Pieces of peace: Transpersonal approaches in Israeli-Palestinian peace-building events

An exploratory grounded theory investigation

Abstract

This article presents a research study in which Israeli and Palestinian peacebuilding events embedded in a transpersonal container were examined. It explored the lived experience of four Israelis and three Palestinians who participated in or facilitated peacebuilding initiatives rooted in spiritual, holistic, and integrative methods. Simultaneously, such peace initiatives were joined and observed through the direct participation of the researcher in three transpersonal peacebuilding endeavours. Constructivist grounded theory was chosen as the study’s methodology, as it is particularly valuable for exploring complex and multifaceted phenomena and as it focuses on understanding the multiple realities and perspectives of participants. The results indicate that peacebuilding events entrenched in transpersonal approaches emphasize the painful but necessary exposure of Israeli and Palestinian opposing narratives by applying a variety of integrative approaches during these events. Three main themes emerged from the data analysis: (1) Humanizing connections, (2) the role and power of semiotic signs, and (3) manifestations of change. These themes provided the foundation for the creation of the dual narratives integration model, contributing to the field’s understanding of these complex and multifaceted peace initiatives.