Negative mystical experiences
Journal of Psychedelic Studies September 11, 2023 DOI: 10.1556/2054.2023.00286 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Mysticism Mystical experience |
| Keywords | Mood Feeling Psychoanalysis Transcendence philosophy Psychotherapist Epistemology Theology |
| Citations | 2 |
| Key points | Argues that positive mood should not be a criterion for mystical experiences in psychedelic research because it fails to separate them from other powerful emotional states, can co-occur with non-positive moods, and is not pragmatically justified. |
Abstract
Abstract I propose that positive mood should not be among the criteria for determining when or if psychedelic experiences are mystical. My primary reasons are: 1) unlike rare proposed mystical criteria such as feelings of self-dissolution and time-transcendence, positive mood does not clearly separate mystical experiences from other emotionally powerful experiences like being in love; 2) other proposed mystical criteria can occur with non-positive moods; and 3) it is not true that framing all mystical experiences with only positive mood is more pragmatic.