
This study was designed to explore the relationship between shadow work and psi capacity. To realise this objective, a semi-structured interview was administered to individuals who have undertaken methods or practices that aim to integrate shadow aspects of their psyche. The total sample was comprised of eight co-researchers: two males and six females with an age range of 47 to 74. Data was obtained following ethical guidelines prescribed in the methodology section of this project. For the analysis, an embodied phenomenological process and poetic embodied interpretation were used to highlight the role of the shadow work process in assisting psi capacity. Results of the analysis revealed further clarity in existing psi capacity for seven of the co-researchers and gain of an additional psi ability for one of the co-researchers. Results additionally indicate non-linear learning through the shadow work process, cultivating and refining skills that may exist as transferrable for enhancing psi capacity. Overall, the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic provided opportunities for the co-researchers to address shadow aspects and triggers. The implication of this research suggests the importance of embodiment practices in promoting holistic health which may play a role in improving energetic reservoirs for psi capacity use. Further research is recommended to focus on the results of shadow self integration in more distilled categories of experience.
This study explored the experience of yoga teachers working in contemporary British yoga culture who have left the Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga tradition, a subject that had not been previously researched. In particular, it looked at how they reinterpreted their roles as transmitters of yoga and how the teaching of yoga is experienced. An alchemical hermeneutic process was used alongside narrative inquiry. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven participants, as well as participant-observation in their yoga classes. Analysis showed that the yoga teachers reinterpreted their roles via a process of empowerment around their choices within practice, which was passed onto their students and experienced as embodied movement. Whilst they continued to interact with Ashtanga Vinyasa to various extents, teaching was experienced as an evolving process which combined various elements, from both yoga and non-yoga sources.
Holistic Transformation (HT) is an original approach to integral development. Published literature describes its theoretical elaborations and applications; however, no empirical research directly addresses the participant experiences on which these are based. A purposive sample of sixteen co-researchers (with a median of 20 years’ HT experience) engaged in interviews and workshops that generated verbal, somatic and artistic data. Heuristic inquiry (Moustakas, 1990) methodology was applied and further developed within a participatory framework that included additional data validation interviews. Six out of ten co-researchers felt that their individual depiction accurately described their experience of HT. The average resonance score among eight co-researchers who participated in the composite depiction validation interview was 8.9. Five main themes emerged: multidimensional ways of knowing; relational changes; a gradual process of self-directed personal growth; linguistic and metaphorical framework; and receptive, open, “feminine” qualities. Investigation results provide experiential insights into the processes, challenges, insights and structures that accompanied and facilitated co-researchers’ integrative development. The research concludes that receptivity and appropriate open structures are central to HT practices, activating multidimensional intelligences that participate in co-creating alternative intrapersonal, interpersonal and transpersonal outcomes and experiences, oriented towards integral health and wellbeing. Limitations and further research are discussed.
Sex is fundamental to being human. Far beyond simply being a means to reproduce, sex in humans contributes to pleasure and intimacy. It is a means of personal expression, interpersonal connection and potentially more. As both a Psychosexual and Transpersonal Therapist, I am interested in that ‘more’ – as are so many of my clients. What is our human sexual potential and why would we want to attain it? This research is a Heuristic Inquiry (Moustakas, 2000) into this topic. How is an optimal sexuality experienced, and how does it transform our sexuality, our relationships and our own sense of self? Six couples joined me as co-researchers on this journey. Initially self-identifying as having this type of sexuality, they shared me with their experience of their sexuality, their journey and their transformations along the way. Through their participation and my own immersion in the heuristic process, I was able to identify many ways in which the co-researchers transformed as individuals and as couples and from that to take a transpersonal approach to postulate why this type of sexuality has these benefits, explaining how their experience of sex is not simply isolated acts separate from the rest of life, but is a joyfully entered into co-creation of experience which elicits a vital Eros energy that permeates life.
Heuristic methodology (Moustakas, 1990) was employed to explore the experiences and identities of women without children in relation to predominant discourses around womanhood and motherhood. The research was conducted in two phases: the researcher engaged in a process of self-search as a prelude to the participation of seven co-researchers, a mix of intentional and involuntarily childless women aged between 50 and 75. Individual depictions were created through a narrational technique of empathic explication, based on data produced from conversational interviews and historical material. A composite depiction was then created, illustrating an archetypal experiential journey unfolding from the position of female materiality and conveying key aspects of experience and processes of identity formation. The research findings reveal that embodied experiences of womanhood from the position of a woman without children demonstrate complex, diverse, and transpersonal experiences that challenge and surpass the boundaries of predominant conceptions of womanhood. In revealing the complexity of ‘choice’ and the plurality of experiences relating to nurturance and creativity, the study’s findings support the development of a feminist participatory perspective in working to deconstruct and reconceptualise essentialist conceptions pertaining to womanhood, and effectively challenge the widespread conflation of ‘woman’ with ‘mother’ in predominant discourses.
Psychedelic plants have been used by humans for healing and transformation for thousands of years, yet beginning in the 1960s a new revolution of such use sprouted outside traditional indigenous use. This study looked into the transformative effects and integration challenges of psychedelic experiences with psilocybin and LSD for the Romanian population. The aim was to determine the long-term transformative effects and challenges individuals might encounter during the integration process. The study employed a sequential mixed method design, where qualitative interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) (with six interview participants) was followed by a quantitative survey (with 39 responses). The qualitative data analysis led to a multi-layered hierarchical model of themes and subordinate themes spanning across a full developmental spectrum from changes in perception of self, emotional transformation, spiritual transformation, interpersonal transformation, and personal, interpersonal, and cultural integration challenges. The survey results made it possible to compare the interview group with a broader national sample, and the sample’s statistical similarity provided extra validity to the smaller sample qualitative thematic findings. The psychedelic experiences inspired long-term transformation and persisting positive effects in the participants. However, the nature and challenges of the integration journey ranged from mild difficulties to more substantial ones, interpersonal and cultural challenges such as communication challenges and absence of a community and oppressive legislation being common. Further in-depth cross-cultural studies on the topic are necessary to confirm cultural differences.
This research project set out to explore the role of love in co-creating a new ‘culture of care’ in the face of environmental disintegration. In this study, the researcher draws on her own direct experience of the purest love, which triggered an increase in self-understanding at a deeper level and gradually at a much larger eco-systemic context. This study also sought to contribute to the lack of current practical literature within climate adaptation activities, majority of which focuses on physical adaptation (Bendell, 2018). Dealing with these issues, however, also requires coming to terms with psychological, emotional and spiritual realities of the unfolding impact of climate emergency. Using Diamond Approach description of non-dual dimension which reveals the nature of reality as unconditional love, six co-researchers as well as a deep reflection of my own journey, this research project explored the deeper meaning of love, its value in our journey towards sustainable living, as well as identifying ways of honouring it in our daily lives which may assist us in navigating increasingly tumultuous times. My learning process during the research and writing of this thesis was observed in the context of the topic and is demonstrated following heuristic inquiry which allowed for direct involvement in considering our capacity to sustain life through the work of love.
This research aims to explore the lived experience of the power animal (PA) during a shamanic journey of experienced occidental non-shamans with sonic driving (drumming), as taught by the foundation for shamanic studies (FSS) and to explore what might be the benefits of this experience. The experience of the PA has been understudied, however it is the most common experience in shamanism. The literature has not sufficiently addressed the benefits of the experience of the PA and has focused more on other aspect of core-shamanism or shamanism as a whole. This study aimed to fill this literature gap. Using a transcendental phenomenological approach, six participants were interviewed and asked about the nature of the experience of the PA, how they integrated it in their life and how they benefited from it. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and coded in order to do a thematic analysis. Themes were used to create textural and structural descriptions for each participant. Those descriptions were then combined to find the essence of the experience. It seems that experiencing the PA can bring a wide array of benefits. Participants received healing, emotional support, positive change in behaviours, a deeper meaning of life, a stronger connection to nature, guidance, well-being, help for making choices, teachings, and enhanced relation to people. This is exploratory research and further research is needed to explore this experience especially in relation to the benefits and how those benefits could have a more powerful impact in therapeutic contexts to support integration of the experience of the PA.
Using an auto-ethnographic methodology and with the intention of analysing the relationship between psychosis, mysticism, and environment, this dissertation gathers the stories from three persons (including the author) that have lived in the threshold between psychosis, mysticism, and conventional reality. Throughout the analysis, the dissertation recognizes the important effect that the sociocultural constructs that contextualize each person have in determining a diagnosis of their experience as psychotic or as mystic; and the power of this diagnosis in determining the amount of distress and social adjustment of each case. After summarizing the main approaches coming from transpersonal psychology, which expands the conventional psychiatric paradigm into including some aspects of spirituality, the dissertation addresses issues found in the great majority of the transpersonal theories which still acknowledge a polarity between psychosis and spirituality. Finally, the author proposes an expansion of the perspective, to include what he calls ‘storm rotation’: a spontaneous self-less aspect of experience within psychosis and mysticism; and what he calls the ‘eye of the storm’: the non-dual aspect. One of the conclusions of the dissertation is that more research produced with people with psychosis as researchers, co-researchers, or advisors, would be helpful and should be supported in order to understand such complex realities.
Burnout is comprehensively researched from a conventional linear perspective. Notwithstanding, the condition is pervasive, and research utilising alternative approaches are sorely lacking. The aim of this study was to go beyond the symptoms and determine the lived experiences and root causes of professionals who have been in burnout, from a transpersonal psychology perspective. Two research questions were formulated. What are the transpersonal characteristics of the embodied experiences of professionals who have had or are in burnout, and are personal meanings derived from burnout experiences? The research approach was phenomenological and employed a qualitative methodology. Interviews were conducted with eight professionals working in a range of industries. Interviews were conducted with a transpersonal focussed semi-structured interview schedule. The interviews were transcribed, and analysed, using theme analysis. Findings of this study revealed three themes which are phases in the process, namely State of Turmoil (manic phase), Dark Night of the Soul (phase of anguish, despair, and breakdown), and Breakthrough (final phase of realisations, integration, and transformation). Experiences of burnout from a transpersonal perspective, produced substantially different findings to the traditional literature. Burnout was described as having had meaning, and an essential life event for the participants’ personal learning and growth. These findings require us to think differently about how we define and treat burnout.
The aim was to examine and understand the experience of self-transformation through artistic and spiritual practice. A heuristic methodology (Moustakas, 1990) was chosen, as a quintessential approach to study this phenomenon. A sample group of three artists and three spiritual practitioners were recruited. The dynamics of the transformative phenomenon was viewed through four stages of progression. They are categorized as Catalyst, Process, Experience and Manifestation. A semi-structured interview protocol was employed for data collection. The four categories were used to generate the interview protocol as well as to understand and analyze the data. The results affirmed that artistic and spiritual practices facilitate self-transformation. Expansiveness, Openness, Empathy, Heightened Awareness and Acceptance were articulated by the participants as core aspects of the experience of self -transformation.
Aphantasia is the inability to see mental images in the mind’s eye (Zemen, 2015). Studied previously from a neuroscientific perspective, this study explores the living experience of aphantasia through a transpersonal lens, using a heuristic methodological approach. Seven co-researchers, all with aphantasia, are asked how spiritual practices that use visual mental sense are experienced by those without mental imagery and how involuntary mental imagery in dreams is experienced. The study showed whilst visual practices were experienced differently, they nonetheless worked, with accompanying validation to the extent whereby the practice was used regularly. Alternative mental senses, such as auditory, haptic and kinaesthetic often replaced visual experiences. A feeling of being able to see vividly in some other way was universally reported. Dreams were sometimes kinaesthetic and mostly visual, although less overwhelming or intense than they felt those with mental imagery described their dreams to be. Some felt there was a purpose of protection against too intense an experience behind aphantasia, possibly originating from an early life or past life experience, or a transgenerational trauma experience from previous generations. The study offers insight to practitioners of spiritual practices and therapies which use visual imagery, lending valuable knowledge on how to make their practices accessible to those without mental imagery.
The remarkable interest in tattoos over the past four decades led me to my research question “Are Tattoos Symbols of Transformation?” I consider the historical literature on tattoos to understand their origins in today’s context. Examining the process of tattoo as a rite of passage, I explore the possibilities of tattooing as a transformative symbol between the mundane and transpersonal realms of existence. Examining both current and historical literature generated an understanding of indigenous knowledge and why its revival is important in today’s world. Inspired by the excitement and enthusiasm of my research participants to talk about their tattoo experiences, I embarked on an Intuitive Inquiry (Anderson,1998,2004) into the essence of this phenomenon. Ten participants, selected intuitively, shared their life stories with me in the context of their tattoo experiences. My participant sample were selected on the basis of diversity from a race, age and gender perspective. My participants from indigenous backgrounds shed light on the connection between tattooing today and in its conception, which was invaluable. Through analysing the in-depth interviews over a six month period, with the help of Thematic Content Analysis(Anderson,2007) revealed the prospect of transformative states through the portal of pain comparable, to peak experiences and mystical states. This facilitated the possibility of an alteration of perception, applicable to daily worldview. My participants revealed how transformative and healing the tattoo process was for them.
Research suggests that awakening experiences have certain specific characteristics and can elicit long term transformative effects. The current era of psychedelic renaissance is attesting to psychedelic’s potential to induce awakening or mystical experiences. This study researched the phenomenology of psychedelic induced awakening experiences and how they compare to awakening experiences, triggered by other means. Awakening experiences were explored through retrospective reports of eight participants. An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) method was employed, to extract the key characteristics of the reported experiences through participants’ descriptions and engage with their reflections on the significance of these experiences (Smith, Flowers & Larkin, 2009). Three superordinate themes were derived through the analysis: awakening type of characteristics, other phenomenological characteristics, and transformative effects, all with several subordinate themes. The study findings showed that many characteristics of psychedelic induced awakening experiences, in terms of phenomenology and transformative effects, are highly comparable to the characteristics of awakening or mystical experiences in general. Psychedelic induced awakening experiences were also found to have additional phenomenological characteristics, not usually akin to awakening experiences. Limitations of the study were discussed, and further research options explored.
Buddhists, psychologists and transpersonal psychotherapists have considered compassion. However, there is nothing in the literature that examines the embodied sense of compassion from a psychotherapeutic stance. To fill that gap, this research study, which employs both intellect and intuition, explores whether it is possible to embody compassion as a state of being – a level of consciousness where compassion is embodied. Using the intuitive inquiry methodology, semi-structured interviews were conducted with four purposely sampled counsellors or psychotherapists. The research question was “What is it like to experience a compassionate state of being – physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually?” The interviews were analysed using thematic content analysis as outlined by Anderson (2008). The major categories were: ego development, transpersonal consciousness, increased intuition, and relational connection. The results indicated that a compassionate state of being occurs at a transpersonal level of consciousness, occupying a relational position of “I-I”, “I-We”. The ego traverses through different developmental stages: “I-It”, “I-You” to “I-I”, “I-We”. The research also showed that each participant experienced a profound shift in his or her level of connection with the other, yet remained separate. However, each participant’s individual experience of embodying a sense of compassion was unique and personal – physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. These results stimulate future research into an understanding of whether entering a compassionate state of being could help psychotherapists to reduce, or even avoid, experiencing vicarious trauma, burnout or compassion fatigue when working from a compassionate state of being?
This study aimed to explore and unravel the experience of spending time in nature after a close bereavement through utilising the qualitative, transpersonal methodology, Heuristic Inquiry. Motivated by my own compelling and powerful experiences of being with grief in nature (BGN) I surveyed the literature and found no academic studies on this topic, though first-person accounts of the experience emerge regularly in memoirs. Eight co-researchers from the UK, with diverse worldviews regarding consciousness in the natural world and after death, were invited to share their experiences of BGN through semi-structured interviews, creative expression, and ongoing personal inquiry. The results indicate that BGN facilitates insights and states of being that are beneficial in times of grief, such as connecting to the transpersonal through nature, inquiry and wonder, appreciation of beauty, presence, and acceptance. BGN also facilitated meaning-making from the loss and a continuation of bonds with the deceased, which according to current literature encourage adaptive outcomes (Neimeyer et al., 2010; Klass et al., 1996;). However, darker aspects of the topic were also illuminated where the energetic quality of certain landscapes, weather, and the loss of biodiversity in the natural world occasionally resulted in a deepened sense of loss. Through the analytic lens of eco-orientated participatory theory, I conclude that due to the emotional openness and vulnerability occurring through the grief process, BGN enables a more intense sensory and participatory experience in nature. Implications are that BGN should be considered as an approach to grieving that can benefit the individual as well as deepen human-earth relations, justifying further research into the topic including exploration of sensitively held therapeutic applications.
Burnout is defined as a syndrome of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and reduced personal accomplishment (Maslach et al., 1986). With burnout becoming increasingly prevalent within policing, this study aims to provide a greater understanding of the condition by exploring the lived experience of burnout for British officers. Whilst research into police burnout has been well documented, the quantitative measures frequently adopted provided little scope to explore the deeper and more personal aspects of the syndrome. Utilising a qualitative approach, this study derived data from five participants using semi-structured interviews and an interpretative phenomenological methodology for analysis. Six categories of themes emerged: 1.Perceived causes, 2.Personal impact factors, 3.Experiencing burnout, 4.Changed feelings and behaviour, 5.The underlying meaning, and 6.What was the learning? Participants perceive working conditions and environment as the main cause for their burnout. They also describe other aspects of experience which have contributed towards their long-term suffering and subsequent health issues. The relationship between police burnout and spiritual crisis is discussed, an area rarely explored and provides rich material for those focussed on burnout research. It is hoped that this study will help inform work-based solutions and provide a platform for future investigation.
The aim of this study is to explore how a teacher’s inner process work/ innate qualities can support creativity for a transformative online learning experience during an adverse situation, such as Covid 19, a global pandemic which emerged at the end of 2019. Many teachers were forced to quickly pivot to online teaching, prompting me to engage in heuristic inquiry, a qualitative research method, to explore the subjective living experiences of these teachers, including my own. Taking all ethical aspects into consideration, I carried out semi structured interviews with eight teacher “co-researchers”. Analysis of interviews uncovered themes and the results are presented through individual depictions, a composite depiction and a creative synthesis. The discussion looks at the findings in the data in relation to relevant literature and through a transpersonal lens. Finally, the limitations of the study are explored and ideas for future research identified. Key findings in the data would suggest that it is the quality of the teacher-student relationship, emanating from teacher presence, which could potentially overcome the challenges of pivoting to online teaching and create possibilities in the future for transformative learning.
This essay studies a phenomenon called ‘awakening experience’ (AE) (Taylor, 2017), which displays characteristics of expanded and intensified perception, using a humanistic qualitative approach called heuristic inquiry (Moustakas, 1990). The aim was to study the phenomenology of Chinese individuals who reported having had such experiences. Purposive sampling was used to find a group of individuals who were born and lived in China until adulthood, and who felt that they had undergone such experiences, as defined by Taylor (2017). Seven participants were recruited through Chinese social media, except one, who was an acquaintance of the author. The participants were interviewed using a semi-structured format. The transcripts were coded, and an individual depiction was created for each participant. A composite depiction with 15 main themes across the participants was then elicited, and a creative synthesis was generated to illuminate the essence of the collective experience of all participants, as well as featuring the experiences of the researcher. Most of the findings resonate with previous studies and support previous findings that AE shares similar features regardless of cultural or spiritual background and is more a ‘spiritual opening’ with both psychological benefits and disturbances rather than being an equivalent to the popular notion of ‘enlightenment’ – a state of continuous peace and contentment (Tolle, 2001).
Normal adult identity formation and individuation has been well documented in psychological and world spiritual literature. Identity and individuation differ for twins because of their physiological and psychological connection with each other. Although literature has to some extent explored twin identity at prepersonal and personal stages of ego development, little research literature exists which looks to unravel transpersonal phases of twins’ individuation. With a focus on transpersonal development, this research used intuitive inquiry to investigate “How adult twins experience and view their identity.” Individual twins (monozygotic and dizygotic) were interviewed to understand their experience of their own identity development. The researcher’s own experience of twin identity was reported through embodied writing and poetry. Results allowed for the formation of an emerging model of Twin Identity Development, which outlined a possible trajectory for twin identity development, introducing the transpersonal as a connecting thread between the prepersonal and personal twin identity. Participant perspectives on identity development indicated the possibility for twins to embrace both an individual and a joint identity and in some cases, transcend both. Embracing all aspects of both identities created a sense of wholeness for twins. Further investigation into different twin identities and parenting of twins could validate the research.
Evidence is mounting that microdosing could have beneficial effects in the areas of treatment-resistant depression, addiction, PTSD, anxiety disorders, and creativity. However, no literature has addressed the lived experience of psilocybin microdosing. This study used transcendental phenomenology to explore the experiences shared between individuals who microdose psilocybin mushrooms. The study included a sample of 12 participants (five males, five females) aged between 24 and 38. All participants were Caucasian consisting of five from the UK, four from the US, one Italian (residing in Tel Aviv) one Swede (residing in the UK) and one Australian (residing in Mexico). The interviews were conducted via zoom, and transcribed interviews were analysed using the phenomenological method outlined by Moustakas (1994). There were seven central themes: 1) Microdosing meant different doses to different individuals, the effects differed between participants and differing protocols 2) Changes in mental health were experienced by participants in both positive and negative ways 3) A feeling of connection to self, nature or something ‘bigger’ was felt by some participants in varying degrees 4) Some participants felt an increase in productivity 5) An increased state of wellbeing was shared by some individuals 6) Some individuals felt that they could navigate problems more effectively 7) Participants with a musical background experienced an increase in their levels of creativity. By providing support for the use of psilocybin microdosing, the findings are valuable in the growing field of psychedelic research and the possibility that the practice could be used in clinical settings in the future.
This study aims to analyse and distinguish the healing and transformative potential of lucid dreaming for overcoming depression. It applied Smith and Osborn’s (2007) interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) as a qualitative research method. IPA is a particularly useful methodology for examining complex accounts of an individual’s personal perceptions and complex topics which are emotionally laden. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 12 participants, all of whom have a high frequency of lucid dreams. Data analysis was conducted on six of the twelve participants and a table of relevant and overlapping themes and connections between cases was constructed. The superordinate themes identified were self-exploration; creativity; empowerment; & spiritual and transpersonal. Overall, findings suggest that lucid dreaming is a powerful transpersonal modality which fosters healing, transformation, and the potential to mitigate depression.
Today a woman’s cycle and psyche are fragmented between two opposing poles of her functioning: ovulation and menstruation. One is deemed ‘evil’ by centuries of patriarchal societies. This disconnection can be addressed by rebuilding a relationship with the entirety of their menstrual cycle and the feminine. According to relational models of women’s psychology, this allows women to develop and function in harmony with natural rhythms of their inner and outer worlds. This study explored the experience of menstruation for women practicing menstrual blood rituals of communion with Earth, bringing them into relationship with menstruation and the feminine. The current research used an interpretative phenomenological analysis methodology and employed three participants who performed menstrual rituals for three consecutive menstruations. Data was acquired through semi-structured in-depth interviews. The data analysis resulted in four themes: negative beliefs; relationship with menstrual cycle; transpersonal correlations of menstrual cycle; and connection with the feminine. This study contributes and supports current literature concerned with qualitative research of women’s experience of menstruation. It highlights: gender specific psychological models; the possibility for women to function harmoniously honouring their natural rhythms; and the capacity of ritual to bring women into relationship with menstruation and lead them to transpersonal unitive experiences.
An Out of Body Experience (OBE) is when an individual reports experiencing the world from a location outside of their physical body. They occur in at least 10% of the population, yet only a minority of research explores the effects outside of the pathological clinical setting. This study is an interpretive phenomenological analysis of the experiences of eight ‘healthy’ participants whom have undergone one or more spontaneous OBE’s. Semi- structured interviews were used. The analysis of transcripts resulted in the emergence of eight themes: 1) catalyst; 2) decreased fear of death; 3) increased inner peace; 4) new life view; 5) greater self awareness; 6) sense of individuality; 7) re-evaluated relationships 8) affirmed or novel spiritual beliefs. The findings revealed significant changes related to the transformation of self-identity, spiritual beliefs and life view. These suggest that the phenomena could be an Exceptional Human Experience (EHE) with potential benefits to the experiencer. Correlations between OBEs and awakening experiences, had similar effects to Near Death Experiences (NDEs). Whilst tighter boundaries around participant selection could be administered, the data acquired can be drawn upon within clinical and therapeutic settings. Further research is proposed around the depth and type of transformation to measure specific and longitudinal change.
Psychedelics are psychoactive agents that alter perception and affect numerous cognitive processes. Their use dates back to human pre-history, and after thousands of years of ritualistic use in different ages and cultures around the world, there is currently a resurgence in research exploring their effects. Psychedelic integration is the process by which different parts of a psychedelic experience are integrated into a coherent narrative, so that the lessons and insights gained during the experience could be assimilated into the day to day life of the person. Psychedelic “meta-integration”, refers to the process by which people integrate the total sum of their psychedelic experiences into their personality, relationships and practice. Using a phenomenological approach and semi-structured protocols, eight interviews were conducted with psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, clinical social workers and psychotherapists, having significant first-person experience with psychedelics, with the intention to shed light on the psychological and spiritual aspects of psychedelic meta-integration, on the nature and nuances of their experience throughout the process, on the different practices that are involved and on the different ways with which these Western mental health professionals are implementing their psychedelic insights into their daily life and clinical work. Data analysis gave rise to a multi-layered model that encompasses core aspects of human life, including interpersonal and emotional development, relationship with death and with nature, love, meaning and spirituality, together with aspects that relate to the therapeutic work of Western mental health professionals. In addition, a list of practices that could potentially support the assimilation of psychedelic insights and experiences into daily life was produced, thus offering a possible framework for the integration process of multiple psychedelic experiences.
The research investigated the experiences of self-healing and personal transformation within Reiki Practitioners who channel Reiki to heal themselves or others. The research explored this topic within Reiki Practitioners who are situated outside of the nursing literature. The methodology of intuitive inquiry was used and eight participants as well as the researcher’s experiences were analysed using Thematic Content Analysis. Eight themes were formed and included: Opening the Door, Shifting Beliefs, Lifestyle Changes, Healing Crisis, Moving Past Doubts, Spiritual Connection and Self-Empowerment. Two of the participant’s narratives were shared in depth, in addition to a compound narrative which included the other participants’ experiences – including my own. My findings show that the Reiki practitioners experienced transformation on a mental, emotional, physical and spiritual level. Many of the participants experienced mental and emotional struggles which they learnt to interpret as meaningful and integrate into their lives. Many of the participants learnt to shift their beliefs and make lifestyle changes which led to greater self- empowerment. The Reiki practitioners’ journeys of healing and transformation were found to correlate with stages of development within Transpersonal models of psycho-spiritual development. An attempt was made to map out the Reiki Practitioner’s experiences alongside these models of development.
This study looks to examine transformation, as experienced through initiation as an African traditional healer, or sangoma, from an emic perspective. In doing so, it applies autoethnography as its methodology to extract and explicate the key elements of transformational process together with their implications for transpersonal psychology. Autoethnography as a method provides the opportunity to embed rich first-person descriptions of the transformation based upon memory data and other key data artefacts. The study also makes the use of interviews to correlate and further investigate the topic of my own transformation, drawing from key individuals present throughout the period of transformation. In tracing the arc of my own lived experience as a subject, this study focuses on the structure of the experience, ritual elements, and lived implications as well as discussing who exactly is involved in transformation, how transformation takes place, and a resulting proposal for defining transformation within transpersonal psychology.
This study explored the creation and use of a Creative/therapeutic dance (CTD) practice called Mindful Movement as a practice to manage and improve wellbeing of women. CTD has traditionally attracted a more spiritually aware client group and the researcher wanted to introduce the modality into a community setting to women who were new to CTD. The aim of this project is to determine the essential elements of a CTD program that would be both appealing to and serve the needs of beginners/general community members; and secondly, to explore the experience and impacts of a CTD program on a beginner audience. The Mindful Movement program was a four week movement and meditation program initially designed by the researcher based on an existing U.S. based CTD program called The Morning Sojourn. The study used a participatory action research approach based on the work of Kemmis and McTaggart (1988), and Grundy (1982, 1986) to collaborate with participants to modify the Mindful Movement program to suit their needs over the course of the four weeks. The researcher then utilised the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach based on the work of Larkin and Thompson (2012), and Pietkiewicz and Smith (2012) to explore the lived experience of those participants via participant interviews after the completion of the program, to endeavour to understand the key themes and impacts of the program, and to determine whether the program has indeed improved the wellbeing of participants. Results indicated that all participants came into the program reporting high levels of stress in their lives. All participants reported that the program itself had been a positive experience. Results showed that the participants were divided between those who enjoyed dancing freely and those who preferred direction and guidance. Those who were comfortable dancing freely described experiences of losing themselves in the music similar to the flow state, as described by Csikszentmihalyi. Participants also described being able to focus in meditation or improve their quality of meditation after the movement practice. The key limitation of this study was a potential responder bias as the researcher was also the facilitator of the Mindful Movement program. Future research links identified included a potential link between anxiety and the ability to enter the flow state, and whether pre-participating in a movement/dance practice is associated with an ability to meditate more effectively.
Surrogate EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) is a distance healing energy psychology technique which involves an individual tapping on their acupressure points for the benefit of another. Whilst cases of surrogate EFT have been documented, not much is known about practitioner experiences. This study is a phenomenological enquiry into how EFT practitioners conduct surrogate EFT, with the aim being to elicit lived experiences as well as protocols being used. The research method employed was an interpretative phenomenological analysis, in which six participants were interviewed using a semi-structed interview approach. Interview transcripts were carefully analysed, resulting in the emergence of seven themes: 1) protocols; 2) connection; 3) physical experiences; 4) practitioner skills; 5) permission; 6) practitioner beliefs and 7) contraindications. The findings suggest that conducting surrogate EFT is a multi-faceted procedure, going far beyond just a step-by-step protocol. The findings have revealed a transpersonal aspect, with many of the lived experiences described being similar to those experienced by spiritual mediums. Whilst further consideration still needs to be given to the ethical framework and practitioner safety, the insight provided by both the lived experiences and the specific protocols used, provide the foundation for developing a standardised protocol for further systematic studies.
This research explored the phenomenon of nature as healer through the lived experience of wild swimmers at Kenwood Ladies’ Pond on Hampstead Heath (abbreviated as the Ladies’ Pond). Five semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore the experience of women who swim regularly at Kenwood Ladies’ Pond on Hampstead Heath. Five key themes emerged from the data analysis. These were: first, nature through wild swimming, second, perception of the place through wild swimming, third, the physical and psychological benefits of wild swimming, fourth, descriptive feeling benefits through wild swimming and fifth, healing through wild swimming. These themes were explored in relation to relevant literature. From this a textural description was written to describe the essence of experiences through wild swimming, along with identifying limitations in the research and further considerations.
This study examines the potential of an evidence-based strategy for using Facebook to improve subjective well-being. Using Seligman’s five-factor PERMA model of well-being as a guide, four categories of Facebook configuration and behavioral changes were identified (Facebook Time, Alerts & Notifications, Content and Engagement – F.A.C.E.) which were anticipated to touch on each of the five well-being factors under PERMA, forming the basis of a Facebook Strategy for Well-Being (FSW). Five participants utilized the FSW over two 7-day phases of the study. Using a mixed methods approach. Self-reports of qualitative and quantitative measures of subjective well-being, along with overall sentiments around Facebook use and content, were evaluated. The major themes which emerged following the FSW were a sense of feeling “empowered” and experiencing more “preferred content” on the Facebook News Feed. Positive sentiments in each F.A.C.E category increased as well as overall Facebook experience, following the FSW. Quantitative measures of SWB obtained with the PERMA-Profiler found that 9 out of 10 before/after measures of SWB either increased or remained stable following the FSW. These findings support previous research showing a link between how one uses Facebook can positively impact mental health and well-being. These findings also demonstrate that a comprehensive, evidence-based yet easy-to-follow strategy can be deployed by Facebook users with minimal technical skills that produces immediate and positive changes in their experience potentially increasing subjective well-being. Limitations to the study are discussed, along with suggestions for future social-media research and the role of psychology in Positive Computing.
This research project studied the dynamics and occasionality behind unusual and altered states of consciousness experienced by counsellors and psychotherapists whilst conducting therapy. Of the six counsellors took part in this study, all were female, three were fully qualified, whilst three were student practitioners nearing the end of their diplomas at the time of interview. Each of the six co-researchers had encountered an unforgettable event during a therapeutic encounter in which distortions of time and diminishment of sensory detail arose. The aim of this project was to employ a qualitative research platform in which the experiences of the participants could be introduced to an interpretive phenomenological analysis in order to explicate a deeper understanding of such unusual occurrences. The findings of this report lend support to the currently held views within humanistic and transpersonal fields that the profoundly connective encounters of therapists whilst conducting therapy are greatly beneficial to psychological health. This investigation found that the willingness to be open to the presence, and essence, of another, on both sides of the therapeutic dyad, contributed to the arising of intense, powerful and profound experiences in the therapist. In all cases, the unusual events and altered states led to the deepening of the healing potential within the therapy whilst simultaneously providing developmental propulsion for each practitioner.
This study explores the emerging field of earth connection with the transpersonal research methodology, Intuitive Inquiry. 10 white Western women aged between 36 and 64 were interviewed and Thematic Content Analysis, conducted using QSR International’s NVivo 11 Qualitative Data Analysis Software, was used to identify the emerging themes within the data and to create descriptive summaries. The research finds that connecting to the earth may help us (a) process difficult emotions and experience more positive ones; (b) stay present and deal with life more effectively; (c) feel in control of changes in our lives; (d) realise that we need to give back to the earth for what it provides for us; (e) expand our sense of self to include a sense of a divine cycle of life and; (f) feel part of the earth as we develop a clearer sense of who we are on an individual level. These findings, and others that suggest a conscious process of connecting with the earth, are discussed in light of the current research on nature connectedness and transpersonal psychology.
This study aims to learn more about the lived experience of conscious uncoupling, and the role of compassion within that experience. The transpersonal research approach, Organic Inquiry, was chosen to explore the stories of seven women and one man (including the researcher), who self-assessed their break-up experience as fitting the definition of conscious uncoupling. While there is literature on forgiveness and divorce, current literature specific to compassion in divorce is limited to one study on the benefits of self-compassion and divorce. No literature was found on compassion and divorce. Results confirm that despite the dearth of literature on the subject, compassion and self-compassion are integral to conscious uncoupling. Results indicate the importance of spirituality in conscious uncoupling as a conduit to wider transformation. Practicing self-compassion is seen as more important than compassion, but it is also hard to practice. Compassion for others and compassion for self go hand-in-hand, but achieving the balance is complex. No clear answers on how to achieve that balance emerged. Further research into the dual practice of compassion and self-compassion in divorce is recommended and would benefit from the inclusion of measured studies on the effects of dual compassion training courses in divorcing couples. It is suggested that the term mindful uncoupling is a much clearer term than conscious uncoupling.
This study explored the transformative potential of Nia as experienced by six advanced Nia instructors. Participants were brown or black belt instructors with on-going Nia practices, who had necessarily experienced transformation as defined in this study. The transpersonal context of this study defined transformation as a change that brings about a long-lasting state, including a fundamental shift in perspective and attention. This shift in perception includes the way in which one sees oneself and the world, and consequently impacts one’s relationships and values in a lasting way (Schlitz, Vieten & Amorok, 2007). Whilst many studies have explored the transformative potential of various movement practices, there exist very few Nia-specific studies, none of which explore transformation as defined by this study. Interpretative phenomenological analysis (Smith, Flowers & Larkin, 2009) was used, due to my experience of transformation through various movement practices and an interest in the transformative potential of Nia specifically, as well as the idiographic nature of transformation as defined in this study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted online, as the participants were in various locations around the world. Thematic analysis was conducted in order to derive overarching themes that were applicable across cases. Eight overarching themes included valuing the body as the most important relationship, self-regulation through the practice of Nia, healthier relationships, transformation through embodied principles, Nia as a sacred livelihood, disciplined practice as key to on-going transformation, healing the world through Nia, and increased spiritual connection to the universe. Factors that facilitated the experienced transformation included having a disciplined, on-going practice of Nia, practicing Nia within a community, and creating a sacred livelihood. The findings have potential implications for those with an advanced Nia practice, the greater Nia community, as well as those interested in transformation through movement practices. Limitations of this study are discussed and further research options, including Nia-specific studies and studies exploring transformation through other movement practices, are explored.
The present study aimed to explore the lived experience and transformative potential of 5 Rhythms dancing meditation practice developed by Roth (1998). It applied Anderson`s (1998) research method of Intuitive Inquiry to draw on both intellect and intuition. Research progressed through 5 hermeneutical cycles to provide full transparency of how the original understandings of the researcher have transformed in the light of new data and how the findings integrate into existing theories and research. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine participants, all of whom are 5 Rhythms dancers. Using Thematic Content Analysis 11 descriptive themes were identified with sub-themes. The dominant themes were connecting and honouring the body; mindful presence and its challenges; connecting to something larger than the self; sense of purpose, meaning, and truth; connecting to all aspects of the self; and creativity and play. Overall, the findings suggested that 5 Rhythms is a powerful practice which fosters an embodied psycho-spiritual healing and transformation, given that certain factors are present including intention, attention, or connection to the body, self and others.
This study is an inquiry into a lived experience of transformation of students in an online postgraduate course of Consciousness, Spirituality and Transpersonal Psychology. The research was carried out using intuitive inquiry (Anderson & Braud, 2011), a reflective process based around five iterative cycles of interpretation, which builds on both intellectual rigour and intuitive ways of knowing. Seven participants were interviewed using a semi-structured interview, five of them also engaged in drawing a mandala symbolically capturing their learning journeys, which further enriched the researcher’s insights. The data were analysed and presented using Moustakas’ (1990) heuristic approach, which aims to understand, describe and explore the meaning of an experience, while personally involving the researcher. The themes presented as a composite depiction were then compared to the researcher’s initial understanding of the topic prior to data collection. Consequently, this process translated itself into an expanded interpretation. It involved two new lenses: the readiness to be transformed and duration of engagement in transformative learning as conditions for a transformative experience to occur on the course. It also involved four refined lenses: the course being experienced as a path to continuous self- transformation, transformative learning being experienced as a process of letting go and letting come as well as generative of shifts in being and doing, and transformative education as a set-up cultivating these shifts in being and doing. The conclusion of the study was three-fold. First, it concluded that there are many transformative elements to be honoured about the course. Second, it also suggested directions in which the course could evolve. Finally, the study became a transformative vehicle in its own accord for both the researcher and the participants.
The study represents an Organic Inquiry into the emotional, psychological, philosophical and spiritual aspects of the lived experience of female solitude. Fifteen women, including the author of the research, participated by sharing their first-person accounts and related experiential perspectives on living alone, being solitary or choosing to spend extended periods of time by themselves. One additional portrayal of solitude experience was introduced via a third person account. In the course of this study, different theories derived from feminist literature, depth and archetypal psychology, transpersonal theory, phenomenology and Jungian analysis were applied to the data. Through the data analysis, the stories of these women, uncovering the inner workings of solitude, revealed how, despite of some intense emotional upheavals, spending time alone developed a mindset of positive autonomy and cultivated dynamic, fertile inner life, expressed and experienced through a reconnection with the inner self; recovering, transforming and/ or solidifying one’s sense of essential selfhood; self-regulation, self-therapy and self- healing; strengthening one’s self-esteem ( and its components: self-acceptance, self-reliance, self-efficacy, self-sufficiency ); improving one’s relational capacities and understanding of others; unveiling and fuelling one’s creativity; expanding one’s spiritual awareness and sense of connection with a larger whole and/or a higher power.
This research explores the relationship between travel and transpersonal or spiritual development; and employs Moustakas’ heuristic enquiry (1990) as a qualitative methodology ideally suited to reveal tacit phenomena to study five participants/co-researchers experience of travel and spiritual growth. Analysis of interviews uncovered themes and the results are presented through individual depictions, an exemplary and composite depiction, and a creative-synthesis. The discussion adds insights from transpersonal psychology and concludes that for those that are open to experience travel can implicitly share similarities with therapy and spiritual practices and that these and the liminal aspect of travel can continue on returning to transform life at home.
This study examines the experience of those who help others to see through the illusion of a separate self. The Buddhist doctrine of anatta is reviewed and its potential for the basis of a ‘third-wave’ cognitive behavioural therapy is explored. The organisation Liberation Unleashed (LU) is introduced and its online method of guides helping seekers to see through the illusion of a separate self is described. Using a qualitative approach the study examines the experiences of six LU guides. The six participants were interviewed and the data was analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Eleven major shared themes were identified: Definition: the illusion of a separate self; Definition: seeing through the illusion; Motivation for helping others; The guiding relationship; Obstacles: background, beliefs, expectations; Obstacles: fear; Obstacles: choice and control; Obstacles: thinking instead of looking; Helpful pointers; The nature of guiding; The experience of seeing. Conclusions supporting the development of an anatta-based model of psychotherapy are: management of the therapeutic alliance and compassion fatigue; working with defence mechanisms and transference dynamics; challenging clients’ beliefs and the risk to mental health; paying attention to spiritual materialism and spiritual bypassing. Limitations to the research are discussed and suggestions for further research are made.
This study is an interpretative phenomenological analysis of eight participants who attended an Anthony Robbins Unleash the Power Within seminar and explores their experiences of transformation. Themes in the participants’ accounts, such as a changed sense of self and developing new skills, were identified and examined using the concepts of conversion, peak experiences, flow and quantum change. The research concludes that these experiences produced significant, valued and enduring changes, and suggests that UPW should be considered a significant transpersonal event. Further research is proposed, especially around the underlying phenomena common to these kinds of experiences, in order to understand their place in the field of personality and behaviour change.
Drawing from the participants and personal experience, I explore the extent to which Martial Arts can be a transformative and spiritual journey. The emergence of new different styles creates a fine line between external and internal martial arts, some of which intertwine with one another. Most internal Martial Arts practice illustrates the body, mind and soul as intimately related with each other and with the cosmos, making the journey seen as a whole. The research project makes use of a heuristic inquiry – a process of internal search developed by Moustakas. In understanding the meaning of Martial Arts practice in others, I arrive at a deeper understanding of my practice and its relationship with my whole experience. Such an understanding, brings to light the intertwined concepts of intention, awareness and attitude as necessary paths in one’s transformative and spiritual journey. These new paths are a significant departure from one’s attachment to limited notions of who one really is, to a realisation of one’s larger nature. The whole heuristic process includes the findings as well as my ambitions, hopes and new visions which will be expressed at the end in a creative thoughtful way.
The aim of this study is to explore the transpersonal in contemplating retirement, as it impacted on a small group of female co-researchers and myself. Needing an approach that would allow for deep self-exploration a heuristic study was chosen. Data was collected from my journal, which contained reflections, poems, song lyrics, music, articles and drawings. Further data was collected from my five co-researchers using dialogue based interviews. All co-researchers were aged between fifty-five and sixty-five and who, like me were actively, or recently, engaged in professional careers, in either psychotherapy or social work. Data was analysed using an adapted form of thematic analysis and two major transpersonal themes emerged: confronting mortality and, seeking authenticity and growth. Findings suggest that we cannot have the second without acknowledging the first and there is clearly a desire to burgeon and a belief that this is possible during this next phase of life. Identified subordinate themes demonstrate how we are managing this dilemma and find a place for ourselves in the future. Findings show an increasing sense of spiritual connection with others and with nature, a desire to remain visible and use our skills and expertise, as well as explore new avenues and rediscover forgotten or latent parts of us, whilst managing the knowledge of mortality. Findings suggest we do this by holding two different concepts of time, seeking meaning and acknowledging the spiritual dimension in our lives. The findings are critically discussed in relation to relevant literature. Finally the limitations of this study are explored and ideas for future research identified.
The purpose of this intuitive inquiry has been to examine the acts of self harm by cutting and the writing and voicing of expressive poetry. Having personal experience of these two areas, I had noticed commonalities within the experience of both. This piece of work was designed to explore the unique features and dynamics inherent in each act and look into any commonalities in experience and effects, as well as the functions they may serve for the individual partaking in these activities. The qualitative method of intuitive inquiry was followed (Anderson, 2011; 2014). As researcher, this approach heavily involved myself, as I immersed myself within the research process. I felt the strong need to talk to and involve other people in the research to gain furtherinsights and perspectives. Twenty three participants were recruited (completed and returned questionnaires) in total, fifteen who self harmed and eight who wrote poetry at times of unmanageable emotions. Their experiences, stories and insights provided a richness of material and an external anchor for me. I feel there is an inherent fear and lack of insight into self harm, and also fear surrounding writing. I felt the need to give these individuals a voice. Parallels between self harming and writing during times of overwhelming emotion have been observed, as has the importance of the point at which the two activities have been seen to part company. The processing stage, where healing becomes possible.
The aim of this study was to investigate how interconnectedness can foster creativity and intuition in the workplace. A combination of two qualitative research methods was used: intuitive inquiry (Anderson, 2011) and heuristic research (Moustakas, 1990). Six participants were interviewed using a semi-structured interview protocol. Using the heuristic method, an immersion and incubation process was used to produce individual portraits of the participants’ experiences. A number of factors were found to contribute to interconnectedness fostering creativity and intuition. These were learning /self-development, a sense of purpose, caring and kindness, trust, motivation, confidence, passion, and listening skills. The data indicated that in addition to interconnectedness fostering creativity and intuition, creativity can foster interconnectedness and intuition can foster creativity. Interconnectedness could potentially affect factors such as stress in the workplace, health and wellbeing, and corporate culture and this warrants further investigation.
This dissertation documents research in “peripheral awareness”, the phenomena thereof and its effects in terms of stress resilience, burnout prevention and psychological health. Peripheral awareness is a particular mode of perception with an accompanying physiological state that is claimed to promote wholesome virtues. This broad, multi-positional and inclusive perception can be established through various means, depending on individual sensory mode preferences and the context in which it is applied. A mixed methods approach was used in this study in order to investigate the effectiveness of peripheral awareness in regard to stress and burnout. The qualitative aspect of this research, involving Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), was of most prevalence. It was utilized to explore the phenomenology associated with peripheral awareness. The methodology also included a quantitative method that involved measuring the participants´ level of burnout before a 24 day intervention and then compared this with their burnout levels after the intervention. A preliminary result of this research indicates that peripheral awareness can be compared to mindfulness, as well as to what some scholars have referred to as bodyfulness (Ferrer, 2008 & Caldwell, 2014). The overall outcome of this research suggests that peripheral awareness may be a useful approach to enhance mindfulness and improve well-being, while helping one to deal with stress resourcefully, which in turn may help to prevent and treat burnout. This conclusion is supported by the literature that is referred to in this report, covering how distress and the onset of burnout may be associated with tunnel awareness (which peripheral awareness was found to counteract). Five distinct areas of future researches concerning peripheral awareness are proposed.
This study, examines different kinds of loss that can lead to individual experiences of change, which could be termed transpersonal. A qualitative method of heuristic inquiry (Moustakas, 1990) was chosen to explore the nature of this phenomenon. The main focus of this study is to look at specific loss in the everyday, such as loss of job, community, partner or country. The participants taking part in this research project, found that friendship, camaraderie, humour, and a relationship to the environment, played a part in connecting to their inner spirituality. In acknowledging this connection, there becomes a recognition that loss and grief, is not only a pathology to be healed, but has the potential to be a gateway for inner development. This study revealed that change did happen to all participants, and influenced how they saw the world, after directly participating in their loss. Where attention was paid to the somatic senses, a doorway opened for deeply held emotions to be healed. This suggests, that there is indeed movement from loss to a greater awareness of self, no matter how small a step. I put forward the notion, that the transpersonal face of loss within this study can be seen, to be held within this small step.
Recent statistics have shown that stress is having a hugely negative impact upon the psychological health and retention of teachers within the current educational system. Despite this however, teacher training does not currently involve any form of psychological preparation to help teachers cope with the demands of the nation’s most stressful occupation. With this in mind an 8-week MBSR programme was delivered to a group of nine teachers at The Sixth Form College Birkenhead, with participants being assessed at pre, mid and post-intervention as well as at three month follow up in terms of their self-reported stress, depression and anxiety levels, emotional regulation, mindfulness and overall attention. Findings showed significant reductions in both immediate and sustained levels of anxiety, as well as significant improvements in both immediate and sustained levels of mindfulness, and emotional regulation, in comparison to a wait-list control group of nine teachers who did not receive the intervention. Although no significance was found for any of the other assessed quantitative measures in the study, small incremental effects could still be observed at each of the four time intervals for some measures in the intervention compared to the control group, therefore suggesting that MBSR may be one intervention modality that has the potential for systematic implementation as part of teachers professional development so as to provide them with the psychological preparation and training to manage the pressures that their day to day job as educators requires of them.
Acting involves complex psychological processes. Performing artists often connect with varying degrees to the characters they portray, and the relationship between actor and character can be transformative and lasting. The dynamics involved in processes of identification and disidentification for actors have not been widely researched and documented, and begs further inquiry for both for the actor’s understanding as well as those who work with actors. Intrigued by processes of identification and disidentification, I set out to map these processes. By referencing existing literature from influential theatre figures such as Stanislavsky and Grotowski, and psychological literature that looks at identity aspects in performing artists, I was able to compare these views with the data I collected from a group of performing artists. By making use of Grounded Theory (Corbin & Strauss, 1990), I analysed the data. The first and second round of interviews saw students from the Tshwane University of Technology Drama Department engage with various questions to get to the underlying issues of identification and disidentification. Transpersonal exercises were also introduced to map these experiences against the academic literature, and a third round of interviews was introduced, seeking to clarify concepts from the initial analysis. It appears there are distinct processes of identification of the self-concept that take place in performing artists, especially in instances where they are required to deliver emotional challenging characters or performances. These experiences can be recognised by their transformational and lasting effect on the actor. Aspects of identification were observed primarily in four areas: identification of the actor with the character; identification of the actor with the audience; identification of the actor with the ensemble; and finally identification of the actor with the superconscious. These areas can also overlap or sometimes take place simultaneously. For the purpose of this study processes of identification and disidentification were mapped and evaluated against how they impact the actor’s ability to deliver a compelling and authentic performance.
