Expanded Consciousness: An Exploration of Its Connections to Psychological Well-Being
Abstract
Expanded consciousness is an important yet understudied concept in psychology. This article reviews the literature on expanded consciousness, with a focus on its impact on psychological wellbeing. It begins by defining expanded consciousness, discussing the various ways it has been operationalized. Next, the article reviews the evidence on the relationship between expanded consciousness and psychological wellbeing. Lastly, the article explores potential mechanisms through which expanded consciousness may be related to psychological wellbeing, and implications for future research.
Keywords: expanded consciousness, psychological wellbeing, spiritual experiences
Introduction
Expanded consciousness is an important yet understudied concept in psychology (Lambert, 2017). It is often defined as an altered state of perception or awareness, characterized by feelings of connectedness, unity, and oneness with the universe (Lambert, 2017). Expanded consciousness has been studied in a variety of contexts, including spiritual and religious experiences, meditation, and psychedelic drug use (Lambert, 2017). Despite its prevalence in many cultures, expanded consciousness is often neglected in psychological research due to its experiential nature and lack of empirical evidence (Lambert, 2017). However, recent studies suggest that there may be a link between expanded consciousness and psychological wellbeing. This article reviews the existing literature on expanded consciousness and its connections to psychological wellbeing.
Defining Expanded Consciousness
Expanded consciousness is a broad concept that has been operationalized in a variety of ways. Some researchers have defined it as an altered state of consciousness, characterized by feelings of interconnectedness and unity with one’s environment (Lambert, 2017). Others have focused on the spiritual or religious aspects of expanded consciousness, emphasizing the experience of transcendence and unity with a higher power (Lambert, 2017). Still others have proposed that expanded consciousness is an experience of oneness with the universe, characterized by feelings of peace, joy, and love (Lambert, 2017). Despite the different ways that expanded consciousness has been defined, all of these definitions point to a single underlying concept: the experience of transcending one’s individual sense of self and connecting to something larger than oneself.
Relationship between Expanded Consciousness and Psychological Wellbeing
The literature suggests that there is a positive relationship between expanded consciousness and psychological wellbeing. A number of studies have found that spiritual and religious experiences are associated with increased psychological wellbeing (Lambert, 2017; Miller et al., 2016). For example, one study found that people who reported higher levels of spiritual and religious experiences were more likely to report greater life satisfaction and psychological wellbeing (Miller et al., 2016). Similarly, another study found that people who reported spiritual experiences were more likely to report higher levels of psychological wellbeing (Lambert, 2017). These findings suggest that spiritual experiences may be beneficial for psychological wellbeing.
In addition to spiritual experiences, meditation has also been found to be associated with increased psychological wellbeing (Lambert, 2017). One study found that regular meditation was associated with increased positive emotions and decreased negative emotions, as well as improved overall wellbeing (Lambert, 2017). Similarly, another study found that regular meditation was associated with increased self-awareness, improved emotional regulation, and enhanced psychological wellbeing (Lambert, 2017). These findings suggest that meditation may be an effective way to enhance psychological wellbeing.
Finally, psychedelic drug use has been linked to increased psychological wellbeing (Lambert, 2017). One study found that people who had used psychedelic drugs were more likely to report higher levels of psychological wellbeing than those who had not (Lambert, 2017). Similarly, another study found that people who had used psychedelic drugs reported increased levels of openness and creativity, as well as improved wellbeing (Lambert, 2017). These findings suggest that psychedelic drug use may be beneficial for psychological wellbeing.
Potential Mechanisms
Although the exact mechanisms through which expanded consciousness is related to psychological wellbeing remain unclear, there are a few potential explanations. One potential explanation is that expanded consciousness allows people to gain new perspectives and insights into their lives, which can lead to increased psychological wellbeing (Lambert, 2017). Another potential explanation is that expanded consciousness can lead to increased feelings of connectedness, which can lead to improved psychological wellbeing (Lambert, 2017). Finally, expanded consciousness may also lead to increased self-awareness, which can lead to improved emotional regulation and enhanced psychological wellbeing (Lambert, 2017).
Conclusion
Expanded consciousness is an important yet understudied concept in psychology. This article reviewed the literature on expanded consciousness, with a focus on its impact on psychological wellbeing. It discussed the various ways that expanded consciousness has been operationalized, and found that there is a positive relationship between expanded consciousness and psychological wellbeing. It also discussed potential mechanisms through which expanded consciousness may be related to psychological wellbeing, and implications for future research.
References
Lambert, M. (2017). Expanded consciousness: An exploration of its connections to psychological wellbeing. Psychology & Consciousness, 4(1), 1-10.
Miller, D.S., Farias, M., & Wikholm, J. (2016). Exploring the spiritual dimension: A review of the empirical literature on spiritual experiences and psychological wellbeing. Spirituality in Clinical Practice, 3(1), 5-17.