Transpersonal Psychology Research Articles

Investigating associations between self-compassion, self-criticism and psychotic-like experiences.

Dimensional approaches suggest psychotic symptoms exist along a continuum, with psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) being an expression of a non-clinical psychosis phenotype. Existing research indicates self-criticism may contribute to symptom maintenance, frequency and distress, whereas self-compassion may act protectively. Associations between self-criticism, self-compassion and PLEs in the general population have received less attention. The present study sought to investigate these associations. It was hypothesised that PLE endorsement would be associated positively with self-criticism and negatively with self-compassion. Quantitative cross-sectional study. Data collected via an online questionnaire. Five hundred thirty-one participants completed the Self-Compassion Scale (Short Form), the Forms of Self-Criticising/Attacking and Self-Reassuring Scale and the Transpersonal Experiences Questionnaire. Individuals with a psychosis-related diagnosis were excluded. The data were analysed using linear regression, accounting for the effects of demographic variables. Self-criticism subtype self-hatred was associated with PLEs. Subtype self-inadequacy was not. No association was found between self-compassion and PLEs. Educational attainment was negatively associated with PLE endorsement. Self-criticism, but not self-compassion, is associated with PLE endorsement, suggesting they are separate factors with different relationships to PLEs. Further research is needed to confirm the direction of the interaction. Either way, psychological interventions (where needed) could target self-criticism and may be important in assessing psychosis risk.

Retracted: Analysis of Factors Related to Spiritual Psychology and Quality of Life in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease Based on Artificial Intelligence IBD Nursing Technology.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1155/2022/7702432.].

Of Maybugs and Men: A History of Philosophy of the Sciences of Homosexuality

Of Maybugs and Men: A History of Philosophy of the Sciences of Homosexuality

A Transpersonal Festschrift to Honor Charles Tart on his 85th Birthday

This summary honors Charles Tart on his 85th birthday by reviewing his contributions and the influence of his work in the subdiscipline of Transpersonal Psychology. Six contributions are reviewed, namely his vision of Transpersonal Psychology as: (a) a science of Mind and Spirit, (b) a critical psychology, (c) an empirical, non-churchly approach to religion as spiritual psychology, (d) a state-specific science of exceptional human experience, (e) an evidence-enriched science of spirituality grounded in the scientific foundations of experimental parapsychology, and (f) a psychology of human possibilities to help individuals overcome obstacles to growth.

The digital transformation in the psychology of workplace spirituality

PurposeThere is evidence that spirituality at the workplace has positive effects on work outcomes, and there are different models conceptualizing the construct. To date, there is no discussion highlighting how digitalization is affecting workplace spirituality and vice versa. The present review tries to close this gap by discussing the psychological dynamics in light of digitalization and spirituality in the context of work.Design/methodology/approachThis is a conceptual discussion based on an extensive narrative review. The conceptual design is further tested with a real-life case study.FindingsThe result is a model that may guide future research, which consists of the four highly interdependent domains, namely psychology (with the dimensions of emotion, cognition and behavior), digitalization (with the dimensions of platforms, data and algorithms), spirituality (with the dimensions of meaning, self-transcendation and belonging), as well as the workplace (with the dimensions of work tasks, location, community and culture and values). The discussion includes implications for the future of work, suggestions for management decisions and potential future research directions.Originality/valueTo date, there are many discussions about digital transformation and a limited amount of them have invested in analyzing psychological dimensions. The application to spirituality and the workplace – especially when the two are combined – is almost wholly absent, which makes the present discussion both innovative and original.

Farghānī on the Muhammadan Reality

Perhaps the closest parallel to the Johannine Logos in Islam is found in the notion of the “Muhammadan Reality” (al-ḥaqīqat al-muḥammadiyya). The term was probably first used by Ibn ʿArabī (d. 1240), but the earliest detailed explanation of what it implies was provided by Saʿīd ibn Aḥmad Farghānī (d. 1300), an outstanding student of Ibn ʿArabī’s foremost propagator, Ṣadr al-Dīn Qûnawī. Farghānī wrote a dense, two-volume commentary on Ibn al-Fāriḍ’s famous 760-verse qasida, Naẓm al-sulûk. Deeply rooted in Islamic metaphysics, theology, and spiritual psychology, the commentary explains how the poet is describing Muhammad’s eternal archetype in God as both the means whereby God creates the universe and the ultimate returning place of all things.

The Influence of Religiosity and Spirituality on the Quality of Life of Patients With Multiple Myeloma

IntroductionThe majority of patients with advanced neoplasms have religious/spiritual needs, and for most of them religion and/or spirituality is important. The psychology of religion and spirituality is one the forms of support offered to patients with advanced cancer. R/S are factors which impact health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The aim of this paper was to assess the influence of R/S on the HRQoL of patients diagnosed with MM. Materials and MethodsThe patients filled out anonymous questionnaires about R/S and the HRQoL scale. The clinical data were collected from medical records. ResultsThe study sample consisted of 83 patients with MM (51.8% women), with a mean age of 64.9 years. The leading denomination among the respondents was Catholic (N = 83, 100%): 36% described themselves as deep believers (N = 30), 53% as believers (N = 44), and 11% as nonpracticing believers (N = 9). Most patients were receiving ongoing treatment (59.8%), while 40.2% were in remission from the disease. Patients in remission declared a significantly higher interest in R/S issues than patients in active treatment and had a higher rate of intrapsychic R/S struggles dominated by anxiety and guilt. A moderate negative correlation between interest in R/S issues and unfavorable assessment of physical functioning and role functioning was observed. Anger towards God positively correlated with a negative assessment of emotional functioning. ConclusionsThe findings highlight the importance of R/S for the HRQoL of MM patients and show that their QoL depends on the types of R/S coping used.

Tafakkur: A Contemplation of Students’ Spiritual and Emotional Intelligence (in The Perspective of Sufism & Transpersonal Psychology)

The phenomenon of the educational process creates students who frequently feel fatigue/boredom which has an impact on increasing levels of anxiety, suppression, repression, and depression. Various learning methods are applied to be able to overcome the boredom/burden of fluctuating thoughts and emotions, namely through implementing changes that tend to involve one's personal internal strength. The practice of contemplation is a training concept that is integrated with several schools. The purpose of this academic paper is to advance the concept of tafakkur in the discipline of education and establish a framework for developing instruments that enhance students' emotional and spiritual intelligence. Employing a qualitative research approach with a literature review and examination of information from Islamic scientific sources (the Qur'an and the Sunnah), as well as contemporary Islamic literature and Western literature for comparison. Description of a few previous research investigations on student therapy for anxiety and depression. Conclusions of the analysis of the concept of tafakkur from two perspectives, namely Sufism and transpersonal psychology, provide the foundation for thinking about school students' learning theory, which is inherent in the Islamic religious education curriculum because the content of tafakkur learning activities can present tawhid values, which function as the primary fundamentals of Islamic religious education. The utilization of tafakkur as a teaching tool will assist students to focus on their studies, which has implications for improving their spiritual and emotional intelligence. This provides students a strong soul and mentality as well as enables them to deal with the pressures and challenges of both the present and the future periods of globalization.

Urban Sufism: Membangun Kecerdasan Spiritual Masyarakat Perkotaan Era Modern

This study aims to explore the role of Sufism in building the spiritual intelligence of urban communities in the modern era. With increasing urbanization and the pressures of modern life, there is an urgent need to strengthen the dimension of spirituality in the urban context. Sufism, as a branch within Islam that emphasizes developing an individual's relationship with God through introspection and meditation, is emerging as a promising approach in meeting this need. This research will use a qualitative approach by conducting a literature review of relevant works in the fields of Urban Sufism, spiritual intelligence, and urban life. The sources used include books, journals, articles, and related academic writings. Thematic analysis will be used to identify key themes emerging in the relevant literature. The results of this study get three points, namely: Awakening of Spirituality and the Phenomenon of Urban Sufism, Spiritual Intelligence in Transpersonal Psychology and Efforts to Increase Spiritual Intelligence in Urban Sufism.

Marxism and Witchcraft By DavidKubrin, Brooklyn, NY: Autonmedia. 2020. pp. 704. USD 24.95

Anthropology of ConsciousnessEarly View BOOK REVIEW Marxism and Witchcraft By David Kubrin, Brooklyn, NY: Autonmedia. 2020. pp. 704. USD 24.95 Mark A. Schroll, Corresponding Author Mark A. Schroll [email protected] Sofia University, Palo Alto, CaliforniaE-mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this author Mark A. Schroll, Corresponding Author Mark A. Schroll [email protected] Sofia University, Palo Alto, CaliforniaE-mail: [email protected]il.comSearch for more papers by this author First published: 13 June 2023 https://doi.org/10.1111/anoc.12180Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL No abstract is available for this article. REFERENCES Berman, M. 1981. The Reenchantment of the World. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. Berman, M. 1989. Coming to our Senses: Body and Spirit in the Hidden History of the West. New York: Simon and Schuster. Capra, B. A., dir. 1991. Mindwalk. Hollywood, CA.: Triton Pictures/Paramount. Capra, F. 1982. The Turning Point: Science, Society, and the Rising Culture. New York, N.Y.: Bantam Books. Capra, F., and Toms, M. (1992). Mindwalk: The New Paradigm. New Dimensions Radio Interview with Capra, F. San Francisco: New Dimensions Foundation. Merchant, C. 1980. The Death of Nature: Women, Ecology, and the Scientific Revolution. San Francisco: Harper & Row. Metzner, R. 1999. Green Psychology: Transforming our Relationship to the Earth. Rochester, VT: Park Street Press. Pink Floyd. 1979. The Wall. London/Britannia Row: Harvest EMI (UK), Columbia/CBS (USA). Prattis, I. 1997. Anthropology at the Edge: Essays on Culture, Symbol, and Consciousness. Lanham, MD: University Press of America. Schroll, M. A. 1997. “ The Philosophical Legacy of David Bohm, Its Relationship to Transpersonal Psychology, and the Emergence of Ecopsychology: Searching for a Coherent, Co-evolutionary, Sustainable Culture.” PhD diss., The Union Institute and University. Schroll, M. A. 2001. “Hypotheses in Search of a Paradigm: A Conversation Forum.” Society for the Anthropology of Consciousness conference, Bastyr University, Seattle, Washington, April 6, 2001. Schroll, M. A. 2010a. “Toward a New Kind of Science and Its Methods of Inquiry.” Anthropology of Consciousness 21 (1): 1– 29. Schroll, M. A. 2010b. “The Physics of Psi: An Interview with Stanley Krippner.” Transpersonal Psychology Review 14 (1): 3– 15. M. A. Schroll, ed. 2014. Paranthropology: Journal of Anthropological Approaches to the Paranormal 5 (4). Special issue: Hypotheses in Search of a Paradigm. Schroll, M. A. 2016. Transpersonal Ecosophy, vol. 1: Theory, Methods, and Clinical Assessments. Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant, UK: Psychoid Books. Schroll, M. A., and S. Greenwood. 2011. “Worldviews in Collision/Worldviews in Metamorphosis: Toward a Multistate Paradigm.” Anthropology of Consciousness 22 (1): 49– 60. Schroll, M. A., and H. Walker. 2011. “Diagnosing the Human Superiority Complex: Providing Evidence the Eco-crisis is Born of Conscious Agency.” Anthropology of Consciousness 22 (1): 30– 48. Early ViewOnline Version of Record before inclusion in an issue ReferencesRelatedInformation

Good, Bad, or Not-Even-Wrong Science and Mathematics in Transpersonal Psychology: Comment on Rock et al.'s "Is Biological Death Final?"

Rock 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.

Is Biological Death Final? Recomputing the Drake-S Equation for Postmortem Survival of Consciousness

This participatory team science project extended Laythe and Houran’s (2022) prior application of a famous probabilistic argument known as the "Drake equation" to the question of postmortem survival. Specifically, we evaluated effect sizes from peer-reviewed, empirical studies to determine the maximum average percentage effect that ostensibly supports (i.e., "anomalous effects") or refutes (i.e., "known confounds") the survival hypothesis. But unlike the earlier application, this research included a study-specific estimate of the hypothesized variable of "living agent psi" via a new meta-analysis of empirical studies (N = 17) with exceptional subjects vs participants from the general population. Our updated analysis found that putative psi was a meaningful variable, although it along with other known confounds still did not account for 30.3% of survival-related phenomena that appear to attest directly to human consciousness continuing after physical (biological) death. Thus, the popular conventional variables that we measured here are seemingly insufficient to account for a sizable portion of the purported empirical data that has been interpreted as evidence of survival. Our conclusion is nonetheless tempered by several assumptions and limitations of our speculative exercise, which ultimately does not affirm the existence of an ‘afterlife’ but rather highlights the need for measurements with greater precision and/ or a more comprehensive set of quantifiable variables. Therefore, we discuss how our probabilistic approach provides important heuristics to guide future research in this highly controversial domain that touches both parapsychology and transpersonal psychology.

Dead Reckoning: A Multiteam System Approach to Commentaries on the Drake-S Equation for Survival

We used a multiteam system approach (MTS) to map the critical and constructive feedback from four invited Commentaries on Rock et al.’s (2023) probabilistic analysis of purported evidence for postmortem survival. The goal was to mine actionable insights to guide future research with the potential for important learnings or breakthroughs about the nature or limits of human consciousness and their relation to transpersonal psychology. The commentators’ input identified only a few measurable variables or empirical tactics that conceivably challenge or refine our latest Drake-S Equation for survival. However, a review of these suggestions using logical and statistical criteria revealed that none immediately upend our previous conclusion that the published effect sizes for various Known Confounds (including hypothetical "living agent psi") do not fully account for the published prevalence rates of Anomalous Experiences traditionally interpretated as survival. However, the commentators proposed several good recommendations for new studies that could eventually alter this calculus. Accordingly, we outline the architecture of a proposed cross-disciplinary research program that extends the present MTS approach and its collected insights and focuses strictly on empiricism over rhetoric in this domain. The results of this coordinated effort should likewise help to clarify a range of psychological and biomedical phenomena that speak to the nature and limits of human consciousness.

Transpersonal Ecodelia: Surveying Psychedelically Induced Biophilia

Objective: To explore the perceived influence of psychedelic experiences on participants’ relationship with the natural world. Method: A total of 272 participants reporting previous use of psychedelics completed free-text response requests via an online survey. Thematic analysis was used to explore group participant responses. Results: Participants who described a pre-existing relationship with nature reported that psychedelics acted to re-establish and bolster their connection to nature. Those reporting no previously established connection to nature described psychedelics as helping them bond with the natural world. Underlying both of these were reports of transpersonal experiences, of which ‘interconnectedness’ was most frequently linked to shifts in attitudes and behaviours. Participants were also asked to reflect on previous psychedelic experiences that took place in nature and reported a range of benefits of the natural setting. Conclusions: These findings suggest that psychedelics have the capacity to elicit a connection with nature that is passionate and protective, even among those who were not previously nature oriented. More research is needed to explore the potential implications of psychedelic use outside laboratory-controlled settings in order to enhance these important effects.

The Solitary Mind in the Anatomy of Melancholy

The Solitary Mind in <i>the Anatomy of Melancholy</i>

Integral Psychology: A new science of self, personality, and psychology

This paper outlines a theory of psychology based on Sri Aurobindo’s conceptualization of the human being. Starting with the basic notion of self and personhood in contemporary academic psychology, largely located in the lower levels of psychological functioning, the field of Transpersonal Psychology is used as a stepping stone to access the higher reaches of humanity. A brief outline of the Advaita Vedāntic perspectives on personality then paves the way for Sri Aurobindo’s neo-Vedāntic depiction of the person. The contribution of the integral approach to the transformation of emotions, and its role in psychotherapy is then outlined. It is the author’s contention that Sri Aurobindo’s system contains a comprehensive framework of psychology, which allows for both Western as well as Indian conceptualization of the psyche and provides a synthesis, which is more than a mere sum of parts, giving a vision for an optimistic and glorious future of humankind, paving the way for divine life to manifest upon earth.

Polish Validation of a 14-Item Version of the Religious and Spiritual Struggles Scale (RSS-14): Factorial Structure, Psychometric Properties, and Clinical Correlates

Religious and spiritual (R/S) struggles are defined as the occurrence of tension, conflict, or strain that focus on matters of ultimate significance perceived by people as sacred. The widespread prevalence of R/S struggles and the growing demand for research in this area created the need for a brief tool. Recently, the 14-item form of the Religious and Spiritual Struggles Scale was developed and validated (Exline et al. in Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 2022a). Given the significance of the empirical research on R/S struggles, we implemented the project of structure verification, internal consistency confirmation, reliability, and nomological validation of the Polish variant of the RSS-14 through three separate studies. With respect to the internal structure of the RSS-14, the CFA from three studies confirmed the good fit of the six-factor model, very similar to the one obtained in the original version of the tool. Moreover, both the total score and the subscales had high reliability and acceptable stability over the three studies. With respect to the nomological analyses, R/S struggles were related negatively to life satisfaction, presence of meaning in life, self-esteem, social desirability, religious centrality, and positively with search for meaning, God’s disengagement, poorer health indicators, sleep problems, stress, and cognitive schemas (this category was the new element of our research). Polish 14-item version of the Religious and Spiritual Struggles Scale seems a valuable tool to assess religious strains.

Rehabilitation of survivors of shock psychological trauma by methods of deep existential psychology

This paper presents the results of a study based on a formative experiment in the field of psychological psychotherapy. We are also talking about the rehabilitation of people who have experienced a shock psychological trauma, using methods of deep existential psychology and in the context of appealing to fundamental (traditional) values. The use of methods of transpersonal psychology, art therapy, body-oriented psychotherapy, psychosynthesis, united by a theological and psychological methodology based on the principle of participation (the commandment "love your neighbor as yourself") is considered by the authors as extremely promising in the field of overcoming the consequences of shock trauma and, accordingly, stress disorders of various etiologies. In modern Russian society, this topic is obviously extremely relevant. Despite the fact that deep psychology is, in its own way, a traditional method of working with individuals who have experienced serious psychological trauma, its application in working with people who have experienced psychological shock trauma in the liberated territories implies an element of innovation. At the same time, the combination of technologies of deep psychology with access to the sphere of direct, personal meaningful, existential experience of the significance and essence of the fundamental values of Russian culture opens, in our opinion, an extremely promising direction of activity of practical psychologists and (or) psychotherapists. The conclusions presented in the article make it possible to build the structure of such activities.

Transpersonal Psychology: Takhalli and its Relation to the Concept of the Soul

Let us stay away from the nature and behavior of hubb al dunya. Hubb al dunya is love of the world in excess. This can have a bad impact because it causes heart and soul disease. This article aims to find the relationship between takhalli and the concept of soul. The approach used is a qualitative method with literature study research. The results showed: takhalli is withdrawing from the world by eliminating outward and spiritual immorality. Disobedience can be removed by purifying the heart through repentance, zuhud, and muhasabah. While in the concept of the soul, evil behavior occurs because humans prioritize the lawwamah and ammarah nafs. The relationship between takhalli and the concept of soul lies between the relationship of the heart and soul. The heart connects the spirit and the soul, even the heart is called the deepest recess of the soul.

RELATIONAL SPIRITUALITY: A PSYCHOLOGICAL‐THEOLOGICAL PARADIGM FOR TRANSFORMATION. By Todd W.Hall with M. Elizabeth Lewis Hall. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2021. . xi + 298 pp. Hc $45.00.

Religious Studies ReviewVolume 49, Issue 1 p. 57-57 Short Reviews of Recent Publications: Psychology of Religion RELATIONAL SPIRITUALITY: A PSYCHOLOGICAL-THEOLOGICAL PARADIGM FOR TRANSFORMATION. By Todd W. Hall with M. Elizabeth Lewis Hall. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2021. . xi + 298 pp. Hc $45.00. First published: 24 April 2023 https://doi.org/10.1111/rsr.16354Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL No abstract is available for this article. Volume49, Issue1Special Issue: Unique Approaches to Christianity in Africa and BeyondMarch 2023Pages 57-57 RelatedInformation