Introduction: Mystical Consciousness, the Innate Capacity, and the Perennial Psychology
The Innate Capacity December 4, 1997 DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780195116977.003.0001 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Americans and British people |
| Key findings | Nearly half of all Americans and British people report having had one or more mystical experiences, and more than half of all college graduates have had such experiences. |
Abstract
Abstract It is commonly observed that many, if not most, seminal religious leaders have undergone some form of mystical experiences. Less commonly known is how surprisingly widespread such experiences are; summarizing several large-scale studies, David Hay, in Religious Experience Today, concludes that nearly half-43 percent of all Americans and 48 percent of all British people-have had one or more mystical experiences. These experiences are not confined to the uneducated; more than half of all college graduates have had such experiences.