Haunted People Syndrome (HP-S) characterizes recurrent ‘ghostly episodes’ as an interactionist phenomenon emerging from people with heightened somatic-sensory sensitivities that are stirred by dis-ease states, contextualized with paranormal belief, and reinforced via perceptual contagion and threat-agency detection. We tested the applicability of this psychological model via a three-part,...
The distinction between dissociative disorders (DDs) and schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs) in different categories since DSM-III presumes a clear-cut distinction between both disorders. However, empirical studies did not reveal a clear distinction between the disorders on a symptom level. The aim of the current study was to further examine the overlap and differences in symptoms between...
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is currently being investigated as a potential treatment for psychiatric and neurological disorders. Different LSD formulations (base or tartrate, oral or intravenous) are being used. Unclear is whether LSD base and tartrate pharmacokinetics are equivalent. Additionally, LSD's absolute oral bioavailability is unknown. Therefore, we tested the bioequivalence of...
Chanting is a universal practice with deep ethnocultural roots. More recently, chanting has become popular on online platforms and meditation apps which have extended chanting practices beyond their original cultural, sacred, and healing traditions. The aim of the current study was to determine if online chanting meditation promotes altered states of consciousness and psychosocial benefits when...
ABSTRACT In this study, I investigate the transformative potential of online spiritual retreats by analyzing participant experiences from a 7-day virtual program integrating continuous self-inquiry, meditation, and breathwork. Fifty-six participants completed a post-retreat integration and feedback form designed to elicit reflective insights into their contemplative experiences. Using grounded...
This viewpoint explores the therapeutic potential of psychedelics in treating neuropsychiatric disorders, particularly through the modulation of brain entropy and the experience of ego dissolution. Psychedelics disrupt rigid neural patterns, facilitating enhanced connectivity and fostering profound emotional breakthroughs that may alleviate symptoms of disorders like depression, anxiety, PTSD,...
In his phenomenology after Ideas for a Pure Phenomenology and Phenomenological Philosophy, Husserl increasingly thematizes the problem of the immortality of the transcendental ego together with its infinite immanent flow. This creates the problem of the meaning of the experience of consciousness before birth and after death. The infinity of the immanent current is itself the constituted yield...
This chapter explores the profound effects that non-ordinary states, particularly those induced by psychedelics, have on the brain. It highlights how psychedelics influence neural pathways, rerouting them to foster personal growth and address conditions like addiction and depression. Key mechanisms, such as the suppression of the default mode network (DMN), increased brain connectivity, and...
This chapter provides an overview of what individuals may encounter during a psychedelic journey, emphasizing that each experience is unique and influenced by factors such as mindset, environment, dosage, and the type of psychedelic used. Common experiences include vivid visual effects, enhanced sensory perception, feelings of euphoria, ego dissolution, introspection, emotional release, and...
Experiencing oneness or nondual awareness has long been considered a core aspect of spirituality and an aim of meditation and spiritual practice. Oneness experience may lead to well-being and has various adaptive functions in everyday life. However, there has been a lack of comprehensive measures of oneness experiences that are grounded in the consensus-based reports of experienced meditation...