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A PHENOMENOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION INTO THE PSYCHOLOGICAL TRANSFORMATION INTERPRETED AS 'SPIRITUAL AWAKENING': POSSIBLE CAUSES, CHARACTERISTICS, AND AFTER-EFFECTS STEVE TAYLOR A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of Liverpool John Moores University for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy May 2013 ",llimi.lIilll3 1111 01424 3271 CONTENTS Abstract 5 AcknowledgementslDeclaration 6 1. INTRODUCTION 8 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW 10 2.1 The concept of 'Enlightenment' 10 2.2 Studies of Temporary Spiritual Experiences 11 2.2.1 'Spiritual Experience' and 'Spiritual Transformation' as Terms 12 2.2.2 The Characteristics of 'Spiritual' Experiences 15 2.2.3 The Frequency o/Spiritual Experiences 18 2.2.4 The Apparent Triggers ofSpiritual Experiences 19 2.2.5 Explanations ofSpiritual Experiences 22 2.3 Studies of Permanent Spiritual States 24 2.3.1 Bucke 's Cosmic Consciousness 24 2.3.2 Quantum Change 26 2.3.3 Maslow: Self-Actualisation - Plateau Experiences 29 2.3.4 Wilber's View ofTranspersonal Stages 30 2.3.5 Spiritual Awakening Following Trauma and Turmoil 32 2.3.6 'Voluntary Suffering' in Spiritual Traditions 38 2.3.7 Encounters with Death 39 2.3.8 Spiritual Awakening and Psychosis 42 2.3.9 Potentially Negative Effects Following 'Spiritual Awakening' 44 2.3.10 The Idealisation ofSpiritual Teachers or Gurus 46 2.4 Spiritual Awakening in Different Traditions 48 2.4.1 Spiritual Awakening in Buddhist traditions 48 2.4.2 Spiritual Awakening in Hindu Spiritual Traditions 51 2.4.3 Spiritual Awakening in the Christian Tradition 52 2.4.4 Spiritual Awakening in Jewish Mysticism 56 2.4.5 Spiritual Awakening in Sufism 58 2.4.6 Spiritual Awakening in Taoism 59 2.5 Some Common Themes from Spiritual Traditions 60 2.5.1 Transcending Separateness into Unity and Connection 60 2.5.2 Altruism and Compassion 61 2.5.3 Diminishing o/Self-interestIConcernfor Personal Gain or Ambitions62 2.5.4 Inner Emptiness and Stillness 63 2.5.5 Heightened Awareness 64 2.5.6 Radiance and Light 65 2.5.7 Well-being 68 2.6 A Perennial Philosophy? 69 2.7 The Triggers/Causes of Spiritual Awakening 72 2.8 Conclusion to Literature Review 73 Notes to Literature Review 74 3. METHODOLOGY 77 3.1 Design of Study 77 - 2 - 3.2 Study Sample (ine. Table 1) 80 3.3 Research Instruments and Procedure 74 3.4 Data Collection/Analysis 82 3.5 Coding Process 86 4. RESULTS 89 4.1 Overview of Findings 89 4.2 Mode of Transformation (Table 2) 92 4.3 The Characteristics Reported by the Participants (inc. Table 3) 94 4.4. Main Codes in Greater Detail, with Tables (ine. Tables 4.1-4.25) 98 4.5 Further Comments on the Codes 123 4.6 Codes compared to the characteristics of 'spiritual awakening' from other studies 136 4.7 Parallels with 'Spiritual Awakening' as Defined by Spiritual and Religious Traditions 138 4.8. The Triggers/Causes of Spiritual Awakening (Table 5) 140 4.9 Other Salient Points 143 4.10 Answers to Specific Research Questions 143 5. DISCUSSION 148 5.1 Discussion of Main Themes 148 5.1.1 Well-Being/Positive Affective States 148 5.1.2 Permanent/ongoing new state ofbeing 151 5.1.3 Increased 'present-ness '/Ability to live in the present 152 5.1.4 Reduced Cognitive Activity/Less Identification with thoughts 153 5.1.5 Reduced/Disappearance offear ofdeath 153 5.1.6 Decreased sense ofgroup identity/need for belonging 154 5.1. 7 Episodes ofintense turmoil or trauma immediately preceding transformation 156 5.1.8 Sense ofConnection 158 5.1.9 Sudden Transformation 159 5.1.10 Reduced interest in materialism 159 5.1.11 Intensified perception 160 5.1.12 Increased altruism 162 . 5.1.13 Enhanced relatIonships 164 5.1.14 Ongoing Problems 164 5.1.15 Problems integrating new state 165 5.1.16 Acceptance/Letting Go 167 5.1.17 Physical difficulties 167 5.1.18 Spiritual Practice (as an apparent factor in transformation i.e. was. being undertaken preceding the transformation) 168 5.1.19 Timelessness/slowed down sense oftime 169 5.1.20 Heightened/Increased energy 171 5./.21 Authenticity 171 5.1.22 Prior interest in Spirituality 171 5.1.23 Psychic experiences/episodes following transformation 172 5.1.24 More active 174 5.2 Other Salient Points 175 -3- 5.2.1 The Possibility ofNarrative Construction 175 5.2.2 The Possibility ofSelf-Delusion 176 5.2.3 Gender 177 5.2.4 Different Degrees ofSpiritual Awakening? 178 5.2.5 An Idealisation ofEnlightenment? 179 5.2.6 'SpirituaIOpening' 180 5.3 Limitations of this Study 181 5.4 Avenues of Further Research 183 6. CONCLUSION 185 Bibliography 188 Appendix 1: Participant Information Sheet 202 Appendix 2: Consent Form 204 Appendix 3: Ethical Approval 205 Appendix 4: Transcripts of Interviews with participants 206 Appendix 5: Examples of Coded Transcripts 321 Tables Table 1: Participants of the Study 81 Table 2: Mode of Transformation 93 Table 3: Number of participants reporting individual codes 97 Tables 4.1-4.25: Codes in ranked order, with illustrating quotes 98 Table 5: The Apparent Causes/Triggers of 'Spiritual Awakening' in the Participants 141 - 4 - Abstract This thesis studied transfonnational experiences of •spiritual awakening' from a psychological perspective, using a phenomenological qualitative approach (specifically, Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis). The aim was to study the phenomenology of individuals who claim to have had this experience. Purposive sampling was used to find a group of individuals who felt that they had undergone the experience of •spiritual awakening.' Twenty-five participants made contact, primarily through the author's website, which focuses on issues relating to psychology and spirituality. Given this approach, the sample represented a subset of those who may have experienced spiritual awakening in broader contexts. The participants were interviewed using a semi-structured fonnat. The transcripts were coded, then the main themes of the twenty-five interviews were elicited. Twenty-five major codes were identified. These were ranked in tenns of the number of participants who shared them. All twenty-five participants reported a shift into a new psychological state, with a new sense of identity, new modes of cognition and perception, a new relationship to their surroundings and to other human beings (including increased authenticity and compassion) and new values (including a less materialistic attitude and increased altruism, in some cases leading to a change in career). In this respect, the study found that much of the phenomenology oftheir experiences was similar to the characteristics of •spiritual awakening' as expressed by spiritual traditions and also by transpersonal psychologists. However, a significant number of participants also reported initial and ongoing difficulties and fluctuations in their state, including psychological disturbances, cognitive problems, difficulty dealing with practical and organisational tasks, confusion, and physical problems such as sleeplessness and ongoing pain. In this sense, the study confinned the close relationship between spiritual experience and psychopathology, as noted by Grof(2000), Clark (2010), Lucas (2011) and others. The study discussed possible causes of the different aspects of the participants' experiences, and also the possibility that the phenomenology of their experiences may have been at least in part the result of narrative construction (especially in the aftennath of intensely traumatic experiences), in relation to the need to reconstruct their identity and establish a conceptual framework to make sense of their - 5 - This thesis studied transformational experiences of 'spiritual awakening' from a psychological perspective, using a phenomenological qualitative approach (specifically, Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis). The aim was to study the phenomenology of individuals who claim to have had this experience. Purposive sampling was used to find a group of individuals who felt that they had undergone the experience of 'spiritual awakening.' Twenty-five participants made contact, primarily through the author's web site, which focuses on issues relating to psychology and spirituality. Given this approach, the sample represented a subset of those who may have experienced spiritual awakening in broader contexts. The participants were interviewed using a semi-structured format. The transcripts were coded, then the main themes of the twenty-five interviews were elicited. Twenty-five major codes were identified. These were ranked in terms of the number of participants who shared them. All twenty-five participants reported a shift into a new psychological state, with a new sense of identity, new modes of cognition and perception, a new relationship to their surroundings and to other human beings (including increased authenticity and compassion) and new values (including a less materialistic attitude and increased altruism, in some cases leading to a change in career). In this respect, the study found that much of the phenomenology oftheir experiences was similar to the characteristics of 'spiritual awakening' as expressed by spiritual traditions and also by transpersonal psychologists. However, a significant number of participants also reported initial and ongoing difficulties and fluctuations in their state, including psychological disturbances, cognitive problems, difficulty dealing with practical and organisational tasks, confusion, and physical problems such as sleeplessness and ongoing pain. In this sense, the study confirmed the close relationship between spiritual experience and psychopathology, as noted by Grof (2000), Clark (2010), Lucas (2011) and others. The study discussed possible causes of the different aspects of the participants' experiences, and also the possibility that the phenomenology of their experiences may have been at least in part the result of narrative construction (especially in the aftermath of intensely traumatic experiences), in relation to the need to reconstruct their identity and establish a conceptual framework to make sense of their experiences. Although it was beyond the scope of this thesis to offer firm conclusions on this matter, further research which may be productive in this area was suggested.