Research Survey: Comparisons of Varieties of Spiritual Experiences

To take survey now, go to: www.ppt5.com >>>>

Research Survey: Comparisons of Varieties of Spiritual Experiences

Introduction

You have most likely had some type of life experience that took you to a new or different place in your awareness... an experience that expanded your consciousness in some way.  You may or may not have referred to your experience as a spiritual one... and... you knew it was different in some way from your other ordinary life experiences.

Some people are more comfortable than others in sharing their personal experiences. I was talking with a friend who was describing an experience in nature while visiting a family member and she said, "It was almost spiritual" and I took it from the emotional content that she was talking about her sense of being in touch with "something" that was beyond her everyday "normal" experience... although she seemed a bit hesitant about using the word "spiritual."

William James was an avid student of such mystical or religious experiences throughout his lifetime. He was trained as a medical doctor and psychologist, as well as being known as a philosopher, writer, and educator. James published a seminal work in 1902 entitled, "The Varieties of Religious Experience" which continues to be reprinted due to its ongoing popularity and heuristic value.

Survey

In light of James' work, the following anonymous and confidential survey is intended as a global research project to collect personal experiences and demographics that will aid in comparing various types and characteristics of spiritual, mystical, or religious phenomena. The intent of this project is to both give you the opportunity to share these special moments in your life and provide some details for analyzing and comparing experiences in specific ways. The results are to be published in a report or booklet format which, hopefully, will add contemporary data in the study of consciousness, in general, and of spiritual experiences in particular. Comparing various spiritual experiences will be conducted with attention to both contrasts and similarities in experiences.

We know that some may not choose to take the time to help with this project and some will choose to participate. We hope if you have read this far that the subject interests you and you will choose to help in our research. For your participation, you will be provided with a copy of the results in whatever form it takes. We will collect the data in an objective manner as is possible realizing we all have preconceptions and assumptions we bring to any endeavor.

If you are choosing to participate and prefer to share this information in person or by phone, or if you have specific questions before proceeding, please contact, John Hutchinson at:  JOHN@SUNHUTCH.com or call +1 484 685-0549 and leave a message with your number, first name, location or time zone, and the best part of the day to call you. You may use the following Survey form or you may complete an online form at http://www.123contactform.com/contact-form-sunhutch-112922.html ... http://www.ppt5.com/ 

Defining a "Spiritual Experience"

• "Experience," for the purposes of this survey, is defined as any personal involvement in an event or series of events that have occurred or are occurring within your own life circumstances;
• "Spiritual," for the purposes of this survey, is defined as some actual personal experience that is 'beyond' your ordinary everyday consciousness which may include:
1. Expanding awareness
2. Special Emotional Content
3. Expanded Body Sensations
4. Beyond Thoughts and Beliefs
5. Healing and Wholeness
6. Timelessness
7. Sense of Oneness
8. Traumatic or Life Threatening Experiences
9. Near Death or Perceived Death experiences
10. New Choices and Actions
11. Illumination, Clarity
12. Heightened Intuition or Psychic abilities
13. Para-normal and extra-ordinary perception or experience
14. Supra-physical experience
15. Other: (Please specify)

________________________________________________________________

Survey: 

The online form can be found at http://www.ppt5.com/ ...If you chose to use the form incuded in this article, please copy and paste the question to a document or email and send to Survey@sunhutch.com ...we will receive it.
Please complete the following survey and return as soon as possible to John@sunhutch.com ...All personal identifying information will remain anonymous and confidential. We would appreciate it if you wish to make yourself available for follow-up or clarifying questions. If so, simply provide some form of contact information:
Optional Information:
Name:
Email:
Phone:
_________________________________________________________________

Please complete every question and the answers may be as brief or extensive as you choose:

1. Current Age?
2. Gender?
3. Country of Birth?
4. Country of current residency?
   State, Province, or Region:
5. If you are associated with or a member of any organized religion, defined spiritual group or institution, please provide name:
6. How would you describe your spiritual or religious orientation?
7. Personal Spiritual Experience 1:
1. Experience - Describe your most vivid spiritual experience in as much detail as you feel comfortable:
2. Setting - In what setting did the spiritual experience occur? (meditating in home, walking in nature, while driving, in synagogue, wandering in the desert, etc):
3. Age at the time this spiritual experience occurred:
4. Social - If others were involved, briefly describe:
5. Circumstances - Where there any specific or extra-ordinary circumstances before or after this experience?
6. Altering Substances - If there were any herbs, plants or other mind-altering substances involved, please describe:
7. Anything else you'd like to add: If you wish to continue to describe various spiritual experiences, please copy, paste, and complete the above format.

Thank you very much for completing this survey.

Please return by email or attachment to: John Hutchinson at John@sunhutch.com 

Note: A little about John

I have been interested in the exploration and experience of spiritual experience for most of my life. Recently, I reviewed some of the work by William James and decided it might be a good time to do a contemporary version of his research findings. Thus, the creation of the current survey came to be.

My own bias and experience suggests that the importance of spiritual experience is a present attention to what is right Now. I have been blessed with numerous "spiritual experiences" that have provided me with an assurance and "knowing" regarding the existence of the spiritual realm ...of pure awareness and being... the realm of consciousness beyond our everyday thoughts and forms.

Communicating about the mysterious or ineffable aspects of this "spiritual" realm is a paradox of sorts. So the task of collecting data about "spiritual experiences" is easy if we find those willing to take some time to reflect and share their experience. Reporting the shared experiences is also easy. The difficulty may rest in one's interpretation and clarifying the meaning of the descriptive words used.

I do not pretend to be William James or anyone else. Simply a being who is curious and wishing to provide any contemporary insight into that "spiritual" realm which is beyond time and beyond the 'English' symbols I use to do my best at communicating.

Formal training includes a BA in Psychology, M.Ed. in Educational Counseling, Graduate Studies in Theology and Jungian Psychology / Dreams, and Doctoral Studies in Transpersonal Psychology / Psychosynthesis. Professional experience has involved counseling, consulting, writing, and management in the fields of Transitions, Education, Community, Ministry, Business, and Personal Development.

Contact: John@sunhutch.com
Blog: http://www.sunhutch.com/  
Latest Blog Post: http://www.sundancewellnesscenter.com/