T. Sparby

2 papers in the library · 15 citations · publishing 2020-2024

Papers

Body, Soul, and Spirit: An Explorative Qualitative Study of Anthroposophic Meditation and Spiritual Practice

Religions June 26, 2020 T. Sparby 12 citations

Long-term practitioners of Anthroposophic meditation report experiences organized into seven main themes: self, cognition, perception, affect, sleep, embodiment, and environment, with 32 subthemes. This previously unstudied form of meditation, originating in the early 20th-century German-speaking world, emphasizes cognition, self-development, and pro-social action. The findings suggest both overlaps with current meditation research and new areas for inquiry, including personal development focused on strengthening the self, introspective inquiry, sensed presences, phenomenological atmospheres, consciousness during sleep, embodied meditation experiences, the connection between practice and daily life, and meditation challenges.

DOI: 10.3390/rel11060314 Full text Psychology Philosophy

Meditation Hindrances and Breakthroughs: A Multilevel First-Person Phenomenological Analysis

Religions July 18, 2024 T. Sparby, Philip Eilinghoff-Ehlers, Nuri Lewandovski et al. 3 citations

Meditation hindrances—phenomena that counteract meditation—can also become grounds for breakthroughs. In a six-day retreat with five participants, a multilevel phenomenological method (biographical exploration, daily notetaking, and micro-phenomenology) revealed that negative effects, often called challenging or adverse, may dissolve into positive outcomes. The concept of hindrances is developed, showing how difficulties can be part of a process leading to breakthroughs.

DOI: 10.3390/rel15070865 Full text Psychology