Exploring the Felt Experience of Nondual Consciousness

267 Pages·2011·1.01 MB·English

by  Frank Echenhofer

EXPLORING THE FELT EXPERIENCE OF NONDUAL CONSCIOUSNESS

by
Michal Fire

A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the
California Institute of Integral Studies
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of the Degree of
Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology

California Institute of Integral Studies

San Francisco, CA
2010
CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL

I certify that I have read EXPLORING THE FELT EXPERIENCE OF
NONDUAL CONSCIOUSNESS by Michal Fire, and that in my opinion this
work meets the criteria for approving a dissertation submitted in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Psychology in Clinical
Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies.

Frank Echenhofer, Ph.D., Chair
Faculty, Clinical Psychology

Jan Fisher, Ph.D.
Faculty, Institute for Transpersonal Psychology
© 2010 Michal Fire
Michal Fire
California Institute of Integral Studies, 2010
Frank Echenhofer, Ph.D., Committee Chair

EXPLORING THE FELT EXPERIENCE OF NONDUAL CONSCIOUSNESS

Abstract

This dissertation explores the question: What is the felt experience of
nondual consciousness? Borrowing from Eugene Gendlin’s (1962) description,
“felt experiencing” refers specifically to that “inner sense,” which can be located
and directly referred to when attention is directed inwardly, which is at once so
simple and universally experienced that it is not easily pointed to (p. 12).
“Nondual consciousness” specifically refers to that experience in which one’s
sense of internal self (“I”) is no longer experienced as separate from external
phenomena (world).
Eight participants were interviewed regarding their subjectively felt
experience of nondual consciousness as they have experienced this phenomenon
in their lives over time as well as directly, during the research interview itself.
Using a qualitative phenomenological method to capture and explore the lived
experience of nondual consciousness, and a consensual coding technique to
analyze participant interviews, this study aims to fill the gap between theory and
experience, offering a stronger foundation for research of nondual phenomenon in
general. Results suggest that participants’ experience of nondual consciousness is
unmistakably felt and can be described, not just in theory, but in the moment.
iv
Two primary categories related to the felt experience of nondual
consciousness (NDC) are presented. The first refers to participants’ experience of
(NDC) in their lives overall. Six subcategories with corresponding themes related
to this experience are identified including (a) terminology related to NDC, (b)
personal ideas regarding the nature of NDC, (c) NDC as a process over time, (d)
supports for NDC, (e) impact of NDC on life, and (f) conditions related to the
experience of NDC. The second category relates to the directly felt experience of
nondual consciousness (NDC), and includes two subcategories with
corresponding themes. These include (a) the essential qualities of the felt
experience of NDC, and (b) the felt sense of NDC. The implications of these
findings are significant for both the field of clinical psychology and spirituality,
suggesting that what is beyond our personal psychologies can be experienced as
something felt and functioning within what we often consider to be the most
mundane of forms, the human body.

v
Acknowledgments
I would like to thank Frank Echenhofer, my chair, for his ongoing support
and encouragement in my exploration of this topic, especially in the moments
when it was not yet known what this topic would become. I would like to thank
Jan Fisher, my external reader, for her thoughtful feedback and interest in this
topic from its very beginnings. I would like to thank my family and friends for
their unwavering support, laughter, love, and guidance in this process. Finally, I
would like to thank all of the individuals who participated in this study and were
willing to share with me their time, their stories, and above all, their profound
presence. Thank you.

vi
Dedication

To Olive.

vii
Table of Contents

Abstract.................................................................................................................iv
Acknowledgments................................................................................................vi
Dedication............................................................................................................vii
List of Tables......................................................................................................xiii
Chapter 1...............................................................................................................1
Introduction to the Felt Experience of Nondual Consciousness.........................1
Purpose of Study.................................................................................................5
Dissertation Overview........................................................................................6
Chapter 2...............................................................................................................8
Literature Review.................................................................................................8
Why Study Nondual Consciousness?.................................................................8
The Transpersonal Psychology Historical Framework.......................................9
A brief history and definition........................................................................10
Basic assumptions and principles.................................................................12
The Psychospiritual Framework.......................................................................15
Psyche and spirit...........................................................................................17
Psyche.......................................................................................................17
Spirit..........................................................................................................18
A Paradigm for Exploration..............................................................................20
Subjective Experiencing...................................................................................21
Subjective experiencing and psychotherapy process research......................22
Subjective experiencing: A psychological perspective.................................24
Eugene Gendlin and Focusing..................................................................25
Subjective experiencing: A psychospiritual perspective..............................30
John Welwood and the unfolding of experience.......................................32
Inquiry...............................................................................................................36
Inquiry in the psychospiritual literature........................................................36
Inquiry in the spiritual literature...................................................................39
The Felt Experience of Nondual Consciousness..............................................42
A review of the psychological literature related to nondual consciousness. 42
Describing nonduality...................................................................................53
The issue of language................................................................................54
The nature of ego..........................................................................................56
Multiple meanings of ego.........................................................................59
Arguments about the nature of nondual consciousness................................59
Nondual consciousness and the phenomenal world..................................60
viii
Can nondual consciousness be experienced and is it immediate or gradual?
...................................................................................................................63
Experiential qualities of nondual consciousness...........................................66
A field of pure consciousness...................................................................66
Dissolution of dualistic fixations..............................................................68
Spontaneous arising..................................................................................69
A subtle shift.............................................................................................70
Integrated Discussion........................................................................................71
Unresolved Issues.............................................................................................76
Research Questions...........................................................................................78
Chapter 3.............................................................................................................79
Methods................................................................................................................79
Operational Definitions.....................................................................................79
Participants and Selection Criteria....................................................................80
Interview Type and Format...............................................................................81
Interview Questions..........................................................................................83
Research Approach...........................................................................................85
Data analysis methods...................................................................................87
Chapter 4.............................................................................................................94
Results..................................................................................................................94
Summary of Interview Process.........................................................................94
Description of Research Participants................................................................95
Participants’ Demographic Data.......................................................................95
Participant Demographics.................................................................................97
Participant #1 “Paul.”....................................................................................97
Participant #2 “Steven.”................................................................................98
Participant #3 “Judith.”.................................................................................98
Participant #4 “Robert.”................................................................................99
Participant #5 “Sophia.”................................................................................99
Participant #6 “Ben.”....................................................................................99
Participant #7 “Ellen.”................................................................................100
Participant #8 “Laura.”...............................................................................100
Presentation of Final Coding Template..........................................................101
Final coding template.................................................................................102
Presentation of Results....................................................................................104
Primary category 1: Presence of nondual consciousness in one’s life........104
Subcategory 1 of primary category 1: Terminology related to nondual
consciousness..........................................................................................104
Theme 1 of subcategory 1: Multiplicity of terms...............................105
Theme 2 of subcategory 1: Fluidity of terms......................................107
ix
Theme 3 of subcategory 1: Relationship between words and experience.
............................................................................................................109
Subcategory 2 of primary category 1: Personal ideas regarding the nature
of nondual consciousness........................................................................111
Subcategory 3 of primary category 1: Nondual consciousness as a process
over time.................................................................................................115
Five themes regarding nondual consciousness as a process over time.
............................................................................................................118
Subcategory 3 as expressed by participant #1: Paul...........................120
Subcategory 3 as expressed by participant #2: Steven.......................120
Subcategory 3 as expressed by participant #3: Judith........................124
Subcategory 3 as expressed by participant #4: Robert.......................125
Subcategory 3 as expressed by participant #5: Sophia.......................128
Subcategory 3 as expressed by participant #6: Ben............................129
Subcategory 3 as expressed by participant #7: Ellen..........................131
Subcategory 3 as expressed by participant #8: Laura.........................134
Subcategory 4 of primary category 1: Supports for nondual consciousness.
.................................................................................................................137
Theme 1 of subcategory 4: External Guidance...................................137
Theme 2 of subcategory 4: Practices..................................................141
Subcategory 5 of primary category 1: Impact of nondual consciousness on
life...........................................................................................................146
Theme 1 of subcategory 5: More letting go and allowing..................147
Theme 2 of subcategory 5: More ease................................................149
Theme 3 of subcategory 5: More trust................................................149
Theme 4 of subcategory 5: More clarity.............................................150
Subcategory 6 of primary category 1: Conditions enhancing or inhibiting
to the experience of nondual consciousness...........................................151
Summary of primary category 1: Presence of nondual consciousness in
one’s life..................................................................................................155
Primary category 2: Directly felt experience of nondual consciousness itself.
.....................................................................................................................158
Method for coding directly felt experience of nondual consciousness...159
Subcategory 1 of primary category 2: Essential qualities of the felt
experience of nondual consciousness.....................................................160
Theme 2 of subcategory 1: Energy.....................................................162
Theme 3 of subcategory 1: Positively experienced............................163
Theme 4 of subcategory 1: Nonlocalized...........................................164
Theme 5 of subcategory 1: Dynamic..................................................165
Subcategory 2 of primary category 2: Felt sense of nondual consciousness.
.................................................................................................................168
Seven major themes regarding the felt sense of nondual consciousness.
............................................................................................................169
The felt sense of nondual consciousness as expressed by participant #1:
Paul.....................................................................................................171
x