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An exploration of mystical experiences through life histories Biela, Thomas Johannes
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore the meaning of mystical experiences within the context of life histories. Existing research has primarily employed traditional methods in its concern for codification, regularization, and generalization. Qualitative methodologies have received little attention. The aim of this study was to contribute to existing research by a holistic, contextual understanding of mystical phenomena and to inform counsellors in their efforts to help clients in the meaningful integration of these experiences. This thesis employed a multiple case study approach within narrative methodology. Three individuals, one woman and two men, all in their fifties and with appropriate mystical experiences were identified through a network of acquaintances and invited to participate. Intensive interviews were conducted, transcribed, analyzed, and presented as âstraightenedâ individual stories. Cochranâs (1990) discovery of four natural phases toward a unified dramatic composition provided an important framework for analysis. Each story was validated by the respective participant. In addition, a summary analysis or common story was constructed of the individual accounts. Findings indicate that the mystical phenomena were intimate to the very lives as lived, making a holistic research approach indispensable for the investigation of meaning.
Item Metadata
Title |
An exploration of mystical experiences through life histories
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Creator | |
Publisher |
University of British Columbia
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Date Issued |
1993
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Description |
The purpose of this study was to explore the meaning of mystical experiences within the
context of life histories. Existing research has primarily employed traditional methods in its concern for codification, regularization, and generalization. Qualitative methodologies have received little attention. The aim of this study was to contribute to existing research by a
holistic, contextual understanding of mystical phenomena and to inform counsellors in their efforts to help clients in the meaningful integration of these experiences.
This thesis employed a multiple case study approach within narrative methodology. Three
individuals, one woman and two men, all in their fifties and with appropriate mystical
experiences were identified through a network of acquaintances and invited to participate. Intensive interviews were conducted, transcribed, analyzed, and presented as âstraightenedâ individual stories. Cochranâs (1990) discovery of four natural phases toward a unified dramatic composition provided an important framework for analysis. Each story was validated
by the respective participant. In addition, a summary analysis or common story was
constructed of the individual accounts. Findings indicate that the mystical phenomena were intimate to the very lives as lived, making a holistic research approach indispensable for the investigation of meaning.
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Extent |
4330980 bytes
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Genre | |
Type | |
File Format |
application/pdf
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Language |
eng
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Date Available |
2009-02-23
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Provider |
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
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Rights |
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.
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DOI |
10.14288/1.0054093
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URI | |
Degree | |
Program | |
Affiliation | |
Degree Grantor |
University of British Columbia
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Graduation Date |
1994-05
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Campus | |
Scholarly Level |
Graduate
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Aggregated Source Repository |
DSpace
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Item Media
Item Citations and Data
Rights
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.