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An Open Mystery: Reflections on the Metaphysical Status of the Participatory Approach
Full text linkThis paper provides an assessment and clarification of the metaphysical status of the participatory approach to transpersonal and spiritual phenomena (Ferrer, 2002, 2017a). To that end, I first respond to several criticisms of the approach issued by scholars in recent years; for instance, that it hides a perennialist metaphysics (e.g., Abramson, 2015) or that it is metaphysically vague (e.g., Taylor, 2021). After reviewing these critical discussions, I describe the open and minimalist nature of the participatory metaphysics, arguing that such features cultivate a fertile soil for transpersonal scholarship, human flourishing, and interreligious relations. Applying a biomimetic approach, I argue that spiritual pluralism can be better understood—and more positively appreciated—when seen as an expression of life’s diversification. In this spirit, I suggest that rhizomatic, treelike images are helpful to visualize not only religious traditions’ differences and similarities, but also the problems of neo-perennialist and essentialist accounts of spirituality. I conclude with a vindication of the eminently pragmatist, edifying, and transformative nature of the participatory approach
Waldorf Education: New Perspectives on a Holistic Approach
Full text linkThis article outlines some of the core ideas underlying the practices of Waldorf education as re-envisioned by an experienced practitioner, as a contribution to the discussion about the educational implications of transpersonal psychology. It outlines a pedagogical anthropology that takes the spiritual dimension into account. It distinguishes between the lived body, the emergent psyche and the agentic Self as the spiritual core of being in the person. Learning is explained as a transformative process that involves the changing relationships to one’s own body, to others and to the world through which potentialities become abilities. The aim of the transformative education is the emergence of subjects capable of life-long learning and the ability to act ethically out of insigh
Buddhism, Daoism, and Jeet Kune Do: A Contemporary Analysis of Nondual Traditions in a New Age Martial Art
Full text linkTraditional martial arts are known for their focus on spiritual cultivation through a combination of self-defense training and contemplative practices like meditation. Traditional martial art systems tend to utilize nondual traditions commonly associated with Buddhism and Daoism; however, modern martial art practices, particularly those of MMA, no longer place a strong emphasis on such traditions. In turn, this has led to the development of high-performance sport athletes who emphasize self-defense efficiency in combat (usually combat sports) over all other attributes while also mixing “arts” or “styles” as necessary for the individual’s own self growth. I dub these as “new age” martial art systems. While many of these systems tend to de-emphasize nondual philosophies and concepts often favored by more traditional martial arts, this paper argues that not all new age martial art systems follow this pattern. Bruce Lee’ s Jeet Kune Do is a prime example of a new age martial art that integrates and expands upon nondual traditions. In this paper, I examine how Buddhist and Daoist concepts correspond to philosophical teachings established in the new age martial art system of Jeet Kune Do through careful comparison of Buddhist, Daoist, and JKD writings alongside insights and interpretations from contemporary scholarship
Integrating Clinical Intuition for a Whole Person Approach to Empowerment
Full text linkThis paper is a summary of a study utilizing constructivist grounded theory to examine the process of accessing and applying clinical intuition in psychotherapy. Intensive interviews were conducted with 19 psychotherapists to explore their experiences with clinical intuition, including training on the topic, supportive conditions for accessing intuition, and decision making around its application in session. Engagement in an iterative process of data collection and analysis occurred to arrive at the constructed theory: integrating clinical intuition for a whole person approach to empowerment. The theory is comprised of the core categories (a) building trust and confidence to access and use intuition as a therapist, (b) practicing, and (c) empowering clients to connect with their own intuition
Empathy, Ethics, and Empowerment: Supervising the Transpersonal Therapist
Full text linkThis grounded theory study addressed the question What model explains the essential qualities, skills, and competencies of an effective supervisory relationship for transpersonal therapists in training? It emerged out of a recognition that current training models for supervisors were not inclusive of competencies to address the needs of therapist trainees who are oriented toward a transpersonal approach to psychotherapy. The results of 22 interviews with trainees and supervisors surfaced a fundamental tension within the supervisory relationship in the distinction among the primary responsibility of the supervisor for ensuring client welfare, and encouraging supervisees to develop their personal therapeutic orientation and the self of the therapist. Emergent themes describe the nature of a supervisory relationship that encourages development of all of the gifts of the therapist while training for competence
Clients in the Driver’s Seat, not Asleep at the Wheel: A Qualitative Study of the Client Role in Transpersonal Psychotherapy
Full text linkDespite the power of the therapeutic alliance in effective therapy and its larger-thanthe- individuals-comprising-it (transpersonal) qualities, the client’s contribution to the therapeutic process has been largely overlooked in both conventional and transpersonal literatures. This study asked 35 transpersonal practitioners, what is the role of the client in transpersonal psychotherapy? The study examined client traits, attitudes and role demands in Jungian therapy, sandplay therapy, dream analysis, guided imagery, regression and hypnotherapy, nondual psychotherapy, and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy using inductive thematic analysis. The results distinguish transpersonal therapy clients from conventional ones, indicating that the transpersonal client role characteristics and behaviors are unavoidably more developed by the very demands of transpersonal modalities—as are the demands on the therapist. For most, but not all, transpersonal modalities, the therapeutic alliance is a peer relationship, with the client firmly in the driver’s seat. The findings suggest that transpersonal psychotherapy may be adjunctive or complementary to conventional therapy, and that conventional therapy may only work for some clients up to a point. Finally, transpersonal modalities could be integrated into conventional therapy based on client need and therapist openness to trans-egoic dynamics
CIIS Dissertation Abstracts, 2022-2023
Full text linkThis compilation of dissertation abstracts reflects the exciting research completed by the 2022-2023 graduates from PhD programs in the School of Consciousness and Transformation and the Clinical Psychology Doctorate (PsyD) in the School of Professional Psychology and Health at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS).
The original and impactful doctoral research presented here spans diverse areas of scholarship from anthropology and social change to human sexuality, philosophy and religion, and whole person approaches to psychology, demonstrating the breadth and depth of transformative and integral inquiry happening at CIIS. The transdisciplinary nature of these dissertations reflects the richness and complexity of contemporary knowledge needed to address complex social challenges.https://digitalcommons.ciis.edu/dissertation-abstracts/1000/thumbnail.jp
Assessing Bodily Location of the Egocenter: Testing Content Validity of the Dispositional Self-Location Questionnaire
Full text linkThis study reports on preliminary work to develop a questionnaire for identifying self-location and test it against self-location as indicated on a human silhouette. Self-location, also known as the ego-center or the seat of attention, is the sense of where the “I” or subject is experienced relative to the body. Determining the location of the sense of self is of value since variations in self-location have been associated with differences in attitudes, motivations, and behaviors. A 14-item questionnaire was developed based on demonstrated characteristics of head-located self and heart-located self. Results showed greater than 90% congruence between self-location as determined by this questionnaire and as indicated by marking self-location graphically on a silhouette. A revised version of the questionnaire is presented in preparation for further validation
