Jeffery did his Ph.D. thesis @ the California Institute for Integral Studies on persistent non-symbolic consciousness (enlightenment, nonduality, mystical experience, union with God/nature, etc.). His thesis, in which i was a subject, is entitled "Ego Development Stage Does Not Predict Persistent Non-Symbolic Experience". His talk summarizing the work was given @ the Towards a Science of Consciousness conference in Tucson in 2010; "Empirically Testing Purported Claims of Enlightenment using Standard Psychological Methods and Instruments".
Jeffery started w/about 500 folks in his data base who had self-reported persistent non-symbolic consciousness, nonduality, enlightenment, mystical experience, etc. (SRPN), from which 36 were selected. "we" were each interviewed personally by Jeffery (in my case twice for a total of about 2 1/4 days) in somewhat structured interviews. As Jeffery has acquired much knowledge in this area, the questions were the best i have heard with many 2nd, 3rd and 4th level aspects. Jeffery really knows this subject well.
This was coupled with testing with two standard protocols, the Washington University Sentence Completion Test (WUSCT) and the Hood Mystical Scale. The WUSCT is a "gold standard" of psychological testing widely used, cited and extensively researched. The Hood Mysticism Scale is focused on testing just how "mystical" someone's experience was/is on a standardized basis. There were also additional computer tests.
The results of the WUSCT test, which scores from 1 (Presocial) - 10 (Unitive) were
a) all 36 SRPNs scored above 5 (Self Aware) w/ an average of 7.14,
b) 2/3 scored from 7 (Individualistic) to 10 (Unitive),
c) only one scored 10 (Unitive). Scores were similar for men and women.
The conclusion from this is that the SRPNs have different personality development, i.e. awakening doesn't give everyone the same, or a "perfect" personality.
The Hood Mysticism test scores from 32 to 160, with 160 being most mystical. SRPN scores were heavily skewed to the high end, with 9 folk scoring 160. The SRPNs average score was 152.4 with a median of 154.5; scores were slightly higher for women than men.
In several other studies using the Hood Mysticism scale,
a) a study w/similar demographic for "psychedelics" had an average of 150,
b) a study on "contemplatives" had an average of 143,
c) a study on "psychotics" had an average of 142,
d) most studies range from 70 to 120.
In summary, the SRPNs were more "mystical", on average, than other populations studied. Additionally, the SRPNs were "mystical", not just intermittently or in one experience, as may be the case in the other studies, but "peristently".
Jeffery's thesis pointed out that "...in a gathering with...general public and members from this population, it is unlikely the persistent non-symbolic attendees could be picked out...they seem like everyone else.
This is the first such study of which i am aware; Jeffery has made a valuable contriution, IMHO, and something deeply appreciated by the much misunderstood SRPN folks, "myself" included. Thanks, Jeffery.
I would just like to say thank you!
ReplyDeleteI've searched for a very long time for scientific explanations regarding meditation, and your site is the first I've seen to really dig deep and give great explanations! This comment is not specific to this article, but is referring to many articles that I read today when I found your site. Thank you for all the time you spend typing all this up! I appreciate it.
Best Regards,
Sean Golden
Hi Sean. Great to hear that you are finding the blog useful. There is lots of other stuff on youTube (Gary Weber - nonduality), in interviews, articles and in my two books (free downloads). The links are easy to find. Just go to any of my youTube vids and and look under "About" and you'll find the links. Any questions let me know. e-mail address is happ iness bey ond thou ght @ gm ail w/o any of the spaces. Stillness.
DeleteJudging from your perspective and Utube reference to non-duality I would assume you have had at least one 'mystical experience' of Unity with the state of Pure Awarness. I am engaged in research for a Masters thesis in Mystical experiences of non-dual consciousness as the ground state of reality underpining our individual nero-biological created perceptions of reality. I am finding it hard to find persons to interview who have actual experience with this non dual state that are willing, and or able, to confirm or deny my understanding.
ReplyDeleteHi Nufield,
DeleteThe blogpost "Dialogues w/Dominic - religion, dreams, wanting, coming out" gives the contact information for Dominic with whom i made several "Dialogues with Dominic" blogposts on his progression from start to well advanced. The last one in that series, "Dialogues with Dominic - I Am That, Wow, Going All In' gives the complete listing.
As far as folk who have really reached a state of persistent nonduality, there aren't many. There are many folk who have had a "'mystical experience' of Unity with the state of Pure Awareness, but it is only a brief experience that quickly fades.
The goal is to abide in that state persistently without any effort, without self-referential thoughts - few have reached that state.
The article by Jud Brewer in Psychology Tomorrow, "The Neuroscience of Suffering - And Its End" @ http://psychologytomorrowmagazine.com/jeff-warren-neuroscience-suffering-end/ is a review by Jud of the long - term meditator work @ Yale, which shows just how infrequent, unfortunately, this persistent, effortless, abidence in that state is.
you might find the blogpost "How the brain creates mystical experiences" useful for an understanding of the many ways that our species has learned to generate these experiences, albeit only as a passing phenomena.
Trust this is useful.
stillness