Near-death experience as mystical experience.
Journal of Religion and Health March 1, 1986 DOI: 10.1007/bf01533055 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Altered states of consciousness Mystical experience Mysticism Near-death experience |
| Keywords | Afterlife experiences Out-of-body experiences Profound experiences Spiritual experience Spiritual awareness Transcendent experience Religious experience Numinous experience Self-transformation Personal growth Spiritual transformation Profound change Personal evolution Psychological change Post-nde changes |
| Citations | 31 |
| Key points | Argues that Pahnke's nine-category typology of mystical experience characterizes the near-death experience and allows it to be defined as a mystical state. |
Abstract
Near-death experience exhibits many attributes of mystical awareness. Assessing the mystical quality of psychedelic experience, Walter Pahnke identified a nine-category typology of mystical experience. It is used here to illustrate the mystical nature of near-death experience. The typology also describes the self-transformation which follows the mystical state of consciousness. Self-transformation results from near-death experience. Pahnke's mystical typology characterizes the near-death experience and allows for a definition of near-death experience as a mystical state.