<p> This thesis explores Spanish Christian mystic John of the Cross&rsquo;s concept of the dark night of the soul as a process of conscious suffering that leads to empowerment, meaning in life, and enhanced wholeness. In addition, this thesis considers depth psychological concepts of individuation and Self, and the depth psychological notions of the teleological function of suffering and conscious suffering in relation to the dark night of the soul. The work of C. G. Jung, James Hillman, Thomas Moore, James Hollis, and Barbara Sullivan, among others, is considered. Using heuristic methodology, this thesis presents the story of the author&rsquo;s personal experience in the darkness to illustrate how conscious suffering leads to personal transformation. Finally, the author provides a guideline for therapists working with clients who are experiencing a dark night of the soul.</p>

This article examines early twentieth-century British "Uranian" same-sex sexualities as a distinct entity from other labels for homosexuality. British sexologists, feminists, and other radical socialist/anarchist reformers invoked scientized versions of mysticism and Asian religions to conceptualize different, though intersecting, meanings for the Uranian. Historians of sexuality, however, tend to conflate the term "Uranian" with the other various and conflicting medico-scientific concepts circulating at the time, such as "homosexual," "sexual invert," and "intermediate sex." Overstating the slippage between terms, however, obscures the significance of Uranianism in the history of same-sex eroticism, and reinforces a dichotomy between spirituality and modernity. The Uranian discourses examined here epitomize a "progressive" historical moment that elaborated the scientific origins for the spirit, soul, and a divine will in the constitution of modern sexual/spiritual subjects. In many ways, Uranianism challenged the late nineteenth-century medical-sexological discourses that demarcated the homosexual as a pathological "type" by creating a more fluid understanding of sexuality through the interplay of Edwardian critiques of scientific materialism with New Age ideas about the mind, psyche, and spirituality. That is not to suggest that Uranianism offered an "alternative" (homo)sexuality that was disentangled from pathological discourses; on the contrary, the Uranian discourses implicitly consolidated the "homosexual type." Tracing the genealogy of Uranian sexuality through three case studies illuminates a modern moment when reformers attempted to create fluid sexualities. We find that Uranianism complicates our understandings about the supposedly dominant role of medical-scientific discourses in the construction of early twentieth-century British (homo)sexuality.

This thesis explores journeys of faith and survival in three Jewish graphic novels: A Contract with God by Will Eisner, The Rabbi's Cat by Joann Sfar, and We Are On Our Own by Miriam Katin. In each of these texts, the protagonists struggle with their faith and relationship with God, as they negotiate challenges as Jews living in largely unreceptive spaces. Along their journeys, the protagonists confront God in their own ways to try to make sense of the role that faith and Judaism plays in their lives. Drawing on basic principles of the relationship between Jew and God, as well as terms and concepts concerning the aesthetic construction of comics, this thesis probes into the nature of these journeys and the impact they have on the protagonists' physical and spiritual survival.

<p> Exploring a "call" to a place, this work uses the Alchemical Hermeneutic method developed by Robert Romanyshyn, along with elements of Rosemary Anderson's Intuitive Inquiry and Craig Chalquist's Terrapsychology to reflect on the "soul" of a part of Monterey, California, on a hill known to the Rumsen Ohlone people as "Hunukul." With a view of the Monterey Bay, which conceals a mile-deep canyon and provides the environment for the upwelling of a teeming marine life, a portal is found through which to enter the depths of Psyche, both historically and existentially. </p><p> Many groups have met in this place, from the time that the first buildings were erected by a group of Theosophists from Pasadena in 1918 to the current occupation by Saint James Episcopal Church. Young people with disabilities, addicts and alcoholics, people with psychiatric diagnoses seeking expression through art, Zen meditators, Korean evangelicals, and the Monterey Bay Friends of C. G. Jung have all found refuge in the place, and a way to dwell together. </p><p> Archetypal commonalities among these groups are herein explored, including the wounded image of <i>Christos Dionysos</i> (contrasted with the heroic image of <i>Christos Mithras</i>), strong manifestations of women's leadership and power, and an ongoing presence of the shadow of war. </p><p> Rather than postulate a quasi-material soul of this place, the relationship of human psyche and the psychic dimensions of place are seen as part of an ongoing process, the boundaries of which pulse in space and time through the life expressed in this place. Place may not "have" a soul. From one perspective, place may "be" soul.</p>

<p> This study explores the attractions that make for a successful ministry among Jews, and the hindrances that have impeded, and continue to impede, that mission. It begins with an overview of the theological, historical and missiological frameworks of this ministry, and then introduces the results of fieldwork done in Israel through interviews, case studies, observations, focus groups, and surveys, supplemented by other relevant literature that, altogether, forms a data base for strategizing future missionary work. </p><p> Non-believing Jews and Jews who had accepted Yeshua&mdash;so called Messianic Jews were asked what motivated them to either accept Yeshua as the Messiah or to reject him. From their responses the researcher has established a list of eighty-seven attractions. Among the most important inducements to conversion are: reading the New Testament, discovering Yeshua the Jew, and a witnessing friend or family member. Parallel with this list of attractions, the researcher has compiled a list of forty-five hindrances (theological, historical and sociological), among which are, most importantly: family opposition, fear of giving up one's Jewish identity, Christian doctrines (trinity, supersessionism&hellip;) and the Church's traditional anti-Judaism. </p><p> A second focus is on leadership. Here the researcher explores the differences between a secular and religious leader; the necessity of an effective training; and the need for contextual preparation, in which the Mission to the Jews is undertaken by persons who are equipped to effectively lead in a cross-cultural ministry and contextualized congregations. </p><p> \This leads us to our third focus, on contextual issues. A ministry among Jews must be a contextualized ministry. It is supported in this study by a presentation of a positive view of Jews and a friendly Christian theology based on the awareness of the Jewishness of Yeshua, which is one of the first attractions for Jews. </p><p> This study concludes with recommendations and applications to leaders of the World Jewish Adventist Friendship Center, which minister to Jews. Jews don't lose their own Jewish identity in accepting Jesus but fulfill themselves in the Messiah, which, pragmatically, means retaining Jewish rituals that are compatible with Yeshua's message.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study is to compare the spiritual benefits of practicing photography to the spiritual benefits of practicing prayer, meditation and yoga. Benefits noted were divided into the 4 dimensions of being human: physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual. The study considers Mexican leaders' perceptions of photography as a spiritual practice. A total of 105 Mexican leaders answered surveys. Of the 105 leaders, 14 were professors, 30 were entrepreneurs, 46 were business executives and 15 were students and homemakers (listed as "other") varying in ages from 21 to over 61. </p><p> The design of this study is descriptive, while the study was quantitative in nature. In preparation for the study, the researcher gathered qualitative information regarding the benefits observed as leaders practice photography. These descriptive answers were then used to create the quantitative surveys for the study. </p><p> The data demonstrated that photography can be considered a spiritual technique. First, the spiritual benefits shown from practicing photography mirror, to a large degree, the spiritual benefits reported for practicing prayer, meditation, and yoga. The literature also supports the reported similarities; however, participants do not consciously recognize these benefits. Second, the 4 dimensions of being human (physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual) are divided into 5 factors: (a) physical well-being and better decision-making, (b) optimism in life, (c) interrelation with the environment and intellectual development, (d) relaxing, and (e) spiritual growth.</p>

<p> This dissertation used the exploratory single-case study method to address the research question of: How and to what extent has Uta Hoehne, a licensed psychologist, applied Alice Bailey's principles of esoteric psychology in a humanistic/transpersonalbased clinical practice? </p><p> Alice Bailey was an esotericist in the first half of the 20th century whose principles of esoteric thought resonate with many of the founding principles of humanistic/transpersonal psychology. Bailey wrote extensively about a type of psychology she called esoteric psychology (EP), which uses principles potentially applicable to clinical psychology. Uta Hoehne is a present-day licensed psychologist and skilled esotericist whose clinical practice has humanistic/transpersonal psychology roots. </p><p> She has applied EP techniques successfully in her clinical practice, originally as a supplement to conventional therapeutic techniques. </p><p> The research question was investigated using three data sources: 10 structured interviews with Hoehne; other Hoehne source data including published articles on her nonprofit Web site, approximately 200 unpublished documents, 60 hours of lecture recordings; and interviews with two of her senior students, also licensed psychologists. </p><p> The data involved general background information, the clinical use of esoteric psychology principles including what she called "higher psychic powers and energy," the esoteric perspective and protocol for multiple categories of DSM-IV-TR psychological disorders, and specific clinical tools with potential general application in humanistic/transpersonal psychology clinical practices. Also, the effectiveness of esoteric psychology techniques in others' clinical practices was addressed with two of Hoehne's students. </p><p> Content analysis yielded five principal categories that encompass esoteric psychology in general and Hoehne's specific clinical practices in particular. These categories concern esoteric psychology's perspective, orientation, understanding of disease, practices, and interface with humanistic/transpersonal psychology, and each contains further subthemes. </p><p> Hoehne's apparent success in therapeutic outcomes with application of Bailey's esoteric principles in a clinical practice with humanistic/transpersonal psychology roots demonstrates the appropriateness of further research into both the theory and practice of esoteric psychology and of consideration of a more general application in other humanistic/transpersonal psychology clinical practices. A clear resonance is revealed between these two approaches to psychology, and their areas of confluence and difference may work together to address the greater unfolding of human potential.</p>

<p> This interdisciplinary, theoretical dissertation puts Meister Eckhart and psychoanalysis (in particular, the work of Jacques Lacan) in dialogue in order to examine the question of the self. It extends the success of recent Buddhist-psychoanalytic dialogues on the self into the neglected area of Christian mysticism. The author reviews the extant literature on psychoanalysis and mysticism, summarizes Freud and Lacan's psychoanalytic theories of subjectivity, and examines the existing literature on Meister Eckhart and the self. Then, the author undertakes a commentary of an especially significant passage in one of Eckhart's sermons using an interpretive method which brings together "radical hermeneutics," a form of hermeneutics developed by the American philosopher of religion John Caputo (1987, 2000) with <i>Lectio Divina</i> and centering prayer, two Christian contemplative practices. </p><p> Based on the commentary, the author presents a fresh understanding of Eckhart's view of the self which emphasizes the unity between the soul and God in the process of God's birth in the soul (<i>Gottesgeburt</i>). Then, some of the key themes of Eckhart's sermons are put in dialogue with key Lacanian concepts &ndash; e.g., properties (<i>eigenschaften</i>) with symptoms, detachment (<i>abegescheidenheit</i>) with castration, and living without why (<i>ohne Warum</i>) with jouissance &ndash; in order to explore the significance of Eckhart's view of the self for psychoanalytic theories of subjectivity. Additionally, the discussion includes clinical vignettes in order to suggest implications for the practice of psychotherapy. The dissertation concludes that psychoanalysis and mysticism are guided by a similar logic and structure, as they are both oriented around processes of change.</p>

<p> This qualitative case study of a meditation group known as the Process Group examines the group's collaboration on practices that foster spiritual maturation following spiritual opening into the first phase of enlightenment. Twenty-one participant accounts provide an intimate portrait of stabilizing and integrating Unity consciousness, maintaining a co-creative relationship with the Divine, and actively expressing this in the world, especially through creative altruism. Using the hermeneutical research method known as intuitive inquiry, analysis of the data employed traditional and non-traditional approaches that were supported with member validity checks. Findings generated a clear picture of optimal group functioning in higher stages of consciousness, practices that lead to and sustain nondual awareness in day-to-day interaction, and conditions that generate creative altruism. Findings are distilled into lenses that can be operationalized into training programs for teams interested in altruistic activity. The Process Group demonstrates that peak spiritual experiences can be supported with group practices that deepen the spiritual opening process and the mutually affecting relationship with the Divine over time, increasing relational intelligence and creative expression. Findings also demonstrated that spiritual maturation can increase individuation and communion simultaneously and interactively. This is a portrait of spiritual practice that facilitates fully embodied enlightenment, active incarnation in the world, presenting the healed versions of what is possible in the clearest human interaction, and maturation that proceeds in cooperation with the Divine. </p>

<p> This study explored therapists' experiences working with individuals diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Further, it hypothesized that clinician spirituality might positively influence their experience of working with this clinical population. An embedded mixed-methods design was used in this pilot study. Participants were licensed clinicians currently working with at least two clients diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. Participants completed a semistructured interview, which was analyzed using thematic analysis, and were administered two quantitative scales, the Spiritual Orientation Inventory (SOI) and the Assessment of Spirituality and Religious Sentiments (ASPIRES). Quantitative data were analyzed through SPSS (Version 17) for descriptions and correlations, and were used to support themes that emerged from the qualitative semistructured interview analysis. Thematic analysis resulted in twelve main themes specific to therapists' experiences of working with individuals diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. Specifically, therapists experienced this work as challenging, rewarding, and providing a sense of meaning to their lives. Quantitative analysis suggested that therapists sampled in this study were more spiritual as compared with normative sample scores. Embedded mixed-methods analysis did not provide a significant correlation between therapists' experiences and their spirituality. Implications of this study include validating and valuing therapists' experiences in their work with this clinical population. Further, this research provided evidence that therapists found personal practices such as meditation, mindfulness, and prayer to be supportive of their experiences working with individuals diagnosed with borderline personality disorder.</p>