1Individual neurophysiologic recordings for each participant. http://hts.org.za/index.php/HTS/article/downloadSuppFile/1053/742
Nonparametric analysis of this data indicated no significant differences within or between individuals for any of the variables in Table 1. Group differences were also all non-significant, except for findings from the Wilcoxon signed-rank test for related variables. This revealed significant within-group effects for alpha and beta activities at the 1% and 5% level respectively, which are indicated in Table 2 in terms of the standard scientific convention of double and single asterisks, respectively. Inspection of Table 2 facilitates the interpretation of these significant findings.
2Group means ± standard deviations (SD), Wilcoxon Z statistics and probability levels for baseline and Trinity meditation neurophysiologic recordings. http://hts.org.za/index.php/HTS/article/downloadSuppFile/1053/743
Table 2 indicates significant increases, from baseline to meditation recordings, in alpha activity: Z (2, 8) = 2.70, p ≤ 0.007, and beta activity: Z (2, 8) = 1.99, p ≤ 0.047, as well as increasing mean trends in theta and gamma activities and decreasing mean trends in delta activity, EMG, BVP and respiration. Taken collectively, these findings indicate that the null hypothesis of no significant differences should be rejected in favour of an alternative, working research hypothesis that the brief Trinity meditation experience of 15 minutes is associated with a form of relaxed, pleasant and alert state of waking consciousness. However, whilst the number of participants is very small and the sample non-representative and therefore any interpretation of findings should be treated with caution, results are similar to those from other forms of meditation research (Iyengar 2005; Reid 1998; Shankar 2006; Travis & Pearson 2000; Travis et al. 2005). Moreover, the findings support the practical theological value of small 15 minute doses of Christian Trinity meditation to ‘top up’ one’s spiritual life for ‘normal’ forms of waking, thinking conscious behaviour needed in everyday world involvement and healing. Discussion Practical theological implications The value and relevance of an integral, transpersonal approach in practical theology has recently received increasing recognition, especially with regard to pastoral counselling (Ferreira 2009; Sutherland 2001; Woodward & Patterson 2000). The AQAL approach at least ensures that attention is given to individual and collective, subjective and objective perspectives on different levels of consciousness. In the present study, individual and collective analyses of both the phenomenological descriptions and the neurophysiologic recordings guaranteed subjective and objective perspectives on the different levels of consciousness experienced by the participants during Christian Trinity meditation. Participant A’s closing statement: ‘I can feel that the giving of love to others comes from the Holy Trinity and that they working through me’ has particularly valuable practical theological implications. It is an example of a spiritual insight, peak experience or therapeutic moment that occurs in meditation, contemplation and other similar consciousness transformation practices that are recognised for their value in effecting healing of individuals, society and the wider environment (Corsini 1989; Ivey et al. 2002; Rogers 1980; Wilber, 1977, 2000, 2007a). Recent pastoral psychological evidence particularly points to the efficacy of such mystical insights in promoting mental health, meaning and purpose in life (Drazenovich & Kourie 2010). Participant E’s protocol, which provides an outstanding individual example of collective quadrant and level trends, also implies a subtle distinction between spiritual gifts earned and those received, as traditionally associated with practices of meditation and contemplation, respectively. From an integrative perspective, individual and collective experiences indicate that Christian Trinity meditation is associated generally with an increasingly relaxed, contented, peaceful and focused state of consciousness, characterised by imagery, consent, surrender, wonder, bliss, openness and formlessness or emptiness. Such experiences are known to be related to increased alpha wave activity, as evident in the neurological recordings, as well as lowered physiological arousal, indicated by decreasing trends in pulse rate, muscle tension and respiratory activity (Ivey et al. 2002). Furthermore, the associated significant increases in beta activity, as well as related theta and gamma trends, support interpretations of both a relaxed and focused state of consciousness. This becomes particularly understandable if the paradoxical nature of the Trinity is taken into account when viewed alternatively from mental and spiritual perspectives. For example, from a rational point of view, it is illogical for three distinct persons to be one at the same time and place. Yet, this is precisely what is experienced directly from a faith or spiritual perspective. It seems likely that the significant beta and alpha findings actually reflect this paradox, if beta and gamma are considered to be associated with alert, rational waking consciousness and alpha and theta related to those loosened cognitive constructs associated with more relaxed, dreamy states that occur during transformations of consciousness from the realm of rational mind to that of subtle soul and causal spirit. In order to clarify such transformations from one level to another, Wilber (2001) has evoked St Bonaventure’s insightful distinction between the eye of flesh, the eye of reason and the eye of contemplation. Bonaventure found the distinction valuable in clarifying various forms of illumination respectively: sensual (lumen exterius and inferius), mental (lumen interius) and spiritual (lumen superius). These forms were valuable in distinguishing between empirical cognition, as in seeking facts of the material world (cogitatio), seeking intuitive truths such as the image of God within the psyche (meditatio) and that transcendent insight apprehended when the soul unites with Godhead (contemplatio). Wilber (2001:3) has referred to the resulting object knowledge domains of matter, mind and spirit as sensibilia, intelligibilia and transcendelia; he noted that similar ideas can be found in every major school of traditional philosophy, psychology and religion, many of which are reviewed and integrated in his books (Wilber 2000, 2001, 2007a). It would be very interesting in future to record longer, deeper and/or higher Trinity meditation experiences in order to investigate possible relationships between delta activity (characterised by a very low frequency of 0–3 cycles per second) usually associated with deep sleep and also possibly with the Godhead and/or formlessness apprehensions probably related to very subtle and/or causal levels of depth of consciousness experienced in meditation and contemplation respectively (Wilber 2007a). It would also be interesting to compare gamma activity (with a very high frequency of 40 or more cycles per second) in such investigations. When integrated with various other experiential and behavioural, subjective, inter-subjective and objective measures, focusing on such delta and gamma investigations may reveal interesting, associated apprehensions of higher and deeper levels of spiritual involvement in both immanent and/or transcendent senses. As with other advanced spiritual practice, it can be predicted that this will have beneficial practical theological benefits at the personal, community and ecological levels. Such are the tasks and implications for future research investigations and interventions. Future in-depth and longitudinal research is also needed to map accurately various transformations of consciousness that occur in both states and stages of Christian meditation and contemplation. The New Testament, especially John’s Gospel of Jesus’ statements regarding God’s presence within him, and his place within God, is a prime resource, and the above-mentioned unfolding stages of image – metanoia, apathea, illumination and theosis – provide a valuable macro-process baseline for such future investigations (Chirban 1985; Wilber 2000). Although such methods as Christian centring prayer are well established (Keating 2009), these tend to lack those precise stage, category or level distinctions apprehended, observed and consensually validated in Hindu and Buddhist traditions. Eastern Orthodox Christian approaches, as exemplified in the work of St Maximos, St Dionysis and St Basil, have made some headway in this regard (Chirban 1985). In addition to the New Testament, other resources include that vast body of experiential knowledge documented in Christian-orientated mystical traditions through such spiritual giants as St Augustine, St Bonaventure and Teilhard de Chardin, as well as by less recognised figures such as St John of the Cross, St Teresa and Eckhart (Huxley 1946; Wilber 2001, 2007a). The AQAL theory postulates that all people develop through similar states and stages of consciousness. These may be mapped with what has become known as the Wilber-Coombs Lattice, in recognition of its two originators. Wilber (2007b) has provided the following Christian example, with colours of the spectrum differentiating different levels of consciousness: Let’s say a person has a peak experience of seeing a cloud of radiant white luminosity. Which at times appears as to be a person or being of light, and then has a sense of merging into that light, feeling a sense of infinite love and unbounded bliss. Let’s say this person is a Protestant, whose lower left quadrant has predisposed his interpretations to see and clothe this experience in Christian terms. What will this person see? If he’s at red altitude, he might see this as a magical Jesus who can walk on water, resurrect the dead, turn water into wine, multiply loaves and fishes, and so on. At amber, he might see Jesus as the eternal lawgiver, the bringer of complete salvation if one believes the myths and dogmas and follows the codes and commandments, and covenants given to the chosen people and found in the one and only true Book (the Bible). At orange, this person might see Jesus as a universal humanist, yet also divine, teaching world centric love and morality, and who can bring salvation not just in heaven but to some degree on this earth, in this life. At green, this person might see Jesus as one of many, equally valid spiritual teachers, and hence embracing Jesus might give complete salvation for me, which is why I passionately do so, but other individuals and cultures might find other spiritual paths to be better for them, knowing that all genuine spiritual paths, if they go deep enough, can offer an equal salvation or liberation. If this person is flying at turquoise, he might see Jesus as a manifestation of the same Christ-consciousness that everybody, including you and me, can have complete access to, and thus Jesus is emblematic of a transformative consciousness that shows each person to be part of a vast system of dynamic, flowing, and mutually interpenetrating processes that includes all of us in its radiant sweep. At violet and ultraviolet, Christ-consciousness might be seem as emblematic of the transcendental, infinite, selfless Self, the divine consciousness that was in Jesus and is in you and in me, a radically all-inclusive consciousness of Light, Love, and Life that is resurrected from the stream of time upon the death of the loveless and self-contracting ego, revealing a destiny beyond death, beyond suffering, beyond space and time and tears and terror, and hence found to be right here, right now, in the timeless moment in which all reality comes to be. (pp. 144–145) Clearly such differentiated mapping of levels of consciousness with regard to any particular phenomenon will have great practical theological valuable in pastoral psychological situations, requiring empathically appropriate counselling. The present investigation is concerned essentially with Christian Trinity consciousness. It is also more concerned with what Porter (1999) has described as the Christ of faith rather than the Jesus of history. However, from an integral perspective, such consciousness is also essentially inter-subjective, with historical, religious, cultural and contextual determinants. For example, it is important to understand that in the early Christian era, personhood ‘was in some sense individual, but always in community as well’ (Olson 1999:186) and it was in this context, in the third century after the birth of Jesus, that the Latin theologian, Tertullian, taught the unity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit as three persons in one Godhead. This, in turn, led to the First Council of Nicaea in the year 325, which established the Christian creed in terms of Father, Son and Holy Spirit with the following respective phrases regularly repeated in contexts of community prayer: ‘one God, the Father’, ‘God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father’ and ‘Holy Spirit, the Lord the giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son’ (Church of the Province of South Africa 1989:108; Olson 1999). Clearly, such an historical, cultural and religious context, which is also reflected in the participants’ descriptions, has an enormous role in maintaining and shaping Trinity consciousness and faith. In this context, it should be noted that although the investigation honoured the basic requirements of the AQAL model, it was limited to very specific subjective, objective, individual and collective perspectives on different levels of consciousness. It should also be noted that the collective quadrants are derived rather than being primary in nature and that the general findings of this study should be viewed as very preliminary. Further quantitative and qualitative research involving both greater numbers of participants and in-depth exploration is needed, especially in relation to the collective quadrants. For example, the lower left, inter-subjective, cultural quadrant could be investigated further through Trinity meditation focus group discussions. Similar focus group discussions could explore social systemic, inter-objective comparisons with other spiritual and religious traditions in relation to Trinity conceptions in particular and meditation practices in general. Further discussion on Trinity consciousness, especially in the second person, is relevant at this point. Based on extensive research into the known spiritual and religious traditions, Wilber (2007a) has distinguished what he refers to as first, second and third person perspectives or the 1, 2 and 3 of God and/or Spirit, which have interesting parallels with the Christian Trinity. Third person perspectives refer to God as revealed through the awesome power of nature, as typified in the nature mysticism of Wordsworth’s poetry. This traditional conception is also well represented as modern eco-systemic, Gaia and web-of-life theories, which run parallel with God as Father in the Christian Trinity. Second person perspectives include traditional theistic religions such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam, as typified in Martin Buber’s ‘I – Thou’ relationship, in which ‘Thou who is all Love’ and ‘to whom I surrender in love and devotion and sacrifice and release’ (Wilber 2007a:159), as well as in deity mysticism, divine humanity and Jesus’ original message of Love. First person perspectives are included in many meditation traditions, for example, the Witness, Atman-Brahman, Absolute Subjectivity, Spirit, Ultimate Source and Original Self found in causal and non-dual mysticism, Holy Spirit revelations and other mystical Christian Trinity apprehensions. In conclusion, Wilber (2007a) notes the great value of a harmonious and balanced integration of all three perspectives of God and points out that the trend in new spiritual and religious movements of over-emphasising first and third person perspectives of God to the neglect of second person perspectives. The findings of the present study seem to address issues related to both the harmony of perspectives as well as the Divine Other. The integrated phenomenological and neurophysiologic evidence indicates that participants found the integral investigation into Trinity meditation practically and theologically valuable and meaningful. This is not surprising, considering the long-established value of such transformations of consciousness and behaviour that occur in and through meditative, contemplative and/or intercessory prayer and related spiritual practices in Christianity, as well as in many other theistic and non-theistic spiritual, wisdom and healing traditions, such as ancestor reverence, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism and Islam. AcknowledgementsThis work is based on research supported by the University of Zululand and the South African National Research Foundation (NRF). Any opinion, finding and conclusion or recommendation expressed in this material is that of the author(s) and the NRF does not accept any liability in regard thereto. Competing interests The authors declare that they have no financial or personal relationship(s) which may have inappropriately influenced them in writing this article. Authors’ contributions As co-researchers, S.D.E (University of Zululand) and D.J.E. 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