Mysticism in Historical Context: A Critical and Analytical Study
Devajit Das
International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research February 13, 2026 DOI: 10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i01.68823 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Mysticism |
| Keywords | Doctrine Transcendence philosophy Intuition Western thought Immanence Religious experience Criticism Epistemology Perception |
| Key points | Argues that mysticism, though studied by Western scholars, has its earliest roots in Eastern religious traditions, particularly the Upanishads, and has shaped major religious traditions and Western thought. |
Abstract
Although the credit for developing mysticism as a branch of study goes to the Western scholars, it has its earliest roots in Eastern religious traditions, particularly the Upanishads. Because of the diffused nature of mysticism, it has been an arduous task even for the philosophers to define it in precise terms. Yet, for working purpose, mysticism has long been understood less as a doctrine than as a spiritual temper or mode of perception emphasizing unity, intuition, and transcendence beyond rational analysis. Mystics seek the underlying oneness of all existence and aim at union with the Supreme Reality through intuition rather than intellect. Historically, mysticism has shaped major religious traditions—Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity—and has profoundly influenced Western philosophical and literary thought from Plato and Plotinus to medieval and modern thinkers.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on mysticism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The mystical mind: probing the biology of religious experience | 2000 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Religious and Mystical Experiences as Artifacts of Temporal Lobe Function: A General Hypothesis | 1983 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| The Problem of Pure Consciousness: Mysticism and Philosophy | 1993 | Edited collection of essays | |
| Irreducible Mind: Toward a Psychology for the 21st Century | 2020 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mysticism and schizophrenia: A phenomenological exploration of the structure of consciousness in the schizophrenia spectrum disorders. | 2016 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |