Measuring Higher States of Consciousness: Integrating Spirituality and Religion into Healthcare and Business Management

Contemporary theologians assert that experience of higher states of Consciousness (HSC) are potentials within each person that can be embraced through regular spiritual and religious practices (SRP). Such experiences produce expanded awareness involving the transcendence of one’s identity that results in moral purity and reduced anxiety. The healthcare and management scholars are keen on exploring the transformative potential of HSC in treating mental and physical illnesses and in building ethical and productive organizations. However, a lack of an HSC instrument has restricted them. This paper develops an HSC scale using deductive and inductive approaches. Data from 323 respondents working in 26 businesses support the scale's psychometric properties, indicating its reliability and validity for confident use. The psychologists can use the scale to treat mental and physical illnesses. Managers can use it to enhance moral purity, manage workplace stress, and design ethical organizations that promote employee happiness and productivity. Since SRPs are primary drivers of HSC experiences, the scale also serves as a proxy measure for SRP, representing a significant step in understanding and harnessing the potential of SRP in healthcare and business management.