The Unio Mystica of Teresa of Avila: two classical presentations in the light of psychology
Hans Åkerberg
Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis January 16, 2019 DOI: 10.30674/scripta.67147 (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 Mysticism |
| Keywords | Psychology and religion |
| Key points | Argues that Teresa of Ávila's descriptions of mystical union are exceptionally vivid and experiential, surpassing those of John of the Cross in intensity. |
Abstract
It is generally maintained within the Carmelite tradition that Teresa (1515-1582) showed an extraordinary facility in describing the stages of mysticism with experimential vigour and deep intensity, compared for example to John of the Cross, whose mystical presentation is of a more dogmatic and systematic nature. In this sense she would appear to be unsurpassed within the entire Roman Catholic mystic tradition. The author compares two classical presentations by Teresa of the significance of unio mystica, firstly her description of this in the Libro de la vida, and secondly her presentation of the same mystic element in the book Castillo interior o Las moradas.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on altered states of consciousness, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Altered States of Consciousness | 1966 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Functional neuroanatomy of altered states of consciousness: The transient hypofrontality hypothesis | 2003 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| The Psychedelic Mystical Experience in the Human Encounter with Death | 1969 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| A neurophenomenological approach to non-ordinary states of consciousness: hypnosis, meditation, and psychedelics | 2022 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Hypnotic phenomena and altered states of consciousness: a multilevel framework of description and explanation | 2003 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |