There is a growing use of Virtual Reality (VR) technologies in psychosis research and intervention. Validated VR simulations of psychotic-like experience have the potential to allow controlled manipulation of stimuli, reproducibility, and to isolate mechanisms of change in an ethical research framework. Although initial developments appear to be safe, qualitative reporting of participants'...
As direct-to-consumer ketamine prescriptions obtained via telehealth in the United States, along with psychedelic support, proliferate, some patients are turning to general-purpose chatbots as de facto "therapists" in unmonitored settings. These AI-guided altered-state sessions carry significant ethical, clinical, and legal risks. Current AI tools are not licensed professionals, lack consistent...
This paper aims to develop and explore the dynamic interrelation between religious theology, psychoanalysis, neurochemistry and psychology, through investigating the extent of the relationship between positive empathetic beliefs, serotonin (5HT), dimethyltryptamine (DMT), empathic emotional states, elevated serotonin levels, and their combined influences relating to the Jungian concept of...
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a prevalent mental disorder, with a lifetime prevalence of 2-3%, characterized by intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions). These thoughts and behaviors take up a significant amount of time, cause immense distress, and compromise the quality of life of those who suffer from OCD. In addition to psychological factors such as...
BACKGROUND: Recent advancements in psychedelic research have highlighted psilocybin's potential therapeutic benefits for various mental disorders. Understanding its effects on brain function and identifying predictors of individual responses are essential for developing effective treatments. METHODS: This double-blind, randomized, crossover, and placebo-controlled study enrolled 25 healthy...
The present study proffers a theological-spiritual interpretation of the spiritual experience contained in the text The Living Flame of Love as composed the Spanish Baroque mystic John of the Cross. The article is founded on the thesis of the researcher M. Hlaváčová, who examined the connection between the New Testament Johannine Christology of the Incarnate Word and its original...
Al-QamarDecember 31, 2025(Hafiz) Muhammad Aslam Khan, Hafiz Mansoor Ahmad Corresponding Author, Muhammad Javed Iqbal
This study offers an analytical and interpretive exploration of Maḥmūd Shabistarī’s Gulshan-i Rāz within the dialectical framework of Islamic mysticism (taṣawwuf) and scholastic theology (ʿilm al-kalām). It seeks to uncover the epistemological foundations of Shabistarī’s thought and his method of Qurʾānic taʾwīl (esoteric interpretation), situating his mystical insights in conversation with...
This work seeks to explore the profound and often overlooked connection between two monumental pillars of Hindu spiritual thought. On one hand stands Omkāra, the sacred monosyllable, a cornerstone of vedic and upanisadic philosophy, particularly as expounded in the māṇdūkya upaniṣad. Om represents not merely a sound, but the entirety of existence, consciousness, and the ultimate reality,...
This article examines the conceptions of spiritual purification and moral education in Islamic Sufism and Japanese Buddhism (particularly the Zen school) from a comparative perspective. The central research question addressed is: How do these two traditions, rooted in distinct cultural and metaphysical foundations, converge and diverge in terms of their pedagogical methods and aims?...
The article explores how mysticism resurges within modern, scientistic culture, especially in art. Mysticism is defined as a tradition of direct, private union with “ultimate reality,” distinct from both secret esoteric teachings and institutional religious ritual. Historically rooted in medieval Christianity and transformed by Romanticism, modern mysticism emerges as a reaction to...