Date of Graduation
1999
Document Type
Thesis
Abstract
The Reflective Journal methodology is an educational tool that was created to examine poets as they wrote poetry within a transpersonal writing design. Although language arts theory approaches have dealt primarily with the interactive and subjective nature of language through reading and writing activities, few have addressed the potential of the use of language as a vehicle for personal change through self-expression. This study attempted to investigate the psychological experiences, which may occur when poets are engaged in writing poetry and their opinions on personal change after the experience of writing. While writing, the poets in the study displayed that they: (1) experienced a wide range of emotions and emotional intensities. (2) experienced a variety of consciousness state changes. (3) displayed that more intensity of emotions and more depth in consciousness states may be found in the early phases of the writing process, although some poets may have these experiences throughout the entire writing process. (4) frequently identified their emotions as deeply intensive when they write poetry. (5) entered deep trance states when they write poetry. (6) may encounter difficulties in describing their emotions and consciousness states because they are difficult to put in a semantic context, or the poet is not experienced in speaking about their innate processes. (7) explained that the nature of the emotions and consciousness states during the writing of poetry is an interrelationship of states, which may be merged rather than superimposed upon one another. (8) focused their emotions and consciousness states between a focus on the thematic issues, a focus on the self, and a focus on the writing process. (9) may show tendencies to be more mystically oriented or more aesthetically oriented. (10) may achieve personal change more quickly when they focus on issues of truth rather than imaginative elements. (11) experience "felt sense" states which may influence their emotions and consciousness states. The researcher recommended that further constructs be created which allow for educators to acknowledge the importance of creative self-expression. Greater emphasis must be placed on the effectiveness of a reflective curriculum which addresses the importance of journal keeping, genre, the intrapersonal, and the transpersonal in poetry writing.
Recommended Citation
Wuenstel, Mary Catherine, "The reflective journal: The emotions and consciousness states of poets within a transpersonal writing design." (1999). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 10054.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/10054