Book ReviewEmotional Literacy By Patricia Sherwood (2008)

Emotional Literacy: The Heart of Classroom Management. Camberwell, Victoria: Australian Council for Educational Research Limited (ACER).Paperback (176 pages). ISBN: 978-0-864-31809-1 Indo-Pacific Journal of Phenomenology, September 2008, Volume 8, Edition

'Dirty Realism': documentary photography in 1970s Britain—a maquette

In a volume dedicated to Professor Alex Potts, this essay looks at radical photography in 1970s Britain. The period saw the development of an extensive network of critical practice, particularly workshop practice. The 'Radical 70s' have been drawing a great deal of attention, but I argue that the work of the period has often been misunderstood in the literature. A concentration on form has obscured the extent to which this was a practice committed to transform production relations. Against those (Wall, Roberts) who argue the critical image work of the period centred on 'deskilling', this essay argues the opposite took place, in a range of workshops photographers conducted radical pedagogy around representation. This involved a process of 'upskilling'. I argue the central concern for those involved was a focus on women's work (a wage work and social reproduction). The term 'dirty realism' is taken from Hans Magnus Enzensberger and provides a way of re-reading the 'Brechtian' impetus behind this work

The Phenomenology of Intervention

This work is a response to a request from the phenomenology group at Edith Cowan University. The paper is based on seminar discussions, experiences and ideas that have been contextualized within phenomenological literature. The notion of phenomenology as intervention has become increasingly apparent owing to the value of its practical applications in the human and social sciences. The paper explores the theme with special reference to research and psychotherapeutic interventions.Indo-Pacific Journal of Phenomenology, Volume 1, Edition 2 September 200

Experiencing the Meaning of Breathing

This research was motivated by the author’s personal experiences with various breathing methods as well as meaningful breathing experiences reported by clients, colleagues and friends. The meaning of breathing is discussed in relation to consciousness, bodiliness, spirituality, illness prevention and health promotion. Experiencing the meaning of breathing is to experience more meaning in life itself. Experiential vignettes confirm that breathing skills may be regarded as an original method of survival, energy control, improving quality of life, preventing illness and promoting health.Indo-Pacific Journal of Phenomenology, Volume 6, Edition 1 May 200

Development of Ubuntu HeartMath Workshop for social coherence and spirit at work

This study reports on the development of an Ubuntu type HeartMath Workshop for the purpose of facilitating social coherence and spirit at work. The study employed a pre- and post-test, mixed methods, within subjects, outcome evaluative design. Data were collected in three workshops with a total sample of 10 women and 7 men, with mean age 38.23, and range 24 to 58 years. Pretesting and post-testing consisted of psychophysiological coherence, social coherence and spirit at work measures. The Ubuntu HeartMath Workshop procedure included HeartMath heart focused breathing and cultivating positive Ubuntu feelings, followed by instruction and group discussion of ways in which Ubuntu could promote social coherence with special reference to work spirit. Afterwards participants provided written experiential and evaluative descriptions of the workshops. Significant and meaningful quantitative and qualitative findings provided consistent evidence as to the efficacy of the workshops in improving  psychophysiological coherence, social coherence and work spirit.  Implications for the development and evaluation of further research with other participant samples in other contexts are discussed.Keywords: Ubuntu, HeartMath, social coherence, spirit at wor

An integral, positive psychology paradigm for global coherence, research, and health promotion

This study is motivated by many problems confronting planet Earth. Its goal is to promote local and global coherence, research and health. An integral theoretical, positive psychological paradigm is used to introduce HeartMath and Global Coherence Initiatives as evidence based interventions for promoting coherence, research, health and well-being. Interventions are  essentially scientific advances on cardiorespiratory based methods which have been used for millennia in various wisdom,  knowledge and spiritual traditions such as ancestral consciousness and reverence, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Taoism,  Christianity and Islam. The article reviews research evidence in relation to psychophysiological coherence, which is  characterised by a heart rhythm pattern of elevated amplitude in low  frequency heart rate variability of around 0.1 Hz. This is  associated with  synchronisation between various physiological systems, positive emotions,  athletes’ “zone” experience,  enhanced spirituality, effective prayer, personal, social and global coherence and health. For example, research evidence is provided for the effectiveness of an African heart breath healing method, specifically developed  around the concept Shiso, an  ancient isiZulu respectful (hlonipha) term for a human being, which became an acronym for Spirit (umoya), Heart (inhlizyo), Image (umcabango), Soul (umphefumulo) and Oneness (ubunye). Subsequent independent and collaborative South African research, validating various HeartMath techniques, is described. This includes an African Global Coherence Initiative Site, established on a private game reserve in Kwa-Zulu Natal, providing valuable research data, applicable to all academic fields and scientific  disciplines, which is freely available for use. It is concluded that many more integral healing approaches are needed, as is  collaboration between all caring stakeholder individuals, communities and countries in the world.Keywords Integral theory, positive psychology paradigm, global coherence, health promotio

Photography: a Marxist bibliography

An annotated bibliography on Marxist studies of photography. One of a series of annotated bibliographies on themes in Marxist research. This piece will appear in French in the on-line journal Revue Periode. (Revueperiode.net) The English text will appear at the Historical Materialism website: historicalmaterialism.or

In Allan Sekula’s wake

An obituary review of the work and life of the late Allan Sekula