Knowledge Tree
mystical experience
Also known as: mystical experience, mystical experiences, mystical-type experiences
Facts (43)
Sources
The Mechanisms of Psychedelic Visionary Experiences - Frontiers frontiersin.org Sep 27, 2017 15 facts
claimPsychedelic and mystical experiences typically involve positive emotions such as happiness and bliss, while negative emotions appear less central, potentially because depression is not an adaptive response.
claimPsilocybin induces a variety of features of classic mystical experiences under double-blind conditions.
claimCorrelations between scales of mystical experience and altered states of consciousness with changes in brain connectivity during psychedelic sessions suggest the neurological mechanisms producing these phenomenal experiences.
claimd'Aquili and Newberg (1999) proposed that mystical experiences result from processes including deregulation, deafferentation of normal input, and the functional blocking of input into a brain structure.
referenceBarrett, F. and Griffiths, R. (2017) published 'Classic hallucinogens and mystical experiences: phenomenology and neural correlates' in Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences.
referenceThe book 'Mysticism and Philosophy' by W. Stace, published by MacMillan Press in 1960, explores the philosophical dimensions of mystical experiences.
claimThe perennialist view of mystical experiences posits that fundamental commonalities exist across cultures and that these experiences are independent of the mode of induction, a view supported by similarities between psychedelic-induced and naturally-induced mystical experiences.
claimPsychedelics reliably elicit experiences that are virtually indistinguishable from mystical experiences induced through prolonged austerities and disciplined contemplative practice, according to research by Smith (2000), Richards (2016), and Yaden et al. (2017).
claimPsychedelics increase the accessibility and intensity of mystical experiences that are generally rare.
claimPsychedelics are considered an unparalleled tool for examining the cognitive-affective system of the human brain-mind because they reliably produce repeatable visions and mystical experiences.
referenceA wide range of brain abnormalities involving impairment of brain function frequently produce hallucinatory, self-transcendent, and mystical experiences, according to research by Urgesi et al. (2010) and Kastrup (2017).
claimM. Liechti, P. Dolder, and Y. Schmid (2016) studied the alterations of consciousness and mystical-type experiences in humans following the acute administration of LSD.
claimPsychedelics produce mystical experiences that are both objective and reliable, raising questions about the neuropharmacological mechanisms by which exogenous neurotransmitter analogs generate these significant experiences.
claimAn ancient mode of imaginal consciousness manifests in dreams, daydreaming, shamanic visions, mystical experiences, near-death experiences, out-of-body experiences, and psychedelic visions.
claimA 2011 study by MacLean, Johnson, and Griffiths found that mystical experiences occasioned by the hallucinogen psilocybin lead to increases in the personality domain of openness.
Published Studies — Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and ... hopkinspsychedelic.org 12 facts
claimMystical experiences occasioned by the hallucinogen psilocybin lead to increases in the personality domain of openness.
claimPsilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences that have substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance for participants.
referenceA 2018 review by Johnson, Hendricks, Barrett, and Griffiths provided an integrative analysis of classic psychedelics covering epidemiology, therapeutics, mystical experience, and brain network function.
claimMystical-type experiences occasioned by psilocybin mediate the attribution of personal meaning and spiritual significance 14 months after the experience.
referenceA 2018 study by Barsuglia, Davis, Palmer, Lancelotta, Windham-Herman, Peterson, Polanco, Grant, and Griffiths measured the intensity of mystical experiences occasioned by 5-MeO-DMT and compared them with a prior psilocybin study.
referenceClassic hallucinogens are associated with specific phenomenological and neural correlates related to mystical experiences.
referenceChirico et al. published 'The Oxford Handbook of Psychedelic, Religious, Spiritual, and Mystical Experience' in Principles of Addiction Medicine in 2024.
referenceThe article 'Cultural dissonance and consonance in mystical-type experiences: commentary on “Finding consonance: an integrative neurocognitive model of human relationships with supernatural agents”' by Yaden and van Elk was published in Religion, Brain & Behavior in 2023.
referenceHinkle et al. published a review in Nature Reviews Psychology in 2024 discussing clinically relevant acute subjective effects of psychedelics beyond mystical experience.
referenceA 2023 study by Davis et al. published in the 'Journal of Psychoactive Drugs' provided a translation and initial psychometric evaluation of Spanish versions of three measures for psychedelic acute effects: mystical, challenging, and insight experiences.
referenceA 2023 special issue introduction in 'The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion' addressed the integration of the psychology of religion and psychedelic science, specifically focusing on mystical-type experiences.
referenceA 2017 study by Barrett, Robbin, Smooke, and Brown published in Frontiers in Psychology identified qualitative and quantitative features of music reported to support peak mystical experiences during psychedelic therapy sessions.
Psychedelics, Sociality, and Human Evolution frontiersin.org 6 facts
referenceGriffiths et al. (2011) found that psilocybin-occasioned mystical-type experiences have immediate and persisting dose-related effects.
claimControlled studies show that psychedelics reliably produce mystical-type experiences involving self-loss, awe, and connectedness, as well as anomalous experiences like synaesthesia, out-of-body experiences, near-death experiences, and entity encounters, which are commonly interpreted as spiritual interactions in pre-modern cultures.
claimHuman motivation to consume psilocybin is linked to visual effects, positive mood, insight, positive social effects, increased awareness of beauty, awe, meaningfulness, and mystical experiences.
claimPsilocybin produces mystical-type experiences characterized by the dissolution of self-boundaries and a sense of unity with others, according to research by Griffiths et al. (2006, 2011).
referenceN. W. Sweat, L. W. Bates, and P. S. Hendricks published a study on the associations of naturalistic classic psychedelic use, mystical experience, and creative problem solving in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs in 2016.
claimPsilocybin-occasioned mystical experiences produce enduring beneficial changes, including trait-level increases in prosocial attitudes and behaviors, as well as increases in the personality domain of Openness.
The Montreal model: an integrative biomedical-psychedelic ... frontiersin.org 4 facts
claimPsilocybin currently has stronger evidence than ketamine supporting the therapeutic potential of 'emotional breakthroughs' and mystical experiences in the treatment of depression.
referenceA 2018 study by Griffiths, Johnson, Richards, Richards, Jesse, MacLean, Barrett, Cosimano, and Klinedinst published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology found that psilocybin-occasioned mystical-type experiences, when combined with meditation and other spiritual practices, produce enduring positive changes in psychological functioning and trait measures of prosocial attitudes and behaviors.
referenceR.R. Griffiths, M.W. Johnson, W.A. Richards, B.D. Richards, U. McCann, and R. Jesse published 'Psilocybin occasioned mystical-type experiences: immediate and persisting dose-related effects' in Psychopharmacology in 2011.
claimScientific literature reports that heightened feelings of connectedness, awe, and mystical experiences are unique features of psychedelic drug experiences that are linked to clinical benefits.
Medicinal plants meet modern biodiversity science - OUCI ouci.dntb.gov.ua 2 facts
claimPeak and mystical experiences are states of consciousness existing on a spectrum of intensity and duration, characterized by profound joy, ecstasy, awe, noetic quality, decreased self-salience, and heightened interconnectedness.
claimNumerous studies indicate a direct correlation between the strength of peak and mystical experiences and positive, long-lasting psychological outcomes in psychedelic psychotherapy for conditions including depression, cancer-related distress, and substance use disorders.
Ancient Roots of Today's Emerging Renaissance in ... link.springer.com 1 fact
claimPsychedelics may enhance cognitive, emotional, and creative flexibility by evoking mystical-type experiences, which can serve as a starting point for psychological healing.
Psychedelic Drugs News - ScienceDaily sciencedaily.com 1 fact
accountSnuff tubes uncovered at the archaeological site of Chavin de Huantar in Peru indicate that leaders utilized mystical experiences to cement their authority.
History and Current Status of Psychedelics and Entactogens ... - NCBI ncbi.nlm.nih.gov 1 fact
claimConventional psychopharmacologic agents are intended to ameliorate a pathological brain state and are not dependent on the patient’s attitude or insight, whereas psychedelics loosen defenses, facilitate insight, and may induce a mystical experience, according to Charles Grob.
Hallucinogens | Springer Nature Link link.springer.com 1 fact
referenceGriffiths et al. (2006) demonstrated that psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences that have substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance.