The fourteen authors in this collection used phenomenology (the study of consciousness) and hermeneutics (the interpretation of meaning) to conduct deep inquiry into perplexing and wondrous events in their work and personal lives. These seasoned scholar-practitioners gained remarkable insight into areas such as health care and illness, organ donation, intercultural communications, high-performance teams, artistic production, jazz improvisation, and the integration of Tai Chi into education. All authors were transformed by phenomenology's expanded ways of seeing and being.

Transformative Phenomenology captures the influence of phenomenology and hermeneutics on non-university-based scholar-practitioners who completed their doctoral education in later life, thus blending their workplace experiences with their intellectual interests. Contributions from seasoned university-based scholars expands our understanding of phenomenological inquiry in fresh ways. The concept of 'transformative phenomenology' springs from the long-term teaching and research experiences of David Rehorick and Valerie Bentz, the book's co-editors.

Part 1 Foreword
Part 2 Preface
Part 3 Part I. Coming to Phenomenology: Saying Why and Showing How
Chapter 4 1. Transformative Phenomenology: A Scholarly Scaffold for Practitioners
Chapter 5 2. Male Experiences of Pregnancy: Bridging Phenomenological and Empirical Insights
Chapter 6 3. Experiencing Phenomenology as Mindful Transformation: An Autobiographical Account
Part 7 Part II. Lessons from Illness and Personal Trauma: Pathways to Individual Change
Chapter 8 4. Trial by Fire: The Transformational Journey of an Adult Male Cancer Survivor
Chapter 9 5. My Body the Traitor: Fearing a Recurrence of Breast Cancer
Chapter 10 6. Take My Kidney Please: An Organ Donor's Experience
Part 11 Part III. Empowerment in Workworlds: Self-Other Transformations in Corporate Environments
Chapter 12 7. The Lifeworld of High Performance Teams: An Experiential Account
Chapter 13 8. Personal Power: Realizing Self in Doing and Being
Chapter 14 9. Bodymindfulness and Energetic Presence in Intercultural Communication
Part 15 Part IV. Experiencing Transcendence: Personal Transformation as Collaborative Accomplishment
Chapter 16 10. Finding Voice and Reclaiming Identity: Embodied Wisdom in the Lived Experience of Norteñas de Nuevo Méjico
Chapter 17 11. A Breath of Fresh Air: Phenomenological Sociology and Tai Chi
Chapter 18 12. Intentionality in Action: Teaching Artists Phenomenology
Chapter 19 13. Chasing Transcendence: Experiencing Magic Moments in Jazz Improvisation