Mystical experience in the context of health care.
Alison S Witte, Dirk M Van der Wal, H Chrissie Steyn
Journal of Holistic Nursing June 1, 2008 DOI: 10.1177/0898010107310617 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 18 |
| Population | Rural Appalachian community participants |
| Topics | Mystical experience |
| Citations | 6 |
| Key findings | Mystical experiences in health care follow a process of initiation, occurrence, maturation, and integration, with essential qualities including sensory-motor perception and interaction with the supernatural or family members. |
Abstract
Eighteen participants in a rural Appalachian community were interviewed to learn about their mystical experiences in the context of health care. Semistructured interviews addressed factors initiating mystical experience and essential qualities of mystical experience. Nursing process and the nurse's response were examined. Data were analyzed using the immersion/crystallization method and concept mapping. Mystical experience was conceptualized as a process incorporating initiation, occurrence, maturation, and integration of mystical experience. Essential qualities included sensory-motor perception, interaction with the supernatural, interaction with family members, conviction of reality, cognition, dynamic tension and emotional intensity. Nursing interventions included listening and support. Subjective nursing responses included tension, intimacy and empathy, sense of awe, autonomic responses, and appreciation of the mystical in everyday life. Various stressors are associated with mystical experience. Patients having mystical experiences may benefit from nursing support.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on mystical experience, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The nature of peak experience in wilderness. Participants who had visited wilderness areas in Victoria, Australia, recruited via a... | 2009 | Qualitative study | n = 39 |
| Qualitative and Quantitative Features of Music Reported to Support Peak Mystical Experiences during Psychedelic Therapy Sessions Individuals with extensive experience administering psilocybin or psilocybin-containing... | 2017 | Survey and qualitative/quantitative analysis | n = 10 |
| Cannabis as entheogen: survey and interview data on the spiritual use of cannabis. Participants recruited from seven online communities, median age 33, 81% male | 2020 | Mixed methods (qualitative interviews and quantitative survey) | n = 319 |
| Clarifying and measuring the characteristics of experiences that involve a loss of self or a dissolution of its boundaries. Adults who reported an experience involving dissolution of self-boundaries or loss of... | 2024 | Cross-sectional survey with confirmatory factor analysis and qualitative thematic analysis | n = 386 |
| The developmental impact of not integrating childhood peak experiences Adults recalling their childhood peak experiences | 2007 | Qualitative study | n = 12 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- Clinical Utility of Mystical Experiences: An Overview and Conceptual Framework. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis July 21, 2025
- Loving in the context of community mental health practice: A clinical case study and reflection on mystical experience Mental Health, Religion & Culture February 1, 2014