The assignment is a summary of these 3 articles
Faculty of Health, Community & Life Science Assessment Brief Subject Code & Title CSRP302 Adopting reflective practice Assessment 2 Individual/Group BC3 Length 1500 words Learning Outcomes A: Analyse own philosophical approach to community services work in the context of main theories and philosophical approaches B: Plan for implementation, monitoring, evaluation to maximise opportunities for clients C: Use reflective practice to evaluate and improve own performance to maximise outcomes for clients D: Analyse the role and identity of the contemporary community service worker E: Develop new ideologies for community service work Submission Week 7 Weighting 30% Total Marks 30 Criteria: Literature review on theoretical perspectives of the value of reflection to workplace practice. Read and reflect on at least 3 of the articles you have been given in class What are the main points these articles make? What are the implications of these points for both oneself and one’s role in the community services sector? Due week 7 Learning outcomes: ACE Minimum 3 references Criterion Expected qualities HD DI CR PA NN Total Excellent standard Very good standard Good standard Satisfactory standard Below standard Knowledge and Understanding · Literature review on theoretical perpectives · Comparative analysis on 3 models/approaches/articles · Application of concepts on self · Application of concepts on working in the community services field 23-24 19-22 15-18 12-14< than="" 12="" 24="" presentation="" ·="" layout="" and="" readability="" —="" margins;="" paragraphing,="" page="" numbers="" ·="" reasonably="" within="" required="" word="" limit="" (1,500="" words)="" 10%="" each="" way.="" ·="" well="" organised="" piece="" of="" writing="" 2="" 1.75="" 1.5="" 1=""><1 2="" language="" use="" ·="" coherent="" expression="" (syntax/sentence="" structure);="" ·="" vocabulary="" appropriate="" for="" situation="" 2="" 1.75="" 1.5="" 1=""><1 2="" referencing="" &="" research="" ·="" supporting="" literature="" cited="" appropriately="" ·="" apa="" style="" used="" correctly="" 2="" 1.75="" 1.5="" 1=""><1 /2 total out of 30 /30 scanned document scanned document ecopsychology, transpersonal psychology, and nonduality international journal of transpersonal studies volume 30 iss. 1-2 (2011) article 14 1-1-2011 ecopsychology, transpersonal psychology, and nonduality john v. davis naropa university follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.ciis.edu/ijts-transpersonalstudies part of the philosophy commons, psychology commons, and the religion commons this work is licensed under a creative commons attribution-noncommercial-no derivative works 4.0 license. this special topic article is brought to you for free and open access by the journals and newsletters at digital commons @ ciis. it has been accepted for inclusion in international journal of transpersonal studies by an authorized administrator of digital commons @ ciis. for more information, please contact
[email protected]. recommended citation davis, j. v. (2011). davis, j. v. (2011). ecopsychology, transpersonal psychology, and nonduality. international journal of transpersonal studies, 30(1-2), 137–147.. international journal of transpersonal studies, 30 (1). retrieved from http://digitalcommons.ciis.edu/ijts-transpersonalstudies/vol30/iss1/14 http://www.ciis.edu/?utm_source=digitalcommons.ciis.edu%2fijts-transpersonalstudies%2fvol30%2fiss1%2f14&utm_medium=pdf&utm_campaign=pdfcoverpages http://www.ciis.edu/?utm_source=digitalcommons.ciis.edu%2fijts-transpersonalstudies%2fvol30%2fiss1%2f14&utm_medium=pdf&utm_campaign=pdfcoverpages http://digitalcommons.ciis.edu/ijts-transpersonalstudies?utm_source=digitalcommons.ciis.edu%2fijts-transpersonalstudies%2fvol30%2fiss1%2f14&utm_medium=pdf&utm_campaign=pdfcoverpages http://digitalcommons.ciis.edu/ijts-transpersonalstudies?utm_source=digitalcommons.ciis.edu%2fijts-transpersonalstudies%2fvol30%2fiss1%2f14&utm_medium=pdf&utm_campaign=pdfcoverpages http://digitalcommons.ciis.edu/ijts-transpersonalstudies/vol30?utm_source=digitalcommons.ciis.edu%2fijts-transpersonalstudies%2fvol30%2fiss1%2f14&utm_medium=pdf&utm_campaign=pdfcoverpages http://digitalcommons.ciis.edu/ijts-transpersonalstudies/vol30/iss1?utm_source=digitalcommons.ciis.edu%2fijts-transpersonalstudies%2fvol30%2fiss1%2f14&utm_medium=pdf&utm_campaign=pdfcoverpages http://digitalcommons.ciis.edu/ijts-transpersonalstudies/vol30/iss1/14?utm_source=digitalcommons.ciis.edu%2fijts-transpersonalstudies%2fvol30%2fiss1%2f14&utm_medium=pdf&utm_campaign=pdfcoverpages http://digitalcommons.ciis.edu/ijts-transpersonalstudies?utm_source=digitalcommons.ciis.edu%2fijts-transpersonalstudies%2fvol30%2fiss1%2f14&utm_medium=pdf&utm_campaign=pdfcoverpages http://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/525?utm_source=digitalcommons.ciis.edu%2fijts-transpersonalstudies%2fvol30%2fiss1%2f14&utm_medium=pdf&utm_campaign=pdfcoverpages http://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/404?utm_source=digitalcommons.ciis.edu%2fijts-transpersonalstudies%2fvol30%2fiss1%2f14&utm_medium=pdf&utm_campaign=pdfcoverpages http://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/538?utm_source=digitalcommons.ciis.edu%2fijts-transpersonalstudies%2fvol30%2fiss1%2f14&utm_medium=pdf&utm_campaign=pdfcoverpages http://digitalcommons.ciis.edu/ijts-transpersonalstudies/vol30/iss1/14?utm_source=digitalcommons.ciis.edu%2fijts-transpersonalstudies%2fvol30%2fiss1%2f14&utm_medium=pdf&utm_campaign=pdfcoverpages http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ mailto:
[email protected] international journal of transpersonal studies 137ecopsychology, transpersonal, and nonduality ecopsychology, transpersonal psychology, and nonduality nonduality is at the core of both transpersonal psychology and ecopsychology and provides a means of finding common ground between these approaches. however, misunderstandings and the lack of an adequate conceptual language for nonduality have limited the value of this concept for ecopsychology. nonduality is presented as a range of experiences and stages of development in which particulars are perceived and understood as part of an all- encompassing totality. specifically, nonduality is understood in terms of a self-identity in which separating boundaries no longer isolate one from other expressions of being. a description of nondual dimensions of being based on the diamond approach of a. h. almaas provides ways of articulating the transpersonal dimensions of ecopsychology. international journal of transpersonal studies, 30(1-2), 2011, pp. 137-147 many have recognized transpersonal experiences in natural settings and found qualities of peace, joy, love, guidance, and inspiration that are exemplars of the spiritual quest. similarly, some people in both the psychological and the environmental action communities sense that ecopsychology can be a path to the spiritual as well as a powerful element in promoting sustainable lifestyles, effective environmental work, and optimal mental health. spirituality has been part of the ecopsychology literature, though not without ambivalence or disagreement. for the most part, however, the transpersonal elements of ecopsychology have not been clearly articulated. in this article, i explore the connection between ecopsychology and transpersonal psychology. since the central issue for this connection is the notion of nonduality, i offer a discussion of nonduality and its relation to ecopsychology. i do not intend this to be a thorough review of either transpersonal psychology or ecopsychology but rather a contribution to a continuing dialogue on psyche, nature, and spirit. research on nature-based transpersonal experiences a substantial and rapidly-growing body of psychological research points to the mental health benefits of nature experiences. research settings include a broad range of encounters with nature including extended wilderness trips, nearby nature (such as city parks and gardens), built environments, and immersion into nature images. most of the research has focused on relaxation, a sense of restoration, and cognitive benefits (hartig, mang, & evans, 1991; ulrich et al., 1991; kaplan, 1995; chalquist, 2009). more recently, research on nature experiences has demonstrated increases in prosocial behavior (weinstein, przybylski, & ryan, 2009) and a sense of vitality (ryan et al., 2010). an important subset of this research identifies transpersonal aspects of nature experiences. wuthnow (1978) used three definitions of peak experiences in a large representative survey: “feeling that you were in close contact with something holy or sacred,” “feeling that you were in harmony with the universe,” and “experiencing the beauty of nature in a deeply moving way.” eighty-two percent of his sample reported being deeply moved by the beauty of nature, the most common of the three definitions, and forty-nine percent felt this experience had a lasting influence. greeley (1974) and keutzer (1978) asked large samples whether they had had what they called an ecstatic experience or an intense spiritual experience. thirty-five percent of the u.s. population and sixty-five percent of a college population (respectively) responded affirmatively. in these studies, the “beauties of nature such as the sunset” was ranked as the most common trigger by the students and the third most common trigger by the general population. in a cross-cultural confirmation of these findings, hoffman (2007) found that a sample of japanese college students john v. davis naropa university boulder, co, usa keywords: ecopsychology, transpersonal psychology, nonduality, spirituality and nature, almaas, diamond approach international journal of transpersonal studies 138 davis reported nature experiences as the first or second most common trigger for their peak experiences. several empirical studies have examined spiritual experiences in the context of wilderness adventure activities. overall, it seems that both the adventure element and the wilderness setting play a role in evoking transpersonal experiences and that one of the primary reasons people engage in wilderness experiences is to seek transpersonal experiences (brown, 1989). for instance, stringer and mcavoy (1992), using naturalistic inquiry methods, found that spiritual experiences are common in wilderness adventure activities. beck (1988) studied river rafters and showed that intensive recreational encounters with wild rivers often led to transpersonal experiences “expressed in terms of humility and spirituality....[and] a sense of oneness” (p. 133-135; emphasis in original). kaplan and talbot (1983) and talbot and kaplan (1986) reported extensive research on wilderness experiences. their outdoor challenge program took inner city children, teachers, and others on week-long wilderness trips and analyzed the contents of participants’ journals. although this program did not have an explicit psychological orientation, they found spiritual and transpersonal qualities to be the strongest theme. for many participants [during the backpacking trips] there is eventually a surprising sense of revelation, as both the environment and the self are newly perceived and seem newly wondrous. the wilderness inspires feelings of awe and wonder, and one’s intimate contact with this environment leads to thoughts about spiritual meanings and eternal processes. individuals feel better acquainted with their own thoughts and feelings, and they feel “different” in some way—calmer, at peace with themselves, “more beautiful on the inside and unstifled.” . . . [after the trips] there is a growing sense of wonder and a complex awareness of spiritual meanings as individuals feel at one with nature, yet they are aware of the transience of individual concerns when seen against the background of enduring natural rhythms. (kaplan & talbot, 1983, p. 178-180) transpersonal psychology and ecopsychology in transpersonal psychology, as well as many other psychological approaches, the sense of separate self is seen as a product of one’s personal history and is characterized by a sense of autonomy, independent agency, and separation from surroundings. the transpersonal approach differs from other approaches, however, by valuing and describing states in which the self transcends a narrow identification (e.g., wilber, 2000). self-transcendence refers to states of consciousness and stages of development in which the sense of self is expanded beyond the ordinary boundaries, identifications, and self-images of the individual personality and reflects a fundamental connection, harmony, or unity with others and the world (caplan, hartelius, & rardin, 2003; davis, 2003; friedman, 1983; walsh & vaughan, 1993). bynum (1997), consistent with many others describing transpersonal psychology, places “unitive conscious experiences” at the center of the field (p. 301). based on a longer list of 202 definitions, lajoie and shapiro (1992) offered this integration: transpersonal psychology is concerned with the study of humanity’s highest potential, and with the recognition, understanding, and realization of unitive, spiritual, and transcendent states of consciousness. (p. 91) ecopsychology argues that the deep and 2="" total="" out="" of="" 30="" 30="" scanned="" document="" scanned="" document="" ecopsychology,="" transpersonal="" psychology,="" and="" nonduality="" international="" journal="" of="" transpersonal="" studies="" volume="" 30="" iss.="" 1-2="" (2011)="" article="" 14="" 1-1-2011="" ecopsychology,="" transpersonal="" psychology,="" and="" nonduality="" john="" v.="" davis="" naropa="" university="" follow="" this="" and="" additional="" works="" at:="" http://digitalcommons.ciis.edu/ijts-transpersonalstudies="" part="" of="" the="" philosophy="" commons,="" psychology="" commons,="" and="" the="" religion="" commons="" this="" work="" is="" licensed="" under="" a="" creative="" commons="" attribution-noncommercial-no="" derivative="" works="" 4.0="" license.="" this="" special="" topic="" article="" is="" brought="" to="" you="" for="" free="" and="" open="" access="" by="" the="" journals="" and="" newsletters="" at="" digital="" commons="" @="" ciis.="" it="" has="" been="" accepted="" for="" inclusion="" in="" international="" journal="" of="" transpersonal="" studies="" by="" an="" authorized="" administrator="" of="" digital="" commons="" @="" ciis.="" for="" more="" information,="" please="" contact=""
[email protected].="" recommended="" citation="" davis,="" j.="" v.="" (2011).="" davis,="" j.="" v.="" (2011).="" ecopsychology,="" transpersonal="" psychology,="" and="" nonduality.="" international="" journal="" of="" transpersonal="" studies,="" 30(1-2),="" 137–147..="" international="" journal="" of="" transpersonal="" studies,="" 30="" (1).="" retrieved="" from="" http://digitalcommons.ciis.edu/ijts-transpersonalstudies/vol30/iss1/14="" http://www.ciis.edu/?utm_source="digitalcommons.ciis.edu%2Fijts-transpersonalstudies%2Fvol30%2Fiss1%2F14&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPages" http://www.ciis.edu/?utm_source="digitalcommons.ciis.edu%2Fijts-transpersonalstudies%2Fvol30%2Fiss1%2F14&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPages" http://digitalcommons.ciis.edu/ijts-transpersonalstudies?utm_source="digitalcommons.ciis.edu%2Fijts-transpersonalstudies%2Fvol30%2Fiss1%2F14&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPages" http://digitalcommons.ciis.edu/ijts-transpersonalstudies?utm_source="digitalcommons.ciis.edu%2Fijts-transpersonalstudies%2Fvol30%2Fiss1%2F14&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPages" http://digitalcommons.ciis.edu/ijts-transpersonalstudies/vol30?utm_source="digitalcommons.ciis.edu%2Fijts-transpersonalstudies%2Fvol30%2Fiss1%2F14&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPages" http://digitalcommons.ciis.edu/ijts-transpersonalstudies/vol30/iss1?utm_source="digitalcommons.ciis.edu%2Fijts-transpersonalstudies%2Fvol30%2Fiss1%2F14&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPages" http://digitalcommons.ciis.edu/ijts-transpersonalstudies/vol30/iss1/14?utm_source="digitalcommons.ciis.edu%2Fijts-transpersonalstudies%2Fvol30%2Fiss1%2F14&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPages" http://digitalcommons.ciis.edu/ijts-transpersonalstudies?utm_source="digitalcommons.ciis.edu%2Fijts-transpersonalstudies%2Fvol30%2Fiss1%2F14&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPages" http://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/525?utm_source="digitalcommons.ciis.edu%2Fijts-transpersonalstudies%2Fvol30%2Fiss1%2F14&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPages" http://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/404?utm_source="digitalcommons.ciis.edu%2Fijts-transpersonalstudies%2Fvol30%2Fiss1%2F14&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPages" http://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/538?utm_source="digitalcommons.ciis.edu%2Fijts-transpersonalstudies%2Fvol30%2Fiss1%2F14&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPages" http://digitalcommons.ciis.edu/ijts-transpersonalstudies/vol30/iss1/14?utm_source="digitalcommons.ciis.edu%2Fijts-transpersonalstudies%2Fvol30%2Fiss1%2F14&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPages" http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/="" http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/="" http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/="" mailto:
[email protected]="" international="" journal="" of="" transpersonal="" studies="" 137ecopsychology,="" transpersonal,="" and="" nonduality="" ecopsychology,="" transpersonal="" psychology,="" and="" nonduality="" nonduality="" is="" at="" the="" core="" of="" both="" transpersonal="" psychology="" and="" ecopsychology="" and="" provides="" a="" means="" of="" finding="" common="" ground="" between="" these="" approaches.="" however,="" misunderstandings="" and="" the="" lack="" of="" an="" adequate="" conceptual="" language="" for="" nonduality="" have="" limited="" the="" value="" of="" this="" concept="" for="" ecopsychology.="" nonduality="" is="" presented="" as="" a="" range="" of="" experiences="" and="" stages="" of="" development="" in="" which="" particulars="" are="" perceived="" and="" understood="" as="" part="" of="" an="" all-="" encompassing="" totality.="" specifically,="" nonduality="" is="" understood="" in="" terms="" of="" a="" self-identity="" in="" which="" separating="" boundaries="" no="" longer="" isolate="" one="" from="" other="" expressions="" of="" being.="" a="" description="" of="" nondual="" dimensions="" of="" being="" based="" on="" the="" diamond="" approach="" of="" a.="" h.="" almaas="" provides="" ways="" of="" articulating="" the="" transpersonal="" dimensions="" of="" ecopsychology.="" international="" journal="" of="" transpersonal="" studies,="" 30(1-2),="" 2011,="" pp.="" 137-147="" many="" have="" recognized="" transpersonal="" experiences="" in="" natural="" settings="" and="" found="" qualities="" of="" peace,="" joy,="" love,="" guidance,="" and="" inspiration="" that="" are="" exemplars="" of="" the="" spiritual="" quest.="" similarly,="" some="" people="" in="" both="" the="" psychological="" and="" the="" environmental="" action="" communities="" sense="" that="" ecopsychology="" can="" be="" a="" path="" to="" the="" spiritual="" as="" well="" as="" a="" powerful="" element="" in="" promoting="" sustainable="" lifestyles,="" effective="" environmental="" work,="" and="" optimal="" mental="" health.="" spirituality="" has="" been="" part="" of="" the="" ecopsychology="" literature,="" though="" not="" without="" ambivalence="" or="" disagreement.="" for="" the="" most="" part,="" however,="" the="" transpersonal="" elements="" of="" ecopsychology="" have="" not="" been="" clearly="" articulated.="" in="" this="" article,="" i="" explore="" the="" connection="" between="" ecopsychology="" and="" transpersonal="" psychology.="" since="" the="" central="" issue="" for="" this="" connection="" is="" the="" notion="" of="" nonduality,="" i="" offer="" a="" discussion="" of="" nonduality="" and="" its="" relation="" to="" ecopsychology.="" i="" do="" not="" intend="" this="" to="" be="" a="" thorough="" review="" of="" either="" transpersonal="" psychology="" or="" ecopsychology="" but="" rather="" a="" contribution="" to="" a="" continuing="" dialogue="" on="" psyche,="" nature,="" and="" spirit.="" research="" on="" nature-based="" transpersonal="" experiences="" a="" substantial="" and="" rapidly-growing="" body="" of="" psychological="" research="" points="" to="" the="" mental="" health="" benefits="" of="" nature="" experiences.="" research="" settings="" include="" a="" broad="" range="" of="" encounters="" with="" nature="" including="" extended="" wilderness="" trips,="" nearby="" nature="" (such="" as="" city="" parks="" and="" gardens),="" built="" environments,="" and="" immersion="" into="" nature="" images.="" most="" of="" the="" research="" has="" focused="" on="" relaxation,="" a="" sense="" of="" restoration,="" and="" cognitive="" benefits="" (hartig,="" mang,="" &="" evans,="" 1991;="" ulrich="" et="" al.,="" 1991;="" kaplan,="" 1995;="" chalquist,="" 2009).="" more="" recently,="" research="" on="" nature="" experiences="" has="" demonstrated="" increases="" in="" prosocial="" behavior="" (weinstein,="" przybylski,="" &="" ryan,="" 2009)="" and="" a="" sense="" of="" vitality="" (ryan="" et="" al.,="" 2010).="" an="" important="" subset="" of="" this="" research="" identifies="" transpersonal="" aspects="" of="" nature="" experiences.="" wuthnow="" (1978)="" used="" three="" definitions="" of="" peak="" experiences="" in="" a="" large="" representative="" survey:="" “feeling="" that="" you="" were="" in="" close="" contact="" with="" something="" holy="" or="" sacred,”="" “feeling="" that="" you="" were="" in="" harmony="" with="" the="" universe,”="" and="" “experiencing="" the="" beauty="" of="" nature="" in="" a="" deeply="" moving="" way.”="" eighty-two="" percent="" of="" his="" sample="" reported="" being="" deeply="" moved="" by="" the="" beauty="" of="" nature,="" the="" most="" common="" of="" the="" three="" definitions,="" and="" forty-nine="" percent="" felt="" this="" experience="" had="" a="" lasting="" influence.="" greeley="" (1974)="" and="" keutzer="" (1978)="" asked="" large="" samples="" whether="" they="" had="" had="" what="" they="" called="" an="" ecstatic="" experience="" or="" an="" intense="" spiritual="" experience.="" thirty-five="" percent="" of="" the="" u.s.="" population="" and="" sixty-five="" percent="" of="" a="" college="" population="" (respectively)="" responded="" affirmatively.="" in="" these="" studies,="" the="" “beauties="" of="" nature="" such="" as="" the="" sunset”="" was="" ranked="" as="" the="" most="" common="" trigger="" by="" the="" students="" and="" the="" third="" most="" common="" trigger="" by="" the="" general="" population.="" in="" a="" cross-cultural="" confirmation="" of="" these="" findings,="" hoffman="" (2007)="" found="" that="" a="" sample="" of="" japanese="" college="" students="" john="" v.="" davis="" naropa="" university="" boulder,="" co,="" usa="" keywords:="" ecopsychology,="" transpersonal="" psychology,="" nonduality,="" spirituality="" and="" nature,="" almaas,="" diamond="" approach="" international="" journal="" of="" transpersonal="" studies="" 138="" davis="" reported="" nature="" experiences="" as="" the="" first="" or="" second="" most="" common="" trigger="" for="" their="" peak="" experiences.="" several="" empirical="" studies="" have="" examined="" spiritual="" experiences="" in="" the="" context="" of="" wilderness="" adventure="" activities.="" overall,="" it="" seems="" that="" both="" the="" adventure="" element="" and="" the="" wilderness="" setting="" play="" a="" role="" in="" evoking="" transpersonal="" experiences="" and="" that="" one="" of="" the="" primary="" reasons="" people="" engage="" in="" wilderness="" experiences="" is="" to="" seek="" transpersonal="" experiences="" (brown,="" 1989).="" for="" instance,="" stringer="" and="" mcavoy="" (1992),="" using="" naturalistic="" inquiry="" methods,="" found="" that="" spiritual="" experiences="" are="" common="" in="" wilderness="" adventure="" activities.="" beck="" (1988)="" studied="" river="" rafters="" and="" showed="" that="" intensive="" recreational="" encounters="" with="" wild="" rivers="" often="" led="" to="" transpersonal="" experiences="" “expressed="" in="" terms="" of="" humility="" and="" spirituality....[and]="" a="" sense="" of="" oneness”="" (p.="" 133-135;="" emphasis="" in="" original).="" kaplan="" and="" talbot="" (1983)="" and="" talbot="" and="" kaplan="" (1986)="" reported="" extensive="" research="" on="" wilderness="" experiences.="" their="" outdoor="" challenge="" program="" took="" inner="" city="" children,="" teachers,="" and="" others="" on="" week-long="" wilderness="" trips="" and="" analyzed="" the="" contents="" of="" participants’="" journals.="" although="" this="" program="" did="" not="" have="" an="" explicit="" psychological="" orientation,="" they="" found="" spiritual="" and="" transpersonal="" qualities="" to="" be="" the="" strongest="" theme.="" for="" many="" participants="" [during="" the="" backpacking="" trips]="" there="" is="" eventually="" a="" surprising="" sense="" of="" revelation,="" as="" both="" the="" environment="" and="" the="" self="" are="" newly="" perceived="" and="" seem="" newly="" wondrous.="" the="" wilderness="" inspires="" feelings="" of="" awe="" and="" wonder,="" and="" one’s="" intimate="" contact="" with="" this="" environment="" leads="" to="" thoughts="" about="" spiritual="" meanings="" and="" eternal="" processes.="" individuals="" feel="" better="" acquainted="" with="" their="" own="" thoughts="" and="" feelings,="" and="" they="" feel="" “different”="" in="" some="" way—calmer,="" at="" peace="" with="" themselves,="" “more="" beautiful="" on="" the="" inside="" and="" unstifled.”="" .="" .="" .="" [after="" the="" trips]="" there="" is="" a="" growing="" sense="" of="" wonder="" and="" a="" complex="" awareness="" of="" spiritual="" meanings="" as="" individuals="" feel="" at="" one="" with="" nature,="" yet="" they="" are="" aware="" of="" the="" transience="" of="" individual="" concerns="" when="" seen="" against="" the="" background="" of="" enduring="" natural="" rhythms.="" (kaplan="" &="" talbot,="" 1983,="" p.="" 178-180)="" transpersonal="" psychology="" and="" ecopsychology="" in="" transpersonal="" psychology,="" as="" well="" as="" many="" other="" psychological="" approaches,="" the="" sense="" of="" separate="" self="" is="" seen="" as="" a="" product="" of="" one’s="" personal="" history="" and="" is="" characterized="" by="" a="" sense="" of="" autonomy,="" independent="" agency,="" and="" separation="" from="" surroundings.="" the="" transpersonal="" approach="" differs="" from="" other="" approaches,="" however,="" by="" valuing="" and="" describing="" states="" in="" which="" the="" self="" transcends="" a="" narrow="" identification="" (e.g.,="" wilber,="" 2000).="" self-transcendence="" refers="" to="" states="" of="" consciousness="" and="" stages="" of="" development="" in="" which="" the="" sense="" of="" self="" is="" expanded="" beyond="" the="" ordinary="" boundaries,="" identifications,="" and="" self-images="" of="" the="" individual="" personality="" and="" reflects="" a="" fundamental="" connection,="" harmony,="" or="" unity="" with="" others="" and="" the="" world="" (caplan,="" hartelius,="" &="" rardin,="" 2003;="" davis,="" 2003;="" friedman,="" 1983;="" walsh="" &="" vaughan,="" 1993).="" bynum="" (1997),="" consistent="" with="" many="" others="" describing="" transpersonal="" psychology,="" places="" “unitive="" conscious="" experiences”="" at="" the="" center="" of="" the="" field="" (p.="" 301).="" based="" on="" a="" longer="" list="" of="" 202="" definitions,="" lajoie="" and="" shapiro="" (1992)="" offered="" this="" integration:="" transpersonal="" psychology="" is="" concerned="" with="" the="" study="" of="" humanity’s="" highest="" potential,="" and="" with="" the="" recognition,="" understanding,="" and="" realization="" of="" unitive,="" spiritual,="" and="" transcendent="" states="" of="" consciousness.="" (p.="" 91)="" ecopsychology="" argues="" that="" the="" deep="">