<p> The cultural movement toward abbreviation and multitasking detracts from the desire and also, potentially, the ability to begin engaging in deep reading. This is problematic, considering that the deep reading of narrative fiction has many potential benefits. Through the use of both heuristic and hermeneutic methodology, this thesis takes a look at the psychological and scientific literature that explores the relationship between reading narrative fiction and an increase in both empathy and theory of mind skills; how the art of reading narrative fiction can be viewed from a depth psychological perspective; and the author&rsquo;s personal experience with reading narrative fiction. This information is then utilized to explore how these components can be applied within the psychotherapy process through the use of bibliotherapy, as well as how it can be a valuable tool for one&rsquo;s own personal growth and exploration outside of a therapy setting.</p>

<p>Hildegard von Bingen, a visionary abbess living in the tumultuous 12th century, recorded and interpreted three very powerful visions pertaining to Christianity. This dissertation is limited to the first image of Hildegard&rsquo;s last vision called De Operatione Dei, the Works of God, a cosmological vision about creation. Hildegard named this image <i>On the Origin of Life. </i> </p><p> The thesis of this dissertation suggests the four main characters in the first image of Hildegard&rsquo;s cosmological vision&mdash;the two-headed and four-winged red figure named <i>Caritas</i> standing on the serpent-wrapped monster&mdash;correspond to the four stages of Jung&rsquo;s individuation&mdash;encounter with the shadow (serpent), encounter with the soulimage (monster as Adam), encounter with the god-image (Caritas), emergence of the Self (godhead). Each of these characters and stages represent a level in what has been called by perennial philosophy the Great Chain of Being. Hildegard&rsquo;s vision represents the unfolding of Spirit into matter. Jung&rsquo;s individuation process describes the soul&rsquo;s journey back towards Spirit. </p><p> This work starts by introducing the vision and Hildegard&rsquo;s interpretation. Next it moves to what other authors have written. Since the vision is about creation the interpretation starts with the literalists&rsquo; view of Genesis and moves to the mystical interpretations of Genesis. Other creation stories including a serpent and a goddess amplify the interpretation. Then, using Jungian and alchemical symbols the images of this iv vision are further elaborated. The research follows the logic of the axiom of Maria, from the uroboros, to the hermaphrodite, to the trinity and ending with the <i> marriage quaternio</i>&mdash;two pairs of hermaphrodites. Byington&rsquo;s symbolic elaboration process is used to interpret the dramatic action of the vision thereby bringing the vision back to life as Hildegard might have experienced it. Finally, the parallel between Hildegard&rsquo;s vision and Jung&rsquo;s individuation process is explained in detail. The work ends with Hildegard&rsquo;s interpretation of why god created the world showing how it aligns with the goal of individuation, and how both are critical for the life of the soul in the 21^st century. </p>

<p> As psychology has become increasingly globalized, the Western orientation of the foundations of psychology has become apparent. The international practice of psychology requires a more universal theoretical framework for ethical and effective study and intervention. The study of fiction literature provides an avenue of exploration of universal constructs that can contribute to the creation of an international theoretical framework. As the most widely read and widely translated piece of fiction literature relevant today, J. K. Rowling's <i> Harry Potter</i> series is an ideal candidate for a phenomenological, cross-cultural study. This dissertation conducts a phenomenological analysis of participants' experiences reading <i>Harry Potter</i> and suggests three subsequent universal psychological constructs.</p>

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2007. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 68-11, Section: A, page: 4716. Adviser: Mark S. Micale. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 226-240) Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning.

<p>Echo and Narcissus is one of the most famous myths in Western culture. This thesis explores the personal and archetypal significance of the character Echo. Topics addressed are early childhood trauma, affect regulation, borderline personality disorder, the relationship between self and other, and the theory of dialectics. Texts are examined from psychoanalysis, analytical psychology, existential philosophy, interpersonal neurobiology, and behavioral psychology. Using a hermeneutic approach to compare these texts, this paper tracks the archetypal dynamic of Echo and Narcissus over time and across a variety of disciplines. By looking for traces of Echo and Narcissus in multiple contexts, this thesis offers a fresh take on a familiar story. </p>

Thesis (Ph. D.)--UCLA, 2009. / Vita. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 204-215).

<p> There are places within nature which are imbued with magic and beauty. This dissertation explores the numinous or sacred within nature which creates such a hold upon the imagination. The images of enchantment from fairy-faith open the realms of nature as a threshold experience, explored through the research of W.Y. Evans-Wentz and Katherine Briggs. The concept of the invisibles in nature as "Other" is investigated through the ideas of Mary Watkins. </p><p> When one steps into these enchanted spaces, one may want to spontaneously sing, dance, or remember a story. Such an enchanted experience signals that the invisibles or fairy-folk may be present. The Irish poet W. B. Yeats wrote that " . . . the beautiful [fairies] are not far away when we are walking in pleasant and quiet places [. . .] I will explore every little nook of some poor coppice with almost anxious footsteps, so deep a hold has this imagination upon me" (<i>Mythologies</i> 64). </p><p> A relationship between the human and natural orders of being encourages the imagination of both worlds. As Gaston Bachelard argues, "The imagination gives more than things and actions, it invents new life, new spirit; it opens eyes to new types of vision" (<i>On Poetic Imagination and Reverie</i> 16). The poetic imagination provides a way to enter the mythical spheres of nature. The imagining psyche, as seen through the lens of alchemy, mysticism, and physics, is explored through the work of W. B. Yeats, Mary Oliver, and William Shakespeare. In their works, the poetic imagination creates stories that give visionary form to the invisibles of nature. This study also investigates the figures of Arthurian legend, Merlin and Vivien, in their fairy aspect. Their story of disappearance into the primeval forest provides metaphors for the workings of numinosity within nature, such as the "return to the forest," and the "sacred marriage," explored through the thought of Heinrich Zimmer, Mircea Eliade, C. G. Jung, and Marie Louise von Franz. </p><p> Finally, an accompanying creative component includes a journal of active/guided/shamanic imagination, a journal focusing on travel to Ireland, and a collection of poems, which, taken together, contribute to the exploration of the numinous qualities of nature.</p>

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wollongong, 1997. / Typescript. Bibliographical references: leaf 263-278.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität Kassel, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2005. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 203-209).