The exploration of mystical experiences among religious preachers
Rida Irfan, Ayesha Aziz
INSPIRA September 5, 2022 DOI: 10.32505/inspira.v2i2.3390 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 10 |
| Population | Religious preachers who had encountered at least one mystical experience |
| Topics | Mystical experience |
| Keywords | Bracketing Essence Interview guide Mystical experiences Transcendental phenomenology |
| Key findings | Mystical experiences among religious preachers are subjective and diverse, highlighting the need for an indigenous formal criterion to identify them. |
Abstract
The current qualitative study aimed to explore the mystical experiences among religious preachers. A purposive sampling technique was employed to select a sample of (n=10) religious preachers who had encountered at least one mystical experience. The transcendental phenomenological approach was used to capture the essence of the mystical experiences through an in-depth semi-structured interview guide based on five domains: the exploration of mystic features, beliefs, impact on life, sharing of mystical experiences, and the religious and cultural oriented explanations. The modification of Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen's model by Maustakas (1994) was employed for data analysis followed through a series of steps such as bracketing, horizonalization of data, a grouping of significant statements to constitute themes (triggers, perceptual experience, symbolism and derived meanings, significant figures, reaction, and the cultural explanation of mystical experiences), textural description and a structural description with verbatim examples was developed. These descriptions were combined to write a composite description that reflected the ‘essence' of the mystical experiences and highlighted the causes, characteristics, perceptual experiences, beliefs, and impact. The findings highlighted the subjective nature of the mystical experiences and the need to develop an indigenous formal criterion to identify such experiences.
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
Cites 3
- Common Core Thesis and Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Mysticism in Chinese Buddhist Monks and Nuns Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion December 1, 2011
- The interpretation of independent agents and spiritual content in dreams University Library Heidelberg November 17, 2017
- The Rasch scaling of mystical experiences: Construct validity and correlates of the Mystical Experience Scale (MES) International Journal for the Psychology of Religion 2007