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The Experience of Divine Guidance
A Qualitative Study of the Human Endeavor to Seek, Receive, and Follow Guidance
from a Perceived Divine SourceMark Allan Kaplan, Ph.D.
The History of Divine Guidance• Descriptions of the experience
are recorded in the Religious Narratives and Spiritual Teachings of most traditions and cultures.
• Descriptions have also been found in Biographical and Autobiographical Reports of individuals throughout human history who claimed to have sought, received, and followed guidance from a perceived divine source…
Prophets, Mystics and Saints
• Moses• Jesus• Muhammad• Buddha• Joan of Arc• Jalal al-Din Rumi• Rabbi Joseph Caro• Wallace Black Elk
Artists, Philosophers and Poets
• Michelangelo• William Edmondson• Socrates• Teilhard de Chardin• William Blake• John Keats• Robert Lewis Stevenson• Rudyard Kipling
Scientists, Warriors and World Leaders
• Emmanuel Swedenborg • George Washington Caver• General George Patton• Winston Churchill• Mohandas Gandhi• Martin Luther King, Jr.
Primary Research Intention
The primary intention of this study has been toExplore and Map the Territory
of the experience of divine guidance
Research Question
What are some of the experiential structures, patterns, and qualities of the subjective experience of divine guidance, as experienced by selected advanced spiritual teachers?
Research StanceThe foundation of the methodological approach of this inquiry has been the basic research stance of attempting to allow the Divine to lead this inquiry, through the application of various divine guidance practices and techniques…in order to:
• Establish coherence between the topic of inquiry and the method of inquiry
• Deepen researcher understanding of the topic of inquiry
• Attempt to capture the experience through the replication of the conditions under which it has been known to occur.
Research Methods
• Heuristic Research• Spiritual Inquiry• Grounded Theory
Phases of Inquiry
• Researcher Heuristic and Spiritual Self-Inquiry
• Semi-Structured In-Depth Interviews with Coresearchers
• Grounded-Theory-Based Data Analysis and Treatment
Researcher Self-Inquiry
• Topic Immersion– Researcher immersion in the literature
• Self-Reflection– Researcher self-reflection through the creation
of a spiritual autobiography• Self-Experimentation
– Researcher self-experimentation with 40 guidance-related methods and practices
Self-Inquiry ResultsThematic Patterns
• Narrative Quality of Experience
• Basic Categories of Experience: Seeking, Receiving, and Following
• Common Patterns and Core Issues:– Contributing Factors– Tools and Practices– Forms of Communication– Qualities of Experience– Discernment– Obstacles– Incorporation– Surrender– Effects
Interviews• Interview Format
– Individual (One on One)– Semi-Structured– In-Depth
• Interview Stance– Interview as Holy Encounter– Coresearcher as Divine Other (I-Thou)– Ritualization of Process and Sanctification of Self,
Environment, and Audio-Video Recording Technologies
• Interview Questions – Developed from Self-Inquiry Themes
Coresearchers
CR1 Psychosynthesis Practitioner (M) PsychosynthesisCR2 Sufi Sheikh (M) Islam/SufismCR3 Native American Shaman (F) Lakota SiouxCR4 Kabbalist Rabbi (M) JudaismCR5 Catholic Nun (F) ChristianityCR6 Catholic Priest (M) ChristianityCR7 Course in Miracles Teacher (M) Course in MiraclesCR8 Self-Realization Minister (F) HinduismCR9 Congregational Rabbi (F) Judaism
Interview Data• Audio Transcripts • Video Recordings
“My experience is that when you walk this path …seeking to be related to Spirit, seeking to receive, and seeking to follow… the Spirits come to us in the most blessed way possible.” (CR3)
Data Analysis and Treatment
• Transcription, Editing, and Review of Interview Data
• Content Coding • Code-to-Code
Relationship Mapping• Semantic Network
Mappingisa
=>
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Inner Voice {17-1}
[3:53][387] This was about twoweeks ago a..--------------------Thiswas about two weeks ago and Ihear in me, "Remember Yacob,remember Yacob at the base ofthe tree. Dror needs to see whatthe new dream is." This is what Ihear just as clear as I'mspeaking to you.
P 3: Interview 003
Form {63-32}
Receiving {76-27}
Source {142-47}
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Calling
Channeling
Contributing Factors
Discernment
Divination
Divine Flow
Dreams
Energetic-Sense
Faith
Felt-Sense
Following
Form Effects
Incorporation
Inner Dictation
Inner Voice
IntuitionObstacles
Outer Voice
Preparation
Presence
Purification
Qualities
Receiving
Seeking
Signs & Wonders
Source
Surrender
Synchronicities
Thought-Sense
Tools-Practices
Visions
Clarity
Consolation
Encouragement
Heart-Opening
Interconnectedness
Sense of Awe
Sense of Being Present
Sense of Calmness
Sense of Energy
Sense of Grace-Blessing
Sense of Gratitude
Sense of Harmony-Balance
Sense of Joy
Sense of Light
Sense of Love
Sense of Peace
Sense of Sacredness
Sense of Unselfconsciousness
Sense of Spontaneity
Sense of Timelessness
Sense of Union
Compassion
Healing
Inspiration
Life Changes-Transformation
Miracles
Revelation
Self-Reflection
Sense of Freedom
Sense of Goodness
Sense of Purpose-Direction
Sense of Satisfaction
Silence/Stillness
Spiritual Growth
Strength
Acceptance
Attachment
Authenticity
Awareness
Body Practices
Breathing
Centering
Chanting
Commitment
Contemplation
Courage
Divine Dialoguing
Doubt
Ego
Emotional Turmoil
Expectation
Fear
Judgment
Meditation
Mental Turmoil
Mindfulness
Nature Time
Perceptual Shift
Personal Constructs
Prayer/Blessing
Resistance to Change
Retreats
Right Action
Ritual
Sacred Objects
Sacred Space
Sacred Text
Spiritual Direction
Vision Quest
Visualization
Time and Space
Gathering Helpers
Logic-Reason
Not Following
Sacred Context
Transcendent Education
Voice of Nature
Angels
Forgiveness
Saints and Prophets
Will
Wisdom
Set and Setting
Divine Being
Divine Consciousness
Divine Father
Divine Force
Divine Mother
Earth Mother
God
Ground of Being
Higher Self
Nature Spirits
Spirit
Spirits
Confirmation of the Heart
Conformity of Experience
Detachment to Outcome
Effects of Experience
Extrication of Obstacles
Following Bliss
Level of Willingness
Recurrent Inquiry
Sense of Openness
Sense of Source
Test and Compare
Trial and Error
Attunement
Being Present
Being with What Is
Construct Transcendence
Creating the Space
Discernment Practice
Gratefulness
Guidance Practice
Inner Listening
Inspired Action
Openness to Receive
Sanctification
Waiting for an Answer
Watching for Signs
Spiritual Practice
Culture
Education-Study
EHE
Insight
Life Experience
Predisposition
Religious Experience
Effect-Centeredness~
Set-Constructs~
Peak Experience
Alignment
Authorization
Behavior Modification
Direction
Information
Warning
Content~
Activities AttributesMotives
Source-Constructs~
Source-Identity~
Life-Experience/Events~
Developmental-Factors~ Mediating-Factors~ Set-Setting~
Effort-and-Grace~
Impeding-Factors~
Source-Relationship~
Experience of Divine Guidance Semantic Network
Findings
• Structures of Experience• Metaphors of Divine Encounter• Resonant Learning• Guidance on the Path of Inquiry
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Discernment
Following
Form
Effects
Incorporation
Qualities
Receiving
Seeking
Source
Tools-Practices
Content~
Preparation Purification
Attributes
Activities
Motives
Contributing Factors Developmental-Factors~
Impeding-Factors~
Mediating-Factors~
Faith
Surrender
Will
Effort-and-Grace~Life-Experience/Events~
Set-Setting~
Transcendent Education
Obstacles
Personal Constructs
Contributing-Factors-EXT~
Contributing-Factors-INT~
Structuresof Experience
Categories of Experience
is associated withis associated with
Leads to
is cause of
Leads to
Leads to
Following
Receiving
Seeking
Source
Source
• Attributes– Various Inherent Characteristics– “My perception of God is [that] He or She is
very, very close” (CR1)• Motives
– Various Intentions– “God the merciful and benevolent” (CR2)
• Activities– Various Functions and Actions– “God had put a fresh heart in me” (CR5)
“Do my conceptions of the Divine help me come into relationship, or do they make me withdraw and stay away?” (CR1)
Seeking
• Preparation– Perceived need for self-preparation, and sense
of being prepared.• Purification
– Perceived need for self-purification, and sense of being purified.
• Practices– 19 Reported Practices: Practicing Attributes,
Prayer and Blessings, Discernment, Meditation, Studying Sacred Texts, etc.
“Part of the pattern would be the seeking…and/or those incredible moments of God just coming and seeking me.” (CR5)
Receiving
• Form of Communication– 23 Reported Forms: Perceptual Shift, Felt-Sense,
Insight, Thought-Sense, Inner Voice, etc.• Content of Communication
– 10 Reported Types of Content: Direction, Information, Shift in Perception, Authorization, Behavior Modification, etc.
• Qualities of Experience– 30 Reported Qualities: Sense of Perceptual Shift, Heart-
Opening, Interconnectedness, Light, Presence, etc.
“When...something...comes over you and alters your understanding or your perspective, and puts you in a different time and place [it] is a clear indication...you’re receiving something from a higher level.” (CR4)
Following
• Effects– 51 Reported Effects: Perceptual Shift, Purification,
Heart-Opening, Changes in Personal Constructs, etc.• Discernment
– 9 Reported Discernment Elements: Commitment to Practicing Discernment, the Removal of Obstacles, Recurrent Inquiry, Test and Compare, etc.
• Incorporation– 16 Reported Incorporation Elements: Attunement
Practices, Inner Listening, Inspired Action, etc.
“I think one thing is listening and the other thing is following; to realize I’m not in control and I want to follow.” (CR7)
Factors of the Experience
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Contributing Factors Developmental-Factors~
Impeding-Factors~
Mediating-Factors~
Following
Receiving
Seeking
Source
Contributing Factors
• Experiences of Insight• Relationship to Source• Experiences of Calling• Religious Experiences• Exceptional Human
Experiences• Predisposition
• Life Experiences• Spiritual Practices• Cultural Influences• Education and Study
“From the beginning, one of the things that brought me into seeking as a child was being orphaned.” (CR3)
Impeding Factors
• Personal Constructs– “Everybody is operating
out of a cosmology... a philosophy of life... a model of reality... whether they bring it to consciousness or not... [and] it profoundly guides how we react and respond.” (CR6)
• Obstacles– 21 Reported Obstacles: Ego,
Lack of Awareness, Fear, Mental/Emotional Turmoil, Lack of Surrender, Attachment, etc.
“There are several things that people do that create blockages or obstacles to receiving from other levels….If the mind and the emotions are not sublimated, they can be major interference factors.” (CR4)
Developmental Factors• Relationship to Source
– “Developing my relationship with God is my primary objective.” (CR4)
• Degree of Surrender– “Rather than a pursuing for me, it’s been a surrendering into it.”
(CR9) • Degree of Faith
– “You can put your faith, focus, and total attention [on] survival and to worshipping the material plane; or you can…focus on God…and develop spiritually.” (CR4)
• Degree of Will/Willingness– “It was a continual lifting it up, saying “if this isn’t right take it
away.” And there were times when I knew I was willing to do that.” (CR1)
Mediating Factors• Effort and Grace
– “You probably can’t seek unless you have some sense that there’s something calling you, something to be sought.” (CR1)
• Set and Setting– “If we want to regularly access the Divine Will, it’s about
creating the kind of space in our lives where that can happen.” (CR6)
• Life Experience and Events– “I think everything I've done in my life, even all the
experiences that I thought I hated in growing up…have all been important…for me to have.” (CR7)
• Transcendent Education– “Another pattern that keeps showing up...is that you’ll have an
experience and...then the reoccurrence of it in different forms is just lifting you to a higher quality of knowing.” (CR3)
Mapping the ExperienceGuidance Experience Template
REMOVING THE OBSTACLES
Seeking
DISCERNINGTHE MESSAGE
Following
Source
CONTINUOUSTRANSMISSION
OPENINGTHE CHANNELS
Receiving
The Flow of the Experience
Mapping the Experience
Metaphors of Divine Encounter
METAPHORS THEMES
Divine Flow, Inner River Connecting with a Flow
Divine Gravity Connecting with a Field
Divine Invitation Sensing Energetic Shifts
Divine Vehicle, Pipeline Becoming a Conduit
Dwelling Place Self-Sanctification
Nature, Life as Guidance Intermediary Elements
Divine Stillness Exclusion of Elements
“It’s…like a river flowing deep within me that I could dip into at anytime.” (CR5)
Resonant Learning “We’re going to elevate this conversation to the place that is speaking
from an open heart where divine guidance will flow through us and make a space for the Holy One to dwell.” (CR9)
• Each of the coresearcher’s metaphors of divine encounter appeared to have been experientially transmitted to the researcher through some kind of “mimicking” or resonant interaction phenomenon.
• This resonant learning phenomenon appeared to occur before, during and after each coresearcher interview.
Guidance on the Path of Inquiry “I talked with God one morning and He led me to [the discovery of the clay].”
– George Washington Carver
• The researcher tested 40 guidance-related self-experimentation methods and applied them to all aspects of this inquiry and the researcher’s everyday life.
• While all tested methods appeared to have a significant effect, some methods seemed to have a greater perceived effect.
• Familiarity, frequency, and duration of practice did not seem to be a significant factor in a methods perceived effect.
• The methods that seemed more effective appeared to be more resonant with the researcher on some unconscious level.
Applications
• Guidance Experience Template
• Guidance Experience Evaluation Checklist
• Synthesized Guidance Practice– Daily Purification
Practice– Situational Guidance
Meditation
The Experience of Divine GuidanceA Qualitative Study of the Human Endeavor to Seek, Receive,
and Follow Guidance from a Perceived Divine Source
A Doctoral Dissertation by Mark Allan Kaplan, Ph.D.Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, 2005Available at Google Play and Dissertations Abstracts
Research Presentation, June 2005Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, Palo Alto, CA