Women’s Stories of their Transpersonal Experiences with the Divine Feminine by Dawn Marie Rabey BSc, Ambassador University, 1996 MA, Trinity Western University, 2005 A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In the Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies Dawn Marie Rabey, 2013 University of Victoria All rights reserved. This dissertation may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without permission of the author. Supervisory Committee Women’s Stories of their Transpersonal Experiences with the Divine Feminine by Dawn Marie Rabey BSc, Ambassador University, 1996 MA, Trinity Western University, 2005 Supervisory Committee Dr. Honore France (Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies) Supervisor Dr. Tim Black (Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies) Department Member Dr. Lara Lauzon, (School of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education) Outside Member ii Abstract Supervisory Committee Dr. Honore France, Supervisor Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies Dr. Tim Black, Departmental Member Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies Dr. Lara Lauzon, Outside Member School of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education Spirituality is becoming an increasingly important dimension of Counselling Psychology. As multicultural communities become more inclusive and global, it is valuable for counsellors to become more familiar with the different types of spiritual experiences that individuals are having. By attending to such experiences, counsellors may address how current forms of spirituality encourage healing, growth, and development, thereby increasing our understanding of human potential. Furthermore, many cultures are emerging from a religious history that portrays a male god as supreme, and the predominant images of the Divine as masculine. This imbalance of the masculine and feminine in relation to spirituality has been associated with a profound disconnection from our bodies, the earth-body, and the split between spirit and matter. For this reason, relating to the Divine Feminine may hold an essential piece for many in to reconnect with earth, body, and soul. In this narrative inquiry, ten women are interviewed about their transpersonal experiences with the Divine Feminine. Their stories illuminate what the Divine Feminine is, the meaning attributed to Her, and the changes in their lives associated with their experiences. This study increases our understanding of the role that the Divine Feminine has in the lives of women, and represents some forms of spirituality emerging in the new global context. In turn, it widens our perspective on the therapeutic implications these and related phenomena could have on Counselling Psychology. The key findings of this research show that contemporary women are experiencing the Divine Feminine through: (a) Goddesses, (b) Shakti and Kundalini Shakti, (c) one’s Self (body, sexuality, women’s blood mysteries), (d) Nature and sacred plant medicine, (e) Mother, and (f) iii Spirit guides, visions, and past life experiences. This inquiry raises the awareness of the powerful healing, deep insight, and growth enhancing shifts that are attributed the Divine Feminine. The intention is that these stories will inspire counsellors to inquire into their clients’ transpersonal experiences with the Divine Feminine, as these experiences contain potent life- affirming and growth-enhancing resources. iv Table of Contents Supervisory Committee .................................................................................................... ii Abstract ............................................................................................................................. iii Table of Contents ……………………………………………………………………… v List of Figures ................................................................................................................... ix Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................... x Dedication ......................................................................................................................... xi Chapter I: Introduction .................................................................................................... 1 Research Question ..................................................................................................................... 1 Definitions ................................................................................................................................... 1 Transpersonal psychology and the transpersonal. ............................................................... 2 The Divine Feminine. .......................................................................................................... 3 Rationale ..................................................................................................................................... 5 Women’s voices. ................................................................................................................. 5 Transpersonal psychology and spiritual competence. ......................................................... 6 The Divine as feminine. ...................................................................................................... 7 Individual to global implications. ........................................................................................ 8 Sharing stories as a doorway to expansion and evolution. ................................................ 10 Summary ................................................................................................................................... 10 Chapter II: Literature Review ....................................................................................... 12 Historical Backdrop ................................................................................................................. 12 Cosmological worldview. .................................................................................................. 13 Pre-patriarchy to patriarchy. .............................................................................................. 14 Explorations of the Divine Feminine at the Dawn of the Aquarian Age ............................ 15 The Triple Goddess: Mother, Virgin, and Crone. ............................................................. 16 The Divine Feminine as Mother. ............................................................................................. 16 v The Divine Feminine as Virgin. .............................................................................................. 18 The Divine Feminine as Crone. ............................................................................................... 19 The Divine Feminine as the Dark Goddess. ...................................................................... 20 The Dark Goddess as the Black Madonna. ............................................................................. 21 The Dark Goddess as the Sacred Prostitute and sexuality. ..................................................... 22 The Dark Goddess in women’s blood mysteries and women’s bodies. .................................. 24 Nature-based spirituality and the connection to the Divine Feminine. ............................. 27 Hindu and Indian perspectives of the Divine Feminine. ................................................... 29 Images of the Divine through Hindu Goddesses. .................................................................... 30 The Goddess as Shakti. ........................................................................................................... 31 Kali and the Dark Goddess. ..................................................................................................... 33 Summary ................................................................................................................................... 34 Chapter III: Method ....................................................................................................... 36 Methodology ............................................................................................................................. 36 Qualitative research. .......................................................................................................... 36 A constructivist paradigm within qualitative research. ..................................................... 37 Narrative inquiry ............................................................................................................... 39 How narrative inquiry and qualitative research are a good fit. ......................................... 43 The Research Design ............................................................................................................... 44 Self-positioning. ................................................................................................................ 44 Subjectivity and reflexivity. .............................................................................................. 45 Selection of co-researchers. ............................................................................................... 46 Interview preparation and procedure. ................................................................................ 48 Analysis and interpretation. ..............................................................................................