I have been extremely busy of late, finalising my Traditional Usui Ryoho Reiki Master/ Teacher course.  I have also been studying a range of comparative modalities, including Zen Reiki, Ama Deus Shamanic Healing, One Spirit Shamanism and Tiger Reiki.  All these energetic systems possess a rich cultural inheritance and need to be studied ideally in context of their original methods and practices, without making compromises from the original Chinese / Japanese origins, symbol systems, or for their compact conveyance of authentic knowledge.  There is definitely a balance to be struck however, between studying the original facets of these energy systems, with a tacit acceptance of the efficacy of their therapeutic benefits, absent of social context or analysis and unnecessary over- intellectualisation.  As a whole, I feel that my exploration of Reiki and Shamanic healing presents a beneficial comparative perspective, when considering the current identity I encountered in the emerging discipline of parapsychology, during my studies last year.

Here are the overviews of three journal articles I am currently researching and preparing: -

Overview Abstract: - (citations not included in précis text.)

Parapsychology.

Re-appraising Methodological Issues: The Efficacy of Allied Traditions.

By Rev. Dr. Stephanie Lynne Thorburn.

The field of parapsychology would appear to have encountered an apparent philosophical crisis of confidence, both in respect to its status in the public domain and in relation to the scientific, academic community.  A series of consistent issues related to the conveyance of key epistemological aspects of parapsychology display an apparent disregard for the potential individuality and development of the discipline as an independent sphere of theory and practice for students and parapsychologists alike.  This conceptually disappointing outcome is at least in some substantial part, an inevitable response to the embracing of somewhat uniform methodological ideals shared by the contemporary social sciences. 

In my paper on parapsychological pedagogic issues, I have presented a series of comparative sociological models in relation to the allied areas of Reiki, shamanic healing, meditation and hypnosis.  Reflexive issues in connection to this paper relate firstly, to whether these traditions might be universally accepted as legitimate allies for conceptual analysis and conceptual/ ontological integration.  Further, my own inevitably subjective selection and interpretation of the available studies and methodological standpoints currently exhibited in the field of parapsychological theory would seem to present a further question within my own mind.   Researcher and theorist interpretive 'bias' are present in determining the formation of coherent discourses and critiques, amounting to what I believe is termed 'scholarship' or the conveyance of a distinct perspective in the academic domain, rather than simply a reappraisal or a recital of all existing facets to a debate.  My vested interest therefore is to respect the lessons that can be learned from the maintenance of scientific rigour to ensure components such as the sound validity, reliability and replicability of parapsychological studies. However, at a more qualitative level of analysis, I am attempting to represent a reasonably concise sociological theory of comparative esoteric traditions and emerging occupations such as hypnosis and Reiki in the postmodern context.   

There are some quite stark points of contrast between parapsychology and a range of alternative practices in relation to their respective social, ontological status and milieu.  As a whole, the uncompromising, authentic traditional cultural identity exhibited by increasingly popular 'new age' modalities such as Usui Ryoho Shiki Reiki and Ama Deus shamanism are at total variance with the relatively cautious and sometimes seemingly unchallenging face of parapsychology as presented by the most prevalent theorists such as Chris French and Susan Blackmore, when forwarding conventional parapsychological logical discourse within the public domain. Further, the phenomenon of the middle classes embracing the philosophies of the intangible, or the fundamentally esoteric aspects of such modalities such as Reiki would seem to be in direct contrast to the public and academic cynicism inhibiting the actualisation of parapsychology as a discipline.  It is via closer comparison of the ontological and epistemological 'defence mechanisms' inherently utilised by such esoteric practices as Reiki and shamanism, that I feel we may circumvent the limitations offered within existing discourses that seek to explain subjective paranormal phenomena and experiences.  Existing explanations of empathetic phenomenon, NDE's, OBE's have touched on feminist issues such as the acceptance of rejection of the gendered binaries of nature/ nurture and intuition as categories of explanation of para psychological experiences.  The employment of abnormal psychological frames of reference (i.e. disassociative tendancies, fantasy proness) and the exhaustive use of the scientific method in forming reductive neurobiological theories, are also popular categories of explanation and often dismissal of the legitimacy of the complexities of subjective para psychological phenomena. I believe that a number of these strategies have simply served to marginalise the discipline of parapsychology further and would make the subsequent assertion that the field of parapsychology would be far freer to explore a range of complementary perspectives, if its theorists would be more accommodating towards the incorporation of the heart, soul and epistemological lessons of more holistic spheres, such as Reiki and hypnosis both in respects to their pedagogic base and as legitimate subjects for study in themselves. 

The lessons potentially learned from the plurality these alternative disciplines offer and their at least partial abandonment of western scientific methodological goals have proven liberating in the establishment of these alternative disciplines.  It would seem that the most powerful component in the success of esoteric modalities when integrating into mainstream accepted practice in our culture, has been their initial engagement with the purchase of cultural confidence and public resonance, prior to the establishment of successful profession, occupational acclaim.  Doubtless alternative therapies and skills such as hypnotherapy now also wield a degree of cultural capital for practitioners. I feel that parapsychologists might attend wisely to the ontological and epistemological issues I will attempted to overview in this paper on the efficacy of comparable, well established allied traditions to gain advantage and evolve in the context of contemporary postmodern culture. To augment this paper, I have drawn from the motifs offered by a number of current courses, such as the MA and PhD course structures from a range of learning providers, offering a plurality of approaches including the Californian Institute of Integral Studies and Coventry University (Parapsychology MSc), who draw from Shamanism, anthropology and transpersonal psychology in their course structures.

Undoubtedly, parapsychology benefits through its appeal as an interdisciplinary field. It is my hope that my own  research initiatives and perhaps more importantly, those already on offer by a range of divergent thinkers suggest positive models for further, future practice that might benefit the learning process of students and academic community at large in the development of the essentially human science of parapsychology.

 
Making A Positive Methodological Contribution To Emerging Discursive Spheres.

Rev Dr. Stephanie Lynne Thorburn
  
In my second paper on parapsychology, I am currently forming some thoughts on the key facets and components required in the forwarding of a methodologically sound, reflexively open system of engagement with conflicting discourses in emerging spheres such as parapsychology.  Despite its not inconsiderable history in British and US culture and evocative body of scientific research, parapsychology is still at an early stage in establishing its voice.  In this paper, I will explore the benefits of engaging with holistically informed methodological appraisals that might assist in the development and professional stability of disciplines, (with special reference to parapsychology!)  This paper is therefore a logically corollary to the first and formed via a concern that too often students are not offered the relevant methodological tools to make balanced, critical holistic observations pedagogically, rather encouraged into localised research based discourses pertaining to the continuation of the orthodoxy within specialist spheres of knowledge.

Reiki and Shamanic Energetic Systems:  In The Field With The Big Cats.

Rev. Dr Stephanie Lynne Thorburn.

Field research: breaking with the safety offered by academic papers and philosophy alone- I have been busy translating Reiki and shamanic energetic systems into workable modalities, directly applicable to feral beasts!  Ethical and methodologically challenging...  I will be undertaking this field research into the future and am currently selecting a suitable white tiger to bestow a 'One Spirit' therapeutic, healing attunement!