Living with an Unintentional, Unexpected Mystical Encounter

How do people interpret and find meaning in an
unintentional, unexpected mystical encounter? This
interpretive study investigates this type of
experience with people who were not searching for
such an experience when it occurred.
The study focused on: 1) specific elements of
the experience(s), 2) the meaning-making processes in
which participants engaged to interpret the
experience(s), 3) the dynamics of self-disclosure and
potential for stigmatization, and 4) the effect the
experience(s) had on the participants beliefs as
well as career and lifestyle choices.
The literatures from diverse disciplines such as
mysticism, embodied knowing and meaning-making as
well as self-disclosure were explored. The emerging
findings on self-redefinition, embodied knowing and
stigmatization expanded the literatures to include
the early Christian mystics and stigmatization.
A generic meaning-making process that included
participant self-redefinitions evolved from the
initial thematic analysis. Other findings included
the interplay between embodied knowing and
articulating felt knowledge, and unique insights
into the phenomenon of stigmatization in light of the
experience.

Autorentext

Pam Porath, Ph.D. is a scholar-practitioner and founder ofStrategic Solutions Consulting, a firm that focuses on strategicplanning, organizational culture and large-scale change. Her research interests span a range of transpersonal themes aswell as organizational and leadership topics. Pam's latest artistic passion is ballroom dancing.

Klappentext

How do people interpret and find meaning in anunintentional, unexpected mystical encounter? This interpretive study investigates this type ofexperience with people who were not searching forsuch an experience when it occurred. The study focused on: 1) specific elements ofthe experience(s), 2) the meaning-making processes inwhich participants engaged to interpret theexperience(s), 3) the dynamics of self-disclosure andpotential for stigmatization, and 4) the effect theexperience(s) had on the participants' beliefs aswell as career and lifestyle choices. The literatures from diverse disciplines such asmysticism, embodied knowing and meaning-making aswell as self-disclosure were explored. The emergingfindings on self-redefinition, embodied knowing andstigmatization expanded the literatures to includethe early Christian mystics and stigmatization. A generic meaning-making process that includedparticipant self-redefinitions evolved from theinitial thematic analysis. Other findings included the interplay between embodied knowing andarticulating felt knowledge, and unique insightsinto the phenomenon of stigmatization in light of theexperience.