Inner Life and Spiritual Awareness
How would you describe yourself as a child?
Did you have any deep thoughts, visions, or inner dreams, as a child or teenager?
Did you ever have any doubts about achieving your goal in life?
What was it like to turn 30?
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to turn 40?
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to turn 60?
What are the stresses of being an adult?
What transitions or turning points did you experience as a teenager? as an adult?
What changes have you undergone since 40?
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since 50?
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beyond 50?
What role does spirituality play in your life now?
Have you ever had a “spiritual experience”?
What is most important to you about your spiritual life?
How do your spiritual values and beliefs affect how you live your life?
Have you ever felt the presence of a spiritual guide within you?
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How has this guide helped you?
Has imagination or fantasy been a part of your life?
Do you feel you have inner strength?
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Where does that come from?
How would you renew your strength, if you felt really drained?
What values would you not want to compromise?
Do you feel you are in control of your life?
What single experience has given you the greatest joy?
Do you feel at peace with yourself?
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How did you achieve this?
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SAGE 2455 Teller Road Thousand Oaks, CA 91320 www.sagepub.com PART ONE: CONTEXTS AND USES OF LIFE STORIES Stories in Context The Life Story in Disciplinary Context What a Life Story Is The Classic Functions of Stories The Research Uses of Life Stories Generating Data from a Life Story The Art and Science of Life Story Interviewing PART TWO: PLANNING THE INTERVIEW The Potential Benefits of Sharing a Life Story Basic Interview Guidelines The Morals of the Story PART THREE: DOING THE INTERVIEW Getting the Information You Want Questions To Ask PART FOUR: INTERPRETING THE INTERVIEW Transcription Interpretation PART FIVE: CONCLUSION
First-person narratives are a fundamental tool of the qualitative researcher. One of the latest volumes in the Qualitative Research Methods series, The Life Story Interview provides specific suggestions and guidelines for preparing and executing a life story interview. Author Robert Atkinson, Director of the Center for the Study of Lives at the University of Southern Maine, places the life story interview into a wider research context before moving on to planning and conducting the interview. Atkinson carefully covers the classic functions of stories, the research uses of life stories, generating data from a life story, and the art and science of life story interviewing. He also thoroughly examines the potential benefits of sharing a life story, getting the information desired and questions to ask, and transcribing and interpreting the interview. To provide further support for the reader, the book concludes with a sample life story interview.
Retirement
What was retiring from work like for you?
Is there anything you miss about your work, or were you glad to have it over?
How do you feel about your life now that you are retired?
What do you do with your time now?
What is the best part about being retired?
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the worst part?
Do you have grandchildren?
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Do you like spending time with them?
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What do you hope to pass on to your grandchildren?