The article discusses the reasons for the wide popularity of entheogens among representatives of occultism of the late 19th – early 20th centuries, and the role they played in their theories and practices. It is hypothesized that the appeal of occult authors to entheogens should be considered in the light of the conflict between science and religion, which sought to overcome the representatives...
This paper explores the thematic convergence of divine love in Sufi poetry and the poetic works of Rabindranath Tagore, highlighting the spiritual sensibilities shared across these seemingly distinct traditions. Rooted in different historical and cultural contexts, Sufi poets such as Rumi, Hafiz, and Bulleh Shah articulate the human soul's yearning for union with the Divine, using metaphor,...
Over the past 30 years, there has been an increasing scientific and philosophical attention to what contemplative and spiritual traditions for millennia have known as pure consciousness, free from concrete empirical content and egoic self-awareness. The article addresses whether meditation is the best candidate for the research of pure consciousness, as Thomas Metzinger claims in his book The...
Cosmopsychism attributes subjectivity to the universe as a whole. What might that subjectivity be like? There are differing opinions in the philosophical literature, ranging from ?simply a mess? to highly advanced. Mystical experience, if it genuinely brings unity or identity with the universe, could provide some insight. The evidence points to conscious mind of extraordinary quality and...
This prolegomenon sketches issues central to a philosophy of meditation, develops only some of them here, and refers readers to other works where some not covered here are addressed. A complete philosophy of meditation would include accounts of: the differences between meditative practices, states, and traits; religion-based meditative traditions; novel contemporary meditative practices and...
NeuroImage: Clinical2025Gianna M. Perez, Benjamin M. Rosenberg, Wenyi Xu et al.3 citations
BACKGROUND: Understanding changes in brain activity following treatment is critical to advancing the use of neuroimaging in psychiatric research. Previous work has focused on defining abnormalities (biomarkers) between patients and healthy controls but there has been less investigation of brain changes in depression patients following treatment. To boost sample size and explore the possibility...
Abstract Background The use of psychedelics is currently increasing in the United States. Awareness of clinical trials investigating the therapeutic applications of psychedelics may result in a record number of people who use psychedelics for the first-time. This study aimed to develop a harm-reduction resource to facilitate safe and successful psychedelic experiences outside of regulated...
Menopausal women often experience changes in sexual function, including reduced desire, arousal difficulties, and increased sexual distress, which can impact their overall well-being. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have emerged as a potential approach to enhancing sexual function and reducing distress, yet their effectiveness remains uncertain. This systematic review aimed to evaluate...
Chronic pain is an individual experience with physical and psychological dimensions. Ketamine is used in sub-anesthetic doses to treat chronic pain. We describe a proposed multidisciplinary approach with combined treatment of low-dose ketamine and pain-focused psychological and somatic therapies to benefit quality of life of disabled chronic pain patients. Beyond pain reduction, within the...
Abstract Fifty-one cancer patients with symptoms of depression and anxiety were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, crossover trial using low-dose psilocybin (placebo) and high-dose psilocybin (intervention group) combined with psychotherapy with 5 weeks between dosing sessions and at 6-month follow-up. Participants in the intervention group had large decreases in clinician- and self-rated...