Questions for research:

[sabrinamari]

What patterns characterize the relationship between somatization and fluency in energy work/DD/shamanic journeying?

If there are indeed concrete patterns, what can be extracted from them for use in teaching energy work/DD work/shamanic journeying to others?

Who has already done research into these issues and what have they found?

How could one best design a study to investigate these issues with a smallish sample of 60 or so pagans from a single tradition, if similar work has not already been done?

****************************************************************************

OK, I am not logging on to LJ or non-work email until tonight, *no matter what*, until after my diss work and paid work goals have been achieved for the day!

Comments

[tigira.livejournal.com]

I posted my answer in your post on SAD.
Anyway, the simple answer is that I do this. I sometimes wish I didn't, though. It can be inconvenient.

[tigira.livejournal.com]

As to setting up a study, another interesting study would be inter-trad.

Not that it can be done easily, though, given that some trads really do envision themselves more as the "Hidden Children of the Goddess" than we generally do in ours.

[amber-phoenix.livejournal.com]

Fascinating questions! I'd love to read such studies, but don't know of any pre-existing).

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

I just wanted to give you a quick virtual hug since I haven't done so yet online. And I agree that we share more than seems immediately apparent! : )

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

laughing...that's so true!

[willowoak.livejournal.com]

I'm not totally certain that I *grok* your question. Perhaps because I'm confused about the use of the term somatization in this context. :o)

Are you talking about whether we experience physiological manifestations and/or responses as a result of working with energy and/or drawing down? If that's what you're looking at, I'd be happy to talk with you about my own experiences and responses. :o) I'm not certain what patterns can be extrapolated FROM them in trying to teach others.

I don't know whether there have been any such studies focussing specifically on pagans, although I wouldn't be surprised if there weren't some studies with respect to shamanic journeying and/or ecstatic religious practices (speaking in tongues, etc.) -- at least from the anthropological point of view.

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

Cynthia, scan my responses to the post below. Two of them lay out what I'm getting at more clearly. And I was thinking of our conversation about involuntary muscle cramping during DD as part of this mix of ideas. I very much want to pursue that issue with you for a couple of different reasons when we talk next.

[dragonflycai.livejournal.com]

So, um... excuse me, but my ignorance is showing, ;) and i have some questions.

What do you mean by somatization? The dictionary says it's how anxiety manifests in physical symptoms. So are you referring to how we feel energy blocks in our body?

Also, i do quite a bit of energy work and am returning to shamanic journeying. But what is DD work? My brain isn't making a connection with the abbreviation.

I like the idea of studies on energy work (even if i'm not sure yet what you're studying), and would be happy to help / participate in whatever way i can.

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

Scan down a bit on the "Sun Lamp" entry---I know it has a million comments, sorry!---looking for two entries that answer this question. Someone else also inquired, and there's post explaining it a bit better.

Also, DD stands for "Drawing Down".

Cai, I am thinking broadly here of all kinds of energy work (many forms of which you are really good at!). I have a theory percolating, and you'll see it developing in several of the sun lamp posts below.

I would *definately* include you iny kind of study.

[dragonflycai.livejournal.com]

I've been mostly offline for nearly a week now, for various and assorted
reasons. I'll definitely re-visit the sunlamp entry; it looks as if it
grew a bit from when i first read it. ;)

Thank you for the include.

You definitely have me intrigued, and eager to hear more on your ideas! :)

Until then...