Philosophy Commons^™

Heron’S Lesson: A Fusion Of Autoethnographic Narrative, Poetry, And Theory Questioning The Fixed Notion Of “Self”, Jessica K. Summers

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

This autoethnographic piece is rooted in the belief that “self” is not bound by the physical body. The writing flows from narrative to poetry and then delves into reflexive and theoretical thinking about life. In essence, the narrative highlights the importance I place on Divine guidance in all aspects of my life and illustrates a moment of clarity inspired by the peaceful presence of a heron. The choice to be still and listen from my heart opened space for consciousness to be, even in the midst of the counterintuitive demands of my doctoral program. I question if academia’s notion …

There's A Duwende On My Shelf: The Parapsychological Studies Of Fr. Jaime C. Bulatao, Sj, Carl Lorenz Cervantes

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

In the Filipino transpersonal worldview, the mind is not contained within the brain, and is often projected onto the world as “spirits”. Studying these cultural metaphors may allow for a deeper understanding of the Filipino psyche. Fr. Jaime C. Bulatao, SJ, one of the founders of the Psychological Association of the Philippines, studied the projections of the Filipino psyche as they manifested in paranormal phenomena. Bulatao provides the metaphor of eggs frying in a pan as a framework to understand this: the egg whites fuse despite the yolks being far apart. It is in the dissolution of boundaries that transpersonal …

Tripping In The Moment: The Spiritual Journey Of Baba Ram Dass, Charles S. Hamilton

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

Ram Dass, the iconic, countercultural, spiritual seeker, brought the wisdom of the East to those of us in the West through his many books and frequent, charismatic dharma talks. This view of his spiritual journey describes the transformation of Richard Alpert, clinical psychologist and product of the Western milieu’s often-shackling conventional expectations, into Ram Dass, the free, embodied soul who, through explication and example, and with witnessing attention, tries to guide us all to the always present abode of loving awareness. Ram Dass’s idea of self in existence was transformed: first, from a psychological object of clinical study, to a …

The Origin (And Future) Of Transpersonal Psychology In An Open Scientific Naturalism, Glenn Hartelius

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

A number of scholars well known within transpersonal psychology appear to be converging on open scientific naturalism as a philosophically and methodologically fruitful framework for transpersonal and related fields. This builds on the nascent open naturalism evidenced in the early years of transpersonal psychology, before it entered its metaphysical phase (ca. 1975 to 2000). Since it is necessary for science to assume some kind of world within which it is possible to do science, and not every aspect of that assumed world can be subjected to processes of empirical investigation, some of these necessary background assumptions are unavoidably metaphysical. However, …

Justifying Advocacy Of Patients’ Belief Diversity W/ Support From William James’ Lectures On Pragmatism: A New Name For Some Old Ways Of Thinking, The Variety Of Religious Experiences & The Will To Believe, Sterling Courtney

The Hilltop Review

Abstract:

Predating monastic healthcare in the Middle Ages (Siraisi, 2019), spirituality and/or religion have been unified with healing, caring for the sick and consoling the dying, as documented by historical writings as early as c.3000 BCE-c.500 BCE in Mesopotamia and followed by coinciding accounts from c.750 BCE-c.280 BCE Greece and Rome (Mann, 2014). Via philosophy and science, a movement towards secularization has been perceived (as the Renaissance faded and the scientific revolution led into the Age of Enlightenment), therefore creating a dichotomy between treating the physical body separate from the metaphysical soul. In the early 1900’s, Abraham Flexner discredited any …

National Education System In The Educational Ideas Of Jadidism, Yulduz Namazova

The Light of Islam

The philosophy of education, which was formed in Turkestan in the late 19th - early 20 th centuries, is interpreted as an area of research that analyzes the national pedagogical activity and educational foundations of these modern educators, its goals and ideals, the methodology of pedagogical knowledge, methods of creating a new Russian school system. Thus, it can be said with confidence that the philosophy of education, as an area that has a socio-institutional form during this period, reflected the goals and objectives of the educational program of the Jadids. We know that during the formation of the Jadid Enlightenment, …

Mahmudkhuja Behbudiy As A Leader Of Jadid Reforms, Muminjon Xujaev

The Light of Islam

We are witnessing that the ideas of our Jadids, who tried to raise Turkestan through enlightenment to the level of world civilization at the beginning of the 20th century, and who showed modern education as a solution to the problems of that period, have not lost their signifcance today. In this sense, the study of the works of the famous orientalist Mahmudkhodja Behbudi based on new scientifc criteria plays an important role in the study of issues of interethnic communication, peaceful coexistence, education, culture, and religious tolerance. M. Behbudi in the late 19th and early 20th centuries began a systematic …

Clusters Of Individuals Experiences Form A Continuum Of Persistent Non-Symbolic Experiences In Adults, Jeffery A. Martin

CONSCIOUSNESS: Ideas and Research for the Twenty-First Century

Persistent forms of nondual awareness, enlightenment, mystical experience, and so forth (Persistent Non-Symbolic Experience) have been reported since antiquity. Though sporadic research has been performed on these experiences, the scientific literature has yet to report a large-scale cognitive psychology study of this population. Method: Assessment of the subjective experience of 319 adult participants reporting persistent non-symbolic experience was undertaken using 6-12 hour semi-structured interviews and evaluated using grounded theory and thematic analysis. Results: Five core, consistent categories of change were uncovered: sense-of-self, cognition, affect, perception, and memory. Participants’ reports formed phenomenological groups in which the types of change …

The New Philosophical Paradigm Of Cultural Development, Asliddin Sultonov

The Light of Islam

It is no secret that in recent еars the effectiveness of research in our country devoted to the study of social processes remains low. It is worth noting that many factors influence this. On the one hand, the active interaction of the international community and the waves of globalization go ahead than the development of diagnostic findings and the implementation of preventive measures in social research, and on the other hand, current studies lack clear scientific approaches and paradigms. Except for the requirement of a specific approach of the Higher Attestation Commission under the CM of the Republic of Uzbekistan, …

Spiritual-Moral Environment And Its Basic Indicators, Matlyuba Qaxxarova, Hamida Tuychieva

The Light of Islam

The article considers the problems of the spiritual and moral environment of society as a socio-historical phenomenon, the features of its development in a civil society and the laws of its development. The main attention is paid to ethical principles and means, ways to meet the needs of the individual, the importance of moral ideal, as well as objective conditions and subjective factors of the spiritual and moral environment.

In order to comprehensively improve the spiritual and moral climate in society, a philosophical approach to the question of the beliefs and beliefs of the individual was made in order to …

Applying Gadamer’S “Prejudices” To A Grounded Theory Study, Claire Manton

The Qualitative Report

Interpretation and analysis of qualitative data inevitably involves a collision with one’s own lived experience. This paper reflects on a postgraduate research project that employed the methodology of grounded theory to determine themes around the meaning that individuals in a school community give to the term spirituality. Reflecting on the process has highlighted ways in which unexamined personal assumptions were at play as the researcher conducted analysis, influencing the interpretation of data. It is argued here that in researching the concept of spirituality, which is both nebulous and highly subjective, becoming aware of one’s own assumptions throughout the process is …

Sexual Ecstasy Scale: Conceptualizations And Measurement, John Elfers, Reid Offringa

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

This article describes the development of the Sexual Ecstasy Scale, an instrument designed to measure the specific features that emerge when sexual arousal is the trigger for an ecstatic experience. Drawing from descriptions of features of sexual ecstasy in the phenomenological literature, the authors generated an initial survey of 31 items. In Study 1, the survey was completed by a wide demographic sample (N = 331). Exploratory factor analysis revealed a 4-factor solution that was replicated in Study 2 using confirmatory factor analysis with an independent sample (N = 331) that showed strong fit indices. Internal consistency for the overall …

After Awakening, The Laundry: Is Nonduality A Spiritual Experience?, Jenny Wade

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

Historically the exclusive purview of contemplative religious paths, awakening into nonduality was considered the pinnacle of human attainment, even if, in some traditions, it proved to be the threshold to even more sublime states. Awakening was traditionally available only to dedicated elite seekers, usually renunciates who practiced for years in monastic communities, their progress directed by the authorities of their lineage. Today technologies for creating the electroencephalographic signatures of advanced meditators are available for purchase, and esoteric religious practices like Zen meditation and asana yoga have been secularized as stress-reduction techniques and physical exercise, respectively. Increased numbers of teachers of …

Integral Yoga Psychology: Clinical Correlations, Michael Miovic

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

This article provides an overview of Sri Aurobindo’s Integral Yoga Psychology (IYP), with a focus on relevance to clinical practice. After summarizing recent developments in integrative medicine that have brought transpersonal themes into the mainstream of contemporary healthcare, the transformational paradigm of IYP is used to articulate a spiritually-informed approach to psychology and psychiatry. Topics covered include the soul (psychic being), reincarnation, the chakra system, psychodynamic therapy, ego defenses, positive psychology, CBT, AA, parapsychology, and mind-body medicine. The possession model of illness is addressed in detail, using both case material and the author’s own experience, and is compared to Jung’s …

An Analysis Of The Experiences And Integration Of Transpersonal Phenomena Induced By Electronic Dance Music Events, Audrey Redfield

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

Electronic dance music (EDM) events are attended by millions of people all over the world. While prior research uncovered the spiritual and religious elements as well as the transpersonal nature of EDM events, this preliminary study further explored the types of transpersonal phenomena that participants experience at EDM events and their subsequent integration of these experiences into daily life. A semi-structured, in-depth interview was used to explore this topic with 12 EDM participants. A thematic analysis was conducted on the data. Findings suggested that EDM events have the potential to foster interpersonal relationships with the numinous, spiritual beings, and human …

Factor Validity And Internal Consistency Of The Expressions Of Spirituality Inventory – Revised (Esi-R): The Czech Context, Vit Gabrhel, Stanislav Ježek

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

This study is the first attempt to examine the validity of the Expressions of Spirituality Inventory (ESI-R) for use in the Czech context. Data were obtained via online survey from 222 emerging adults (18-25 years; 82% women), with a background in helping professions. Structural equation modelling revealed reasonably good support for structural validity of the ESI-R factor model. In addition, all of the dimension scores showed acceptable inter-item consistency. However, our findings presumptively point to problems with measurement non-invariance as some items were observed to correlate with different dimensions than expected. Overall, these findings are consistent with cross-cultural research on …

Zombie Perennialism: An Intelligent Design For Psychology? A Further Response To Taylor's Soft Perennialism, Glenn Hartelius

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

In a recent paper Taylor has suggested that perennialist models are or should be resurgent within transpersonal psychology. However, perennialist models such as those of Wilber and Taylor are metaphysical philosophies of spirituality typical of New Age religions; while such systems may be studied by a psychology that considers human spirituality, they are not and should not be proffered as psychology. Claims that Taylor's soft perennialism are partly evidence based are compared with invalid claims that the narrative of Noah's flood or the Christian-based idea of intelligent design are partly evidence based. Critiques of Wilber's integral perennialism and Taylor's soft …

Electronic Dance Music Events As Modern-Day Ritual, Audrey Redfield, Marie I. Thouin-Savard

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

Electronic dance music (EDM) events may function as a ritual space for psycho-spiritual exploration and personal development, often linked to the occurrence of non-ordinary states of consciousness in participants. This paper reviews the literature addressing the spiritual, religious, and transpersonal facets of participants’ experiences at EDM events, with an emphasis on the subsequent integration of these experiences into daily life. Several empirical studies conducted in the past two decades, of which the most recent was conducted by the first author of the present paper (Redfield, 2017, this issue), provides grounds to argue that EDM events can be vectors for enhancing …

The Measurement Of Spirituality In Children: An Evaluation Of The Expressions Of Spirituality Inventory–Revised (Esi–R) With A Sample Of Peruvian School Children, Diana M. Mendez, Douglas A. Macdonald

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

Using a sample of 263 male Peruvian school children of ages ranging from 11 to 16 years, a Spanish translation of the Expressions of Spirituality Inventory- Revised (ESI-R; MacDonald, 2000a, 2000b) was evaluated in terms of its reliability and factorial validity. Examination of the internal consistency of the five ESI-R dimensions revealed somewhat mediocre reliability with Cronbach’s alphas ranging from .56 to .73 across all dimensions. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) also provided somewhat mixed support for the ESI-R; while all but one of the items produced significant loadings on their intended factors, fit indices indicated problems with model fit for …

Psychometric Properties Of A Spanish Adaptation Of The Expressions Of Spirituality Inventory–Revised (Esi–R), Elena López, Rafael Jódar, Douglas A. Macdonald

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

A Spanish adapted version of the Expressions of Spirituality Inventory- Revised (ESI-R; MacDonald, 2000a, 2000b), a 30-item measure of a five factor model of spirituality, was administered to a sample of 376 adults along with Spanish adaptations of the NEO-FFI personality inventory (Manga, Ramos, & Morán, 2004), the Ryff’s Scales of Psychological Well-Being (Díaz et al., 2006), and the SA-45 psychopathology symptoms questionnaire (Sandín, Valiente, Chorot, Santed, & Lostao, 2008). Reliability analyses of the five ESI-R dimension scores produced inter-item consistency coefficients ranging from .83 to .97. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analytic results are consistent with other published research and …

Taylor's Soft Perennialism: A Primer Of Perennial Flaws In Transpersonal Scholarship, Glenn Hartelius, Glenn Hartelius

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

This response to Taylor's essay in this issue concludes that his notion of soft perennialism is unworkable and shows no promise as a theory to explain spiritual diversity. Numerous specific shortcomings of the paper are described, then it is used as basis for identifying three broad categories of error that occur in some transpersonal scholarship. Examples from Taylor's paper are supplemented with similar errors in papers by other transpersonal scholars.

Presence And The Paradox Of Love, Joanne Burtch

CONSCIOUSNESS: Ideas and Research for the Twenty-First Century

Spiritual experiences often seem unrelated to the intellectual orientation of science. However, some discussion of the laboratory study of spiritual practice does attempt to include the mystery and the human experience in its dialogue. An exploration of the paradox of love demonstrates how it might be possible to find a relationship between the scientific understanding of spirituality and the profundity of spiritual experience.

The Circumference Of Community, Patricia A. F. O'Luanaigh Ma

The Journal of Traditions & Beliefs

No abstract provided.

Souvenir Program Booklet For The Women And Spirituality Symposium, Regennia N. Williams Phd, Patricia A. F. O'Luanaigh Ma

The Journal of Traditions & Beliefs

No abstract provided.

From John S. Mbiti To Jacob K. Olupona: A Literary Journey In Review, Regennia N. Williams

The Journal of Traditions & Beliefs

No abstract provided.

Womanist Preservation: An Analysis Of Black Women’S Spiritual Coping, Angelina Graham

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

The highly spiritual and religious nature of Black women is fairly established in the social science arena, yet the transpersonal field yields very little discourse on this relevant nexus. This static void resembles the macro and micro aggressions Black women face routinely in the Western world which perpetually diminishes and nullifies their collective character and lived experiences. The ostracism Black women face regularly stems primarily from the triple threat of racism, sexism and socioeconomic status which thereby stimulates the inherent and roused use of spiritual practices as a form of resiliency. By analyzing existing research this investigation exposes the experiences, …

Climbing A Ladder To Heaven. Gnostic Vision Of The World In Jacob's Ladder (1990), Fryderyk Kwiatkowski

Journal of Religion & Film

Contemporary film-makers quite willingly employ motifs typical of various gnostic trends. The author shows that ancient gnosticism is a treasury of motifs and a source of aesthetical and narrative strategies present in contemporary cinema. The article treats Jacob’s Ladder (1990, dir. Adrian Lyne) which is analyzed through Gnostic beliefs. In the author’s opinion, this film can be treated as a model where the gnostic thought has been presented in a coherent and systematic manner.

Songwriting And Transformation: The Subjective Experience Of Sharing Self Through Song, Hilary F. Beech

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

This qualitative heuristic study explored the subjective experience of transformation resulting from the practice of songwriting in nonclinical populations, through semistructured interviews with 12 songwriters, 6 men and 6 women, aged 35-69. Thematic content analysis yielded 6 top-level themes: Connecting, Communicating, Wellbeing, Affirmation, Personal Growth, and Making A Difference. Subthemes of Connecting reflect a wide variety of transpersonal experiences. The Communicating subthemes capture ways in which songwriting afforded participants a language superior to speech for Expressing Feelings, Sharing Self, and Sending A Message. Participants reported Personal Growth, expressed through subthemes Processing Experience (making meaning of painful material) and Empowerment. Learning …

Engagement In A Community-Based Integral Practice Program Enhances Well-Being, Cassandra Vieten, Mica Estrada, Adam B. Cohen, Dean Radin, Marilyn M. Schlitz, Arnaud Delorme

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

This project examined associations between engagement in a community-based integral practice program and measures of health and well-being. In this prospective withinsubjects uncontrolled cohort study, 53 participants of Integral Transformative Practice (ITP), a program that incorporates movement, nutritional and exercise recommendations, affirmations, contemplative introspection, theory and philosophy, and group discussions and activities, were followed over one year. Participants completed online questionnaires upon enrollment, at six months, and one year later. Repeated measures analyses showed that participants reported improved overall health and reduced symptoms of ill health, as well as increased psychological well-being, vitality, and quality of life over the course …

The Transformative Power Of Ketamine: Psychedelic States And A Personal History Of Transformation, Philip E. Wolfson

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

A discussion of the nature of transformation and its relationship to psychedelic experiences— particularly ketamine experiences—is presented and discussed along with a schema for thinking about types of states that may be encountered and transformations that may occur related to psychedelic use and practice. This is followed by a longitudinal historical approach for portraying and examining personal transformation along with a proposed instrument— The Transformational Codex—for cataloging that history and the elements that compose it.