Amid the accelerating rise of artificial intelligence and the push toward transhumanism, humanity is being called to re-envision its essence. While mainstream discourse often centers on technological innovation, this paper examines the intimate interweaving of body, mind, consciousness, and soul by exploring the multidimensional nature of human experience—physical, energetic, and...
Consciousness is traditionally viewed as a by-product of neurophysiological processes. This work proposes an alternative hypothesis: consciousness is not an epiphenomenon of the brain, but a manifestation of a universal spiritual field — the soul of the Universe. The study integrates concepts from quantum physics, information theory, phenomenology, and transpersonal psychology to offer a...
This article examines Wilfred R. Bion’s psychoanalysis in its unique interplay between epistemology and mysticism. It then explores the potential of Bion’s concept of O for an alternative understanding of religion within psychoanalysis and beyond. Rather than seeing religion as an archaic relic of human history, Bion makes it possible to understand the encounters with the numinous (the...
Background Ketamine exerts potent but transient antidepressant effects in treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Combinations of ketamine and psychotherapy have attracted interest, but no trial has investigated a psychedelic model of ketamine–psychotherapy for TRD to our knowledge. Aims This secondary analysis of a randomised clinical trial (RCT) explores the therapeutic effects and experiential...
Vaporized N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) has a short duration and simple application, prompting this technique as a new approach for psychedelics' clinical use. Building on our initial dose-ascending studies and addressing potential confounding effects of dosing order, this study is the first to evaluate inhaled DMT in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind design. Given DMT's therapeutic...
Recent studies intensively explore psilocybin's antidepressant potential, but variables like previous experience, repeated use, setting, and sex remain underexplored. This study examines acute and long-term effects of psilocybin in healthy individuals. A double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study included 40 healthy participants (20 females, mean age 38). Each received two doses of...
This paper examines the visionary experiences of Saint Teresa of Ávila (1515–1582) as described in The Life of Teresa of Jesus, through the lens of contemporary phenomenology and the six-phase taxonomy of meditation-induced phosphenes. Special attention is given to Chapters 27–38, including her iconic vision of pure inner light and the Transverberation experience. We argue that Teresa’s...
TeosofiJune 15, 2025Kholid Al Walid, Waode Zainab Zilullah Toresano, Rosmaria Syafariyah Widjayanti et al.
This paper investigates the philosophical and mystical concept of ‘Ālam al-Mithāl (The Imaginal World) in Islamic thought as analternative framework for understanding religious experience. Despite the acknowledgement of its importance, contemporary discourse has yet to undertake a systematic philosophical inquiry into how ‘Ālam al-Mithāl, as a spiritual epistemology, provides rational grounds...
This paper explores an alternative model of consciousness—the B-Man Stra/Tac model—which challenges the dominant view that consciousness emerges from complex brain activity. Drawing on the philosophical arguments of (Nagel, 1974) and theoretical considerations inspired by Gödel’s Incompleteness Theorem as interpreted by Penrose (Howard, 2025c), this model proposes that consciousness resides in...
Full text (opens in new tab)B-man stra/tacDynamic algorithms/consciousness systemTheory of consciousnessConsciousness theory+4
bioRxivJune 14, 2025Michael Gruenwald, Sebastien De Landtsheer, Thomas Huebl et al.
preprint
Psychological trauma is associated with significant alterations of biological functions and is correlated with epigenetic changes specifically of DNA methylation. Trauma therapy is aiming at relieving the impact of trauma and is in initial studies also correlated with changes in DNA methylation. In this study we explored the changes in whole blood DNA methylation of participants of a program...