I’m thinking of submitting this abstract for the Bowen Center’s annual meeting. Deadline is 6/16. Suggestions?
Abstract: Can Peaks States of Anxiety-free Awareness Increase DOS?
Erik Thompson
Bowen theory proposes a direct relationship between differentiation of self and chronic anxiety. It contains tools for stretching differentiation which are predicted to reduce chronic anxiety. If differentiation can pull anxiety, can it work the other way? Can significantly reduced chronic anxiety raise differentiation of self? While science is in the early stages of defining reliable neurophysiological measures of DOS, there has been more progress in measuring chronic anxiety (add 3 examples such as Galvanic Skin Response). Travis (dates) reports that TM can produce peak traits anxiety-free physiology (add 2 or 3 sentences of detail). These states are characterized by subjective experiences of inner silence and expanded inner wakefulness. This is a natural cognitive process of attunement to silence that people have always valued. As Bowen wrote: “the theory listens to a distant drumbeat that people have always heard. This distant drumbeat is often obscure by the noisy insistence of the foreground drumbeat , but it is always there, and tells its own clear story to those who can tune out the noise and keep focused on the distant drumbeat.” (FTCP, 361) Travis (date) reports that such noiseless states are associated with refinement of the prefrontal cortex, wherein (add language about pre-frontal brain coherence). Case data suggesting that such states are also associated with expanded DOS in the family will be presented.
PS Fred and I published a paper on this relationship in “The Family Journal” a few years back that I believe I shared with you all. It uses Skowron which I think it limited. I’m more interested in the case data emerging from our TM and BT research group.
PSS I have developed a talk that makes the theoretical case at the foundation of what I am proposing above- that self is an aspect, not just of families, but of the universe. The universe is a conscious system. When we “tune out the noise” we directly experience that universal aspect of self and partake of one of its essential characteristics- differentiation.
Hi Erik,
Thank you for posting this. I think your question of whether reduced chronic anxiety can contribute to DoS is an interesting one, and I would like to see the case data you have that supports it. In my experience, reduced anxiety through neurofeedback and Eastern meditation practices made it easier for me to be around people, reduced my defensiveness, withdrawal, and isolation. Is that the same as DoS? It certainly seems to overlap with some of its characteristics. Would be helpful to define DoS. What about the capacity for emotional separation from others? Finally, although I know it is possible to experience being one with the universe as a conscious system, do you have any factual evidence of it? I seem to recall one of John B. Calhoun’s last talks at the Bowen Center alluding to it. Wonder if Andrea has any recollection of that talk?
Looking forward to learning more,
Laurie
Thanks Laurie,
Regarding factual evidence of experiencing oneself as part of a universal consciousness, we have credible subjective reports, including scores of them from top scientists. I have documented my case data and presented it at meetings, and here in FEST. I think this is about the same level of factual evidence that we have for growth of DoS. Unlike the current state of DoS research, meditation research has data showing unusual high level of prefrontal coherence associated with such experiences. DoS is so fascinating. We long for freedom.
One more thought, Is there something other than a reduction in chronic anxiety that you are observing?
In this abstract, I’m trying to move one step at a time. Yes, as indicated in my note at the bottom, there is much more than the reduction of chronic anxiety in this work. I was thinking that anxiety is defined to the point where it is measurable. DoS and the experience of the universal aspects of self are currently harder to measure.
I am consistently curious about your work on this. I don’t think I would make the jump from peak states of awareness to an increase in differentiation. It eliminates the action piece that is part of differentiation. However, the heightened level of awareness is an equally important piece.
I like how you put that Ann- that heightened awareness is equally important. It turns out that inner silence meditation is itself an action step. I’ve considered the “action step” critique. I think it represents a narrow view of action. There is a tendency to reduce differentiation to a set of traditional techniques. But the menu of viable actions is much wider. I appreciate your curiosity.
Thanks for posting this. I’ve always been drawn to your work on meditation, which in an anxious, distracted world seems evermore important. I like the Bowen quote you cite. I also wonder about the difference between functional and actual DOS, and how meaningful it is.