Absorption as a therapeutic agent

Music practice and participation for psychological well-being: A review of how music influences positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment

“…415, 424). In another study aiming to evaluate the potentially therapeutic benefits of patients becoming absorbed in music and other activities, Hymer (1984) reported that "patients who become absorbed in animate and/or inanimate objects are better able to cope with a variety of problems and experience a heightened sense of well-being" (p. 93) and that "in such instances, boredom, anxiety or 'busy work' give way to immersion in an object that allows for the strengthening of the self through the temporary suspension of critical faculties" (p. 102). Hymer (1984) accordingly proposed that patients "can use absorptive experiences as means to allay anxiety by temporarily curtailing self-absorptive obsessive thinking through immersion in objects outside the self such as music" (p. 102).…”

“…In another study aiming to evaluate the potentially therapeutic benefits of patients becoming absorbed in music and other activities, Hymer (1984) reported that "patients who become absorbed in animate and/or inanimate objects are better able to cope with a variety of problems and experience a heightened sense of well-being" (p. 93) and that "in such instances, boredom, anxiety or 'busy work' give way to immersion in an object that allows for the strengthening of the self through the temporary suspension of critical faculties" (p. 102). Hymer (1984) accordingly proposed that patients "can use absorptive experiences as means to allay anxiety by temporarily curtailing self-absorptive obsessive thinking through immersion in objects outside the self such as music" (p. 102). In "The Psychophysiology of Flow During Piano Playing, " De Manzano et al (2010) further investigated the relationship between subjective flow reports and psychophysiological measures in participants (n = 21) experienced in piano playing, and reported finding that flow 8 Musicae Scientiae experience "arises through an interaction between positive affect and high attention" (p. 301) and that "flow measures show increased flow to be related to decreased HP [heart period] and RSA [respiratory sinus arrhythmia], increased LF/HF ratio, total power, and RD [respiratory depth]" which "suggests that during a physically and cognitively demanding task, an increased activation of the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system in combination with deep breathing and activation of the ZM [zygomaticus major] might potentially be used as an indicator of effortless attention and flow" (p. 306; cf.…”

“…As a result, since engagement or flow can contribute to psychological well-being (see also Carli et al, 1988;Croom, 2012bCroom, , 2014Csikszentmihalyi, 1975Csikszentmihalyi, , 1990Csikszentmihalyi, , 2000De Manzano et al, 2010;Dietrich, 2004;Engeser, 2012;Ericsson et al, 1993;Hymer, 1984;Nakamura, 1988;Nakamura & Csikszentmihalyi, 2002Rich, 2013;Seligman, 2010Seligman, , 2011Shernoff & Csikszentmihalyi, 2009;Strati et al, 2011;Wells, 1988), and since several studies have indeed suggested that music practice and participation can contribute to engagement or flow experience (see also Bakker, 2005;De Manzano et al, 2010;Dietrich, 2004;Hatfield, Cacioppo, & Rapson, 1994;Hymer, 1984;Pates et al, 2003;Peifer, 2012;Rogatko, 2009;Schuler, 2012), there are good grounds for asserting that music practice and participation can positively contribute to psychological well-being.…”

The practice of poetry and the psychology of well-being

“…In other recent research, Strati et al (2011 AQ30 ) similarly suggested that 240 "Flow experiences are valuable for learning and development because they provide an orientation of engagement and skill-building that carries into the future," that "Because flow states are enjoyable, they motivate individuals to continue developing skills and raising challenges to reenter flow," and consequently, that "Flow experiences thereby enhance the quality of life, add to the complexity of the 245 developing self, and facilitate talent development in youth" (p. 1058). In "Absorption as a Therapeutic Agent," Hymer (1984) further characterized "absorption" as "the temporary loss of self through immersion in an object that eventuates in selfenhancement" (p. 93) and discussed its potentially therapeutic functions, proposing that "the patient who enters into the absorptive experience has attained a degree of 250 separation-individuation, so that temporary, harmonious union with an object becomes a positive growth enhancing experience rather than a pathological regression" (p. 95). Thus collectively the results from these empirical and theoretical studies offer substantive support for the point that engagement or flow experiences constitute an important element to psychological well-being.…”

“…We may feel the power of another force, but I believe the contribute to psychological well-being (cf. Carli et al, 1988;Csikszentmihalyi, 1975Csikszentmihalyi, , 1990Csikszentmihalyi, , 2000Engeser, 2012;Hymer, 1984;Nakamura, 1988;Nakamura & Csikszentmihalyi, 2002;Rich, 2013;Seligman, 2010Seligman, , 2011Shernoff & Csikszentmihalyi, 2009;Strati et al, 2011 AQ33 ; Wells, 1988), and since several studies have indeed suggested that engaging with poetry can contribute to engagement or flow (cf. Hymer, 1984;Perry, 300 2011; AQ34 Rathunde, 2010), there are good grounds for maintaining that the practice of poetry can positively contribute to psychological well-being.…”