The Understudied Side of Contemplation: Words, Images, and Intentions in a Syncretic Spiritual Practice.
The International journal of clinical and experimental hypnosis January 1, 2020 Michael Lifshitz, Joshua Brahinsky, T M Luhrmann
Scientific research on contemplation has disproportionately focused on mindfulness, which involves disengaging from words and images to experience the present moment. However, contemplative traditions more commonly use words, images, and intentions. This paper presents ethnographic research on Integral Transformative Practice (ITP), a syncretic tradition from the Human Potential Movement, focusing on the practice of "affirmations" where practitioners imagine future possibilities to actualize spiritual goals. The authors argue this opens new avenues for psychological research on the role of words and images in contemplation.