<p> This qualitative research study aims to explore and provide a comprehensive descriptive record of the significant experiences of Pranahuti Aided Meditation (PAM) practice and transformation by eight practitioners from the San Francisco Bay Area. It investigates the linkage between their meditation experiences and transformations to better understand this new phenomenon.</p><p> PAM, also known as Sri Ramchandra’s Raja Yoga or Natural Path, is a new spiritual practice invented by Sri Ramchandra of Shajahanpur, U.P., India in the 1940’s. It utilizes the technique of Pranahuti (<i> Yogic Transmission or Transmission of Life Force</i> i.e. <i>Prana </i>) to aid individual’s meditation practice and facilitate the process of consciousness transformation. Academic research on PAM has been scant so far. This is the first study using interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) to systematically explore the experiences of PAM practitioners with 1 to 10 years of practice experience.</p><p> The first major finding of this study was that this group of participants experienced a large number of positive non-ordinary states, of which more than 95% occurred during Pranahuti. Some altered states were somatic in nature, and some psychological, noetic, and mystical; still some were particularly exquisite and profound. The first major conclusion that can be drawn from this is Pranahuti resulted in positive non-ordinary states experienced by the participants during meditation.</p><p> The second major finding was that participants experienced many positive changes such as acquisition of positive qualities, values and principles, psychological balance, and sense of wellbeing. They had progressed into what in PAM is known as the realm of upper, or altruistic, consciousness to a significant extent, and most had further development in the realm of divine consciousness. The study found a very close correlation between participants’ meditation experiences and the transformations unfolding in daily lives. The second conclusion to be drawn from this is that PAM practice had enabled all participants move from the lower to the upper plane of consciousness to a significant extent. It also enabled many to move further into the realm of divine consciousness, resulting in various significant transformations including shifting of perspectives, and gaining positive qualities and attitudes in life.</p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PROQUEST/oai:pqdtoai.proquest.com:10255737 |
| Date | 03 March 2017 |
| Creators | Zeng, Wandan Wendy |
| Publisher | California Institute of Integral Studies |
| Source Sets | ProQuest.com |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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