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3.1.2: Phenomenological underpinningsPut simply, phenomenology is the study of phenomena which includes both objects and subjectsbut it is also the intellectual domain where subject can be object and vice versa (see Natanson,1970: Sokolowski, 2000; Russell, 2007). Arguably, the doyen of phenomenological researchprocesses is Clark Moustakas, he writes,“The methods that are central include: growing quiet and listening; coming to an inwardclearing; connecting with a dominant question, issue, or concern, related to a specificperson (including one’s self), or a situation or an event; describing the experience;determining the qualities, invariant constituents and core themes; considering possiblemeanings; and arriving at an understanding of the essences of those experiences.”(Moustakas, 1994 p. 63)To be clear, this thesis focuses on the essences of the five illustrative moments that constitute theobjects of the research. I want to argue that prior to engaging in the structured analysis of themoments, there seems to be something 'essential' between them that transcends the time spanand connects them up as parts of a constituent whole; something that I want to explore,understand and develop. At this stage that shared 'essence' would seem to be the N-ness of theframework.Central to phenomenological methods is the self. My intention is thus to excavate systematicallymy own autobiography, but with a narrow focus on the five critical incidents (phenomena), asillustrative moments – things that Moustakas calls, ‘experiences’ (Moustakas ibid). Myselection of these experiences comes from reflexive processes that have suggested they wereimportant milestones on my professional learning journey. To aid this process I intend toapproach them in the ‘philosophical attitude’ as described by Natanson (1970) and Sokolowski(2000) so that each of these is seen as a ‘moment’ in the ‘whole’ of my life and its146Simon Hughes Ph.D. Thesis (October 2012)