Indo-Pacific Journal of Phenomenology
May 1, 2013
Jean-Francois Sobiecki
10 citations
A personal account describes how taking ayahuasca in a Santo Daime ritual in Johannesburg, South Africa, unexpectedly led to a profound healing of depression. The author reports that ingestion created a powerful mind-body-spirit connection, resulting in what felt like a reconfiguration of the body's bio-electrical energy system and a strong antidepressant effect on the mind. These effects were catalyzed by a strong intention to heal, trust, and taking responsibility for oneself. Other South African Santo Daime members have also reported healing from depression with ayahuasca, though through longer and different processes. The medicine appears to engage each individual's unique collective self, leading to different outcomes.
Indo-Pacific Journal of Phenomenology
May 1, 2009
Surya Kanta Maharana
3 citations
Pure consciousness is foundational, evidencing, and absolute for any epistemic act, according to a parallel reading of Edmund Husserl's transcendental phenomenology and Ādi Śamkara's Advaita Vedānta. The paper compares Husserl's 'Transcendental I' with Śamkara's 'Witness Consciousness' (Sākshi Caitanya), highlighting significant differences in their approaches while unveiling a common thesis. It argues that the Advaitic understanding of pure consciousness is a major contribution to comparative philosophy, serving as a vantage point for cross-cultural comparison. The investigation explores the phenomenological relevance of consciousness in Indian philosophy, emphasizing pure consciousness as an essential criterion for any sound theory of knowledge.
Indo-Pacific Journal of Phenomenology
September 1, 2001
J. Barnes
2 citations
A first-person phenomenological exploration of meditative experiences describes how bodily sensations such as sounds, vibrations, and light are perceived through the senses yet recognized as non-physical. The practitioner brackets expectations and meditates, finding that deep meditative states preclude awareness of the material world, so experiences are described only upon emerging. Focusing attention on these sensations increases their intensity, leading to a spiritual realm where time, space, and materiality become irrelevant. The author concludes that meditative and spiritual experiences occur both during and outside structured meditation, challenging the initial assumption that meditation requires a specific technique.