Researching wider states of awareness, from a neurophenomenological standpoint, using written instructions from different traditions: Hellenistic, Monotheistic, etc.

• Dublin City University

Wider States of Awareness: a Thematic Analysis of Experiences Facilitated by the Book of Formation. With Their Impact on Purpose, Cognition, Affection, Behaviour

Wider states of awareness can be experienced, effortlessly in secular settings and through contemplative practices. Some traditions, like the Buddhist one, are well represented in the field of contemplative psychology. However other traditions like Jewish Kabbalah and Islamic Sufism, despite a substantial body of written records documenting wider states of awareness they facilitated, have not been widely studied yet. This research analyses the transpersonal experiences of study participants, who were inspired by the Book of Formation, a short text that was embraced by medieval Kabbalists as an instructional and meditative manual.

Psychology, wider states of awareness, history