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Mysticism and Mystery Moves: an Examination of Flow Theory

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Mysticism and Mystery Moves: an Examination of Flow Theory University of Tennessee, Knoxville TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange Masters Theses Graduate School 5-2010 Mysticism and Mystery Moves: An Examination of Flow Theory John Michael Trembley University of Tennessee - Knoxville, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes Part of the Movement and Mind-Body Therapies Commons, Other Philosophy Commons, Recreational Therapy Commons, and the Sports Sciences Commons Recommended Citation Trembley, John Michael, "Mysticism and Mystery Moves: An Examination of Flow Theory. " Master's Thesis, University of Tennessee, 2010. https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes/666 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Masters Theses by an authorized administrator of TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a thesis written by John Michael Trembley entitled "Mysticism and Mystery Moves: An Examination of Flow Theory." I have examined the final electronic copy of this thesis for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, with a major in Recreation and Leisure Studies. Steven N. Waller, Major Professor We have read this thesis and recommend its acceptance: Angela J. Wozencroft, Gene A. Hayes Accepted for the Council: Carolyn R. Hodges Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School (Original signatures are on file with official studentecor r ds.) To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a thesis written by John Michael Trembley entitled “Mysticism and Mystery Moves: An Examination of Flow Theory.” I have examined the final electronic copy of this thesis for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, with a major in Recreation and Leisure Studies. Steven N. Waller, Major Professor We have read this thesis and recommend its acceptance: Angela J. Wozencroft Gene A. Hayes Accepted for the Council: Carolyn R. Hodges Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School (Original signatures on file with official student records.) Mysticism and Mystery Moves: An Examination of Flow Theory A Thesis Presented for The Masters of Science Degree The University of Tennessee John Michael Trembley May 2010 ii Acknowledgements The author would like to thank all the paddlers who participated in this study. I would also like to thank Jim Snyder who has allowed the use of his work from the books The Squirt Book and Squirt Boating and Beyond (Appendix A) and whose guidance cleaned up the project’s charc . I would also like to acknowledge my committee members Drs. Angela J. Wozencroft, Gene A. Hayes, and chairperson, Steven A. Waller, without whose grace and support this would not have been possible. iii Dedication This work is dedicated to my dad, JT, who many years ago taught me how to roll a whitewater kayak. His vision that I would fall in love with whitewater, in many ways saved my life. This work is also dedicated to my friend Paul Schreiner, whose artistry and craftsmanship is a testimony to his love for this sport, and for all its participants. This work is also dedicated to anyone who has ever spent time underwater… and loved it. iv Abstract This study takes a phenomenological approach to squirt kayaking. It looks to examine mystical states of consciousness, as defined by William James, and flow theory, as defined by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, and focuses on what these experiences mean for participants of the squirt kayaking community. The study poses three research questions. (1) Do squirt kayakers experience mystical states of consciousness through squirt kayaking, and what does this experience mean? (2) Do squirt kayakers experience flow states of consciousness through squirt kayaking, and how was this experienced? (3) What is the mystery zombie or the mystery trance state, and how is it experienced? By posting messages on online message boards dedicated to squirt kayakers twenty participants responded to the post and were then contacted by telephone for an interview based off of an original questionnaire created for this study. The results show that mysticism and flow does occur through the squirt kayaking medium. Four primary themes emerged from the data about the experience and are as follows: defies expression, serious leisure, different realm, and the trance. Results indicate that there is not a distinctive difference between mysticism and flow, although further research should be done to support this. Also this study would suggest that further research be conducted concerning the build-up of carbon dioxide in the brain and its effects on mystical experiences. Implications of this research to look to challenge the concept of mysticism and flow by broadening what recreation offers its participants. Keywords : charc, flow, mystery trance, mystery zombie, mysticism v Preface This entire project is doomed. It sets out to do something it can never accomplish. It seeks to describe mystical states of consciousness and flow states, both of which are incommunicable for those who experience each state. Each can only be experienced, as their essence lies in the feeling of each state. Even before the project begins, it is doomed for failure. Luckily failures can teach just as much as accomplishments. This catch-22 of a project seeks to be a perfect example of that. Joseph Heller (1955) explains in his novel Catch-22 : There was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for one’s safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind. Orr was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn’t, but if he was sane he had to fly them. If he flew them he was crazy and didn’t have to; but if he didn’t want to he was sane and had to. (p. 63) The previous example highlights the circular logic that can be employed when trying to describe indescribable phenomena. It was presented to illustrate how difficult it will be articulate the feelings and experiences that create the phenomenon to which they relate, and how hard it will be for the reader to have an authentic understanding of said phenomenon without a direct experience. vi Table of Contents Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………..ii Dedication…………………………………………………………………………iii Abstract……………………………………………………………………………iv Preface…………………………………………………………………………….v Table of Contents…………………………………………………………………vi List of Tables/Illustrations………………………………………………………...ix Chapter 1: Introduction……………………………………………………….1 Operational Definitions…………………………………...2 River talk………………………………………….3 Squirt talk…………………………………………4 Terms for the present study………………………8 Squirt Kayaking: Origins to Today………………………10 Rationale, Significance, or Need for the Study………......13 Statement of the Problem…………………………….......15 Research Questions………………………………………16 Delimitations of the Study……………………….............16 Limitations of the Study………………………………....17 Interlude 1: Preface to Squirt Boating and Beyond ……………………….......20 vii Chapter 2: Review of Literature……………………………………………..22 Theoretical Framework………………………………….22 Mysticism…………………………………….….22 Flow……………………………………………...25 Related Literature to the Topic…………………………...32 Conclusions………………………………………………45 Chapter 3: Methodology……………………………………………………..49 Selection of the Study Population…….….........................49 Questionnaire…………………………………………….51 Procedures……………………………………………….53 Data Analysis……………………….................................55 Chapter 4: Results…………………………………………………………...57 Descriptive Beta………………………………………….57 Mysticism and Flow……………………………………...61 Thematic Results…………………………………………63 Defies expression………………………………..64 Serious leisure…………………………………...68 Different realm…………………………………..71 The trance………………………………………..74 Interlude 2: Conclusion to The Squirt Book ………………………………….80 viii Chapter 5: Conclusions……………………………………………………..82 Findings…………………………………………………82 Discussions……………………………………………...90 Practical Implications……………………………………92 Suggestions………………………………………...........94 References……………………………………………………………………….96 Appendices………………………………………………………………………100 Appendix A—Permission to Cite Lengthy Passages….....101 Appendix B—Responses to Questionnaire........................102 Vita………………………………………………………………………………119 ix List of Illustrations/Figures Figure 1.1 Charc Diagram……………………………………………...5 Figure 1.2 Squeeze Diagram…………………………………………...7 Figure 2.1 Flow Model………………………………………………...29 Figure 4.1 Descriptive Personal Beta…………………………………..58 Figure 4.2 Descriptive Squirt Beta…………………………………..…60 Figure 4.3 Statistics for Mystical States of Consciousness………….....61 Figure 4.4 Statistics for Flow Theory……………………………….....62 Figure 4.5 Thematic Results………………………………….………..63 Figure 5.1 Kinney’s (1997) Conceptual Model……………….……….84 1 Chapter 1: Introduction “Human beings were invented by water as a device for transporting itself from one place to another .” -- Tom Robbins Thales of Miletus was thought to live in the early part of the 6 th century. Of his many contributions to philosophy, one stands out above the others. For Thales “the basic stuff of the universe was one thing, water, by which he meant either that everything
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