Transformative Phenomenology: Changing Ourselves, Lifeworlds, and Professional Practice | Date: 28 April 2011, 08:35
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Transformative Phenomenology: Changing Ourselves, Lifeworlds, and Professional Practice
By David Allan Rehorick, Valerie Malhotra Bentz
* Publisher: Lexington Books
* Number Of Pages: 235
* Publication Date: 2009-06-28
* ISBN-10 / ASIN: 0739124129
* ISBN-13 / EAN: 9780739124123
Summary: Application to clinical medicine
Rating: 5
This book is written in a style that is easily readable by anyone who is not familiar with phenomenology. It's presentation allows the reader to understand it's concepts and how applicable they are to your personal growth and your relationships, past, present and future. It provides a different framework for you consider your practice of medicine, not only from incorporating new ideas that complement your current clinical practice, but also from the conscious understanding of some of these concepts you already implement in your practice that you did not fully appreciate. Reading this book can increase one's consciousness of the practice of medicine which provides very positive rewards for the patient, their family and the physician.
Summary: Magical Moments
Rating: 5
Sometime during the 1990s I was working my way through the early stages of
a Ph.D. program at Fielding Graduate University. I had come to Fielding after years
of both formal and informal study in transformative practices including
Zen meditation, 15 years in the martial arts (Aikido), and a masters degree
in transpersonal psychology. Landing in graduate school was akin to entering a total immersion program at Berlitz.
I was a fish out of water, floundering through the halls and towers of
Academia until one day I landed in a research class taught by David
Rehorick. David had an immense passion for his subject and a way of
story-telling that made even the million-dollar words, including
"phenomenology," resonate. I was actually able to talk about what I was
learning in that class with my family at the dinner table. For me, that was
big.
David introduced me to a way of knowing that had both the rigors of
scholarly treatment and also connected to the practitioner which, in my
world, meant that it was meaningful to people who don't usually use words
that have more than four syllables. David's class was one of those magical experiences that come out of nowhere when one crosses paths with a real teacher. I had all but forgotten my days at Fielding when a note came in the mail recently about a new book by David Rehorick and Valarie Malhotra Bentz.
Transformative Phenomenology is a compilation of stories that get to the
heart of that intersection of experience and experiencer where theoretical and conceptual knowledge take a back-seat to insight and a deeper wisdom. Told through the research
and personal odessy of 12 authors (former students of Rehorick and Bentz), along
with an historic overview of phenomenology and personal anecdotes by both
Rehorick and Bentz, reading Transformative Phenomenology took me right
back to that first class with David where, like any transformative
experience, nothing has been the same since. I highly recommend this book
to anyone interested in both hearing the journeys of the collection's authors, and exploring
their own experience to discover the extraordinary magic of
the everyday world.
Summary: Transformative Phenomenology Review
Rating: 5
Transformative Phenomenology edited by Rehorick & Bentz (2008) provides wonderful insight into the relationship between the personal journey, phenomenology and transformation. The introduction provides some background on phenomenology - including its historical beginnings along with explanations as to how phenomenology complements or enhances more traditional empirical studies, and discusses phenomenological techniques such as bracketing, imaginative variations or typification. Since both Rehorick and Bentz have studied the area of phenomenology over the past few decades, and since both began their careers in more traditional sociological approaches, their insights as to what makes phenomenology valid and uniquely powerful are striking. Phenomenology provides a way to find meaning from phenomena when empirical studies leave researchers wondering what they have learned. In addition, the very act of phenomenological attention affects the researcher as well as the participants - and acts as a transformative catalyst.
Each chapter reveals a personal tale of human experience where a phenomenological approach provides insight and awareness for the author, the participants in the phenomenological experiences as well as for the reader. Chapters include stories of individuals who seek or who are sought by the transformative, and the effect that a phenomenological approach can have on a state of mindful becoming.
Beginning with an introduction by the book's editors - Rehorick and Bentz, the contributions range from the most personal and deeply felt experiences related to birth, illness, and the transcendent possibility of community and collaboration - whether experienced by a group of Latina women in northern New Mexico or as experienced by a group of jazz musicians.
While the narration of each experience is provided as a method for learning from the phenomenological approach to awareness, each chapter presents experiences and glimpses into lifeworlds that are fascinating in themselves. Simpson uses phenomenology to understand her own transformation by studying over two decades of her own journal entries. Tower discusses the remarkable transformative possibilities for cancer survivors. Nonemaker donated one of his kidneys and uses that experience to discuss his phenomenological understanding while Nagata describes how phenomenology and hermaneutics aided her in communication and bodymind awareness when struggling as a foreigner to adapt to Tokyo society. Cordova uses phenomenology in shared stories from Latina women from northern New Mexico. LaFountain's piece on Tai Chi discusses transcendence - "moving from one here and now to another" or to "go beyond what is beyond". Haddad describes phenomenology as a "method of knowing based in tangible human experience" and discusses a series of exercises created for a group of artists. His intention is fascinating in that he seeks to "connect abstract phenomenological language and concepts with actual, everyday dialogue."
The final chapter, Jeddeloh's "Chasing Transcendence" is a superlative telling of the "magic moment" as experienced by jazz musicians who are able to transcend ordinary experience and reach true communion through artistry, skill, embodiment, and a sense of non-verbal connection and flow that transcends time and the barriers of individuation.
In each chapter, common themes are revisited, the Husserlian spiral (where phenomenology adds to and enhances transformation and awareness), the close connection between hermeneutics and phenomenology, mindfulness, reflexivity and awareness, and ultimately - how the act of finding meaning through a phenomenological approach not only adds depth and understanding to what is studied, but is in itself transformational and affects all participants in that process.
Highly recommended to those who are seeking their own understandings in awareness, transformation and the relationship to a phenomenological experience.
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