The personal self, no-self, self continuum: An intuitive inquiry and grounded theory study of the experience of no-self as integrated stages of consciousness toward enlightenment

The purpose of this dissertation was to elucidate the experience of no-self at advanced stages of consciousness toward enlightenment and to discern qualities of the living out of the experience. Research focused on explicating people's genuine perception of the experience of no-self as dissolution of ego, loss of meaning, and distress, which qualities were apparent in extant literature. An innovative research method consisted of combining the intuitive inquiry method with grounded theory as a way of verifying intuitive inquiry information, conclusions, and procedures in a pragmatic, analytical research process toward theoretical results. Semistructured interviews of 12 adults (7 women, 5 men; 24 to 70 years of age, average 55; 9 from the United States, 2 from Canada; 3 were aware of no-self since childhood, 9 became aware of no-self as adults) from the United States and Canada and from diverse ethnic and spiritual backgrounds evidenced no-self as a continuing experiential and integrative process of self, no-self, and Self toward higher stages of consciousness. Participants recounted experiences of no-self related to witnessing, exceptional human experiences, and living daily life; they also described awareness of experiences of personal self dis-identification and/or radical personal self dis-identification. Results pointed toward participants transcending or going beyond current level of ego, and additionally evidenced the transformational process of postdevelopment toward embodiment of integrative changes in self in relation to the world. The emptying self of ego allowed higher consciousness to come in, and at the same time, there was still functional ego. The process of embodying no-self experiences was vital to integration of changes in consciousness. This intuitive inquiry and grounded theory qualitative, exploratory study produced theoretical results, which may be substantiated by future research. The study of no-self as lived experience may further understanding of self, ego dissolution, and transformation of self toward higher states of consciousness, and may contribute to the fields of humanistic and transpersonal psychology.