Thesis (D. Min.)--Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, 1996. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 224-227).

Inaug.-Diss.--Erlangen. / Bibliography: p. [89]-91.

Attributes associated with mystical experience among Christians, Buddhists, Jews and Pagans are explored in psychometric data presented in this thesis. Two such attributes in particular, the personality trait of psychoticism and attitudes held towards mysticism, are given focal attention. Psychoticism, a trait at one time supposedly linked with vulnerability to psychosis, has been much assessed in previous research into religiosity- personality correlates, and a more recent emerging literature has assessed this trait in relationship to religious experience. However, as this thesis clarifies, good grounds exist for challenging the view that this is a homogeneous trait. Assessments of traits relating to distinct facets of psychoticism, specifically the three traits of agreeableness, conscientiousness and openness to experience, provided solid grounds for taking apparently significant positive correlations between mystical experience and psychoticism as evidence that the former is associated with creativity rather than psychosis. In each religious group studied, a significant positive correlation was found between attitudes to mysticism and mystical experience. However, this thesis also presents grounds for distinguishing these concepts. The possibility that psychoticism relates in different ways to these constructs, and the implications this has for the question of whether mysticism arises through social learning or reflects an innate tendency invariant across creed, are considered

Os caboclos são entidades espirituais largamente encontradas no panteão umbandista. O objetivo desse estudo foi revelar, no recurso ritual a caboclos na umbanda, os seus sentidos e alcance psicológico. Para tanto foi utilizado uma combinação entre método etnográfico e atenção flutuante a significantes que se repetem. Dentre esse significantes repetiram-se alguns termos, como terra, luz, água, raiz, amadurecimento, liberdade e ideal, que podem assumir mais de um nível de significância, por meio de uma escrita por imagens. Caboclos se mostram em relação próxima com médiuns e também com outras pessoas e entidades espirituais, evidenciando seu cunho social. Interpelam seus fiéis iluminando processos de autodescoberta que impulsionam a consumação de potenciais rumo à realização de ideais de si. / Caboclos are spiritual entities widely found in Umbanda pantheon. The aim of this study was to reveal the signification and the psychological extent of caboclos ritual practice in Umbanda. Therefore ethnographic methods and continuous attention to recurrent significants have been combined. Among these significants, some terms were repeatedly noticed as ground, light, water, root, matureness, freedom and ideal, which may carry more than one significance level by means of an image script. Caboclos, as an evidence of their social feature, manifest themselves in a close relation to mediums and to other people and spiritual entities. They interpellate their followers enlightening self-discovery processes that push the completion of potentialities in direction to selfs ideals achievement.

O impacto visual é importante tanto nos modos de construções de sentidos nas tradições bantas quanto no contexto umbandista. E a contribuição da cultura africana na composição do ethos da população brasileira é expressiva. Tendo isso em vista, objetivou-se apreender, em comunidades umbandistas, nuances dos modos de construção, transmissão e apreensão de significados relativos ao mundo, ao eu e ao outro, por meio de perspectivas umbandistas de articulação do sentido. Para tanto, o pesquisador assumiu uma posição em que foi possível uma função de abertura ao discurso do Outro, proporcionando que as enunciações decorrentes das relações em campo pudessem ecoar. No processo de experiência do pesquisador em rituais umbandistas e na produção das imagens fotográficas, os colaboradores enunciaram, por imagens e ou palavras, suas experiências pessoais a partir do material simbólico contido no patrimônio cultural que os atravessa, que Lacan chamaria de Outro. A consideração da transferência e do lugar ocupado pelo pesquisador em campo, assim como das repetições e intersecções entre as imagens e os dizeres sobre elas, foi fundamental para a revelação de implícitos deste universo. A busca pelo impacto visual configurou o meio para que o pesquisador, interpretado pela umbanda como consulente, pudesse ser olhado por ela e assim, olhando-a, entender parte de sua dinâmica. Nesse processo, entendemos como o olhar é importante na reelaboração de si (do lugar no mundo de cada um, assim como de uma comunidade) a qual pode ser trabalhada no contexto umbandista, onde o papel do ancestral e todo um repertório simbólico a ele associado têm destaque. A partir dos resultados deste trabalho, sugerimos que a experiência na umbanda corrobora a hipótese de que é preciso conhecer, reconhecer e lidar de forma pacífica com as nossas raízes. Percebemos, ainda, que nessa religião há um espaço privilegiado onde isso possa ocorrer a cada ritual, e nas experiências cotidianas de seus fiéis, possibilitando recombinações e reconstruções simbólicas tanto no nível pessoal quanto social. / Visual impact is important not only to the ways in which banto traditions are built but also to the umbandista context. And the African culture contribution in constituting the Brazilian populations ethos is expressive as well. Having that in mind, we aimed to apprehend, in umbandista communities, nuances of how meanings related to the world, the self, and the other are constructed, transmitted and understood through umbandista perspectives of significance articulation. In order to do that, the researcher assumed a position where an openness function to the Others speech was possible, which has permitted the echoing of enunciations that arose from field relations. Within the process of the researchers experience in umbadista rituals and in photographic image production, the collaborators enounced their personal experiences through images and/or words, from the symbolic material present in the cultural heritage they carry, which Lacan would denominate the Other. Considering the transference and the position occupied by the researcher in field as well as the repetitions and the intersections between the images and the sayings about them was central to expose the implicitness of this universe. The search for visual impact has been the instrument elected by the researcher who, interpreted by umbanda as a consultant, could be seen by it and thus, looking at it, be able to understand part of its dynamic. During the process, we have understood how important the gaze is in oneselfs remodeling (of each ones as well as a communitys position in the world), and that it can be developed in the umbandista context where the ancestors role and a whole symbolic repertoire related to it are highlighted. As from the results of this research, we suggest that the experience in umbanda corroborates the hypothesis that it is necessary to know, recognize and deal peacefully with our roots. We have also observed that there is a privileged space in this religion where that demand may occur in each of its rituals and in its participants daily experiences, in a way that symbolic re-combinations and reconstructions are possible both in personal and social levels.

Diss. Uppsala : Uppsala universitet, 2004.

Os caboclos são entidades espirituais largamente encontradas no panteão umbandista. O objetivo desse estudo foi revelar, no recurso ritual a caboclos na umbanda, os seus sentidos e alcance psicológico. Para tanto foi utilizado uma combinação entre método etnográfico e atenção flutuante a significantes que se repetem. Dentre esse significantes repetiram-se alguns termos, como terra, luz, água, raiz, amadurecimento, liberdade e ideal, que podem assumir mais de um nível de significância, por meio de uma escrita por imagens. Caboclos se mostram em relação próxima com médiuns e também com outras pessoas e entidades espirituais, evidenciando seu cunho social. Interpelam seus fiéis iluminando processos de autodescoberta que impulsionam a consumação de potenciais rumo à realização de ideais de si. / Caboclos are spiritual entities widely found in Umbanda pantheon. The aim of this study was to reveal the signification and the psychological extent of caboclos ritual practice in Umbanda. Therefore ethnographic methods and continuous attention to recurrent significants have been combined. Among these significants, some terms were repeatedly noticed as ground, light, water, root, matureness, freedom and ideal, which may carry more than one significance level by means of an image script. Caboclos, as an evidence of their social feature, manifest themselves in a close relation to mediums and to other people and spiritual entities. They interpellate their followers enlightening self-discovery processes that push the completion of potentialities in direction to selfs ideals achievement.

O impacto visual é importante tanto nos modos de construções de sentidos nas tradições bantas quanto no contexto umbandista. E a contribuição da cultura africana na composição do ethos da população brasileira é expressiva. Tendo isso em vista, objetivou-se apreender, em comunidades umbandistas, nuances dos modos de construção, transmissão e apreensão de significados relativos ao mundo, ao eu e ao outro, por meio de perspectivas umbandistas de articulação do sentido. Para tanto, o pesquisador assumiu uma posição em que foi possível uma função de abertura ao discurso do Outro, proporcionando que as enunciações decorrentes das relações em campo pudessem ecoar. No processo de experiência do pesquisador em rituais umbandistas e na produção das imagens fotográficas, os colaboradores enunciaram, por imagens e ou palavras, suas experiências pessoais a partir do material simbólico contido no patrimônio cultural que os atravessa, que Lacan chamaria de Outro. A consideração da transferência e do lugar ocupado pelo pesquisador em campo, assim como das repetições e intersecções entre as imagens e os dizeres sobre elas, foi fundamental para a revelação de implícitos deste universo. A busca pelo impacto visual configurou o meio para que o pesquisador, interpretado pela umbanda como consulente, pudesse ser olhado por ela e assim, olhando-a, entender parte de sua dinâmica. Nesse processo, entendemos como o olhar é importante na reelaboração de si (do lugar no mundo de cada um, assim como de uma comunidade) a qual pode ser trabalhada no contexto umbandista, onde o papel do ancestral e todo um repertório simbólico a ele associado têm destaque. A partir dos resultados deste trabalho, sugerimos que a experiência na umbanda corrobora a hipótese de que é preciso conhecer, reconhecer e lidar de forma pacífica com as nossas raízes. Percebemos, ainda, que nessa religião há um espaço privilegiado onde isso possa ocorrer a cada ritual, e nas experiências cotidianas de seus fiéis, possibilitando recombinações e reconstruções simbólicas tanto no nível pessoal quanto social. / Visual impact is important not only to the ways in which banto traditions are built but also to the umbandista context. And the African culture contribution in constituting the Brazilian populations ethos is expressive as well. Having that in mind, we aimed to apprehend, in umbandista communities, nuances of how meanings related to the world, the self, and the other are constructed, transmitted and understood through umbandista perspectives of significance articulation. In order to do that, the researcher assumed a position where an openness function to the Others speech was possible, which has permitted the echoing of enunciations that arose from field relations. Within the process of the researchers experience in umbadista rituals and in photographic image production, the collaborators enounced their personal experiences through images and/or words, from the symbolic material present in the cultural heritage they carry, which Lacan would denominate the Other. Considering the transference and the position occupied by the researcher in field as well as the repetitions and the intersections between the images and the sayings about them was central to expose the implicitness of this universe. The search for visual impact has been the instrument elected by the researcher who, interpreted by umbanda as a consultant, could be seen by it and thus, looking at it, be able to understand part of its dynamic. During the process, we have understood how important the gaze is in oneselfs remodeling (of each ones as well as a communitys position in the world), and that it can be developed in the umbandista context where the ancestors role and a whole symbolic repertoire related to it are highlighted. As from the results of this research, we suggest that the experience in umbanda corroborates the hypothesis that it is necessary to know, recognize and deal peacefully with our roots. We have also observed that there is a privileged space in this religion where that demand may occur in each of its rituals and in its participants daily experiences, in a way that symbolic re-combinations and reconstructions are possible both in personal and social levels.

Ultimamente tem se disseminado em alguns terreiros umbandistas do Sudeste o culto aos encantados, uma classe originalmente atinente a cultos do Norte e Nordeste. A literatura acadêmica a seu respeito se restringe a estudos antropológicos ou sociológicos. O surgimento da categoria de encantado em outras religiões e lugares, bem como hipóteses sobre este fato, ainda não foram estudados do ponto de vista etnopsicológico. Esta pesquisa objetiva contribuir para sanar esta lacuna. Para esse efeito, realizou-se um levantamento bibliográfico do que tem sido dito a propósito do termo, procurando constâncias entre vários contextos da sua ocorrência e contrastes do seu emprego. Além disso, realizou-se um estudo de caso no Templo de Umbanda Caboclo Flecha de Ouro. Para colher estes dados, utilizou-se o método psicanalítico (atenção flutuante, relação transferencial e contratransferencial) aplicado ao âmbito etnográfico (escuta participante). Deu-se ouvidos as histórias e as narrativas a respeito dos encantados, participou-se dos cultos, realizaram-se entrevistas com médiuns e entidades, utilizou-se diário de campo e observaram-se características do espaço físico e a dinâmica ritual. A análise dos dados foi realizada considerando as características da noção de encantamento que se repetiram e contrastando-as com os resultados do levantamento bibliográfico. A elaboração da encantaria nesse terreiro teve a participação de uma médium que já havia tido contato com os invisíveis da Mina num terreiro que frequentara anteriormente, mas a presença deles é narrada como sendo anterior e atender a um propósito específico neste contexto umbandista. Contribuiu também para a construção da noção de encantamento deste terreiro o estudo tanto da literatura a respeito dos encantados como atinente a tentativa de sistematização doutrinária da umbanda. A análise indica que os encantados surgiram nesse terreiro para desarranjar categorias saturadas de significado, cristalizadas,   ou,   nas   palavras   da   encantada   guia   do   terreiro,   para   bagunçar.   A   introdução   da categoria tem o sentido de restaurar e resguardar a aptidão da umbanda para dar abrigo ao aspecto misterioso do contato com o sagrado e a abertura para o desconhecido e inusitado. Com o surgimento da encantaria, ao que tudo indica, o panteão umbandista passa a ter literalmente infinitas possibilidades de entidades e linhas espirituais, e todas as pré-existentes podem ser ressignificadas, possibilitando a ampliação e a aprofundamento dos sentidos de categorias espirituais potencialmente saturadas de significado. Deste modo, neste contexto, assegura-se a possibilidade de expressar nuances e sutilezas anímicas tanto de vivências individuais como psicossociais. / The cult to the encantaria (enchanted being), originally related to cults in the North and Northeast regions in Brazil, has lately been propagated in some umbandista houses in the Southeast too. Academic literature concerning the theme is usually restricted to anthropological or sociological studies. Manifestations of the encantados category have not already been studied from an ethno-psychological point of view. This research aims to help filling that gap. Thus a bibliographic study concerning the term has been developed in order to find out both similarities in its occurrence and contrasts in its use in different contexts. Templo de Umbanda Caboclo Flexa de Ouro was the locus of a case study. Data collecting was based on the psychoanalytical method (fluctuating attention, transferential and countertransferential relation) applied to the ethnographic field (hearing participation). Besides giving ear to stories and narratives concerning the encantados, the following procedures were also used: cult participation, interviews involving mediums and entities, field journal, observation of physical space and ritual dynamic features. Data analysis was based on the contrast between the enchantment concept characteristics which frequently appeared, and the results obtained by means of bibliographical study. The encantaria manifestation in the studied terreiro occurred through a medium who had already been in contact with Mina invisibles in another house that she once used to frequent. But according to reports, these entities purpose in this umbanda context is specific, and they had already been present formerly. Both literature study concerning the enchanted and the search for umbanda doctrine systematization have contributed to build up the enchantment concept in this terreiro. Analysis has indicated that the enchanted emerged in the place to unsettle highly meaningful established categories or, according to the terreiro enchanted guide, to make disorder. The category introduction carries the meaning of restoring and guarding umbanda capability of giving shelter to the mysterious aspect involved in the contact with the sacred, and of being opened to the unknown and unusual. The encantaria emergence, as evidence shows, not only enables umbanda pantheon to assume literally uncountable entities and spiritual lines, but also to re-signify all pre-existent ones, besides allowing the enlargement and deepening of potentially meaningful spiritual category senses. Finally, the possibility of expressing animic nuances and subtleness of individual and psychosocial liveliness is assured.

Section A provides a review of the current research literature on religion and parenting a child with a learning disability. Religion is generally associated with positive outcomes, although there are some mixed views regarding religious communities. Most literature is carried out abroad and differences between study designs make it difficult to compare between studies, indicating a strong need for UK research. Implications for services are discussed and suggestions provided for future research. Section B is a research study exploring the role of religion for parents of children with a learning disability in the UK. Existing research shows religion plays an important role for some parents of children with a learning disability. To date, most studies have been carried out in America and have focussed on religious observance. This study aimed to assess the personal role of religion for parents in the UK. Eight parents of Christian, Muslim and Jewish faith were interviewed. Data was analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, a method designed to capture lived experiences. Religion was found to help some parents make sense of their child’s disability and their role as a parent. Having faith gave parents hope and was an important part of their personal identity. The religious community was generally perceived as supportive, although there were barriers to participation for many families, including limited time and lack of family support. Further research assessing parents with other faiths and from specific ethnic groups and religious denominations may broaden understanding in this area. Section C outlines further issues pertaining to the research study including research skills acquired and lessons learned during the completion of the project, implications for future clinical practice, and ideas for future research.