Beyond Dissociation and Appropriation: Evaluating the Politics of U.S
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Antioch University AURA - Antioch University Repository and Archive Student & Alumni Scholarship, including Dissertations & Theses Dissertations & Theses 2020 Beyond Dissociation and Appropriation: Evaluating the Politics of U.S. Psychology Via Hermeneutic Interpretation of Culturally Embedded Presentations of Yoga Genelle N. Benker Antioch University Seattle Follow this and additional works at: https://aura.antioch.edu/etds Part of the Alternative and Complementary Medicine Commons, Applied Ethics Commons, Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education Commons, Communication Commons, Comparative Literature Commons, History Commons, and the Psychology Commons Recommended Citation Benker, Genelle N., "Beyond Dissociation and Appropriation: Evaluating the Politics of U.S. Psychology Via Hermeneutic Interpretation of Culturally Embedded Presentations of Yoga" (2020). Dissertations & Theses. 554. https://aura.antioch.edu/etds/554 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Student & Alumni Scholarship, including Dissertations & Theses at AURA - Antioch University Repository and Archive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations & Theses by an authorized administrator of AURA - Antioch University Repository and Archive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. BEYOND DISSOCIATION AND APPROPRIATION: EVALUATING THE POLITICS OF U.S. PSYCHOLOGY VIA HERMENEUTIC INTERPRETATION OF CULTURALLY EMBEDDED PRESENTATIONS OF YOGA A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of Antioch University Seattle Seattle, WA In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of the Degree Doctor of Psychology By Genelle Benker ORCID Scholar No. 0000-0001-9961-0287 June 2019 BEYOND DISSOCIATION AND APPROPRIATION: EVALUATING THE POLITICS OF U.S. PSYCHOLOGY VIA HERMENEUTIC INTERPRETATION OF CULTURALLY EMBEDDED PRESENTATIONS OF YOGA This dissertation, by Genelle Benker, has been approved by the Committee Members signed below who recommend that it be accepted by the faculty of the Antioch University Seattle at Seattle, WA in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PSYCHOLOGY Dissertation Committee: ________________________ Jude Bergkamp, PsyD Chairperson ________________________ Maxim Livshetz, PsyD ________________________ John Christopher, PhD ________________________ Date ii © Copyright by Genelle Benker, 2019 All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT BEYOND DISSOCIATION AND APPROPRIATION: EVALUATING THE POLITICS OF U.S. PSYCHOLOGY VIA HERMENEUTIC INTERPRETATION OF CULTURALLY EMBEDDED PRESENTATIONS OF YOGA Genelle Benker Antioch University Seattle Seattle, WA Psychology in the United States (U.S.) is partially constituted by a cultural history of intellectual imperialism that undermines its altruistic intent and prevents disciplinary reflexivity. The scholarship and clinical application of Yoga exemplifies the way U.S. psychology continues to give lived authority to imperialism as part of the neoliberal agenda. Through a hermeneutic literature analysis of two source Yogic texts and peer-reviewed articles that exemplify the dominant discourse on Yoga in U.S. psychology, this dissertation identified themes that describe culturally embedded presentations of Yoga and their sociopolitical implications. Through interpretation, Yoga was conceptualized as: (a) a 5,000 year-old tradition that prescribes a life path to achieving one’s full potential and includes (but is not limited to) an expression of psychology unique to Yoga that encompasses a complex moral framework, theory of mind, conceptualization of suffering and illness, and rich collection of healing technologies; (b) a phenomenological state of being, or unwavering realization of the self as undifferentiated unified consciousness; and (c) an artifact of U.S. psychology that enacts dissociated, unformulated, and unarticulated sociopolitical arrangements and events. Themes were presented as dialogue, allowing Yogic theory, philosophy, psychology, and morality to call into question facets of U.S. psychology as they relate to the human condition, psyche, mental illness, and healing iv technologies. Within the scope of the dissertation, there were four articulated pathways for Yoga to influence U.S. psychology without reverting back to the unconscious inclination to dissociate or appropriate: (a) participate in the tradition of Yoga rather than trying to possess it; (b) acknowledge what the moral framework of Yoga highlights about the complicity of U.S. psychology in the neoliberal agenda; (c) discontinue practices that normalize and sustain intellectual imperialism; and (d) commit to disciplinary refinement and integrity. Also addressed were the limitations of this project and fruitful avenues of further inquiry, including possible steps towards disciplinary refinement and integrity. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA, http://aura.antioch.edu/ and Ohio Link ETD Center, https://etd.ohiolink.edu. Keywords: yoga, psychology, hermeneutics, and cultural appropriation v Acknowledgements During my graduate study, I became increasingly aware of prescribed attributes and characteristics of successful psychologists, such as productivity, self-sufficiency, and the ability to adapting to the constantly shifting terrain of institutions and social practices. I have learned to balance authenticity and impression management when confronted with hypocrisy and the tension between social justice theory and the pressure to conform to those in power. I am thankful to professors like Dr. Phil Cushman, who helped me see my experience as emblematic of larger cultural and historical trends. Learning to critically evaluate the moral and ontological assumptions of psychology has allowed me to situate the lived experiences of my patients and avoid the allure of overly simplistic diagnostic procedures and treatment approaches. I am forever in debt to those peers who shared my graduate experience and my professional stance: Adrian Garcia Psy.D., Cyn Clarfield Psy.D., Leslie LaFleur, Psy.D., Jennifer Sveund Psy.D., Amaris Espinosa Psy.D., Cailin Qualliotine Psy.D., and Maxim Livshetz, Psy.D. To my parents, Anne and George Benker, and to my friends, Heather Russell, Ashley Reynolds, Emelia Hatchett, Alison Riffer, Ann Vivit, Alexis Jaquin, Seven Dunsmore, Kim Curry, Aina Williams, Melodie Heart, Kelly Moyart, and Eliza Steele; thank you for being an unwavering source of support, encouragement, inspiration, and strength. To my Partner, Derrick Isaac Jose Maestas, and my son, Cypress Ignacio Jose Maestas; nothing could have prepared me for the two of you coming into my life. I had no idea it was possible to love this much, laugh this hard, or cry this often. It was excruciating being torn between being present for my new family and completing my dissertation. No words will ever convey my appreciation for your patience, perseverance, and sacrifices. You have my whole heart. vi Table of Contents ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................. iv Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ vi Orientation to the Dissertation ..................................................................................................... xiii Chapter I: Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter II: Background And Literature Review ............................................................................. 1 Historical Context ...................................................................................................................................... 1 Brief History Part One: Yoga in India from Antiquity Forward .................................................................. 1 The phenomenon of Yoga...................................................................................................................... 2 Pre-Classical Yoga .................................................................................................................................. 2 Texts ................................................................................................................................................... 2 Authors .............................................................................................................................................. 4 Historical Figures................................................................................................................................ 5 Classical Yoga ......................................................................................................................................... 5 Texts. .................................................................................................................................................. 6 Authors. ............................................................................................................................................. 8 Historical Figures................................................................................................................................ 8 Post-Classical Yoga ................................................................................................................................. 9 Texts. .................................................................................................................................................