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Social and Behavioral Sciences

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

2015

Transpersonal

Articles 1 - 5 of 5

Full-Text Articles in Arts and Humanities

Further Developing Transpersonal Psychology As A Science: Building And Testing Middle-Range Transpersonal Theories, Harris L. Friedman Jan 2015

Further Developing Transpersonal Psychology As A Science: Building And Testing Middle-Range Transpersonal Theories, Harris L. Friedman

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

Further developing transpersonal psychology as a science has been impeded by the over emphasis on two approaches to building theory, namely grand theories that attempt to explain everything and mini-theories that avoid explaining much of anything. In between these extremes are “middle-range” transpersonal psychology theories that can better allow for scientific progress. They bracket metaphysical and supernatural approaches common in transpersonal grand theories, and accept the possible generalizability of findings commonly rejected by transpersonal mini-theories. The transpersonal construct of self-expansiveness illustrates one way that middle-range transpersonal theories can lead to a program of cumulative empirical research and empirically informed practices. …


Transpersonal Art—Does It Bite?, Judy Schavrien Jan 2015

Transpersonal Art—Does It Bite?, Judy Schavrien

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

This article addresses the question of whether or not political perspective and content enrich transpersonal art and studies. The artist’s argument for making the range of the transpersonal inclusive, not just transcendent but also immanent, employs examples from her art as well as descriptions of her process. She sets the discussion in three contexts: that of art criticism, contemporary and traditional; that of art production; and that of the field of transpersonal studies. In regard to the latter, she both defines and examines the role of spiritual bypass, and argues the importance of resisting the temptation to take refuge in …


Transpersonal Space/Time Through The Arts, Lisa Herman Jan 2015

Transpersonal Space/Time Through The Arts, Lisa Herman

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

As transpersonal researchers and practitioners work to articulate the meaning of transpersonal individually and collectively, I suggest conceptualizing transpersonal space/time as real in a physically felt sense. This embodied knowing is best practiced and expressed through the arts. The premise is situated within a larger field using the term liminal as a parallel meaning construct for transpersonal I present my own work referencing a range of disciplines where scholars and practitioners using the terms liminal, transpersonal and others, artfully express their understanding of extra-ordinary experience. A personal example through creative writing is offered demonstrating the way my body/mind inquiring into …


Mystical Poetry And Imagination: Inspiring Transpersonal Awareness Of Spiritual Freedom, Dorit Netzer Jan 2015

Mystical Poetry And Imagination: Inspiring Transpersonal Awareness Of Spiritual Freedom, Dorit Netzer

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

The author describes the philosophical and empirical aspects of an intuitive inquiry that explored 24 individuals’ (ages 30-80) mental images and creative expression in response to selected mystical poetry through a three-step procedure named Imaginal Resonance. Participants’ imaginal encounters with the poems inspired transpersonal awareness of spiritual freedom—a participatory, co-creative experience of self-awareness beyond personal concerns. Intuitive examination of the data and a hermeneutic analysis uncovered participants’ symbolic expressions of qualities such as awakening, personal development, introversion, expansion, connection, and liberation. Imaginal resonance facilitated a temporary glimpse of spiritual freedom, which was soon hindered by reasoning, questioning, commentary, comparison, anticipation, …


Musical Creativity And Mindfulness Meditation: Can The Practice Of Mindfulness Meditation Enhance Perceived Musical Creativity?, John Z. Newton Jan 2015

Musical Creativity And Mindfulness Meditation: Can The Practice Of Mindfulness Meditation Enhance Perceived Musical Creativity?, John Z. Newton

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

The relationship between musical creativity and mindfulness meditation is explored through a qualitative study of three composers’ individual experiences of musical creativity and participation in eight guided mindfulness meditation sessions. Through qualitative interviews conducted before and after completion of a mindfulness course, data was analyzed and categorized into themes in order to identify whether the practice of mindfulness meditation had enhanced participants’ perceived musical creativity. Themes from the first set of interviews (Expression, Harmony, Intuition) represent the participants’ subjective experience of musical creativity, while themes from the second set (Enhanced focus and awareness, Nonstriving) outline subjective changes reported by each …