From Me to We

Abstract

Groups play a pivotal role in human lives and may be even more important at this current moment when the human species faces myriad intractable issues. It could be argued that groups that are able to form tight connections may be needed now more than ever. While many empirical studies of groups focus on group performance, productivity, and effectiveness, or group “doingness,” this paper introduces a recent study that explored group “beingness” and the experience of manifesting deep union and oneness, an intersubjective phenomenon called coherence. Coherence has been written about from a theoretical and conceptual perspective, as well as from a practice perspective, but it has rarely been investigated empirically. An interpretive phenomenological investigation of coherence inquired into the phenomenon through the facilitation of two group coherence sessions immediately followed by group interviews. The study’s design aimed to explore coherence from the intersubjective perspective, allowing participants to make meaning of their coherence experiences in community. This paper introduces the study and its findings and posits the importance of this type of group phenomenon in our current human reality.

Keywords

• Coherence
• Co-sensing
• Intersubjective
• Group development
• Beingness
• Ways of knowing