Being one with something larger than yourself: phenomenology and meaning-making of connection experiences
Status: Ongoing (data collection in preparation)
Funding: Not funded
Summary
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Being connected to something larger than oneself is a commonly reported state of mind emerging during mystical experiences, contemplative practice, and as a result of psychoactive substances. What are the similarities and differences in the phenomenological structure of these experiences occurring in different settings? And how do we make meaning of these experiences?
This project aims to explore the experiences of being connected to something larger than oneself in the practitioners of Sufi meditation, Buddhist meditation and participants who had a psychedelic experience. The micro-phenomenological approach will be used to unveil the synchronic and diachronic structure of the experience. In addition, the Interpretive-phenomenological approach will be used to assess the meaning-making of the experience.
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