Soul Work

Abstract

English teachers encourage writing that opens college students to transformative learning through soul work as John Dirkx describes and develops the concept of soul work in his theory of transformative learning. This soul work involves the conscious attempt to bring to the surface myths, images, and metaphors from the unconscious through imaginative writing and thinking processes. Participants in this study engage in personal interviews through which they answer questions about the activities most useful for soul work inside their classrooms and the results of their soul work experiences. Through phenomenological methodology, the lived experiences of six community college English teachers yield valuable results that connect holistic learning, soul work, and transformative learning theory. Soul work occurs in English classes when, according to the participants of this study, teachers and students enter a call, movement, and response relationship.