| How did some individuals forgive that which was seemingly unforgivable? This was the main research question of this dissertation, concerned with the investigation of the self-transforming nature of becoming forgiving following traumatic events. The dynamics of transformative forgiveness, along with its facilitators, inhibitors, concomitants, and aftereffects were studied mainly at the individual intrapsychic level in a qualitative heuristic research design. The final sample consisted of 13 participants from various ethnic and spiritual backgrounds. Data collection was accomplished through a questionnaire that measured the self-reported extent of transformation, a narrative session, and 2 in-depth semi-structured interviews. The data were analyzed through thematic content analysis and repeated heuristic cycles of immersion, incubation, and illumination. Results indicated that transformative forgiveness was an evolutionary process of psychospiritual development, developing across the prepersonal, personal, and transpersonal levels. It was essentially a healing process, self-directed, intrapsychic, and unconditional. The intention either for healing or forgiveness initiated the process and gradually replaced anger as motivator. Consistent with other forgiveness research findings, becoming forgiving included a difficult period of cathartic processing followed by the development of empathy and compassion. However, this study revealed that forgiveness developed out of a generalized compassionate state of being. In addition, becoming forgiving was accompanied by transpersonal experiences with substantial therapeutic effects. It was this tension between the ordinary and the transcendent consciousness that resulted in the new emergents of consciousness for the study participants, such as generalized compassion and the resolution of forgiving. Becoming forgiving following traumatic events emerged as a process of self-creation through self-transcendence, originating from and determining an expanded consciousness. A new definition and a new conceptualization of transformative forgiveness as an exceptional human experience were introduced in this study. Based on the results, transformative forgiveness was defined as an evolutionary process of consciousness, transpersonal in nature, developing in the interpersonal context, but primarily intrapsychic. |
