Exploring three athletes' unique experience with resonance: A multiple case study

Abstract

The present study aimed to document three athletes' in depth-stories to examine their application of resonance and how it influenced their experience of their sport and life. Each athlete took part in a resonance-based intervention involving seven interviews held approximately every second week, three non-intrusive interviews conducted at the site of competitions, daily reflective journaling, reading a book on resonance (Newburg, 2004), and a post-intervention interview four weeks after the end of the intervention. Two means of analysis were used; deductive categorization and narrative analysis. Two individuals developed and applied their personal process of resonance. As a result, they felt the way they wanted to feel in their endeavors, and enjoyed an increased sense of control and acceptance of themselves and their environment. The three athletes' stories shed light on the importance of reflection and ownership in the process of resonance. This study also sheds light on the role of the facilitator in the intervention.