Intuit What You Need

One research question guided the autoethnographic inquiry: “What is the experience of intuition and immersion in the Holotropic Breathwork community?” The experience of intuition and Holotropic Breathwork are subjective. An autoethnography is proposed to allow focus on personal and evocative narratives of the author. Specifically, Jones, Adams, and Ellis method for autoethnographic data analysis was followed to bring the reader into the experience while being vulnerable. Data analysis revealed (1) appropriate set and setting, (2) mutual support, and (3) self-trust as salient themes. Future considerations to inform possible alternatives and integrative methods for coping with anxiety, depression, and enhancing quality decision making given the experience of intuition and immersions in the Holotropic Breathwork community are discussed.

The Expression of Religion and Identity in International Funding

Donor preference is a significant component that can either promote or inhibit sustainable development results, yet the involvement of private donors in international development work has not yet been examined in academic literature. Models for integrative negotiation in funding processes have been proposed, but without having the voice of donors present in literature, all previous negotiation models are incomplete because a major party to the negotiation is absent from the model. Conflict analysis and resolution is a new approach that will bring clarity to the role of private donors in international development work and generate integrative solutions for donors to employ in their work should they choose. This phenomenographic study analyzed the content, process, identity, and relational aspects of conflict in private international development projects through the viewpoint of donors. The research goals were to (1) generate understanding about how private donors understand their role in the international development work they fund, (2) ascertain how donors experience conflict in the course of this work, and (3) determine which conflict resolution techniques can be integrated to align their intentions, resources, and outcomes more accurately. The purposive snowball sample was comprised of six donors who fund private international work outside the US. The interrelated culmination of knowledge generated from this study demonstrates a broad landscape of experiences that describe how donors experience conflict and what may motivate them to consider alternative behaviors that can change the course of their work.

Indigenous Conflict Resolution Systems

African tribal societies still rely upon indigenous conflict resolution systems as well as cultural sources to uphold the values of peace, tolerance, solidarity, and respect for one another. The purpose of this chapter was to examine the efficacy of indigenous conflict resolution systems in building peace and promoting social solidarity among indigenous communities in South Africa. Data collection was largely based on critical review of literature relating to the application of indigenous conflict resolution systems in resolving conflicts among indigenous communities. Social capital, Ubuntu, and social solidarity were also used as underpinning theories to guide the study. Findings revealed territorial expansion, resource competition, inheritance or land boundaries, misunderstanding over succession, indebtedness, chieftaincy, adulterous affairs, family property, breach of contract, murder, allegations of bewitchment, theft, matrimonial fall-outs, and cattle raiding as the main causes of violence conflict in indigenous communities. However, the absence of clear policy in the application of indigenous conflict resolution system has been found to be a limiting factor, although these systems are effective in resolving conflicts, building peace, and promoting social solidarity among indigenous communities. Socio-cultural norms and values embedded in indigenous communities have remained an integral part of every organized society. The study thus recommended the establishment of indigenous institutions of governance based on norms, values and principles of conflict resolution and peace building.

Restorative Peacebuilding in Liberia

This chapter explores how traditional Liberian communities decimated by colonization, multi-generational trauma, and war found healing through ancient wisdom and ritual. The events related here highlight some of the ways that guidance from other-than-human realms, particularly from nature and the dead, makes quantum healing possible by restoring respectful relationships with all life as well as with the unseen world that is its source. The discussion highlights the urgency for international peacebuilding and foreign aid policy to re-examine the erroneous assumption that outside experts and money will solve the dilemmas caused by colonization, commodification, and greed. In the experiences related here, the authors show how dreaming, divination, ritual, offerings, and community councils helped divided communities work together for the sake of peace. The unexpected appearance of elephants—traditionally understood to be harbingers of peace—reawakened an ancient understanding of how to work in alliance with the natural world. The mysterious, interwoven events related here reveal new ways of working collaboratively across cultures and beyond the human realm. This suggests an innovative role for outsiders wishing to support the efforts of traditional communities seeking peace and stability after war, with the awareness that impending global extinction requires an unprecedented cultural shift to re-invigorate lived reciprocity within and beyond the human community for the sake of all life.

Between Imajaɤen (Warrior) and Timogoutar (Helplessness)

This chapter is drawn from a much larger qualitative phenomenological inquiry into the Kel Tamashek of the Central Sahara and its Sahelian transition zone. The impetus for this larger research was driven by US Army Generals John Mulholland (Ret), James Linder (Ret), and US Navy Admiral Brian Losey. These senior military leaders foresaw the coming clash between this powerful ethnic community and the rapid spread of globalization into the vast spaces of the Sahel and Sahara Desert. This ethnic community lives in an alternate reality in the northern parts of Niger and Mali, and the southern parts of Algeria and Libya. This alternate reality is of their own design and is well over a millennium in the making. The Kel Tamashek are of extreme interest to regional and international security forces because of their tendency to resist political control. After fighting the French Colonial governments to a standstill in the 17th and 18th centuries, they went on to overthrow the African-based governments in Mali and Niger several times each.

The Psychology of the Soul and the Paranormal

The author does not believe that all of psychology must fit into the narrow boundaries accepted by mainstream reductionist and rationalistic science. Jungian Psychology validates the awareness of spirit. This chapter explains how the soul has the ability to interact with the physical body and how mediums and psychics receive their information—both of these happen through the spiritual body. The author believes that the small voice in our head comes from our soul through the unconscious where our soul resides. The author offers that the law of polarity seeks to balance us with positive or negative reactions to our energy or electrical field. This law works with our vibrations and our thoughts. In this way, thoughts are very real things that affect us floating between the two worlds in our dreams and when we are awake. It is suggested that we all receive vibrational frequencies through our vagus nerve, what Darwin called the pneumogastric nerve in the 1870s.

Mutual Accountability for Sustainable Peace

This chapter explores some of the ways that other-than-human guidance can help to restore the mutually beneficial relationships that bring peace and sustain life. Building on the chapter “Restorative Peacebuilding in Liberia” (in this volume), the authors examine some of the underlying principles that make relational peacebuilding such a compelling path to reconnection after violence. They look at how, in the Liberian context, conventional aid reinforces learned helplessness; how communities riven by bloodshed long for reconnection above all; how ecocide exacerbates and often precedes genocide; how a radical shift in perspective from “Me” to “We” opens fresh possibilities for healing; and they consider the role of borders, edges, dreams, and chance encounters as loci of unexpected support. They look at how trauma distorts our perceptions and compromises our decision-making, and they consider the false narrative of “progress.” In its place, they advocate that Westerners seek reciprocity rather than dominance for all our sakes. The authors have included an appendix with benchmarks and questions designed to help us make the necessary changes in ourselves so that we can redefine progress in relational rather than material terms. Above all, the events and stories related here invite us to consider a new kind of relationship with the natural world and each other, based on mutual healing and mutual accountability.

Conflict Resolution of Mind and Body Using Ayurveda and Yoga

This chapter will focus on Ayurveda and yoga to understand the power of the mind and body to resolve conflict. The fundamental principles of Ayurveda will be discussed in relation to the universe and body because we are a microcosm of the macrocosm. A society so rich in science, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare professionals still struggles for good health. Society continues to remain malnourished even though overfed with food causing the human mind to turn to other modalities like Ayurveda and yoga. As contemporary medicine starts with disease, Ayurveda begins with health with the focus on maintaining the health of the healthy. The fundamental principles of Ayurveda regarding the biological humors (doshas) will be discussed in relation to the five elements of ether, air, fire, water, earth. The main focus will be diet and lifestyle. This chapter will provide pearls of Ayurvedic wisdom to allow one to assimilate these practices into daily life.

Progressive Development of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Its Holistic Evolution of Natural Treatments

This chapter explores the progressive development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) before and during the establishment of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM). In addition, this chapter also tried to investigate the evolution of natural medicines or therapies of PTSD. Findings of the researches showed that significant historical events like wars were the major reasons behind getting recognition of PTSD among worldwide societies. It has a long history as well as existed in different forms and names among human beings. It takes a long time to get the identity, position, and recognition across the different editions of DSM. With the addition of PTSD under trauma and stressor related disorder in the 5th edition of DSM, a large number of PTSD cases were identified and produced as compared to the previous editions of DSM. Moreover, holistic treatment and complementary and alternative medicine approaches were more effective treatment for PTSD and help to nullify the symptoms of PTSD. Ayurveda, meditation, yoga, animals, forest bathing, and ocean therapies were used more for dealing with combat veterans suffering from PTSD.

Survival of Indigenous African Healing Systems in Post-Apartheid South Africa

This chapter focuses on the revelation of the status of traditional medicine on which a high number of users depend, despite its historical negation in South Africa. This scenario suggests the need to evaluate the current narrow cultural perspective in the health sector and consider an intervention that will promote respect for diverse cultural practices that provide healthcare services to diverse social groups with their respective moral codes. In this chapter, the researcher argues that the notion of integration of diverse medical practices is a nonstarter and a subtle way of reinsertion of the status quo. In conclusion, this chapter argues that the historical experiences reveal that each medical practice is embedded in its social order; thus, the concept of a plural healthcare system becomes a viable intervention to put an end to the historical injustices against the izinyanga and their practice in this instance.