Dr. A.M.—A case of a modern mystic? Implications for psychology and medicine.
Enrico Facco, Daniela Lucangeli, Patrizio Emmanuele Tressoldi
Spirituality in Clinical Practice July 30, 2018 DOI: 10.1037/scp0000171 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | One adult female, identified as Dr. A.M., who reports regular mystical experiences since April 2014 |
| Duration | Mystical experiences reported since April 2014 |
| Citations | 10 |
| Key findings | The authors report that Dr. A.M. has had regular mystical experiences since April 2014 without medical or neurological illness and without harm to her professional or personal life, which they say has instead been positively affected. They contend that the knowledge she reports acquiring covers philosophical, religious, and historical content beyond her personal cultural and scientific knowledge, and argue the case supplements traditional cultural and scientific ideas about mind activity, spirituality, and inner and outer worlds. |
Abstract
In this article, we report some excerpts from the writings of Dr. A.M., an adult female, regarding the knowledge she acquired during the regular mystical experi- ences she has been having since April 2014. This case is exceptional for multiple reasons. First, she experienced this particular state of consciousness without any associated medical or neurological illnesses. Second, these experiences did not harm her professional or personal life; rather, they have had, and continue to have, a positive impact on her life. Third, her case is exceptional because of the stability and longevity of her involvement with mystical experiences. And fourth, the knowledge she has been acquiring encompasses philosophically, religiously, and historically relevant aspects, the content of which extends far beyond her personal cultural and scientific knowledge. This case of a modern mystic supplements our traditional cultural and scientific ideas about the relationship between ordinary human mind activity and spirituality and between our inner and outer worlds.
Citations in the library
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