EDITOR’S NOTE Exploring the unknown via new or re-newed paths in order to better understand the human trajectory is often fraught with challenges. How appropriate or meaningful are our avenues of inquiry? How can we stay open to possibilities yet exercise scholarly acumen? All authors in this volume are aware of such issues yet invite us to think with them and dialogue about such matters. As always, we provide contact information for direct communication with authors and, as mentioned in earlier volumes, are open to creating a forum space for further inquiry, especially on articles that generate much dialogue and varying responses and perspectives. Arthur Hastings, our book review editor, opens this issue of the Journal with a report of his ongoing and extended research on an assistive means (a restricted sensory environment called a psychomanteum booth) to ease the bereavement process and help healing from a loss, possibility facilitating the experience of after-death contacts with the deceased. Accounts of making contact with the deceased are reported in the research findings, as are statistically significant healing benefits (reduction in measures of bereavement). Such shifts, however, did not seem to always require presence of the deceased. Stressing the phenomenological (rather than purely objective) nature of such experiences, he urges the reader to think with him in further pursuing this terrain. From Australia, Karl Hanes then accompanies us into the unfolding of a case of an unusual experience which he invites us to ponder. For this feat, embracing many forms of knowing may be called upon. Charles Tart, respected author and long-time editorial board member, in offering a postscript of his reflections and experience while reading the article, reminds the reader about the importance of honoring, studying, and evaluating what might challenge one’s sense of the ways things are … or supposed to be. Moving on to Taiwan, William Stimson, a seasoned professional in the Ullman experiential dream group approach—having trained with its originator Montague Ullman–invites us in to observe the nuances of a dream work session from a transpersonal perspective. He focuses on a specific case in demonstrating the process—not only of the method but also of the revealed value and transformative potential of releasing healing energy for the group, or someone in the group, even, or perhaps particularly, when the dreamer might still struggle with the meaning. Stateside, Steven Taylor, drawing from his own research as well as that of others, illuminates the nature of what he terms spontaneous awakening experiences–what many writers, he claims, would label spiritual experiences—a term he suggests be used sparingly, reserved for such experiences catalyzed or induced by spiritual practice. Psychological turmoil emerged as one of the most Copyright ’ 2012 Transpersonal Institute The Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, 2012, Vol. 44, No. 1 v frequent triggers for such spontaneous awakenings in his research and that of others. He urges further inquiry on the wider context of life itself serving as catalyst. As a final article, Joseph Ryan from the UK addresses the potential of art, specifically the art of photography, to foster spiritual growth and emphasizes the role that development of increasing awareness plays in that process. He calls upon and resurrects the voice and vision of Minor White as an exemplar, applicable to a new generation where many more are accessible to photography with the rise in use of digital cameras. The reader is invited into dialogue as well as debate about the potential not just of photography but many forms of art as avenues to spiritual growth, understanding non-duality both for self and society. An array of book reviews are featured including Jawer and Micozzi’s The spiritual anatomy of emotion: How feelings link the brain, the body, and the sixth sense; Robert Augustus Master’s Spiritual bypassing: When spirituality disconnects us from what really matters; and Elliot Benjamin’s Modern religions: An experiential analysis and expose’. Also featured is a two-volume set by Etzel and Winkelman: Altering consciousness: Multidisciplinary perspectives. Volume 1: History, culture, and the humanities and Volume 2: Biological and psychological perspectives. Concluding the reviews are two of Michael Mayer’s books geared toward psychotherapy focused body-mind healing (Bodymind healing psychotherapy: Ancient pathways to modern health and Energy psychology: Self-healing practices for bodymind health). As this issue went to press, however, Mayer’s most recent book was published, one that he considers a culmination of all his work to date: The Path of the Reluctant Metaphysician: Stories and practices for troubled times. Watch for it. As always, Books Our Editors are Reading section offers continuing resources and insights. MB Falls Church, VA USA vi The Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, 2012, Vol. 44, No. 1 EFFECTS ON BEREAVEMENT USING A RESTRICTED SENSORY ENVIRONMENT (PSYCHOMANTEUM) Arthur Hastings, Ph.D. Palo Alto, California ABSTRACT: This article reports research using a semi-structured bereavement protocol with 100 participants experiencing bereavement for the death of a family member, friend, pet, or other deceased individual. Apparent contacts similar to spontaneous after-death encounters were reported by 63% of the participants. Repeated measures of bereavement on 20 items (e.g., grief, longing, anger) were taken before the process, immediately after, and one month later. Reductions in feelings of bereavement were statistically significant. Decreases in bereavement correlated positively with increased tendencies toward absorption (Tellegen Absorption Scale, r 5 .38, p , .001). The 3–4 hour semi-structured process included writing, interviews, art work, and mirror gazing (a restricted sensory environment called a psychomanteum booth). Qualitative experiences included mental conversations, messages, questions and responses, memories, imagery, touch, physical sensations, odors, and emotional shifts.ADC, after-death communication, Attachment Theory, bereavement, Continuing Bonds, death, grief, hypnagogia, mirror gazing, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, psychomanteum, REST, Restricted Environmental Stimulation Technique, Tellegen Absorption Scale. When a person dies, the feeling of loss is one of the most difficult of life experiences for family and friends who are left. The state of bereavement that results is often one of grief, sadness, and distress. Some bereavement states may be resolved in a few months or a year or two, while others may continue for decades. The purpose of this research was to determine if an experiential process could facilitate an experience similar to the spontaneous after death communication with a deceased person, which is often reported by surviving family members and friends, with an effect on levels of bereavement. In such situations the feelings of loss may be punctuated by incidents in which a survivor may feel a sense of the presence of the person who has died. There may be a vivid dream in which the deceased appears. One may hear the voice of the lost loved one or have conversations with him or her. There may be spontaneous and unexpected visions or signs that seem to come from the deceased and which are experienced by family members, friends, and sometimes others. Far from being rare, these apparent communications after death occur to many people, and have been studied in medical and psychiatric research. Surveys and the study of apparent contacts have been conducted cross-culturally. An early study by Rees (1971) surveyed all the widows and widowers (n5293) in Wales. Contacts with the deceased were reported by 50% of the widowers and 46% of the widows. Kalish and Reynolds (1973) surveyed four ethnic communities (African-American, Latino, Japanese-American, and Caucasian) in Los Angeles, with 44% claiming to have felt a post death [email protected] Copyright ’ 2012 Transpersonal Institute The Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, 2012, Vol. 44, No. 1 1 contact. The experiences of contacts have been reported in many countries and locales, including the U. K. (Bennett & Bennett, 2000), India (Osis & Haraldsson, 1977), Iceland (Haraldsson, 1988), the U.S. (Cleiren, 1993; Greeley, 1987; Klugman, 2006), and Japan (Yamamoto, Okonogi, Iwasaki, & Yoshimura, 1969). Several studies have gathered data on the phenomenology of the experiences, and the effects on feelings of bereavement. In a random telephone survey (n5202) Klugman (2006) found the most common mode of contacts included dreams, sounds, feeling a presence, and having conversations. A sense of presence or contact may be reported in any of the sensory modes, in mental conversation, or somatic sensations (Klugman, 2006; Whitney, 1992). Whitney interviewed 24 individuals who experienced contacts. In the group there were 35 reports of positive feelings (happy, thankful, and blessed) and 17 reports of negative feelings (sad, scared, angry, and crazy); however, the majority of individuals who had negative feelings also had positive feelings. The significance of these contacts was studied by Kwilecki (2011) using an in- depth qualitative texual analysis of 25 published accounts of such contacts. She found that upon having a contact, the percipients felt immediate relief from the grief and the distress at the loss, and they created congruent meaning from the experience. In a study of 596 volunteer individuals who experienced contacts Arcangel