Journal of Humanistic Psychology
October 24, 2016
David B. Yaden, Khoa D. Le Nguyen, Margaret L. Kern et al.
125 citations
Religious, spiritual, or mystical experiences triggered by psychedelic substances are rated as more intensely mystical and produce a reduced fear of death, a greater sense of purpose, and increased spirituality compared to similar experiences arising through other means. These findings held even after controlling for gender, education, socioeconomic status, and religious affiliation. The results support the view that psychedelic-induced experiences are genuinely mystical and generally positive in outcome.
Psychology of Religion and Spirituality
July 27, 2015
David B. Yaden, Johannes C. Eichstaedt, H. Andrew Schwartz et al.
68 citations
People who report having had mystical experiences use language that is more socially and spatially inclusive—words like 'close,' 'we,' and 'with'—and fewer overtly religious terms such as 'prayed,' 'Christ,' or 'church' compared to those who have not had such experiences. This pattern emerged from quantitative linguistic analysis of 777 participants' written accounts of their most significant spiritual or religious experience. The findings suggest that mystical experiences, though often described as ineffable, can be meaningfully communicated, and that language analysis offers a way to study them.
Stress and Health
March 15, 2019
G. Slemp, Hayley K. Jach, A. Chia et al.
45 citations
Contemplative interventions such as mindfulness and meditation reduce psychological distress in employees, producing small to moderate effects that persist at follow-up. A meta-analysis of 119 studies (6,044 participants) found that the type of intervention and control group influenced results. Publication bias likely inflates estimated effects, especially in uncontrolled single-sample studies; adjustments lowered overall effects. The authors conclude that while these interventions are effective, proactive strategies are needed to prevent overestimation of benefits and misapplication in workplaces.
Frontiers in Psychology
January 1, 2025
Daniela Ramirez-Duran, Margaret L. Kern, Helen Stokes
2 citations
Regular Ashtanga yoga practitioners define yoga as a practice for health and wellbeing, a method for personal inquiry and growth, a way of living, and a spiritual quest. Yoga philosophy is seen as ancient teachings that provide a foundation for practice and life. Yoga practice is a formal daily ritual that is adaptable and permeates daily existence. Three common threads emerged: yoga as an embodied integrated practice, an embodied path for self-knowledge, and a path for spiritual development. These findings challenge the prevailing image of yoga as mainly a physical and stress-reduction activity.
Frontiers in Psychology
December 21, 2022
Daniela Ramirez-Duran, Helen Stokes, Margaret L. Kern
Regular Ashtanga Yoga practitioners (137 participants) conceptualize five dimensions of wellbeing—physical, emotional, psychological, social, spiritual—in ways that partly align with existing models and partly extend them. Word count and reflexive thematic analysis yielded four themes per dimension. A higher-level analysis identified shared meanings grouped into five topics: freedom from and managing suffering, a positive and integrated sense of self, equanimity and steadiness, the self in relation to others and the world, and meta-awareness. Each dimension was portrayed as multileveled, with three levels of human functioning: foundational (coping and recovery), optimal (personal development and growth), and contemplative/transcendental (transpersonal). The authors propose a preliminary model informed by this empirical work and previous theory, suggesting that the continuousness of themes across dimensions reinforces the importance of embodiment and transcendence in wellbeing frameworks.