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Deep Ecology, Nature Spirits, and the Filipino Transpersonal Worldview
Full text linkMany Filipinos today still believe that the world is filled with invisible entities who can affect their lives in a tangible way. These beings usually reside in nature as the souls of ancestors or other mysterious spirits. This indigenous transpersonal worldview implies that the individual is part of a living world. The modern term “deep ecology” seems to be aligned with this worldview. This paper looks at the implications of the Filipino transpersonal worldview on policies related to the care for environment and biodiversity
Comments on “Is Biological Death Final? Recomputing the Drake-S Equation for Postmortem Survival of Consciousness”
Full text linkThe application of the Drake-S equation to the aggregated data suggestive of survival found 30.3% of unexplained variance in the data when other factors were applied to the dataset (including living agent psi, LAP). A number of points are raised in this commentary. These include 1. the aggregated estimate for LAP should factor in implicit psi studies (among others); 2. it is difficult to ascertain the source of psi if psi is not a signal that is caused, but rather an emergent property of a connected system; 3. there may be shared variance between sources that are attributed differently in the equation 4. different sources of evidence for survival are heterogeneous and 5. The attribution of unexplained variance to survival of consciousness is critiqued. Even if it cannot resolve the debate concerning postmortem survival of consciousness, this approach redirects serious academic attention to the study of death and dying
Good, Bad, or Not-Even-Wrong Science and Mathematics in Transpersonal Psychology: Comment on Rock et al.\u27s Is Biological Death Final?
Full text linkRock et al. (this issue) used a Drake-like equation to provide an estimate of the mathematical likelihood of survival of consciousness after death based on combining a number of probability guestimates. Although it is refreshing to see a mathematical paper within transpersonal psychology, as this subdiscipline of psychology suffers from a shortage of quantitative research, it is uncertain whether this contribution is good, bad, or not-even-wrong science. The original Drake equation, and its derivative Drake-like equation spinoffs, have been criticized for combining numbers that produce results that lack meaning and thereby perhaps can be seen as using pseudomathematics. This concern is discussed in relationship to problems related to romantic scientism within transpersonal science, including methodolatry involved in privileging qualitative over quantitative approaches. Self-expansiveness is discussed as an example of transpersonal psychology appropriately using good science, while the critical positivity ratio is discussed as an example of bad science, and astrology is discussed as an example of pseudoscience that is not-even-wrong. Questions are raised about the proper use and the misuse of mathematics within the transpersonal area, and comment is made about advances in mathematics that might become useful within transpersonal psychology
How Film Influences and Reflects States of Consciousness - Through Films of Julian Sands
Full text linkFilm, as a multivalent art form, uses archetypal themes and symbols that have the power to affect the consciousness of its viewers. The stories that play out on the screen through plot, setting, character, and the elements of storytelling through film carry rich and deep archetypal meaning for our culture and our psyches. This is how film can impact us on deep, subconscious levels and influence and change our consciousness, for good or ill. A look at two key films with the actor Julian Sands illustrates the way we, as viewers, experience a shift and even transformation in consciousness through the act of seeing and viewing the films
Decoding Babel: “Ungrieved Futility” and the Unrecognized Order of the Depression Research Field
Full text linkThe field of depression research and theory is a preparadigmatic potpourri of different orientations without a central, consensus definition of depression. This study attempted to address these issues by investigating the depression sub-literatures (cognitive–behavioral, psychoanalytic, evolutionary, biomedical, phenomenological, existential–humanistic, cybernetic, environmental, and religious–spiritual theories) using a comparative analytic methodology, which allows for comparing disparate fields that do not share a common definitional set by relating them to a third concept, in this study the construct of “ungrieved futility” (UF) as a dynamic model of depression. UF defines the objective and/or subjective experience of the permanent loss of an attachment object that initiates the normal grief process, but which is blocked by other factors. As such, UF is one entity with two components. The results showed that UF does describe the core definitional statement about depression of most of the literatures, with the exceptions being the biomedical, behavioral, as well as parts of the environmental and spiritual sub-literatures. It also distinguishes those literatures that frame depression as an entity possessing inherent structure and dynamics from those that see it as an epiphenomenon. Finally, the analysis points to an inherent dynamic in depression which has implications for transpersonal psychology. Thus, this study shows that even without overt integrative theorizing, the field itself already has a wide inherent agreement about the structural dynamics of depression that has not been clearly recognized in existing literature
Two Dimensions of a Bodhisattva
Full text linkThis paper presents two dimensions of a bodhisattva, the ideal of Maha- ya- na Buddhism. One dimension involves contemplative practices that disclose a pure nature that is always already present; this reality is unveiled after the obscurations that cloud it are removed. I refer to this as a “top-down” approach because it is based on qualities of awakening that are already there, yet lie beyond an ordinary being’s comprehension. The second dimension, which I refer to as a “bottom-up” approach, involves directed training and discipline. Unlike the top-down approach, this is not about “going with the flow” or simply letting the innate qualities of mind express themselves. In contrast, the bottom-up approach is better described as “breaking the cycle” of suffering. That is to say, this orientation toward a bodhisattva’s practice involves restraint and discipline to train the mind by turning it away from habitual, destructive patterns to shape it into spontaneous and skillful responses and expressions. This paper will discuss both of these orientations and will show how they are complementary aspects of a bodhisattva’s practice
Authentic Mindfulness Within Mindfulness-Based Interventions: A Qualitative Study of Participants\u27 Experiences
Full text linkThere are concerns that participants of some modern mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are receiving a superficial form of mindfulness training. However, empirical investigation of this issue according to participants’ first-hand experiences has been limited. Thus, this qualitative study aimed to capture the first-hand perspectives relating to authentic mindfulness of participants who had recently attended an MBI in the UK. Ten adults completed a recorded, online semistructured interview. Based on a thematic analysis, the following four master themes were identified: (a) authentic mindfulness as a construct, (b) positive aspects of the training, (c) something missing, and (d) recommendations for authenticity. Although all participants experienced benefits from the MBI, they felt that the mindfulness training they received lacked spiritual depth. Implications for the design and delivery of MBIs are discussed
Contemporary Family Conceptions: A Look at Social Media Narratives of Donor Conception, Multi-Parent Families, and Adoption.
No full textThe purpose of this data set is to investigate the experiences of parents, children, biological and non-biological family members when families are constructed in non-traditional ways. We address families constructed with known donors, in polyamourous and platonic family formations, families with step parents, and through adoption. Social Media posts between 2018 and 2023 were systematically collected from Reddit, Tiktok, Youtube, and Twitter. Data were collected by a team of collaborative researchers focusing on three topical areas: Donor conception, Adoption, and Mutli-Parent Families
The Cyberseduce Collection: Sex Work Commentary on Major Social Media Platforms.
No full textAbstract
During a ten-week Human Sexuality fellowship program, one of the focal areas was sex work, undertaken by an interdisciplinary team of graduate students and faculty. Employing an emergent design approach, this team used multiple iterations to refine their data collection process. Initially comprised of sixteen fellows, the Sex Work team sought to compile a comprehensive dataset encompassing various aspects of sex work, as broadly defined, across four social media platforms: Reddit, TikTok, Twitter (aka X ), and YouTube. The Sex Work Databank eventually amassed nearly 6,000 data entries, with YouTube yielding the largest share.
The data collection process began with the collaboration of general search terms by fellows and faculty leads. Their deliberations and strategies were meticulously documented in a “Data Best Practices Guide.” From June 2nd to June 23rd, 2023, the team held discussions to determine key variables and search terms for use on the chosen social media platforms. Initially, the team was structured into three subgroups: Space, Place, and Identity; Politics and Policy; and Community. Although these subgroups were dissolved early in the data collection process, their initial themes continued influencing data gathering. Notably, the team devised five descriptive tags that would shape their data collection efforts: Brand Building, Policing and Politics, Customer Oriented, Worker Oriented, and Justice and Activism.
Across all platforms, universal parameters for data collection were established, encompassing standard columns, time-bound data, and the application of specific keywords. Thirteen standard data columns were identified, including demographic and identity markers such as race, ethnicity, gender, and nationality. Classifying these markers as declared or perceived introduced a subjective element into the data collection process. Data was collected from posts made between January 1st, 2018, and May 31st, 2023. One finding was that each platform’s utilization lent itself more towards one or two tags