Peak Experiences: A Current Canadian Study.

This paper details a continuing research project into child hood peak experiences (CPE), in which the authors analyzed 73 retrospective CPE's, reported by participants from the Education and Human Services faculties at the University of Victoria. The study supports previous findings (Hoffman, 1998, 2003; Hoffman & Muramoto, 2007; Hoffman & Ortiz, in press; & Schlarb, 2007) that CPE's are both meaningful and significant in a person's life and that these experiences can be categorized into specific types for further interpretation. The discussion highlights relationships between peak experiences and educational or vocational choices, while also bringing attention to the influence of peak experiences on identity and life path. A number of reported CPE's that do not fit into existing predetermined categories are considered as reflecting Maslow's concept of cosmic sadness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]