Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Spirituality Self'

This study examined the experience of radical, defined as root, change through mindfulness and spirituality. The heuristic qualitative research model was utilized to illuminate that phenomenon as experienced by 13 co-researchers ranging in age from 34 to 83. A review of the literature revealed a paucity of research on the experience of radical self-change through mindfulness and spirituality. Heuristic analysis of data obtained from in-depth interviews produced six core themes of radical self-change through mindfulness and spirituality: suffering on autopilot, connecting catalyzes waking up, practicing shifts entrenched habits, opening to spiritual growth, healing relationships with self and others, and sustaining wellbeing. Unique findings of this study suggest that radical change is facilitated by intensive long-term engagement in mindful-spiritual oriented practices in settings that offer mutual support, mentors and guides, and mind-body connection, in addition to psychotherapy. Findings also suggest that type of multi-faceted intervention protocol facilitates healing of early-life complex interpersonal trauma and its after effects. Included is a discussion of results of this research, which may benefit mental health clinical practice, professional development, and social and educational planning.

Keywords: radical self-change, mindfulness, and spirituality

This dissertation utilizes Merleau-Ponty’s theory of the Flesh and Jung’s theory of self-realization as a way to integrate the gained understanding into the current approach of psychotherapy as an altered attitude for the treatment of the psyche. The theories of Flesh and self-realization are used to approach a fundamental drive that leads to pathologies and wider consciousness (Merleau-Ponty, 2012; Jung, 1928/1977). This allows for the treatment of the psyche in consideration of this natural drive that enables the client’s transformation toward wholeness through the individuation process (Jung, 1959/1969, 1928/1977, 1951/1978). The Flesh is described by Merleau-Ponty as an elemental general manner of “being” (Merleau-Ponty, 1968), while self-realization is described by Jung as wholeness. This philosophic hermeneutic research recognizes the importance of gaining greater understanding of the phenomenon of self-realization. Merleau-Ponty and Jung understood the significance that opposites and their relationship with one another play in this developmental process, that is, reversibility and tension of opposites (Merleau-Ponty, 2012; Jung, 1928/1977). Jung’s depth psychological and Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenological understanding of the symbol’s capacity synthesize the opposites, thereby widening consciousness ultimately to self-realization are presented.

The following study sought to explore transformative changes in self-esteem, self-perception of dance ability, and expressions of spirituality that may occur when adolescent girls not only participate in classical ballet classes, but also learn in a teaching model emphasizing compassion encouragement discipline technique. This study performed a pre and posttest using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), the dance subscale of Vispoel's Arts Self-Perception Inventory (ASPI), and MacDonald's short version of the Expressions of Spirituality Inventory (ESI) on 27 adolescent girls ages 14 through 19 randomly divided into 2 even groups, comparison and experimental, who participated in a 5-week classical ballet course. Both groups were taught by the researcher. The comparison group was taught in a traditional dance instructor style paying most attention to the execution of the participants' steps and dance combination performance rather than any internal changes. The experimental group received the researcher-developed Compassion Encouragement Discipline Technique. Results of the pre and posttests of each of the inventories were compared and analyzed via an analysis of variance and discussed to explore the efficacy of this pedagogical style. Quantitative results indicated no statistical significance on standardized assessments measuring their self-esteem, arts (dance) self-perception, or expressions of spirituality. However, researcher observed differences in the comparison and experimental group were noted and discussed. Because transpersonal psychology allows for emotional transformation, this study contributes to furthering transpersonal literature by acknowledging the potential impact of student/teacher rapport in the compassion and empowerment-based teaching of classical ballet to adolescent girls.

Researchers who specialize in the area of self-transcendence and servant leadership behavior have concluded that the presence of servant leadership behavior and spirituality may be essential in creating adaptive and successful organizations. Given the demand and concern for ethical, moral, and spiritual leaders’ conscious of others and the greater world community, interest in self-transcendence and servant leadership behavior has grown substantially. A limited body of evidence exists regarding the ways in which self-identified spiritual leaders implement servant leadership behavior in the spiritual, organizational setting. Gaining additional information on the ways in which self-identified servant leaders and spirituality apply in organizations is valuable to enable organizations to meet the challenges of the 21st century. In this research, the purpose of this study was to examine whether a relationship existed between the variables of self-transcendence and perceived servant leader behaviors among senior leaders and their followers at New Thought Spiritual Centers in the United States. This study sought to examine whether a leaders’ selftranscendence as measured by the Assessment of Spirituality of Religious Sentiments Scale (ASPIRES), correlates with being recognized as a servant leader among one’s followers as measured by the Servant Leadership Behavior Scale (SLBS). The conclusions extrapolated from research question 1 suggested there was a significant positive correlation between selftranscendence and servant leadership behavior. The findings for research question 2 suggested partial support for leaders’ self-assessed self-transcendence and self-assessed servant leadership behavior. The highest scores for leaders’ reported from the ASPIRES scale was the subscales of Prayer Fulfillment, and less high among the subscales Universality and Connectedness.

This theoretical study addresses the question of how spirituality affects a child's development of a sense of self and considers the role of the natural world in this process. The author uses a traditional hermeneutic method in combination with alchemical hermeneutics (Romanyshyn, 2007) in order to make room for the unconscious during the research process. The study is therefore both an examination of the interrelationships between self, spirituality, and the natural world, as well as a depiction of the author's use of self and the unconscious to penetrate the deeper dimensions of these interrelationships. Three main bodies of literature were reviewed for the study: children's spirituality, sense of self development, and the human-nature connection. In addition, the author made use of a logbook for the duration of the study to record dreams, symptoms, reveries, synchronicities, and the transference dialogues. These contributions from the unconscious were integrated with findings from the literature to articulate a new theoretical perspective on the child's development of a sense of self. The author finds that the spiritual life of the child is nurtured in communion with the natural world and that the child's sense of self is directly impacted by both the relationship with the natural world and her spiritual nature. Further, the author finds that the child's development of a spiritual sense of self in relationship with the natural world contributes to the reparation of the dissociation between human beings and the earth. The implications of this study for depth psychotherapy suggest that it is in our utmost interest to allow children opportunity to develop a sense of spiritual self in relationship with the earth. Both children and adults need opportunities to connect with the natural world in order for the spiritual self to emerge in the direction of human-earth unity. This study further implies that, in alchemical hermeneutics, depth psychology has an effective and reliable method of conducting research with the explicit participation of the unconscious in the research process.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is an organization that seeks to help its members achieve recovery from alcoholism through participation in the AA fellowship and adherence to a 12 step program. Reliance upon a Higher Power is a key tenet of AA, which could suggest a more externally-oriented locus of control. However, research has shown that a more internally-oriented locus of control is associated with longer sobriety. Abstinence self-efficacy and positive religious coping have also been associated with enhanced recovery from substance use disorders. The purpose of this study was to examine locus of control, abstinence self-efficacy, and spiritual coping style in a community sample of AA members. The relationship of locus of control and abstinence self-efficacy to length of sobriety was also examined. The participants were 76 subjects who were recruited from AA meetings in Northern California and the state of Washington. There were 43 females (57%) and 33 males (43%), with a mean age of 39.29 years, and a mean of 3.41 years of sobriety. Participants completed a research questionnaire regarding demographic data, AA involvement, addiction history, and religious and spiritual beliefs. They also completed the Drinking-Related Locus of Control Scale (DRIE), the Alcohol Abstinence Self-Efficacy Scale (AASE), and the Brief RCOPE, a measure of religious coping style. The results indicated that this sample endorsed a relatively internal locus of control, a fairly high level of abstinence self-efficacy, and a more positive than negative religious coping style. Support was found for several of the researcher's hypotheses: internal locus of control and positive religious coping were associated with higher abstinence self-efficacy; positive religious coping was associated with internal locus of control; and internal locus of control and higher levels of abstinence self-efficacy were associated with longer sobriety. Negative religious coping was not associated with lower abstinence self-efficacy, nor did it correlate with external locus of control. The results suggested that belief in a Higher Power and participation in AA were not incompatible with the constructs of internal locus of control and abstinence self-efficacy for this sample. Other findings, clinical implications, limitations, and suggestions for future research are also explored.

This interdisciplinary, theoretical dissertation puts Meister Eckhart and psychoanalysis (in particular, the work of Jacques Lacan) in dialogue in order to examine the question of the self. It extends the success of recent Buddhist-psychoanalytic dialogues on the self into the neglected area of Christian mysticism. The author reviews the extant literature on psychoanalysis and mysticism, summarizes Freud and Lacan's psychoanalytic theories of subjectivity, and examines the existing literature on Meister Eckhart and the self. Then, the author undertakes a commentary of an especially significant passage in one of Eckhart's sermons using an interpretive method which brings together "radical hermeneutics," a form of hermeneutics developed by the American philosopher of religion John Caputo (1987, 2000) with Lectio Divina and centering prayer, two Christian contemplative practices.

Based on the commentary, the author presents a fresh understanding of Eckhart's view of the self which emphasizes the unity between the soul and God in the process of God's birth in the soul (Gottesgeburt). Then, some of the key themes of Eckhart's sermons are put in dialogue with key Lacanian concepts – e.g., properties (eigenschaften) with symptoms, detachment (abegescheidenheit) with castration, and living without why (ohne Warum) with jouissance – in order to explore the significance of Eckhart's view of the self for psychoanalytic theories of subjectivity. Additionally, the discussion includes clinical vignettes in order to suggest implications for the practice of psychotherapy. The dissertation concludes that psychoanalysis and mysticism are guided by a similar logic and structure, as they are both oriented around processes of change.