From Grief to Growth: Uniting Ancient Wisdom and Cutting-Edge Technology to Probe Grief and Absorption in the Psychomanteum

This study investigated two strategies to induce ostensible experiences of after-death communications on selfreported grief and absorption. The first involved the psychomanteum, a sensory deprivation chamber. The second involved virtual reality (VR) experiences designed to emulate key elements of the chamber. Both interventions involved guided suggestions to experience invisible others, including departed loved ones, spirits, and ghostly sensations. A total of 92 people completed all pre-and postmeasures along with either the psychomanteum or the VR experience. The procedure for this study involved pre- and post-interviews and surveys surrounding a psycho- manteum chamber or VR experience. There were five principal aims for this study: 1) compare pre- and postscores on grief and absorption, 2) measure the correlation between grief and absorption, 3) measure differences in the physical chamber and VR during post intervention session, 4) explore language use in terms of pronouns and emotive language, and 5) explore reported experiences in the psychomanteum using a thematic analysis. For Aim 1, a paired samples t-test found a significant effect for absorption pre- and post-assessments (t(55) = 1.95, p = .0568). No effect was found for grief (t(55) = 0.330, p = .743). Aim 2 was assessed with a Pearson's r that showed a significant correlation between grief and absorption (r = -0.243, t(90) = -2.382, p = .019). For Aim 3, no significant effect was seen between the physical chamber and the VR experience on absorption or grief scales. For Aim 4, participants used plural pronouns (i.e.'we' instead of 'I') significantly more than other pronouns. For Aim 5, participants reported a range of experiences pertaining to themes including views of death and the afterlife, identity, and non-verbal communication. This innovative approach to consciousness studies bridges ancient and advanced technologies, providing new avenues for addressing global mental health challenges.