<p> Through a mixed methodology of hermeneutic and heuristic inquiry, this thesis examines the influence of early childhood numinous, or profound spiritual, experience on the developing psyche and its relationship to repetitive compulsion over the lifespan. A dual lens of depth psychology and neuroscience is employed to explore the interstitial spaces between theories on the numen, early psychological development, and the repetition compulsion, comparing the literature with personal and clinical examples. Findings illustrated that numinous experiences are intimately connected with repetitive symptomology and that certain individuals are genetically predisposed to numinous experience. The hypothesis was proposed that repetition compulsion engendered by early numinous experiences, and perhaps all repetition phenomena, might reflect an unconscious <i> telos</i>, or the aim of an integral part of one’s psyche seeking expression, integration, and relationship in the world.</p><p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PROQUEST/oai:pqdtoai.proquest.com:10749537 |
| Date | 12 May 2018 |
| Creators | Sargent, Michelle |
| Publisher | Pacifica Graduate Institute |
| Source Sets | ProQuest.com |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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