Phenomenology: means the study of how we experience things.

The idea is to try understanding things the way they show up in our minds, without jumping to conclusions.

So, phenomenology is  letting yourself have your own experience by looking closely at what it's like to see, feel, or think something, without worrying at first about whether it’s true or not. It tells us to put our feelings ahead of a previous definition that’s been made elsewhere.

An example of phenomenology in action would be if someone were to give you a lemon.

A scientist might tell you, ‘This lemon has vitamin C, it’s yellow because of pigments, and it grows on a tree.’But a phenomenologist asks, ‘What is it like for you to experience this lemon?’

Phenomenology is all about describing these experiences just as they appear to you, without explaining them or analyzing them like a scientist would.

So instead of asking, “What is a lemon?”
Phenomenology asks, “What is it like to experience a lemon?”

I work largely in the world of phenomenology.  Our daily live’s experiences typically come from deep within our biology. 

It may take a leap of faith to appreciate this idea but skepticism only stands to reason when we consider the kind of world we live in.  We’ve been taught that ‘seeing’ is believing and that things must be tested scientifically to be valid.  We’ve been taught to override our gut and heart feelings, which is considered to be the second brain in the Chinese medicine model. ‘Feeling’ life with full permission helps us build new neural pathways.  What does that do? It can contribute to better sleep, improved digestion, reduced anxiety, it can help us accept our guilt and other people’s, which in turn can reduce shame, it can help us cope so we don’t feel as irritable or angry, it can calm our hearts so we’re more apt to have warmer relationships,  It can give us the confidence to set good boundaries and stick to them.  The benefits to building new neural pathways is extensive and goes far beyond this list.  

Would you like to feel more at ease with something in your life?  Perhaps you feel at a crossroad and could use some support to move forward.  All emotions are welcome.  As one of my favorite mentors, Bill Mannle, once said, ‘They’re just feelings and a few feelings have never killed anyone’.  Cha Ching!

I work online and in person helping people move through challenges in life.