| Historically, traditional research of widowhood in the fields of sociology and psychology indicate studies limited to statistical analyses of gerontological, socio-economic issues, support systems, and life styles. Depth psychological perspectives, which illustrate imaginal and complex psychological relationships that widows have with widowhood, have received limited scholarly attention.;This dissertation suggests that an archaic sociocultural and religious paradigm has been imposed on widows, impeding their conscious insights into widowhood and individuation processes, and therefore, internal tensions develop between obligations to cultural dictates and individual desires.;Three research methods were used in the analysis and exploration of the tension mentioned above. They provided insights into possible paradigm shifts where the conception of and choices for widows is changed. The hermeneutic research method included interpretation and understanding of widows' religious, mythic, sociological, and psychological history. The heuristic method investigated and reflected upon essences of the author's own personal and other widows' lived experiences. Through transference dialogues, reverie, and dreams, the alchemical hermeneutic method deepened the research process, expanded understanding about widows' psychological complexes, and amplified significant symbolic imaginal figures.;Conclusions suggest that a paradigm shift in the cultural perception of widows could benefit a parallel shift in widows' self-conceptions. Unconscious mimetic responses could be transformed through awareness about cultural impositions. Widows could then take more active roles in their relationship to widowhood. Furthermore, by amplifying unconscious psychological contents through reverie, dreams, and transference dialogues, awareness of new imaginal models of widowhood could be discovered.;This dissertation further suggests that future research and case studies about widows could advance a deeper analysis of widowhood by combining traditional hermeneutics with alchemical hermeneutics. Furthermore, research that includes feminist methods and perspectives contributes to an authenticating paradigm shift of self-empowerment and autonomy for widows.;Implications for depth psychotherapy suggest that psycho-education about patriarchal, sociocultural, and religious stereotypes could contribute to widows' evolving individuation processes. Widows could benefit from depth psychotherapy that combines feminist practices with active imagination, dreams, myth, religion, art, literature, and awareness of imaginal manifestations of unconscious material. |
