Spirituality is becoming an increasingly important dimension of Counselling Psychology. As multicultural communities become more inclusive and global, it is valuable for counsellors to become more familiar with the different types of spiritual experiences that individuals are having. By attending to such experiences, counsellors may address how current forms of spirituality encourage healing, growth, and development, thereby increasing our understanding of human potential. Furthermore, many cultures are emerging from a religious history that portrays a male god as supreme, and the predominant images of the Divine as masculine. This imbalance of the masculine and feminine in relation to spirituality has been associated with a profound disconnection from our bodies, the earth-body, and the split between spirit and matter. For this reason, relating to the Divine Feminine may hold an essential piece for many in to reconnect with earth, body, and soul. In this narrative inquiry, ten women are interviewed about their transpersonal experiences with the Divine Feminine. Their stories illuminate what the Divine Feminine is, the meaning attributed to Her, and the changes in their lives associated with their experiences. This study increases our understanding of the role that the Divine Feminine has in the lives of women, and represents some forms of spirituality emerging in the new global context. In turn, it widens our perspective on the therapeutic implications these and related phenomena could have on Counselling Psychology. The key findings of this research show that contemporary women are experiencing the Divine Feminine through: (a) Goddesses, (b) Shakti and Kundalini Shakti, (c) one’s Self (body, sexuality, women’s blood mysteries), (d) Nature and sacred plant medicine, (e) Mother, and (f) Spirit guides, visions, and past life experiences. This inquiry raises the awareness of the powerful healing, deep insight, and growth enhancing shifts that are attributed the Divine Feminine. The intention is that these stories will inspire counsellors to inquire into their clients’ transpersonal experiences with the Divine Feminine, as these experiences contain potent life-affirming and growth-enhancing resources. / Graduate / 0318 / 0453 / DawnRabey@live.ca

William James desenvolveu no conjunto de seus trabalhos um referencial filosófico útil para estudos da consciência e da religião que permanece válido e aplicável na prática contemporânea de disciplinas como a psicologia e a antropologia. O presente trabalho é uma exploração inicial de possibilidades filosóficas abertas por James nesses campos: a religiosidade, a espiritualidade, e a busca de sentido e transcendência em um mundo desencantado. A tese foi dividida em duas partes. Na Parte I, apresentei o contexto da relação contemporânea entre psicologia e espiritualidade. Nessa parte, discuti o significado de ambas as palavras, a relação que historicamente existe entre elas, e o papel de James na constituição histórica dessa relação. Além de ter tido um papel histórico na formação de um campo de estudos no qual esses dois assuntos se interconectam, James também forneceu uma abordagem filosófica para investigá-los. Essa abordagem foi chamada por ele de empirismo radical. Na Parte II, desenvolvi uma reflexão em torno do empirismo radical, trabalhando alguns conceitos que podem ser úteis para uma prática de investigação radicalmente empirista. / William James developed in his work a useful philosophical framework for studies on consciousness and religion which remains valid and applicable in the contemporary practice of disciplines such as psychology and anthropology. The present work is an initial exploration of philosophical possibilities opened up by James in these fields: religiosity, spirituality, and the search for meaning and transcendence in a disenchanted world. The thesis was divided into two parts. In Part I was presented the context of the contemporary relationship between psychology and spirituality. In this part, I discussed the meaning of both words, the relationship that historically exists between them and Jamess role in the historical constitution of that relationship. Besides having a historical role in the formation of a field of studies in which these two topics interconnect, James provided also a philosophical approach to investigate them. He called this approach radical empiricism. In Part II, I developed a reflection on radical empiricism, working out some concepts which may be useful for a radically empiricist inquiry.

This thesis comprises an exploratory study of the dynamic of communication symbols during growth and transcendence cycles of the unique individual. It moreover explores how the quintessence of the individual, the quantum self, transforms itself through the use of intrapsychic communication. The exploration focuses on the confluence of a subjective, inner experiential reality and reality as a social construct. This inner, subjective and experiential reality of the individual relates to the correspondence between the transcendence of consciousness and the creation of meaning derived from the Jungian constructs of archetypal images, symbols and myths. The eclectic nature of the study necessitates a multidisciplinary approach, and consequently, theories and constructs in Depth and Transpersonal Psychology, the New Physics (Quantum Physics), Complexity and Chaos Theories, Mysticism, and Philosophy are explored and integrated with contemporary communication notions of the self, symbols and consciousness. Integration and inclusiveness consequently form the bedrock of this study. Archetypal communication symbols are considered as the derivatives of a subjective, inner reality. The exploration and comprehension of an inner reality are considered to be of prime significance to the transcendence of the self: the individual as a unique multifarious being. An archetypal and mythical semiotic textual analysis of ‘The Alchemist’ by Paolo Coehlo, and an individual case analysis of dream symbols and a self-report based on the interpretation of a dream theme by using active imagination indicate that a transcendental spirituality, and consequently an inner, subjective transcendental reality are imminent in the individual. An intrinsic need for equanimity and unity is reflected in the images, symbols and myths of the Self as archetype of meaning nested in the collective unconscious. Ensuing from the exploration in this study, an experiential and ‘lived’ theory and model of the dynamic process of intrapsychic communication are described and depicted. Moreover, the employment of archetypal images, symbols and myths of the Self during intrapsychic communication are described and contrasted with a complex adaptive system. The relationship between the self, consciousness, and intrapsychic communication is hence depicted and described in terms of an experiential theory of intrapsychic communication as a complex adaptive system iterating between balance and harmony, and chaos. Intrapsychic communication, which represents all the levels of communication within the Self with its corresponding levels of consciousness, facilitates both awareness and integration of the inner subjective reality, and the external socio-cultural reality of the ego which is at the core of the Self. It is asserted that the transcendence of consciousness cannot be experienced as a distinct experience. Rather, intrapsychic communication facilitates a sense and experience of the Self by an individual through the use of archetypal images, symbols and myths as represented in dream experiences of an individual and the text of a modern narrative. The inclusion of the archetypal spiritual dimension of the Self and the indication of an intrinsic need for wholeness, unity and transcendence in intrapsychic communication, alludes to a shared innate and universal heritage which cuts across all cultural and racial boundaries. Since the study is of an exploratory nature suggestions for further study and research are also made. / Dr. H.L. Venter

Orientador: Carlos Alberto Vidal França / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Educação / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-07T18:26:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Saldanha_VeraPeceguini_D.pdf: 1285592 bytes, checksum: 4ee3d25a8066951f1d12fb6108585224 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006 / Resumo: Esta tese refere-se à construção e à aplicação de uma didática de ensino a partir da visão antropológica da Psicologia Transpessoal, a qual reconhece a espiritualidade e a necessidade de transcendência como inerentes à natureza humana, contemplando o ser em suas dimensões biopsico, sociocultural e espiritual. Investigaram-se as implicações desse enfoque com o conceito de ciência, reconhecendo-o como uma área do conhecimento transdisciplinar, aplicado na educação, saúde e instituições, assim como também a possível contribuição da Didática Transpessoal para o educando, na aprendizagem de conteúdos programáticos, e, em especial, no ensino da Psicologia Transpessoal. A base epistemológica sobre a qual se assentam os postulados fundamentais da Psicologia Transpessoal elegidos por Abraham Harold Maslow, com contribuições de Pierre Weil e Roberto Assagioli, foram ampliados e sistematizados em seus conceitos principais, elaborando e caracterizando os aspectos estruturais e dinâmicos que constituíram o corpo teórico, bem como o eixo experiencial e evolutivo dessa abordagem psicológica. Constatou-se que os conteúdos da sistematização efetuada, aqui denominada Abordagem Integrativa Transpessoal, ou simplesmente Abordagem Integrativa em Psicologia, foram amplamente assimilados pelo grupo de profissionais, que receberam as informações dessa abordagem por meio da didática proposta. Verificou-se que ocorreu otimização da aprendizagem, emergência de valores positivos, aprimoramento profissional e realização pessoal, resultando em uma ética e postura mais humanistas, decorrentes da interação entre a aprendizagem extrínseca e a intrínseca, favorecidas ambas pela Didática Transpessoal, ao aliar-se o conteúdo programático ao autoconhecimento. Observou-se o grande poder da Educação, resgatando-se o sentido essencial, evolutivo, da relação educador-educando e quanto à propriedade do conhecimento, à medida que o ¿como¿ se ensina estiver intimamente relacionado com o ¿para quem¿, ¿por que¿ e ¿para que¿ se ensina. Identificou-se também a necessidade de que a formação do educador seja igualmente teórico-vivencial para que alcance melhores resultados com o educando e consigo próprio. O enfoque utilizado na pesquisa foi o qualitativo. Aplicou-se a Análise de Conteúdo de Laurence Bardin, instrumento que se revelou bastante adequado para abranger e delinear, de forma precisa, os contornos dos conteúdos velados nos depoimentos dos profissionais que aprenderam a Abordagem Integrativa por meio da Didática Transpessoal. Essa técnica de análise possibilitou-nos perceber, neste trabalho, uma perspectiva inovadora, humanizada para uma Educação integral, na qual o educar favorece um elo estreito entre o indivíduo, valores e sociedade, além de ser um bem precioso na evolução e no desenvolvimento humano, hoje tão aquém do desenvolvimento tecnológico alcançado pela humanidade / Resume: Esta tesis se refiere a la construcción y aplicación de una didáctica de enseñanza a partir de la visión antropológica de la Psicología Transpersonal, la cual reconoce la espiritualidad y la necesidad de trascendencia como inherentes a la naturaleza humana, contemplando el ser en sus dimensiones biopsico, sociocultural y espiritual. Fueron investigadas las implicaciones de este enfoque con el concepto de ciencia, reconociendo como conocimiento de abordaje transdisciplinar aplicado em la educacion, salud y companias, como también con la posible contribución de la Didáctica Transpersonal para el educando, en el aprendizaje de contenidos programáticos, en especial, en la enseñanza de la Psicología Transpersonal. La base epistemológica sobre la cual se asientan los postulados principales de la Psicología Transpersonal elegidos por Abraham Harold Maslow, con contribuciones de Pierre Weil y Roberto Assagioli, fueron ampliados y sistematizados en sus conceptos principales, caracterizando los aspectos estructurales y dinámicos que construyeron el cuerpo teórico como también ele eje experimental y evolutivo de este abordaje psicológico. Se constato que los contenidos de la sistematización efectuada, aquí denominada Abordaje Integrativa Transpersonal, o simplemente, Abordaje Integrativa Psicologia, fueron ampliamente asimilados por el grupo de profesionales, que recibieron las informaciones de este abordaje por medio de la didáctica propuesta. Se verifico que ocurrió una optimización del aprendizaje, emergencia de valores positivos, mejora profesional, y realización personal, resultando en una ética y una postura mas humanista, como consecuencia de la interacción entre el aprendizaje extrínseco e intrínseco, ambos favorecidos por la didáctica trasnpersonal, al aliarse el contenido programático al autoconocimiento. Se observo el gran poder de la Educación, rescatándose el sentido esencial, evolutivo de la relación educador-educando y en cuanto a la propiedad del conocimiento, en la medida que el ¿como¿ se enseña esté íntimamente relacionado con el ¿para quien¿, ¿por que¿ y ¿para que¿ se enseña. Se identifico también la necesidad de que la formación del educador sea igualmente teórico-vivencial para que alcance mejores resultados con el educando y consigo mismo. El enfoque utilizado en la investigación fue el cualitativo. Se aplico el Análisis de Contenido de Laurence Bardin, instrumento que terminó siendo bastante adecuado para alcanzar y delinear, de forma precisa, los contornos de los contenidos velados en los testimonios de los profesionales que aprendieron el Abordaje Integral por medio de la Didáctica Transpersonal. Esta técnica de análisis nos posibilito darnos cuenta, en este trabajo, de una perspectiva innovadora, humanizada, para una Educación Integral, en la cual, el educar favorece una ligación estrecha entre el individuo, los valores y la sociedad, como también, es un bien precioso en la evolución y el desarrollo humano, hoy, tan más acá del desarrollo tecnológico alcanzado por la humanidad / Abstract: This thesis refers to the construction and application of a teaching didactic technique according to the vision of the Transpersonal Psychology, which recognizes spirituality and the necessity of transcendence as inherent to human nature, observing the human being in his biopsycho, socialcultural and spiritual dimensions. The implications of this view have been researched with the concept of science, recognized as transdisciplinarity knowledge applied in education health and organization, as well as the possible contribution of teaching didactic technique to the learner, regarding programmatic contents in learning and, specially, in Transpersonal Psychology teaching. The epistemological base, which is based in principal postulates by Abraham Harold Maslow with Pierre Weil and Roberto Assagioli contributions, has been widened and systematized in its principal concepts, characterizing the dynamic and structural aspects that have set the theoretical body, as well as the experiential and developing axle of this psychological approach. It has been verified that the contents of the performed systematization, here called ¿Transpersonal Integrative Approach¿, or simply, ¿Psycology Integrative Approach¿, have been widely assimilated by the group of professional, who received the information about this approach through the proposed didactic technique. It was verified that there was an optimization of learning, an emergency of positive values, professional improvement and personal accomplishment. All this, led to an ethic and more humanistic attitude, as a consequence of the interaction between intrinsic and extrinsic learning, both of them supported by transpersonal learning technique, by assembling programmatic contents to self-knowledge. A great power of Education has been observed, rescuing the essential sense of learner-teacher relationship, as well as knowledge property, as long as ¿how¿ we teach is strictly related to ¿for whom¿, ¿why¿ and what for¿. It has also been identified the necessity of educators formation to be equally theoretical and practical, to reach better results with the learner and with himself. The approach we used in the research was qualitative. Laurence Bardin content analysis approach was used, which turned to be pretty adequate to reach and delineate precisely the contents shape, presented by the professionals who learnt the Integrative Approach through Transpersonal Didactic technique. In this research, this analysis technique gave us the possibility to realize an innovating and human perspective, for an Integral Education, where ¿to educate¿ favors a link among the individual, the values and society, and it is a precious good in evolution and human development, these days, beneath the technologic development that humanity has reached. / Doutorado / Psicologia, Desenvolvimento Humano e Educação / Doutor em Educação

Submitted by Fabio Sobreira Campos da Costa (fabio.sobreira@ufpe.br) on 2017-07-31T14:04:59Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 811 bytes, checksum: e39d27027a6cc9cb039ad269a5db8e34 (MD5) DISSERTAÇÃO GILDETE RODRIGUES.pdf: 1900828 bytes, checksum: cac25a3fe68f480762dac995f81e1d19 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-31T14:04:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 811 bytes, checksum: e39d27027a6cc9cb039ad269a5db8e34 (MD5) DISSERTAÇÃO GILDETE RODRIGUES.pdf: 1900828 bytes, checksum: cac25a3fe68f480762dac995f81e1d19 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-05-10 / Este estudo buscou compreender a relação existente entre grupos, relações interpessoais e educação. Para esta intenção tomamos por base a teoria de formação humana integral, da psicologia transpessoal/integral e a teoria dos Quatro quadrantes do Kosmos, de Ken Wilber. Tais visões estão fundamentadas no reconhecimento da existência de várias dimensões humanas, da não dualidade corpo e mente e da ideia de interdependência entre os seres. Objetivamos de maneira geral compreender a influência da estratégia do Grupo de Formação Transpessoal no processo de formação humana integral de estudantes da graduação de pedagogia da UFPE. De modo mais específico, buscamos indicar as contribuições dos grupos de formação transpessoal no desenvolvimento de estudantes da graduação de pedagogia da UFPE, no que diz respeito às suas percepções sobre as relações intra e interpessoais no campo educacional. Deste modo, realizamos a partir da abordagem qualitativa, um processo de pesquisa-ação na modalidade de Grupos de Formação baseados na teoria do T-grupo de Kurt Lewin. Realizamos uma experiência formativa num curso de extensão oferecido a 24 estudantes da graduação em Pedagogia no Centro de Educação da UFPE. O processo da pesquisa-ação nesta proposta organizou-se a partir da realização de 15 encontros, com 4 horas de duração cada, perfazendo um total de 60 horas. As estratégias propostas foram experienciadas a partir de 3 momentos vivenciais espiralados que abordaram as técnicas transpessoais com atividades de Leituras, Diálogos, Vivências individuais e coletivas; Processos interativos grupais; Exercícios de meditação; Escrita de si; Escuta atenta. A busca de compreensão do fenômeno a partir das percepções dos estudantes sobre esta experiência foi obtida a partir dos questionários, entrevistas semiestruturadas, memória das aulas, observação participante e diário do pesquisador. A realização da intervenção denominada Grupos de Formação Transpessoal demonstrou, a partir dos resultados apontados a partir da percepção dos participantes, que houve deslocamentos subjetivos no sentido de compreensão e atuação profissional e pessoal voltada para a perspectiva da humanização. A participação na experiência formativa ofereceu indícios para a compreensão e busca de valorização das interações nos ambientes educativos, como uma possibilidade de ampliar o papel mobilizador dos relacionamentos para o ensino e aprendizagem. Desse modo, entendemos como uma reflexão que visa à quebra de paradigmas que alimentam a ideia da competitividade e a fragilidade de vínculos afetivos na academia. A primeira concepção fundamental surgida no trabalho consiste na compreensão de que a construção de um ser humano requer um olhar integral e abrangente sobre os seres e de que formar supõe ir além dos aspectos de escolarização. Pressupõe ainda a necessidade de estimular a busca pelo autoconhecimento, a abertura para o outro e a valorização da convivência grupal. A segunda concepção sugere a necessidade de se oferecer no ambiente acadêmico vivências e exercícios práticos com o intuito de criar e recriar vínculos sociais com disposições e mudanças de atitudes que visem ao estreitamento e manutenção de laços inter-humanos de solidariedade, compaixão, empatia e comunicação autêntica. Consideramos que a visão da abordagem integral/transpessoal sobre as relações intra e interpessoal demonstrou nessa experiência ser capaz de favorecer os processos de educação integral, pois o concebe no campo das relações humanas como um “lugar” de potencial e exploração para além das fronteiras da fragmentação, reducionismo e controle. Indicamos a importância da inclusão das temáticas comunicação, relação inter e intrapessoais na formação dos estudantes de pedagogia. Sugerimos a realização de pesquisas futuras que acompanhem o desenvolvimento longitudinal da apropriação das aprendizagens por parte dos participantes. / This study investigated the relationship between groups, interpersonal relationships and education. For this purpose we based in the theory of integral human formation, from transpersonal/integral psychology and the theory of the four quadrants of Kosmos from Ken Wilber. Such views are grounded on the recognition of various human dimensions, the body and mind non-duality and the idea of interdependence between beings. We aim in general to understand the influence of Transpersonal Training Group's strategy in the process of integral human formation of students of pedagogy degree at UFPE. More specifically we seek to indicate the contributions of transpersonal training groups in the development of UFPE pedagogy students, regarding their perceptions of the intra and interpersonal relationships in the educational field. Thus we conducted a qualitative approach of a process of researchaction in Training Groups modality based on the theory of T-group from Kurt Lewin. We conducted a formative experience in an extension course offered to 24 graduate students in Pedagogy at UFPE Education Centre. The process of research-action in this proposal was organized by conducting 15 meetings, with a duration of 4 hours each, for a total of 60 hours. The proposed strategies were experienced from 3 experiential spiral moments which approached transpersonal techniques with readings activities, dialogues, individual and collective experiences; Group interactive processes; Meditation exercises; Writing about itself; Attentive listening. The search for phenomenon understanding from the perception of students about this experience was obtained from questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, memories from classes, participant observation and researcher’s diary records. The course realization through an intervention proposal called Transpersonal Training Groups shows that, from the results indicated by the perception of the participants, there were subjective shifts towards comprehension and professional and personal practice to the perspective of humanization. Participation in the formative experience offered clues for understanding and searching for enhancement of interactions in educational environments, as a possibility to extend the mobilizing role of relationships for teaching and learning. Therefore we understand how a reflection that aims to break paradigms that feed the idea of competitiveness and the fragility of affective bonds in the academy. The first fundamental concept that emerged in this work is the comprehension that the construction of a human being requires a integral and comprehensive look at the beings, and that to educate presume to go beyond the aspects of education. Presupposes the need to stimulate the search for self-knowledge, the openness to one another, and the appreciation of group living. The second concept suggests the need to offer experience and practical exercises in the academic environment in order to create and recreate social ties with provisions and changes in attitudes which aim the narrowing and maintenance of solidarity inter-human bonds, compassion, empathy and authentic communication. We considered that the vision of integral/transpersonal approach to the intra and interpersonal relationships has shown to be able in that experience to be favourable to the integral education process, because conceives it in the field of human relations as a "place" of potential and exploration beyond the borders of fragmentation, reductionism and control. We indicate the importance to including the communication, interpersonal and intrapersonal relationship thematics in the formation of pedagogy students. We suggest conducting further research to accompany the longitudinal development of appropriation of learning by the participants.

Thèse (M.Ed.) -- Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, 2006. / La p. de t. porte en outre: Mémoire présenté à l'Université du Québec à Chicoutimi comme exigence partielle de la maîtrise en éducation (M.A.). CaQCU Bibliogr.: f. [121]-127. Document électronique également accessible en format PDF. CaQCU

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-25T19:20:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Maria Leticia Candello.pdf: 829322 bytes, checksum: 9dbf731cf70f68c2a65219b5db4574d3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-06-10 / The dissertation s focus is the humanization and transcendence that is established when the human being meets the divine. The theoretical support is Ken Wilber s vision of transpersonal psychology. As a preamble, it covers human being concepts, humanism and humanization in its historical evolution, showing the philosofical thought building steps related to these themes since the mytological vision. The concern was to demonstrate that the basis of the transpersonal psychology and its transcendence vision were being built through the evolution process. At the postmodern condition, there is the lost of sense due to human being s, and society s fragmentation. Besides this lost, it appears the search for new ways for psyche s evolution that brings hope to recover the human. Finally, it demonstrates the hypothesis of human reconstruction throught humanization and transcendence process, at a postmodern condition, based on Wilber s transpersonal psychology conception that can be found in his and other authors s works whose focus is the human conscience and its evolutes stages / A dissertação focaliza o tema da humanização e da transcendência que se estabelece no encontro do humano com o divino, tendo como suporte teórico a psicologia transpessoal pela visão de Ken Wilber. Como preâmbulo, discorre sobre os conceitos do homem, humanismo e humanização em sua evolução histórica, apontando, desde a visão mitológica, os passos que o pensamento filosófico foi construindo em torno desses temas, com a preocupação de demonstrar que nesse processo evolutivo já foram sendo postos os alicerces da psicologia transpessoal e da sua visão de transcendência. Na condição pós-moderna, vive-se uma perda de sentido pela fragmentação do ser, do humano e da sociedade. Ao lado dessa perda, surge uma busca de novos caminhos na evolução da psique, que traz esperanças de uma recuperação do humano. Por fim, demonstra-se a hipótese da possibilidade da reconstrução humana pelo processo de humanização e transcendência, na condição pós-moderna, tendo como base as concepções da psicologia transpessoal, nas obras de Wilber e de outros autores que focalizam a consciência humana e seus estágios evolutivos

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-25T19:20:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 ENCRUZILHADAS E TRAVESSIAS.pdf: 1409576 bytes, checksum: dbca54edfc328d3027e24e7fb3474205 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005-05-20 / This work is based both on specialized literature and field research at Ilê Axé Kalamu Funfum. Its main focus is Candomble, an African-Brazilian initiatic religion based on rituals structured around myths and transmitted orally. In order to study Candomble it is important to define what myths are as well as their meaning in the present time; to define the differences between oral culture and culture transmitted in writing; to define what mythical time is and to shed light on rites that underpin such a religion. Without such definitions, it is not possible to define the followers. The definition of such a person is made possible only by resorting to theoretical tools defined by both anthropology and psychology. It also requires the adoption of a psychological theory that sees spirituality as an integral part of the human psyche. After comparing various approaches and after a discussion about interdisciplinarity as proposed by the bootstrap approach to culture, it is possible to conclude that Stanislav Grof and Ken Wilber s Transpersonal Psychology caters for such needs. Using such a theoretical tool it was possible to analyze trance, the cornerstone of Candomble. In order to reach such a state, its followers go through initiation rites aiming at reconnecting them to primal energies (Orishas). Being the generative energies of all things, Orishas are the transcendent archetypes, in a more platonic sense of the word. They are the building energy of all things and are also the prototypes that exist in the unconscious, and therefore transmit characteristics that are understood by the followers as psychological types. During the rites of initiation, the follower s identity is reconstructed. It remains unique although the connection with the Orishas who form the follower s essence causes the follower to acquire the characteristics of these Orishas. The path of initiation unveils a spiritual, cosmic and primordial essence, always present but ignored, thanks to the rupture between Orum (the world of the Orishas) and Aiyé (the created world). The trance is the moment of reconnection and unity: The Orishas manifest themselves trough their followers and dance and spread their axé. From this point of view, the human being can be defined as a centre of relations, as an individual that is part of a religious group and the Cosmos, as a link in an infinite chain of interrelated events. / Esse trabalho, baseado tanto em literatura especializada quanto na pesquisa de campo realizada no Ilê Axé Kalamu Funfum, enfoca o Candomblé, religião afro-brasileira iniciática baseada em rituais estruturados por mitos transmitidos de forma oral. Para estudá-la, precisamos definir o que são mitos e seu significado nos dias atuais; as diferenças entre cultura oral e cultura literária; definir o que é tempo mítico e esclarecer os ritos que sustentam a religião, sem o que não estaremos aptos a definir quem é o adepto que freqüenta as casas-de-santo . A definição dessa pessoa só é possível pelo cruzamento de instrumentais teóricos definidos pela Antropologia e pela Psicologia; também necessita a adoção de uma teoria psicológica que entenda a espiritualidade como parte integrante da psique humana. A partir do diálogo entre diversas abordagens e da discussão sobre interdisciplinaridade tal como proposta pela abordagem bootstrap da cultura, concluímos que a Psicologia Transpessoal de Stanislav Grof e Ken Wilber atende a essas necessidades. De posse desse instrumental teórico, analisamos o transe, momento axial no Candomblé. Para atingi-lo, seus adeptos submetem-se a ritos de iniciação com o objetivo de religá-los às energias primordiais (os Orixás). Energias geradoras de todas as coisas, os Orixás são arquétipos transcendentes, no sentido platônico do termo; energias constituintes de todas as coisas, são também protótipos existente no inconsciente, transmitindo características entendidas pelos adeptos como tipos psicológicos. Durante os ritos de iniciação, a subjetividade do adepto se reconstrói; apesar de manter-se singular, a conexão com os Orixás que formam sua essência fazem com que adquira as características desses Orixás: todo o trajeto das iniciações revela uma essência espiritual, cósmica, primordial, sempre presente mas ignorada, graças à fratura entre Orum (o mundo dos Orixás) e Aiyé (o mundo criado). O transe é o momento de religação e unidade: os Orixás manifestam-se em seus adeptos, dançam e espalham seu axé. Nessa perspectiva, o ser humano pode ser definido como um centro de relações, um indivíduo parte de um grupo religioso e do Cosmo, um dos elos numa cadeia de eventos intercomunicados e infinita.

The term entheogen refers to drugs—including the artificial substances and active principles drawn from them—which are known to produce ecstasy and have been used traditionally in certain religious and shamanic contexts. The entheogenic experiences provoked by entheogens are described by users in myriad ways, including in spiritual, religious, philosophical, and secular contexts. Entheogenic experiences have shown that they can create opportunities for individuals to generate meaning, including novel philosophical insights, which users claim to gain by way of experience. As such, entheogenic experiences exhibit the ability to influence a change in a user’s fundamental philosophical commitments, or live options, including their ethical dispositions. Given that these new live options are rooted in experience, their veracity gains further credence for users than those commitments they have come to hold by way of abstraction. By philosophically investigating the phenomenology of entheogenic experiences, this work argues that entheogens have ethical import

The circumstances of responding to loss due to human death are among the most stressful experiences encountered in life. Although grief’s symptoms are typically considered essential to their gradual diminishment, possible negative impacts of complications related to grief are also well known, and have been associated with detriments to mental and physical health. Grief, however, can also generate transformative positive change. Thus, albeit ineludible, responding to loss is not uniformly experienced, expressed, or understood. It is also culturally-shaped, making attempts to define “normal” grief, as well as to label some grief “abnormal”—and to medicalize it—possibly problematic. Bereavement (the situation surrounding a death) and mourning (the publicly expressed response to loss due to death) are changing. Some of these changes (e.g., the increase in hospice care settings prior to deaths, and alterations in the ritual responses following all deaths—irrespective of their context) may have important implications for avoiding grief’s possible complications and for promoting its potential benefits. An improved alignment of grief theory, research, and practice is warranted; but theories of grief are diverse, and historically have not been empirically well-supported. This research articulates a new grief model, the loss-processing framework, featuring three dimensional components (perception, orientation, and direction). As a first step toward validation of the framework, also included is an empirical study examining retrospective descriptive reports of adult loss response relating to the first of these three dimensions (perception). As an interpretive, translational approach to understanding grief, the loss-processing framework may serve to positively impact grieving, health, and life quality.