The Humanistic Psychologist, Vol 53(1), Mar 2025, 1-22; doi:10.1037/hum0000351
“I’m not dead, or paralyzed, or brain damaged. But I easily could be.” These words, which I uttered with a trembling voice, initiate this autoethnographic study: an inquiry into meditative (contemplative) resources for healing from trauma. Such resources can be applied in everyday life, and in psychotherapy and other healing disciplines. “My contemplative practice truly saved my life and sanity, coupled with the loving-kindness of my family and friends.” This appreciative insight originally sparked the present research and conveys its primary focus: how formal methods of meditation and, more importantly, living day-to-day with a contemplative sensibility, can come to people’s aid, just as they did for me when I suffered a life-threatening broken neck in a terrible mountain biking accident. My personal stories of trauma and healing serve as qualitative phenomenological data that are explicated and interpreted by way of insights from existential and transpersonal psychology, Zen Buddhism (including a beautiful kōan), and Christian mysticism (Julian of Norwich and Saint John of the Cross). The psychospiritual significance and healing effects of several nondual spiritual/transpersonal/mystical experiences are explored: for example, how agonizing pain and death-dread gave way to boundless love, openness, and a wellness deeper than all wounds; and how that infinite love surprisingly showed up as compassion for a rageful, ranting, deeply suffering stranger. The article is offered in the heartfelt hope that it will touch survivors of trauma; family, friends, psychotherapists, doctors, nurses, and spiritual mentors who are supporting their healing process; and contemplative practitioners and meditation teachers. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)