Advantages of the clear mind

On Advantages of the Clear Mind:

Spiritual Practices in the Training of a Phenomenological
Researcher
Olga Louchakova [L!" TO #O$
Institute of Transpersonal Psychology
1069 East Meadow Circle
Palo Alto, CA 9!0!
oloucha"o#a$itp%edu
[[This is the prepu%l ication draft for the &umans tic Ps'chologist ( )**+, -.pected cop'right of The &umanistic Ps'chologist(
/ith future revisions $$

0n the course of human kno/ledge man must
first make his in1uir' into his a/areness of himself23
Suhra/ardi( 4)
th
centur' 5as 1uoted in 6a7di( 488), p,8+9,
Metascience suggests that in order to understand ho/ kno/ledge is produced( one should also
stud' the researcher 5Radnit7k'( 48:;9, n the field of natural science( this applies mainl' to the social
conte.ts of a researcher, <ithin ps'chological 1ualitative research( other( more intimatel' human aspects
take precedence, &ere( the researcher=s mind is the onl' 0tool3 for an o%taining ne/ kno/ledge, t has to
penetrate the delicate interiorit' of consciousness and find structures in the intricate fa%ric of
ps'chological processes, The ade1uac' and effectiveness of the mind as a tool provide for the capa%ilit'
of the researcher to perform the mental operations prescri%ed in the research procedure, Meditators
5Shapiro > <alsh( )**;9 and philosophers 5SenSharma( 488*? Stuart( 48889 also use their minds as tools,
<hile the focus of the philosopher ma' %e on 0disciplined thought3 5@iorgi( 488*( p,A+9( and the focus of
the meditator ma' %e on decreasing the random activit' of the mind( %oth engage in special training
procedures to change the 1ualit' of their mental processes, Such training ma' also %enefit the
phenomenological researcher, Through a comparative anal'sis of /a's of kno/ing implied in
phenomenological research and in spiritual training( this article suggests that successful 1ualitative( and
especiall' phenomenological( research in ps'cholog' re1uires special ps'chological faculties, Training of
these faculties optimi7es the preparation of graduate students doing 1ualitative research in ps'cholog',
Particular mental e.ercises( carefull' chosen among other spiritual practices( increase the mental 0fitness3
4
4
Advantages of the clear mind
of the phenomenological researcher, This article offers a detailed description of these procedures( suita%le
for use in graduate education,
Phenomenological en1uir' takes as its point of departure descriptions of ordinar'( ever'da'
realit'( variousl' referred to in philosoph' as ordinar' language( ever'da' life( the main realit'( the
natural attitude( common sense( and the ever'da' /orld, Ps'chological phenomenological method singles
out the ps'chological dimension in this description, "no/ledge of ps'chological structures is o%tained
through a series of reductions carried %' the researcher in a process of imaginative variations 5@iorgi(
488*? Mohant'( 488:? Sokolo/ski( )***9, To do this( the researcher a%sor%s the meaning units of naive
description( enters the reductions and e.plicates the ps'chological meanings contained in the description,
Then follo/ a series of shuttleBlike mental moves %et/een interior contemplation involving eidetic
intuition( and reBreadings of the description, n the process( the researcher e.periments /ith various
discovered meanings( seeking %oth a ma.imum e.plication and coherence /ith the original description,
This stepB%'Bstep alignment of the discovered meanings /ith the original description uncovers the
essential invaria%le constituents of its interior ps'chological fa%ric, Cor this kno/ledge to %e ade1uate and
true( the researcher also %rackets hisDher o/n theor'Bladen assumptions( and tries to identif' and 0ground3
the unconscious process leading to the positing of those assumptions 5@iorgi( 488)( p,4):9,

O%viousl'( the philosophical core and the language of phenomenolog' contradict those of
positivist philosoph', The degree of this contradiction( and the depth to /hich the assumptions of the
latter are generall' em%odied %' researchers( onl' %ecome evident in teaching the method of
phenomenological en1uir', Students find themselves in emotionall' charged cognitive conflict, n
addition to the da77ling intellectual focus( phenomenolog' indirectl' necessitates selfBen1uir'( thus
involving the 0/hole %eing3 of the student, f this passes unBreflected( the su%tleties of the method get
0high Eacked3 %' intellectual defenses and une.amined personal agendas? this effect seems to %e 1uite
common in teaching the depthBphenomenological research method, #' the time the crucial 0AhaF3 is
reached( half of the class ma' %e caught in a state of deep frustration and conflict %et/een their intuition
of the possi%ilities of the method and their personal ina%ilit' to grasp it,
&o/ever( the promise of an epistemological rigor in properl' performed phenomenological
research ensures its attractiveness for serious students, This article dra/s upon the author=s e.perience in
research and dissertation guidance using the phenomenological method in transpersonal ps'cholog',
-.amples of the topics covered %' such research include ps'chosomatic m'sticism 5Louchakova >
<arner( )**;9( spiritual e.periences induced %' cultural trauma 5<all > Louchakova( )**)9( dream 'oga
5Stefik( 48889( nonBordinar' states of consciousness in multigenerational famil' patterns 5Little( )**+9(
science as a path to @od 5"uhar( )**+9( and the meditative practices of selflessness 5Care'( )**+9,
Transpersonal topics and descriptions that fall into the categor' of 0transpersonal3 5Galle( 48H89 aggravate
the comple.it' of phenomenological anal'sis %' three factors, Cirst( the' integrate the highest levels of
consciousness 5spirit9 into the ps'chological anal'sis( thus contradicting the general tendenc' of
ps'cholog' to separate the former from the human ps'che, Secondl'( the naIve description of
spontaneous spiritual e.periences J happening( for e.ample( in cases of spiritual emergence J naturall'
contain elements of spontaneous transcendental or eidetic reduction, Conse1uentl'( an anal'sis of the
descriptions of spiritual e.perience also includes reductions of all levels( integrated into the procedure of
ps'chological phenomenological research in such a manner that the order of original meanings are kept
intact, Third( in case descriptions that incorporate altered states of consciousness( the researcher faces the
necessit' of e.plicating not onl' meaning contents( %ut the structures of spiritual perception as /ell,
Though several authors in phenomenolog' have emphasi7ed the necessit' of stud'ing structure versus
contents 5Shapiro( 48HK9( there is no /ellBarticulated 0method3 so far /hich addresses this pro%lem in
regard to spiritual e.perience,
)
)
Advantages of the clear mind
Multiple tensions %et/een the anal'sis of the ego and the anal'sis of the transcendental ego
5Mohant'( 488:9( and the terra incognita e.isting in the structural anal'sis of spiritual perception( result
in the a%sence of a defined phenomenological method regarding transpersonal matters, The training
procedures( descri%ed in this article( are a step to/ards such a method, The success of the
phenomenological method applied to transpersonal ps'cholog' entirel' depends on the mental discipline
of the researcher and rigor in identif'ing of individual presuppositions, Together /ith the t'pical use of
multiple epistemologies in transpersonal research( the interpla' of theoretical and applied modalities( and
a deep intimac' /ith the research su%Eect( phenomenological research challenges the ver' sense of
identit' of the student and can lead to personal transformation, Adding spiritual practices to the training of
transpersonal researchers thus %ecomes an aid( and a container for this transformation to occur safel',
The educational techni1ue descri%ed %elo/ helps %uild an aptitude for the phenomenological
research method, t /as tested in teaching phenomenological research to three cohorts 5;* students9 of
graduate students at the nstitute of Transpersonal Ps'cholog', t /as also used in teaching Culture and
Consciousness and Liversit' Research in transpersonal ps'cholog' to si. cohorts 5a%out 4K* students9 of
graduate and one cohort 5total of 4)9 of undergraduate students, #oth Culture and Consciousness stud'
and Liversit' Research have their foundation in phenomenological en1uir' 5#enson( )**49( are ver'
comple.( and have high personal relevance, Cre1uentl'( associations /ith past cultural traumas /ould
slo/ do/n the a%sorption of the material and adversel' affect the educational outcome, The 0aptitude of
the researcher training3( descri%ed in this article( helped overcome this %' allo/ing students to cope /ith
personal difficulties and to successfull' incorporate the phenomenological perspective in their dissertation
process, This suggests that 1ualitative research in general( in addition to learning the actual procedures(
re1uires certain mental 1ualities on the part of the researcher( /hich can %e mastered in the process of
special training,
&ationale for this Approach
The rationale for this approach originates from an anal'sis of the methods of kno/ing in Gedanta(
ShaktaBGedanta( Sufism( and &es'chasm 5the earl' m'stical tradition /ithin Christianit'9, t is %ased on a
phenomenological anal'sis of te.ts( and field studies of practicing groups in Russia( -stonia( ndia(
Turke'( and Crance, t is also supported %' intervie/s /ith living teachers ackno/ledged as e.perts in
their respective traditions, The %rief overvie/ of the various spiritual traditions summari7es man'
o%servations( and sho/s ho/ spiritual practices are traditionall' used for training %etter faculties of
kno/ing, ndeed( spiritual traditions can %e vie/ed as phenomenological kno/ledge s'stems
5Louchakova ><arner( )**;9, nsofar as the' focus on an investigation of a conscious su%Eect( the' can
%e compared /ith human science, Spiritual traditions sum up centuries of e.perience in the use of special
practices to refine perception and improve cognitive processes, <e h'pothesi7ed that the use of such
spiritual practices /ould train the researcher=s mind( facilitating a proficienc' in the particular 1ualitative
research method, To %e a%le to accomplish a crossBdisciplinar' 0%orro/ing3 of spiritual practices( the
follo/ing 1uestions needed to %e ans/ered: does the emergence of a particular t'pe of kno/ledge re1uire
a particular internal preparation %' the researcherM To /hat degree do the specifics of the researcher=s
mind affect the effectiveness of this or that 1ualitative methodM Lo people have an in%orn predisposition
to one kind of kno/ing or another( and /ould this affect the success of phenomenological researchM The
argument leading to ans/ers to these 1uestions consists of a9 an anal'sis of spiritual traditions as
kno/ledge producing s'stems( %9 an e.plication of the faculties necessar' for kno/ledge( c9 a comparison
of the /a's of kno/ing in spiritual traditions and phenomenological research( d9 the application of
spiritual training of the mind to phenomenological research( and e9 an e.amination of the results of such
training,
'piritual Traditions as (nowledge Producing 'yste)s
;
;
Advantages of the clear mind
Spiritual philosophies are generall' interested in the various /a's of kno/ing as applied to the
commonplace ma.im( gnothi seauton 5@reek9( 0kno/ th'self,3 SelfBkno/ledge fructifies in happiness and
human fulfillment 5Gid'aran'a( 4+
th
centur'D48A:9, The stakes are high( so the methodolog' should not
fail, #esides theoretical tenets( traditions emphasi7e practical attainments and the implementation of
kno/ledge in one=s o/n life, The' point to dialectical( dialogical( and hermeneutic relationships(
connecting the a%ilit' to e.ercise a particular t'pe of kno/ledge and the state of consciousness( mental
and emotional 1ualities( and even the constitution of the practitioner 5&eer( 488;9, Spiritual practices
enhance one=s a%ilit' to engage in certain /a's of kno/ing, n the /estern philosophical schools of
anti1uit'( practices of selfBa/areness and discernment /ere al/a's directed to/ards the attainment of the
1ualifications necessar' for selfBkno/ledge 5Ste/art( 48889, The geniuses of &e%re/( -g'ptian( @reek(
&ellenistic( and Roman thought alike emphasi7ed that the selfBimprovement practice of the philosopher is
necessar' for kno/ledge( as condensed in the famous phrase of &orace 0Aequam servare mentem3
5488:( ii,;9 5keep the clearDstead' mind B Latin9 , Merka%ah 5earl' Ne/ish m'sticism9 5Scholem( 48+A9
and &es'chasm 5earl' Christian m'sticism9 5St, Simeon the ne/ Theologian( H
th
centur'D488K9( /ere
specificall' concerned /ith direct apprehension of @od( and suggested a special set of attitudinal and
ascetic purification practices /hich prepared the mind for such contemplation, n Sufism( the process of
personal transformation 5Crager( 48889( augmented %' the use of the practices of 0so%riet'3 and
0into.ication3 5A%delB"ader( 48:A9( preceded and increased the pro%a%ilit' of the attainment of the
kno/ledge of consciousness via a phenomenological approach 5Lahnhardt( )**)? Schimmel( 488+9,

Similar attitudes pervade the histor' of traditions concerned /ith selfBkno/ledge in the -ast, n
the practiceBoriented ndian philosophies of sadhana( such as Gedanta( ShaktaBGedanta 5SenSharma( 488*9
or Sankh'a 5Larson( 48:89( kno/ledge is insepara%le from transformative practice, This manifests in
concrete methodological instructions and e.ercises( directed at developing the mental and
characterological prere1uisites for kno/ledge
4
, Gedanta( /hose o%Eective is nonBdual selfBkno/ledge(
emphasi7es that the successful seeker should possess certain prere1uisites making selfBkno/ledge
possi%le 5Ram%achan( 4888? Shankarachar'a( H
th
centur'D48+:9, These re1uirements include a harmonious
character structure( an orderl' lifeBst'le( and a 0clear mind3 5Akarta( 488+9, The 0clear mind(3 or( to %e
e.act( 0clear internal instrument3 5antahkarana shuddhi O Sanskrit9( is a term having no direct analogies
in the /estern voca%ular', t implies the 0transparenc'3 of the ps'che to its o/n internal process, n the
dialectical c'cle( selfBkno/ledge( availa%le to this 0clear mind(3 causes the further transformation of the
mind in the direction of greater clarit' and aptitude for kno/ledge, 0Through repeated practice(
"no/ledge purifies the em%odied soul stained %' ignorance23 5Shankarachar'a( H
th
centur'D48+:(
p,4)89, According to Shankarachar'a( /hom ndian historians consider to %e a genius akin to Leonardo(
Shakespeare( and &egel taken together 5#harati( 48849( the gestalt of true nonBdual Self consciousness is
possi%le onl' if the seeker=s mind and character achieve certain 1ualities 5Tandavara'a( 4K
th
centur'D488;?
"arapatra( 488*9, Akin to a reflection of the sun that is clear in a %ucket /ith clean calm /ater( and is
distorted in a %ucket /ith mudd' distur%ed /ater( the gestalt of the essential nature of consciousness
happens onl' in a 0clear3 mind,
The emergence of kno/ledge corresponds /ith spiritual practice and character development,
<hile Advaita [nonBdual$ Gedanta lists four 1ualifications necessar' for such selfBkno/ledge
5Ram%achan( 48849( more developmentall' oriented ShaktaBGedanta 5a,k,a, "undalini Tantra9 specifies a
more complicated developmental map, Similar to Sufism( the levels of personal transformation in ShaktaB
Gedanta parallel the levels of emerging philosophical and spiritual insight 5Louchakova > <arner( )**;9,
Garious t'pes of kno/ledge in ShaktaBGedanta include the indirect conceptual kno/ledge resulting from
the logical processes? the kno/ledge o%tained through e.ternal senses? the direct apprehension of
4
The emphasis is on uncovering and purification( similar to 0sifting gold nuggets3( rather than on constructing ne/
1ualities,
+
+
Advantages of the clear mind
phenomena in the interiorit' of consciousness such as s'm%ols( meaning( and imagination? and the selfB
kno/ledge of pure consciousness /hich is neither direct nor indirect 5Shankarachar'a( H
th
centur'D488;9,
Though all these /a's of kno/ing are ontologicall' implicit( the ShaktaBGedanta training actuali7es these
predispositions to kno/ing, Cor e.ample( one can %e trained to use logic as a mathematician( or use the
refined senses as a skillful craftsman( etc, Or( one can %ecome a Enani 5the person of kno/ledge B
Sanskrit9( /ho enEo's a direct insight into the nature of consciousness, 0Nnana is not onl' a process at
cognitive level %ut involves the transformation of /ill and emotion2cognitive change alone is inade1uate
for the commitment to a ne/ understanding of oneself,3 5Ram%achan( 4884( p,H:9,
All spiritual s'stems %egin the process of en1uir' /ith the natural condition of the human %eing( a
term similar to the phenomenological life /orld( i,e,( is the /orld of ever'da' perception, The life /orld
of spiritual practitioners consists of intentional /orlds 5#enson( )**49( defined %' the philosoph' of their
particular tradition( culture and historical environment( as /ell as their level of spiritual development
accompanied %' perceptual changes 5Louchakova( )**;9, <ithin these life /orlds( spiritual s'stems
unanimousl' take a phenomenological stance, The' posit an aesthetic 5a,k,a, o%serving( /itnessing(
receptive( 0so%riet'(3 0/atchfulness(3 mindfulness( 0guarding3 of senses( etc,9 attitude to/ards
phenomena, The' agree that selfBkno/ledge re1uires the development of introspective attention( the
phenomenological e.plication of the structures and contents of consciousness( and a direct recognition of
the nature of a/areness %' a/areness itself, According to the living oral tradition of Advaita Gedanta( an
e.plication of the structures of consciousness happens naturall' in the condition of an 0open mind3 5Sri
RanEit MaharaE( personal communication( Ma' +( 488A9, Though selfBen1uir' ma' %egin on the logical
and s'm%olic levels( at its core it is a phenomenological e.ploration 5Ramana( 488A? Ram%achan( 48849,
0t is onl' the e.perience /hich contemplation 5nididhyasana( SanskritB direct perception of nonBdual
contents of consciousness9 affords that conclusivel' informs us a%out #rahman 5nonBdual selfB
consciousness93 5Ram%achan( 4884( p, 4+9, The foundational data are perceptual( %ut not sensor', The
theor' of 0"no/ledge %' Presence3( shared %' &indu and Muslim spiritual philosophies( applies itself to
all levels of consciousness including nonBdual, "no/ledge %' presence is the kno/ledge of something
/hich is present in the mind and /hose ver' e.istence is insepara%le from the kno/ledge of it( as opposed
to kno/ledge %ased on the concept of mind of something that itself is a%sent from the mind 56a7di(
488)9, n considering the data rendered through kno/ledge %' presence( various spiritual philosophies
/ill differ in their semiotic or interpretive handling of the phenomenological data, This leads to
differences in ontological hierarchies( different functional groupings such as the five %asic elements(
different perspectives on spatialit'( temporalit'( archet'pal( and s'm%olic contents, !evertheless( all
spiritual s'stems( /hich are rooted in a phenomenological approach to consciousness via kno/ledge %'
presence( feature similar demands on the faculties of the mind and character as prere1uisites to en1uir',
All of them re1uire from the aspirant faculties such as: a9 a capacit' for introspection( %9 a capacit' to
directl' apprehend the interiorit' of consciousness( and to directl' apprehend pure consciousness( and c9
the control of the random activit' of the mind J and all provide the practices /hich allo/ these faculties
to %e developed 5#uddhananda( 48:49, Classic PatanEali or "ashmiri Shaiva 6oga are e.amples of a
s'stematic application of practices /hich train the mind 5#angali( 488*? GiEnana%hairava( 48:89,
To %uild a foundation for the training of researchers( /e compared traditional 1ualifications for
seekers of kno/ledge in spiritual traditions and their /estern ps'chological counterparts, The comparative
anal'sis of crossBdisciplines and cultures re1uires much caution in order to avoid the seduction of overB
simplified direct analogies, On the one hand( the t'pes of kno/ledge underl'ing phenomenological
anal'sis and spiritual pursuit are the same? on the other hand( their respective goals are different 5Scheler
as descri%ed in Mohant'( 488:9, Spiritual traditions have a salvator' goal( kno/ledge %eing the means to
fulfillment? phenomenological anal'sis in ps'cholog'( %' contrast( is intended to render kno/ledge
separate from the researcher( in order to( for instance( assist practical domination and transformation of
the /orld, #oth( ho/ever( impl' the development of the kno/er O man' researchers report that using the
K
K
Advantages of the clear mind
phenomenological method also helps their personal development, To compare matters further( ps'cholog'
e.plains humans via personalit' theor'? spiritual s'stems descri%e the /hole human %eing including the
em%odied ps'che and use the categor' of character, The main methodological contradiction is that the
faculties and traits that are foundational for personalit' theor' have a ver' limited application in spiritual
s'stems( /hich take human %eing in a developmental and environmental conte.t and see emotions and
consciousness as associated /ith the /hole %od' 5Louchakova > <arner( )**;9, !evertheless( as /e /ill
sho/ later( the character of kno/ledge in %oth approaches allo/s comparison and %ecomes a foundation
for the development of the training of the phenomenological researcher,

Traditional &e*uire)ents for the Mind of the 'ee"er and Their +estern Psychological E*ui#alents
Gedanta esta%lishes several prere1uisites to kno/ledge of the Self, Viveka (discrimination -
Sanskrit)( is the capacit' of intuitive discernment %et/een cognitions of real 5that /hich is9 and unreal
5that /hich is not9, Then follo/s vairagya 5dispassion B Sanskrit9? the si. 1ualities such as control of
mind( control of senses( cessation of social activit'( control of passions and endurance( settling do/n to
reflect on the nature of consciousness( and faith? and mumukshutvam 5Sanskrit9( the passionate desire for
li%eration 5Tandavara'a( 4K
th
centur'D48+:9, Lispassion and other 1ualities correspond to the integrated
personalit' structure( /hich copes /ell /ith frustration and has a characterological and e.istential
maturit' /here the satisfied lo/er needs of Maslo/=s hierarch' have developed into the higher needs,
ShaktaBGedanta emphasi7es humilit'( modest'( nonBviolence( endurance( simplicit'( purit'(
persistence( selfBcontrol( etc, 5Srimad Bhagavat Gita, 48H;( p,+)KB+)89, These 1ualities also correspond to
the higher ranks in Maslo/=s hierarch' of needs( lo/ levels of narcissism( and a high degree of personal
integration,
Sufism states that for the most %eings( the mind is 0veiled3, Removing the veils in order to
advance in understanding re1uires great efforts in stud'( contemplation( spiritual discipline and e.ercise
5&eer( 488;9, The main re1uest is to develop an understanding from the heart( i,e,( a kno/ledge %'
presence( versus kno/ledge from the head %' conceptuali7ation( and to purif' the heart in order for this
understanding to happen,
n earl' Christian m'sticism( the final goal is to attain the perception of @odhead 5"irk( 48;49
through the 0heart2purified through /atchfulness3 5St, Simeon( 4*
th
centur'D488K( p, :K9, Stages of
purification of the heart include /atching over the heart and curtailing the passions rising from it(
repulsing temptations to e.ternal senses( and detaching entirel' and giving oneself to @od, More
e.plicitl' than Sufism( Christianit' suggests appl'ing mindfulness to the sensations( emotions and
thoughts? developing the in/ard vector of attention? and developing a focus on the phenomenological
origins of consciousness,
Liscrimination %et/een kno/ledge %' concept and kno/ledge %' presence via engagement of
%odil' concentration in the chest has no parallels in ps'cholog', &o/ever( if one tracks the 0eidetic
intuition3 of phenomenolog' 5Mohant'( 488:9 to its origins in @reek thought( the connection /ith the
@nostic 0mind of the heart3 %ecomes apparent,
Along /ith the 1ualities of the mind that are essential for gnosis( there are mental o%stacles or
deficiencies( /hich inhi%it the attainment of kno/ledge, slam mentions more than a thousand veils( such
as distur%ing emotions( false une.amined intellectual assumptions( dissociation /ith the actual
e.perience( etc,( as /ell as an immature character structure that can interfere /ith the clarit' of direct
perception, According to spiritual philosophies of &induism( the mind has a threefold constitution( that of
sattva 5transparenc'( clarit'( positivit'( su%tlet' O Sanskrit9( raEas 5activit'( d'namism O Sanskrit9( and
A
A
Advantages of the clear mind
tamas 5inertia( sloth( dissociation O Sanskrit9, Cor the mind to %ecome the tool of kno/ledge( tamas has to
%e transmuted into rajas, and the latter into sattva,
A ps'chological interpretation of practices that lead to the formation of prere1uisites for
kno/ledge( presents additional difficulties, To /hat degree is a particular spiritual practice /oven into the
socioBcultural conte.t of its particular tradition( and /hat elements cannot %e transmitted in the current
glo%ali7ation of spiritualit'M To /hat degree does practice condition particular /a's of perceptionM
@urdEieff 5Ouspenski( 48+8D48:A9( Antonov 5)**;9( Antonov and Gaver 548H89( Louchakova 5488*9(
Torchinov 5488:9 and <alsh 548889 have sho/n that the spiritual practices of different traditions have
common generali7a%le structures( /hich can %e creativel' adapted in crossBcultural transmission,
Traditions unanimousl' consider the initial 0ra/3 state of the person as unfit for kno/ledge %' presence,
Preparation for kno/ledge consists of t/o aspects: character transformation and the training of the
perceptual faculties, Specific methods of transformation( especiall' %od'B%ased focusing practices( are
usuall' transmitted orall' 5Louchakova > <arner( )**;9, A comparison of modes of kno/ing in
spiritualit' and phenomenological research helped us to identif' the practices suita%le for
phenomenological training,
&ele#ance of Mind Training to Pheno)enological &esearch
&usserl=s description of intentional consciousness( /hich in the process of kno/ledge 0grasps3 its
o/n phenomena( assumes the direct apprehension of consciousness %' consciousness( prior to the
involvement of ph'sical senses or reasoning, Phenomenological ps'chological research is the stud' of
intentional consciousness( /hich %oth 0see[s$ and sei7e[s$ upon3 5"ersten as 1uoted in Mohant'( 488:(
p,89( and in /hich the function of 0seeing3 is not different from kno/ledge %' presence in slamic
m'stical philosophies 56a7di( 488)9,
)
Phenomenological eidetic intuition resonates /ith the slamic
intuition of e.istence( the fundamental phenomenological %asis of slamic metaph'sics 5AlBAttas( 488*9,
The differences pertain not to the character of kno/ing( %ut to the applications and focus of en1uir',
Spiritual en1uir' has to remove the fear of death( alleviate e.istential suffering( and render a sense of
satisfaction and fullness through recognition of the nature of the self? ps'chological en1uir' leads onl' as
far as the kno/ledge of the ps'che, !evertheless( the character of kno/ing is the same( %' presence not
%' logical processes,
Moreover( the procedures of kno/ing are the same as /ell, -poche( in its stageB%'Bstage
a%sorption of the vector of attention in the direction of pure su%Eectivit'( is reminiscent of classic PatanEali
6oga /ith its in/ard direction of attention( focus on interiorit' of consciousness( e.amination of
assumptions( and eventuall' focus of the attention on pure su%Eective consciousness, The
phenomenological attitude 5@iorgi( 488*9 resem%les the foundational practice found in all t'pes of
esotericism( i,e, /itnessing phenomena in the process of their rising and su%siding, Certainl'( the
similarit' of kno/ledgeBrelated protocols does not impl' the similarit' of interpretive frames or an
identit' %et/een the s'stems, Phenomenolog' does not make ontological claims? spiritual s'stems do,
nterpretations in spiritual s'stems are fre1uentl' considered to %e revelations( and /ill not %e su%Eect to
%racketing until the ver' last step of the en1uir', Cor e.ample( in the process of selfBkno/ledge in
Gedanta( phenomenological selfBe.amination is accompanied %' the application of Gedanta pramana
5Sanskrit B special logic allo/ing recognition of nonBdual consciousness9, The latter continues until the
last step( manoasa 5Sanskrit B dissolution of the mind( or the ego principle9( /hen the mental processes
su%side in contemplation of nonBdualit' 5"arapatra( 488*9, Phenomenolog'( on the contrar'( %egins and
)
The other function( 0to sei7e upon(3 is generall' interpreted in spiritual traditions as a mode of identification %'
/hich pure su%Eective 03 consciousness is conditioned %' the perceived phenomena, Cor e.ample( n Gedanta this
mode of mind is kno/n as ahamkara 5Sanskrit9( the 0B%od'Bmaker3,
:
:
Advantages of the clear mind
ends /ith the %are data of one=s e.perience of living, Therefore( in our anal'sis the correlations appl'
strictl' to the preBreflective perception( not to ho/ the latter ma' %e structured %' the assumptions and
logic( and /hether the s'stems on the /hole are similar or dissimilar,
Other differences arise concerning the 1uestions of essences, Theorists in phenomenolog' argue
/hether &usserlian essences are su%Eect to direct apprehension and have a phenomenological nature( or
/hether the process is more comple. and involves secondar' thought forms such as reflections( etc,
5Mohant'( 488:9, #' comparison( the spiritual epistemolog' of slam considers that human essence( i,e,(
the primal relationship %et/een man and @od( is availa%le onl' to 0kno/ledge %' presence3, The man'
aspects of this primal relationship 5/hich correspond to the levels of interpretation in "oran9 %ear an
interesting similarit' to the structures of consciousness discovered in phenomenological anal'sis
5Mohant'( 488:( p,A9, Another interesting similarit' %et/een spiritual philosophies and phenomenolog' of
the self 5<ile'( 488K9 is that the spiritual philosophies of slam and &induism al/a's consider the
structures /ithin consciousness as sui generis! -ssential structures of consciousness in slamic philosoph'
are characteri7ed %' prinicipial autonom'( or ontological and logical primac' 5%n alBAra%i( 48:K9( and
cannot %e reduced to either cultural or personal conte.ts,
#oth the slamic approach to mari"at 5Ara%ic9( kno/ledge( and the gnosis of Christian m'sticism
5Andrae( 48H:9( consider imagination as a cognitive organ %' /hich consciousness kno/s itself 5Cor%in(
48A8( 488K9, n phenomenological en1uir'( imagination is involved in the process of imaginative
variations( as an essential tool that allo/s stripping off the accidental parts of the description and
e.plication of the essential parts, The phenomenological researcher performs the imaginar' removal of the
elements of the description( checking /hether the meaning remains the same 5Mohant'( 488:9, The
functioning of imagination( and the direct apprehension of the phenomena in imaginal realms %'
a/areness /ithout an intermediar'( resem%le the method of the slamic philosopher Suhra/ardi( one of
the founders of the approach of kno/ledge %' presence 5Suhra/ardi( 44HKD48889,
The interface %et/een phenomenolog' and spiritualit' ma' %e even more direct than anal'tic
parallels, The recentl' pu%lished letters of &usserl indicate that the founder of phenomenolog' /as
fundamentall' inspired %' religious motivation 5Schmit7BPerrin( 488A9, &e /anted the ne/ t'pe of
philosoph' to help contemplatives in their search for 0@od,3 -dmund &usserl himself characteri7ed his
research as an aBreligious search for @od and for real life, The rigorous un%iased investigation of lived
intentional consciousness( /hile anal'7ing its hori7on of transcendence( lead him to sa' in 48;K to one of
his students: 0The life of man is nothing %ut a path to/ard @od, am tr'ing to reach this goal /ithout
theological proofs( methods and an' theological grounding? am looking for/ard to reaching @od /ithout
@od, have to eliminate @od from m' scientific life in order to clear a path to/ard @od for the ones /ho
do not have the certitude of %elieving /hat the Church is claiming3, 5Schmit7BPerrin( 488A9,
n the last da's of his life( &usserl stated: 0@od has /elcomed me graciousl'( he is allo/ing me
OC [sicF O caps mine$ d'ing2@od is good( %ut impenetra%le( it is a hard time for %oth of us2 /ant him
to %e /ith me, #ut do not feel that he is close to me2Pra' for me23 The minutes %efore he died( he
said: 0 have seen something /onderful, &urr' up( and /riteF3 #ut /hen the nurse came %ack( he had
alread' passed a/a' 5Schmit7BPerrin( 488A9, This re1uires no comment,
En#iron)ent for the Training
Phenomenological researchers are likel' to agree that the en1uir' re1uires patience( receptivit'(
sustained focused attention( emotional harmon'( inspiration regarding the su%Eect matter( and some degree
of characterological maturit', As noted %' a colleague( to research phenomenologicall' one 0has to love
people3 5#ar%ro @iorgi( personal communication( fall )**)9, Similarl'( epistemolog' in slamic
H
H
Advantages of the clear mind
philosoph' concludes that great intellectual po/er has to %e necessaril' com%ined /ith a heart full of
love, Resulting kno/ledge is 0not simpl' cere%ral( %ut %elongs to the realms of heartBintellect3 5!asr(
488)( p,.iii9,
This specific preparedness of the mind and the availa%ilit' of the 0heartBintellect3 are especiall'
important for research in transpersonal ps'cholog', n the natural attitude( consciousness uninterruptedl'
and spontaneousl' shifts and com%ines the levels and /a's of kno/ledge 5@iorgi( 488*9, n the deep
phenomenological en1uir' into the nature of consciousness( kno/ledge %' presence is cultivated as the
predominant( and ma'%e the onl' means of kno/ledge, <hile the life /orld makes use of all the /a's of
kno/ing( the structures of a/areness( e.periences of altered states of consciousness and of essences are
e.clusivel' availa%le to kno/ledge %' presence, <hence( transpersonal ps'cholog' /ith its consideration
for the %readth of human e.perience re1uires a particularl' /ell prepared mind for the research, Research
themes in transpersonal ps'cholog' ma' include the differentiation %et/een the true and false e.periences
of pure consciousness( the effects that e.periences of pure consciousness have on overall mental health(
the phenomenological nature of faith or receptivit'( etc, n transpersonal hermeneutics( one has to shuttle
%et/een the levels of interpretations( logic( and the interior structures of a/areness, The researcher
matures through degrees of rising a/areness, &o/ever( /hile it feels as if a/areness sharpens and
deepens( and presence is gro/ing( this is a perceptual illusion, Presence remains the same( %ut the mind
changes its 1ualit', <hat is 0gro/ing3 is the spectrum and differentiation of the interior phenomena
availa%le to presence,
Pilot 'tudies for the Mind Training
n the preliminar' studies 488)B4888( /e used the spectrum of concentration practices of
ps'chosomatic m'sticism( related to the development of kno/ledge 5Antonov > Gaver( 48H8? Antonov(
)**;9, The sets of practices /ere appro%ated in the classes in philosoph' and religion at the California
nstitute of ntegral Studies( training of ministers in the Starr"ing School for the ministr'( and training of
the ps'chologists of %oth PhL and Masters levels in several schools in California, Pilot studies sho/ed
that ps'chosomatic practices such as the /ell kno/n 0 microcosmic or%it3( or chakra practices( produce
different effects on the condition of the mind( and are specific to training or transforming this or that
ps'chological or cognitive facult',
t /as evident that the focus should %e on practices specificall' increasing internal presence,
These increase the availa%ilit' of inner life phenomena to a/areness( i,e,( in common terms( the' 0raise
the level of consciousness3 and cause 0the e.pansion of a/areness,3 Specific focus /as made on practices
involving concentration in the chest( /ork /ith an em%odied sense of the self( and potentiall' opening a
perception of the interior space of the %od' containing ps'chological phenomena,
n contrast to the common interest in #uddhism among researchers of consciousness( these
practices %elong to Shakta BGedanta schools of ndian tantrism( &es'chasm and Sufism 5Louchakova >
<arner( )**;9, Some of these practices are included in the practice of contemporar' eclectic schools of
spiritualit' 5"ungurtsev > Luchakova( 488:9, All of them /ork /ith the 0felt3 sense of self( and open the
interior maps of consciousness /ith spatial representation of phenomena, Spiritual ps'chologies(
associated /ith these practices( group the various phenomena of inner life in /a's similar to the
categori7ation of ps'chological functions in contemporar' ps'cholog' such as perception( cognition or
motivation, The spatialit' of the maps and the em%odied nature of the practices e.press themselves in
models such as chakras or centers of su%tle consciousness, Tantrik practices com%ine a/areness /ith
directing attention to particular 7ones of interior space, According to several coBresearchers( these
practices provide a faster maturation of a/areness and a %etter aptitude to kno/ledge than traditional
t'pes of #uddhist mindfulness, The pa'off ma' consist of a rapid opening of unconscious( kno/n as
8
8
Advantages of the clear mind
spiritual emergence, Avoiding complications associated /ith this phenomenon /as a matter of special
concern in our construction of the training,
Also( the spatial( %od'B%ased maps of the ps'che( such as coverings 5koshaB Sanskrit9 of the Self
5Siddharamesh/ar( 488H9( accommodate the vectors of interrelatedness and intrasu%Eectivit'( /hile the
%od'Bless maps such as A%hidhamma( having man' other advantages( onl' emphasi7e intersu%Eective
consciousness, Conse1uentl'( /e used the spatial( %od'B%ased approaches to the training of an aptitude for
0kno/ledge %' presence3,
,escription of the Training
The training consists of three stages provided at: 49 the introduction to 1ualitative research? )9
during participation in a research group focused on a particular research topic? and ;9 /ithin the advanced
methods seminar, The overvie/ of the process %elo/ is follo/ed %' a detailed description of methods,
As al/a's in meditative training 5@oleman( 48::9( mindfulness practice forms the foundation,
The particular t'pes of mindfulness used here differentiated the modalities of a/areness( such as sensor'(
emotional( intellectual( and imaginal( and also discriminated %et/een the su%Eective Bconsciousness and
the activities of 0seeing3 or 0feeling3, This specific t'pe of mindfulness is a s'nthetic adaptation of the
Christian practice of 0so%riet'3 5St, &es'chios the Priest( K
th
centur'D48:8? St, !icodemus of the &ol'
Mountain( 4H
th
centur'D48H89( in conEunction /ith Malamatia Sufi practices( and instructions of the
contemporar' spiritual master Nean "lein 5"lein( 488+( p,8+9, As indicated in his /ritings( "lein( a
/estern initiate into Shakta BGedanta and 6oga( /as strongl' influenced %' /estern phenomenolog',
This t'pe of mindfulness differs from #uddhist mindfulness practice in its rigor of
disidentification /ith the phenomena, n comparison /ith popular Theravada mindfulness s'stems such as
@oenka=s Gipassana( this approach provides faster access to su%conscious material and to the e.perience
of pure /itnessing consciousness 5according to the accounts of practitioners proficient in %oth s'stems9, t
proved to %e more effective than the regular sensor' e.perienceB%ased Gipassana practice in the
identification of %asic assumptions( and in differentiating the phenomenologicall' availa%le structures of
the ps'che J 1ualities useful %oth in personal gro/th and for successful phenomenological ps'chological
research,
A selfBreflective 1uestionnaire helped identif' the developed a/areness of mental processes and
assumptions in order to discover /hich research paradigm %est suited each researcher 5the second stage of
training9, The third stage of training( offered as the part of the advanced methods seminar( consisted of the
techni1ue of focused introspection on the sense of self in the chest, This techni1ue opens the interior map
of the ps'che( and refines the a/areness of its su%tle elements, Overall( this succession reflects the
naturall' occurring c'cle of spiritual practice( from elementar' forms of a/areness to selfBreflection( to
and then more advanced forms of selfBa/areness,
The training( descri%ed %elo/( increased the a%ilit' to %racket one=s o/n assumptions( and to %e
mindful of emotions, Lecreased random activit' of the mind helped handle comple.it' and enhanced
imaginative responses to interaction and dialog %et/een researchers, n some cases( the training increased
sensitivit' to/ards paraps'chological phenomena( and opened perceptions of interior light, #esides
enhancing the skills in phenomenological method( 0opening the e'es of the heart3 helps students( initiall'
0immune3 to phenomenolog'( to gain the necessar' 1ualifications and a conse1uent appreciation for the
method, This article /as /ritten in response to the re1uest of students to have a description of the
practice,
4*
4*
Advantages of the clear mind
Training 'tage 1- .our Modalities of Awareness
At the Stage # of training( students /ere advised to practice dail' for ;* minutes for the period of
4* /eeks, The follo/ing instructions /ere given: 0Assume a convenient posture, Lra/ attention in/ard
5if necessar'( close e'es9( and %ecome a/are of the inner space of the %od', Then( esta%lish an attitude of
0/elcoming3 to/ards the rising e.periences, #e alert( 'et rela.ed, After inner presence and clarit' are
esta%lished( identif' the four modalities of spontaneousl' rising inner e.periences: sensing( feeling(
imagining( and thinking,3
Curther introspection consists of o%serving the flo/ of spontaneousl' rising inner e.perience( and
commenting on the rising modalities: 0 sense(3 0 feel(3 0 think(3 0 imagine,3
La%eling of the rising interior modalities develops the ha%it of identification and %racketing of
assumptions( and frees the phenomenal field of inner e.perience from a dependenc' on learned attitudes, The
internal 0naming3 of modalities makes this practice different from a simple /itnessing of inner e.perience,
Although difficult in the %eginning( 0naming3 increases alertness( causes the faster opening of the deep ps'che(
and facilitates processing of the rising contents, This commenting ackno/ledges %oth sides of the e1uation
contained in statements like 0 sense(3 such as the su%Eect 03 and the activit' directed at the o%Eects, <hence(
attention %ecomes accustomed to identif'ing %oth nodes of the perceptual field( thus restructuring a/areness and
training it to notice its o/n origin, This last element( returning attention to its source( has a %eneficial
0purification3 effect on the mind of the practitioner 5#ader( 488*9, Over time( this internal 0naming3 can %e
cancelled( since all the elements of internal e.perience %ecome highl' differentiated and noticea%le,
The students are re1uested to descri%e the results of the process phenomenologicall' /ith the use of
structured feed%ack forms /ith sections such as name and date( duration and contents of practice( highlights of
practice( 0/hat did learnM3( and re1uests and 1uestions for the instructor,
Training 'tage /- Identifying the &esearch Paradig)
Stage $ of the training consisted of /ork /ith the selfBreflective multipleBchoice 1uestionnaire of the
researcher( /hich leads to identification of the paradigmatic 0predisposition3 of one=s mind, As a/areness of
one=s assumptions is esta%lished 5Stage #9( students %ecome progressivel' more a/are of the conflict %et/een the
conscious desire to use the 1ualitative methods( and the internali7ed positivist thinking inherent in the /hole
culture of higher education, The 1uestionnaire is %ased on the &and%ook of Pualitative Research 5Len7in >
Lincoln( 488+9( and helps to identif' and %racket the unconscious identification /ith the natural scientific
approach to human research( and helps cur% the tendenc' to logical apriori theor' %uilding, The current
1uestionnaire /as used for cultural studies( %ut can %e adEusted to an' area of en1uir', An e.ample of the
1uestions is 0<hat is the nature of kno/ledge /ant to o%tainM3 /ith the follo/ing three response choices: 49 0
/ant to come up /ith a h'pothesis 5verified or nonfalsified9 that /ill %e regarded as pro%a%le facts or la/s, This
kno/ledge should allo/ later formulating a theor'( ma'%e a ne/ paradigm? in other /ords( it should %e a%le to %e
summed up3 5positivism%postpositivism9, )9 0 /ant to come up /ith insights that ma' %e transformed in the
future( as ignorance and misapprehension give /a' to more enlightened insights, This kno/ledge /ill gro/ and
change as consciousness develops in the course of histor'( and can %e generali7ed /hen historical and cultural
circumstances are similar across settings3 5critica theory9, ;9 0 /ant to come up /ith the understanding that
/ould serve achieving a consensus, M' research ma' result in multiple Qkno/ledges(= /hich can coe.ist /hen
e1uall' informed interpreters disagree( or /hen ethnic( cultural and other diverse circumstances ma' differentiate
the interpreters, /ant to o%tain kno/ledge /hich /ould allo/ the emergence of continuous revisions in a
dialectical conte.t 5nonBviolent confrontations reaching s'nthesis9 /ith changes likel' to occur /hen
consciousness develops, This kno/ledge can not %e generali7ed( %ut the approach to receiving this kno/ledge
should /ork again and again in situations /ith different e.perience3 5constructivism),3
44
44
Advantages of the clear mind
The full 1uestionnaire consists of nine 1uestions( /hich cover the stages of research such as formulating
the pilot stud'( clarif'ing research 1uestions( st'le of engagement /ith the material( outcomes( etc, J the full
procedure for 1ualitative research, 5The full te.t of the 1uestionnaire is availa%le from the author at the email
address at the end of the article9,
Training 'tage !- Accessing (nowledge 0y Presence
Stage & consisted of %od'B%ased focusing( /hich opens the @nostic 0mind of the heart3, The concept of
the 0mind of the heart3 originates from the phenomenological discoveries of the ancients that the emergence of
meaning and other mentalDps'chological phenomena are empiricall' associated /ith the inner space of the chest
5SpidlRk( 48HA9, ntrospection into the 0inner space of the chest3 leads one to apprehend the la'ers of the
ps'chological and spiritual life( organi7ed as concentric circles around the central phenomenon of the su%Eective
consciousnessBself, Mind 5a,k,a, ps'che( soul( intellect( etc,9 then ac1uires spatial representation( and its different
manifestations can %e mapped through the la'ers of a%sorption of consciousness in the inner space of the chest,
The 0inner space of the chest3 is descri%ed %' researchers as the domain of kno/ledge %' presence( i,e, direct
apprehension of the contents and structures of consciousness( %'passing the functioning of ph'sical senses or
/orkings of the intellect, This area in the inner space of the %od' is kno/n in &es'chasm( Sufism and Shakta
BGedanta as Spiritual &eart( the su%tle center of em%odied consciousness 5Louchakova > <arner( )**;9, The
focusing techni1ues of meditation on the Spiritual &eart enhance the a/areness of the interiorit' of the ps'che(
and lift the ha%itual identifications /ith une.amined concepts( thus facilitating 0%racketing3 in phenomenological
en1uir',
The phenomenological discover' of the heart as a seat of mind s/eeps across spiritual traditions
5Cutsinger( )**)9( as reflected in scriptures( language( arts and artifacts, A terracotta Persephone 5+th centur'
#,C,9 in the S'racuse museum in Sicil' has a small human head located /ithin her chest, The LemeterB
Persephone m'th links @reece to ancient -g'pt and protoBAfrican cultures 5#ernal( 48H:9, &eart is the principal
anthropological concept in &e%re/ Scriptures( occurring more than eight hundred times to descri%e human states
and actions 5O=Rourke #o'le( )**49, n Christian iconograph'( one of the eight canoni7ed images of the Girgin(
the Mother of the Sign( depicts the Girgin /ith the head of Christ in her chest,
n &induism( in the Atma Vichara 5meditative selfBen1uir'9 of the great ndian saint Sri Ramana
Maharshi( a%sorption of consciousness into the sense of self in the right side of the chest pierces the la'ers of
ps'chological e.periences and leads to a gestalt of nonBdual consciousness 5Ramana( 488A9, -ver' s'stem of
ps'chosomatic m'sticism contains the methods of introspection( /hich allo/ accessing the depth
phenomenological map of consciousness via focusing in the chest, Conse1uentl'( this group of practices seemed
to %e the natural choice for deepening the capacities of phenomenological researchers,
As mentioned %efore( the focusing techni1ues of ps'chosomatic m'sticism re1uire caution in order to
avoid the rapid opening of su%conscious material kno/n as spiritual emergence, Our adaptation of the practices
provides gentle and satisf'ing opening of the levels of perception accompanied %' slo/ and managea%le
ps'chospiritual transformation, The main %enefit of the phenomenological method training consists of opening an
a/areness of the interior phenomenological maps of consciousness,
The training of this level( opening the @nostic 0mind of the heart3( consists of t/o practices, The first
practice( 0Opening the -'es of the &eart 0( trains the relocation of the center of a/areness into the chest, The
second practice( 0&eartBMind( Researcher=s Mind3( encourages the deep mapping of the introspective space
through kno/ledge %' presence,
A% 1pening the eyes of the 2eart
4)
4)
Advantages of the clear mind
Relocation of the focus of a/areness from the head into the interior space of the chest /as
repeated once or t/ice a /eek for a period of +BA /eeks( until accessing the introspective space in the
chest got easier, The resulting focus of attention in the chest has to %e 0in(3 not 0on(3 the interior space?
therefore( the attention cannot %e merel' 0dropped3 into the chest, To attain this concentration 0in the
o%Eect3 rather than 0on the o%Eect3( focus has to %e graduall' relocated through the particular %od'
0path/a's3 descri%ed in 'oga as a s'stem of su%tle energ' meridians 5Louchakova > <arner( )**;?
Poortman( 48:H9, n this e.ercise( the practitioner imagines and senses that the e'es are moving from the
e'e sockets %ack do/n( to the region of the medulla at the %ase of the skull, This movement( difficult
initiall'( %ecomes progressivel' easier /ith training( and corresponds to the notion of 0opening the
meridians3 in the practice of 'oga, Then( 0e'es3( i,e,( the concentration( is moved do/n through the spine
to the space in %et/een the shoulder %lades( and for/ard into the inner space of the chest, After
concentration is relocated into this region( the practitioner 0opens3 these imaginar' e'es inside the chest(
graduall' developing an a/areness of the interiorit' of consciousness 5Louchakova %ased on Antonov >
Gaver( 48H89,
3%2eart4)ind, researcher5s )ind
After the 0inner space of the chest3 is accessed( the gradual deepening of a/areness to/ards the direct
apprehension of the deep contents of consciousness is attained through guided introspection on the sense of self,
This e.ercise is %ased on the anal'sis of the t/o spiritual practices, One is the %od'B%ased phenomenological
en1uir' into the nature of the self( kno/n as Atma Vichara from the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi 5Ramana(
488A9, The author /as e.posed to a similar practice in the oral tradition( from an ndian saint of the &inchgiri
lineage of Shakta OGedanta( Sri RanEit MaharaE 5personal communication( 488A9, The other related practice is
from the &es'chastic Pra'er of the &eart 5St, Simeon the !e/ Theologian( 488K? Cr, Leonid Godola7ski( personal
communication( Nanuar' 48H89, Our adaptation consisted in focusing in the sense of self on the right side of the
chest and the gradual a%sorption of the focus %ack/ards to/ards the spine( and into the inner space of the chest,
Cocusing on the right side of the chest versus a left si7e is ver' important to avoid the rapid opening of
su%conscious material in the process of introspection,
This process /as guided four to five times during the 4*B/eek period of the graduate seminar, The length
of introspections varied from )* to +* minutes, Students /ere also encouraged( %ut not re1uired( to practice on
their o/n( one to three times per /eek, The follo/ing instructions /ere given:
0Start /ith the focusing of attention in the sense of self in the
right side of the %od', Connect 'our %reath /ith this area( and identif' the
/arm( tangi%le sense of individual 0(3 slightl' to the right of the chest
%one( in the area of 'our third ri%, Ssing the skills of focusing 0in(3
developed in the previous e.ercise( tr' to %e inside the felt sense rather
than o%serving it from the outside, Slo/l'( start the motion to/ards the
%ack of the %od'( a%sor%ing attention through this distinct 0current3 of the
sense of self, The latter intensifies as one deepens attention,3
As the a%sorption deepened( the e.perience shifted from the complete ph'sicalit' of the %od' perceived
through the sense of touch( to the la'ers of ps'chological phenomena( emerging in the strictl' organi7ed and
predicta%le order, The la'er of sensor' e.perience /as follo/ed %' the la'er of emotions( then %' ver%al thoughts(
then images( opening of darkness and 0nothing(3 follo/ed %' the rise of meanings and deep understandings,
Practitioners mentall' 0%acked up3 through these e.periences( follo/ing the current of 0Bsense3 in the direction
of an increasing sense of intimac' and on into pure su%Eectivit', This process is( in realit'( ver' alive and personal(
filled /ith insights and e.perience of the sacred,
4;
4;
Advantages of the clear mind
This la'ered phenomenological map of the ps'che emerges onl' during the introspection in the chest( and
not in focusing in an' other part of the %od'Bschema, @radual disidentification /ith emerging e.periences and the
deepening of concentration leads to the opening of the deeper la'ers of the em%odied ps'che( resulting in
a%sorption in the su%Eectivit' of pure consciousness, n this mental motion( concentration( like a %ead on a thread(
is glides on the current of the sense of selfBe.istentBa/areness through the right side of the chest %ack/ards, This
is the movement to/ards the phenomenological origin of the sense of self, This meditation is initiall' guided %'
the instructor( and then taken into individual practice %' the students, n the final stage of training( students get to
ver%ali7e the process of their o/n contemplation, This ver%ali7ation helps the maturation of the practice,
1utco)es of the Training- Pheno)enological 'tructure of the 6nostic 2eart
Structured introspection opens a/areness of the phenomenological architecture of the self, The
self appears as a comple. s'stem constituted of man' structural levels, Spatialit' is seen as the primar'
organi7ational principle for this selfBa/areness( pervasive to the /hole internal selfBstructure, The
components of the self are organi7ed in the 0internal space3 of introspection as la'ers around the central
e.perience of the 0 am3Bconsciousness, 0 am3 in association /ith sensations( emotions and feelings(
images( ver%al thoughts( deeper nonBver%al understandings( mental states such as torpor or confusion( and
/ith the e.perience of 0nothingingness3 formed the easil' identifia%le clusters of e.perience, Starting
from the sense of self( predominantl' identified on the right side of the chest( students descri%ed the
la'ers of introspective e.periences as emerging in the follo/ing succession: a9 sense of personal self of
the right side of the chest? %9 sensor' e.periences? c9 la'er of rising emotions( su%tler sensations of energ'
and %reath? d9 la'er of 0talking3 mind? e9 la'er of images? f9 stillness( nothing( unkno/ing( like in a deep
sleep, This la'er 5f9 and the follo/ing la'er J g9 la'er of sheer intellect( meanings( and vast space and
su%tle mental states( archet'pes( and essential relations J commonl' interpenetrate each other, Cinall'( an
eighth la'er might %e reached: h9 a%sorption of a/areness in pure su%Eective consciousness, These levels
of internal selfBorgani7ation correspond to the phenomenological descriptions of &es'chasm 5Theophanis
the Monk( 48H+9( Sufism 5Lahnhardt( )**)9( and Gedanta 5#erliner( 488*? Misra( )**4? Sadananda(
48:+9,
Students( in the course of the training( learn to differentiate %et/een the various manifestations of
consciousness, Their e.periences resonate closel' /ith the account of St, Simeon the !e/ Theologian( an
ackno/ledged authorit' in &es'chasm, &e descri%es the process of opening into inner space as a transition from
the 0darkness and impenetra%le densit'3 to a condition /here 0intellect2 sees things of /hich it previousl' kne/
nothing3 5St, Simeon the !e/ Theologian( 488K( p,:;9( i,e,( interior /orkings of consciousness, This direct
kno/ledge of the structures of the ps'che 0%' presence3 rather than %' conceptuali7ation provides ver' tangi%le
help in learning the skills of phenomenological anal'sis, t allo/s correlating the ma.ims of phenomenolog' and
one=s o/n inner e.perience, Phenomenolog' stops %eing perceived as an a%stract philosophical s'stem and
%ecomes a practical guide to selfBunderstanding and interior transformation, Students find internal correspondents
to different t'pes of &usserlian intentionalit' J thetic( operational( of act J and learn to discern the hierarchies
of meaning and relationship %et/een signifiers and the signified 5&usserl( 4888( pp,)ABK49, On a personal level(
the' report a decrease of impatience and an.iet'( and an increase of selfBacceptance and selfBappreciation,
Students reported the shifts in their sense of identit' and attitudes to/ard the /orld, The follo/ing
statements come from the feed%ack forms, 0 am much more than %od' and m' conditioning2 am not a%le to
articulate the sense of greater a/areness and connection,3 5A,&,9, 0 can see /here phenomenolog' can %e ver'
useful for inner development3 5L,C,9, 0&o/ do /e go from e.plaining to understandingM The /isdom that lies in
the lived e.perience is infinite2 learned that /hat unites the t/o [opposing$ vie/s 5the ahaF9 is the
transformation /e are looking for2Therefore( our opponents are our allies rather than enemies,3 5S,C,9, 0 %egan
to see /here fit into the Q/orld= of perspectives, =ve never thought seriousl' a%out it %efore3, 5#,",9,
4+
4+
Advantages of the clear mind
The navigation through one=s o/n s'stem of inner e.perience facilitates the facult' of epoche( the
%ack/ard motion through the la'ers of e.perience to/ards the e.plication of ontologicall' deeper structures, The
training facilitates the process of imaginative variations and enhances the intuitive e.plication of the essential
structures potentiall' present in the anal'7ed description /hen /orking in research /ith the descriptive
phenomenological method, &o/ever( /e can onl' h'pothesi7e the mechanisms of this effect, The introspection
used in the training is conducted on the metaph'sical seat of consciousness( the su%tle center of consciousness
called 0spiritual heart,3 n the traditions /e have discussed( it is kno/n that introspection on the spiritual heart
center deepens the a/areness of the spatiall' associated structures of meaning( such as divine names 5archet'pes9,
Cocusing attention /ithin the la'er of deep meanings ma' facilitate the eidetic reduction, &o/ever( the method
can also open earl' memories( archaic emotions( so their application re1uires careful discernment and an
individuali7ed approach,
,irections of .uture &esearch
Leeper anal'sis( using the modification of the phenomenological method applied to the structures
of kno/ledge( uncovers the inner( essential structural groupings( such as selfBconceptDselfBsense(
interiorit'De.teriorit'( constanc'Dchangea%ilit' 5su%Eectivit'Do%Eectivit'9( selfhoodDtranscendentalit'( and
%od'Bschema relatednessDunrelatedness, The selfBconceptDselfBsense a.is includes the polarit' of selfB
related concepts versus the %od'B%ased( spatial sense of one=s o/n self, nteriorit'De.teriorit' includes the
polarit' of meaning and ver%al e.pression( constanc'Bchangea%ilit' relates to the su%Eect 5constanc'9B
o%Eect 5changea%ilit'9 relationship /ithin the introspective field, Transcendentalit' accommodates
transpersonal ps'chological dimensions of e.perience such as 0largerBthanBself3 or 0no self3( and %od'
schema relatedness refers to the ps'chological phenomena( /hich emerge in connection /ith particular
locations /ithin the %od' schema, These groupings resonate /ith the phenomenological map of the
0cosmic man3( developed %' the slamic philosophers %nBal=Ara%i 548H*9 and alBNili 5488K9,
Several directions of future /ork ma' follo/, Some of our pilot findings are listed %elo/, Cor
e.ample( research suggests that the 0 am3Bsense( a constant component of selfBa/areness( can %e easil'
differentiated from the changing components %' su%Eects in guided openBe'ed introspection, After some
initial training( the 0 am3Bsense %ecomes availa%le for the continuous fi.ing of voluntar' attention(
causing various changes such as a sense of /ellB%eing( and an increase of secondar' selfBreflective
thoughts, n prior studies( the increase of these secondar' reflective thoughts /as reported to correspond
to the human e.perience of %ecoming more conscious 5<illiford( )**)9, Since kno/ledge

a%out the self is
t'picall' remem%ered %etter than other t'pes

of semantic information 5"elle' et al,( )**)9( the author
h'pothesi7ed that the sustained focus on Bsense can enhance the understanding of comple. concepts, The
focusing on T amTBsense /as used as an educational mnemonic techni1ue /ith graduate students 5a total
of more than :*9 in ps'cholog' seminars, Students reported that the voluntar' focus of attention on the
constant aspect of the self in the process of learning leads to the decrease of performance an.iet' and to
the enhancement of learning,
The focusing on 0 am3Bsense /as also used in therap' /ith clients 5total of :9 diagnosed as
having a 'S(-)V categor' *eigious or Spiritua +ro,em( GBCode A),H8, in the 'iagnostic and
Statistica (anua o" (enta 'isorders 5American Ps'chiatric Association( 488+9, This techni1ue helped
to neutrali7e the core feature of depersonali7ation( the0virtualit'3 of the self 5#e77u%ova( )**)9( thus
helping to reesta%lish the normal structure of selfBe.perience,
Conclusions
Research sho/s that the spiritual practices( enhancing 0kno/ledge %' presence(3 can %e effectivel' used
in preparation of the phenomenological researcher, A phenomenological approach in transpersonal ps'cholog'
attracts an increasing num%er of students interested in a meaningful( authentic( present mode of living and
4K
4K
Advantages of the clear mind
en1uir', Phenomenological research( augmented %' the special training of the mind /hich opens the 0kno/ledge
%' presence(3 can %e vie/ed as a transformative educational practice( contri%uting to %oth personal development
and professional training of future ps'chologists,
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48
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Advantages of the clear mind
)*
)*