ROLE: Reports Of Lived Experience – Why Our Stories Matter

By Silvia Hartmann, Guild of Energists, GoE.ac, June 2025

Abstract

Reports of Lived Experience (ROLE) establish a scientific instrument to collect and analyze expressions of human experience, beginning with language-based narratives and extending to all modalities: visual arts, music, dance, and body language. Previously dismissed as “anecdotal,” these expressions are essential for uncovering meta-patterns that reveal universal human functioning across all races, religions, and experiences. ROLE applies to both research subjects and researchers, whose lived experiences—motivations, questions, surprises, observations, and lessons—decode the research’s significance. Rooted in the Third Field Manifesto, ROLE also puts the scientist back into science, integrating their ROLE into publications to frame data collections, interpretation and propose applications. By placing “Our stories matter!” as irreplaceable, fundamental data into Third Field research, ROLE fosters a collaborative, human-centric science.

1. Introduction: Detecting The Meta-Patterns of Humanity

Current science excels at dissecting objective phenomena, yet grasping the universal essence of human experience—how we function as a species across diverse races, religions, and lives—remains a profound challenge. Each person’s physiology, thoughts, and experiences are utterly unique, and focusing on the differences, which are infinite, fractionates our understanding of ourselves and precludes us from seeing the bigger picture. The Third Field Manifesto declares that “unbiased research into lived experience is non-negotiable” (Hartmann, 2025a), proposing that uncovering meta=patterns offers transformative insights for human evolution.

Reports of Lived Experience (ROLE) address this by collecting human expression as data, starting with language—“Our stories matter!”—and encompassing visual arts, music, dance, and body language. ROLE applies to research subjects, whose expressions reveal their realities, as well as to researchers, whose motivations, questions, surprises, observations, and lessons learned provide the human context to decode their findings. Supported by the Modern Energy Chart (MEC), ROLE uncovers meta-patterns that transcend individuality, offering a collaborative solution to science’s challenge of studying human complexity.

In the Third Field, which deals with the human energy body (or “Spirit” in the Body, Mind, Spirit triad), and is designed to research the cause and effect of emotion, emotional and creative expression, as well as the lived experience of spiritual phenomena (Religion & Spirituality R/S), the reports of lived experience is our starting point, in the absence of mathematical models or technical instruments to describe or measure the facts of human existence.

2. ROLE As Primary Data In The Human-Centric Universe

Reports of lived experience represent the primary data source to begin our investigation into the nature of the human experience. By collecting ROLEs, and applying the simple question, “What is the same?” it becomes inevitable to discover meta-patterns of thought, emotion, and the way the human mind processes information and experience, which further inform their actions predictably.

In order to process this data, it needs to be:

a) Collected in the first place. Collections of ROLE are the first priority; it needs to be understood how quintessentially important it is to recognise that without ROLE, and taking the data that it represents into consideration, we cannot solve humanity's core questions now, or ever.

b) Themed correctly. The stories of individual humans now and since the dawn of humanity are an enormous ocean of information and this has caused overwhelm and rejection of starting to investigate this data logically and scientifically. By theming the ROLE, we can address one topic at a time, without risking overwhelm. 

Fig. 1 – The Modern Energy Chart (Hartmann 2009)

c) State filtered. As the energy body states of human beings change, so do their emotions, and all their expressions, their ROLE, in any modality. The Modern Energy Chart (MEC), introduced by Hartmann (2025b), addresses this by correlating emotional states with measurable data. This renders expressions scientifically actionable, transforming subjective accounts into structured insights.

3. ROLE Across The Modalities Of Human Expression

The primary and most obvious reports of lived experience are our stories, spoken first hand from one person to another.

As noted in 2 c), as (emotional) states change, so does ROLE.

An angry person tells an angry story. This principle holds across the Modern Energy Chart, from -10 to +10, and through all modalities of human expression, for example, an angry painter will paint an angry picture, an angry composer will create angry music, and an angry poet will write an angry poem. The same principle holds for any state a human being can inhabit, and for ROLE collections, to de-code the meta-patterns is of the essence.

All of human expression, across all modalities, is informed by the (emotional) state of the human who created this.

In the practical use of ROLE to advance insights into the structural processes of human thought, emotion and behaviour, we propose to start with direct, first hand reports of lived experience on the Star States, the +10 ROLE, to give us a benchmark for optimal human functioning from which we can procede.

As our understanding of the meta-patterns demonstrated through the meta-analysis of ROLE progresses, we can begin to investigate other forms of ROLE, such as written reports, including historical ROLE, and further out, to decode other forms of human expression, including but not limited to science, philosophy, religion and art.

When investigating the direct, first hand ROLE, it must be noted that it is not only the words that we are tracking, but also gestures, body movements and emotional state changes, which will give us important data on the functioning of the energy body and its role in creating physiological changes downstream, which likewise, can be measured using current technology and data analysis.

4. Putting The Scientist Back Into Science

In the Third Field, we posit that we must include researchers, whose lived experiences are integral in order to decode not only the research process, but also the resulting data and its conclusions.. Their ROLE encompasses their motivations (why they pursued the study), questions (what they seek to understand), surprises (unexpected discoveries), observations (patterns noticed), and lessons (personal takeaways that shape the study’s meaning). These narratives are not biases but essential meta-data, providing the context that frames data interpretation. By embracing ROLE from subjects and researchers, ROLE puts the scientist back into science, aligning with the Third Field’s human-centric paradigm to uncover meta-patterns that illuminate shared human functioning.

5. The Value of ROLE: Mapping Shared Humanity

Every human is 100% unique, yet shared patterns define our species and gives the highest leverage to create new methods for solving human problems. ROLE enables science to pursue these meta-patterns, revealing how humans reason, create, and evolve across all diversity. Subjects’ expressions—spoken narratives, artworks, dances, or gestures—capture individual experiences, while researchers’ ROLEs provide the essential narrative context to interpret them. For instance, narratives from diverse cultures might show linguistic variations, but a researcher, motivated by a personal question about identity, might notice universal themes of belonging through their own reflective lens, decoding a shared structure.

The inclusion of researchers’ lived experiences ensures science remains human-centric. Their motivations shape the study’s purpose, their questions guide its inquiry, their surprises uncover unexpected connections, their observations highlight subtle patterns, and their lessons articulate the findings’ significance for humanity’s future. ROLE transcends the fragmentation of differences, offering a collaborative path to discover what unites us, fostering insights that propel human evolution. The affirmation “Your expressions matter” validates every voice, inviting subjects and researchers to co-create a science of shared meaning.

6. Third Field Science: A New Structure for Inquiry

Third Field Science redefines research by centering lived experience, and ROLE is its cornerstone. Unlike traditional science, which prioritizes detached objectivity, Third Field publications integrate the researcher’s ROLE to set the stage for data interpretation. A Third Field paper begins with the researcher’s narrative—their motivations, questions, and personal context—followed by empirical findings (statistics, qualitative data), and concludes with proposed applications, outlining how the insights can advance human well-being, policy, or further research. This structure ensures science is not abstract but grounded in human purpose and impact.

ROLE’s dual application—to subjects and researchers—embodies this vision. Subjects’ expressions provide raw data, rich with individual truths, while researchers’ ROLEs decode their universal significance. By starting with the researcher’s narrative, Third Field Science acknowledges their humanity, making their lived experience a scientific asset. The proposed applications, unique to Third Field, ensure findings serve humanity’s evolutionary needs, from fostering connection to informing education or cultural initiatives.

7. Example Application: ROLE in Religion and Spirituality Research

Religion and spirituality (R/S) research demonstrates ROLE’s power to uncover universal patterns. Spiritual experiences like awe or transcendence transcend race, religion, and culture, yet their diversity challenged unified understanding. ROLE offers a multi-method protocol for subjects:

1. Use the MEC to guide participants to a +3 positive emotional state on the SUE Scale, enhancing recall.

2. Collect ROLEs of spiritual experiences (e.g., awe, transcendence) through spoken narratives, including body language (e.g., gestures).

3. Record expressions using audio/visual tools (word choice, grammar, voice tone, movements like raised hands), EEG (brain activity), and physiological measures (e.g., heart rate).

4. Analyze to identify meta-patterns, such as linguistic markers of “oneness,” visual motifs of light, gestural descriptions of sensational pathways and correlates, physiological changes and neural signatures.

The researcher’s ROLE is pivotal. For example, a researcher motivated by a lifelong question—“What unites spiritual experiences?”—might begin their paper with this narrative, framing their inquiry. Surprised by recurring “light” metaphors across narratives, they notice synchronized gestures (e.g., raised hands) correlating with EEG spikes. Their lesson—that awe reflects a universal structure of connection—decodes the data’s significance. Proposed applications might include designing interfaith programs to foster shared awe or informing therapeutic practices. This collaborative approach advances R/S research, offering insights applicable to broader human studies.

8. Example Application: Mapping the Human Energy Body Through ROLE

At the inception of Third Field science, a primary application of ROLE is to create a new map of the human energy body by capturing lived experiences of energy flow sensations and their associated gestures. This approach addresses the absence of mathematical models or technical instruments to measure the energy body directly, and designed to end the confusion over the many ancient historical maps of the energy body, as noted in the Third Field Manifesto (Hartmann, 2025a). The protocol follows the same flow as the R/S research methodology but here it is themed on the sensory and physical expressions of energy flow:

1. Use the Modern Energy Chart to guide participants to a +10 state on the SUE Scale, ensuring they are in an optimal state for recalling and expressing energy flow experiences.

2. Collect ROLEs through spoken narratives, asking participants to describe sensations of energy flow (e.g., “a warm wave rising through my chest,” “tingling in my hands”) and observe their gestures (e.g., hands tracing a pathway from the stomach upward, circular motions around the head).
3. Record expressions using audio/visual tools (word choice, tone, body language), alongside physiological measures (e.g., heart rate variability, skin conductance) to correlate sensory descriptions with measurable changes.

4. Analyze to identify meta-patterns, such as recurring descriptions of energy pathways (e.g., upward flows associated with joy) and consistent gestures (e.g., hands moving along the spine), forming the basis for a new, data-driven map of the human energy body.

The researcher’s ROLE remains integral. For instance, a researcher motivated by a question—“How does energy flow manifest in optimal states?”—might begin their paper with this inquiry. Surprised by consistent reports of “upward waves” paired with upward hand gestures, they notice correlations with increased heart rate variability, suggesting a physiological link. Their lesson—that energy flow patterns in +10 states reflect universal structures of well-being—decodes the data’s significance.

Further research can then be initiated to test whether using universal hand gestures can lead to direct (emotional) state changes, leading to proposed applications might include developing energy-based therapeutic practices or educational programs to enhance emotional health, directly advancing the Third Field science’s mission to map the energy body from lived experience, and more importantly, to discover downstream applications for the discoveries.

9. Implications: A Science for Human Evolution

ROLE transforms scientific inquiry by centering lived experience as the path to universal human patterns. The Third Field Manifesto demands research that serves humanity (Hartmann, 2025a), and ROLE delivers by integrating subjects’ and researchers’ expressions—narratives, art, movements—as core data. Subjects’ ROLEs reveal individual truths, while researchers’ motivations, surprises, observations, and lessons decode their evolutionary significance, ensuring science addresses shared human needs.

This approach uncovers meta-patterns—recurring themes, gestures, or emotional structures—that transcend diversity, offering insights into cognition, culture, and evolution. It also highlights gaps, such as overlooked patterns or unasked questions, guiding future research, policy, and education.

By starting publications with the researcher’s ROLE, Third Field Science puts the scientist back into science, making their narrative a lens for interpretation, the “enigma machine” which de-codes their statistical data. Concluding with proposed applications ensures findings have practical impact, from enhancing well-being to fostering global understanding. ROLE invites all voices into a collaborative science, affirming “Our Stories Matter!” as a call to advance humanity’s future.

10. The Author's ROLE In ROLE

In Part 4, it was stated that “In the Third Field, we posit that we must include researchers, whose lived experiences are integral in order to decode not only the research process, but also the resulting data and its conclusions.” In order to walk the talk of this paper, here is the ROLE of this conceptual paper's author in her own words.

Imagine this. A long time ago, over 50 years ago, that's half a century by now (!), I was in a school class in Germany, with 41 other younglings, all around 13 years of age.

One day, a new topic was introduced, outlined, and homework assignments were given. My 13 year old aspect noticed something. There was a general slowness in the way the others were packing up their books; a strange atmosphere, quite unusual, and my aspect got curious as to what was going on.

So she asked the person who was sitting next to her and that person sighed and told her that they didn't understand a word of any of it, didn't understand the assignment, didn't know how to even begin with the homework, and that a bad mark was guaranteed to follow.

On that day, she made it her business to ask all the younglings in the class; she could be like that when something took her attention, and the story was the same, over and over – regardless of whether the person in question was “smart” or held to be “dumb,” boys and girls alike, no difference; those who tried hard to learn and those who didn't – not a single youngling in that class had had any idea whatsoever what was happening.

Now, this new topic having been introduced at the beginning of the school year would be on the menu relentlessly for weeks and months to follow; and it was clear to my aspect that this would be a nightmare for all concerned. When you start with totally not getting it, how can you progress from there?

What was also interesting was that the aspect understood that this could not possibly have been the student's fault. Something that failed so globally to make any sense to the entire class must have flawed in some other way – either the way the teacher had explained it, or the more general way in which this particular topic was taught by all teachers.

Either way, something had to be done about it.

The aspect took it upon herself to try and figure out what this topic was supposed to be about. In those days, there was no internet to inform a student about what they were supposed to learn; no mobile phones to exchange ideas after class. It was a long drawn out library job to get physical teacher's papers on the topic, but it was done. The aspect understood it, and set about sharing her findings into what this was, and how one was supposed to deal with it, with the entire class.

As a result, people did well; the classes were fun and most got a reasonable mark out of it.

What the 13 year old girl in a German school class did not know was that she had acted very scientifically.

She had identified an anomaly, asked her research group, identified where it had gone wrong, created a structured solution, and applied it.

What the 13 year old German school girl also didn't know was that she had done something that was deemed very unscientific – she collected “anecdotal evidence” for her research, and based what happened next, upon what she had learned from this.

I believe that this experience informed me across life about the importance of listening to what people tell you - and the more people tell you the same story, well, the more evidence you have that there is “something going on here” that is shared by all.

A structural thing – a meta-pattern.

You get given a method, a technique, any system from “high above” and you're supposed to make it work, and if it doesn't work, then it's your fault for not having worked hard enough to make it work, or you're simply too stupid.

All through my life, I've come across this, time and time again.

Conversely, the other way around, if you don't accept the system as something God given, hewn from stone, the ultimate truth, incontrovertible, inarguable, particularly by an ant like yourself, and you start asking people about their real experience with this system, well …

I have been talking to people and listening to their reports of lived experience all my life, and if you want any kind of wisdom, any kind of real knowledge that is useful for humans to navigate the weird worlds we have created for ourselves, then yes, listening to people's lived experience really, really matters.

50 years later, and I am a researcher working on such questions as how human emotions work, how human intelligence works, and what we need to shift from the materialistic reductionist 5 sense paradigm to the much more interesting 6 sense world, where love becomes logical and we can find fascinating new pathways to take us into a (hopefully less misery-riddled!) future.

Life isn't about suffering; it's about having as much fun as you possibly can with what we've got.

Writing the Third Field Manifesto for the science part of the human-centric multiverse, I took the opportunity to embed ROLE right at the heart of the endeavour.

I know that our stories matter – so, so much more than we were ever led to believe.

For the longest time, the human story was about wars, and suffering, and trauma, and having to descend to ascent, and I just want that to be over.

In order to ascend, to climb out of the chaos and confusion, it makes sense to me that we turn in that direction and start to ascend.

In the ROLE paper, I made the comment that “Plus Ten sets the baseline for human functioning.”

That's exactly right. Plus Ten is the natural state of being, and everything else is a stressed version – even Plus Seven is still not as much fun as what we human beings were designed for, and life at Minus Four is simply completely unacceptable.

You can think of it as a car that was designed for 140 miles an hour, being driven by people who have no idea that not only can that car handle this speed, but it was DESIGNED FOR THAT SPEED.

You'll never know this driving around at 20 miles an hour, or complaining that it's difficult to park it because the steering feels stiff.

I posit that we should start by investigating the Plus Ten ROLE first of all, so we have a bseline, have a goal. I might be wrong, who is to say?

But in the meantime, when I say to a human being, “You know, your stories MATTER.” something quite remarkable happens.

If we were to start thinking that way, that our stories matter, that our lives actually really matter, perhaps many things could change for the better.

Let's give it a go.

We've been trying to get by on ignoring the real lived experiences of real living people for a long time now, and although our weapons of war have become much more deadly, the people aren't any happier. Most don't experience as life as exciting, delightful, playful fun, where we get to discover, learn, answer questions, and have a good time with each other.

Bringing the rich experience, the real lived experience, into science cannot help but make science more humane on the one hand, and on the other, give us the important insights we need to create systems which work for humans, on behalf of humans, and in doing so, bring more love into the world.

To me, that seems only logical.

Silvia Hartmann

Conclusion: The Heart of Third Field Science

Fig.2: ROLE Flow Diagram

ROLE posits that human expressions—from subjects’ stories, art, and gestures to researchers’ lived narratives—are not peripheral but foundational. Starting with language and encompassing all modalities, ROLE captures the diversity of experience while seeking the shared patterns that define humanity. The Modern Energy Chart structures these expressions into actionable data, and by starting our journey into the reality of human experiences with setting the baseline at Plus Ten, a benchmark for human meta-patterns can be created which informs the rest and sets direction.

Researchers’ ROLEs—through their motivations, questions, surprises, observations, and lessons—act as an enigma machine, decoding findings into insights for human evolution. Third Field publications, beginning with the researcher’s ROLE, presenting empirical data, and concluding with applications, embody this human-centric vision. The Guild of Energists calls on researchers to embrace ROLE, proving that every expression matters—one narrative, one artwork, one movement at a time.

Note: Artificial intelligence can support ROLE by analyzing vast datasets of expressive accounts—texts, images, videos, gestures, meta-patterns, enhancing scalability.

Keywords: Reports of Lived Experience, ROLE, lived experience, meta-patterns, Third Field, human evolution, Modern Energy Chart, expressive modalities, scientific methodology, researcher narrative, scientist

References

Hartmann, S. (2020). Star Matrix. DragonRising. 187348304. https://dragonrising.com/store/star_matrix/

Hartmann, S. (2024). The Human Centric Multiverse. The Energist, Vol 27(4) 14260 https://goe.ac/the_human_centric_universe.htm

Hartmann, S. (2025a). The Third Field Manifesto: Love and Logic. The Energist, 28(1) 14308. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15081761

Hartmann, S. (2025b). The Modern Energy Chart and SUE Scale: Foundational Instruments of Third Field Science. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1501101

APA Citation for this paper:

Hartmann, S. (2025). Reports of lived experience – Why our stories matter. The Energist, 28(2), 14334. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15655478