Charismatic, Synchronous and Psychedelic Religious Experiences: A Personal Account
Religions April 7, 2022 DOI: 10.3390/rel13040331 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Autoethnography Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | The author/researcher |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | Religious and spiritual experiences, as described autoethnographically, are broadly shared and can be personally and socially transformative. |
Abstract
Religious experiences and their truth, nature, and influence remain controversial. This is despite their wide cultural expression and significant grounding in research. Personal experiences that are deemed “religious” are often critiqued for being culturally influenced and psychologically misleading, implying that this ought to discredit them. This paper seeks not to argue for the truth or falsity of these kinds of experiences, but rather to offer an autoethnographic response to how these experiences have functioned in this researcher’s life. The response is contextualized broadly within the study of religious experience and contributes towards that field. Three forms of religious and spiritual experiences are offered narratively, from my early Charismatic experience, to synchronous encounters, as well as the exploration of psilocybin. It is suggested that these experiences are broadly shared, and that they can be personally as well as socially transformative. Although they are autoethnographic in nature, all three forms are situated within the context from which they emerged.