The research aims to identify the attitude toward rationality in Fritz Mauthner’s agnostic mysticism. The article examines the problem of the boundaries of rationality in Mauthner’s works within the context of 19th-20th-century philosophical thought. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the fact that it is the first to analyze Fritz Mauthner’s agnostic mysticism as a distinct direction...
Plotinus’ mysticism is a controversial field of study. While some scholars see in it the essential aspect of his system, others consider it to be of little importance. Interpretations of the “mystical union” with the One also differ from monistic to theistic, and the debate seems to be far from an ultimate conclusions. This paper is an attempt to find a different approach to this problem,...
Bede Griffiths is considered one of the pioneers of interfaith theology. He sought to establish a profound connection between different religious traditions at a time when even Christian ecumenism was still in its infancy. His spirituality, nourished by monastic sources, and his mystical teachings devoted an unusually high degree of attention to the problem of nature. According to his own...
Abstract This article aims to accomplish two goals, one miniscule and one gargantuan. As a footnote to Brook Ziporyn’s Experiments in Mystical Atheism (2024), I show how his brief discussion about Mormonism can be expanded to read Mormonism as a part of the mystical atheist tradition Ziporyn constructs. By examining the ways Latter-day Saint thought understands divine persons as embodied, and...
Mysticism is a teaching or belief that states the existence of a supreme reality that cannot be reached by human reason and can only be obtained through direct spiritual experience. This research was conducted by describing: 1) the existence of mysticism in the short story collection Hilang dalam Emkapan Semeru by RJL5-Fajar Aditya; 2) the motif of mysticism in the short story collection Hilang...
Daoism is an important indigenous religion of China that emerged from ancient totemic worship and shamanic practices, encompassing mysterious ritual arts known as fulu (talismans and registers). Daoist fulu writing constitutes an important content and manifestation of Daoist spiritual calligraphy, representing a significant embodiment of Daoist sacred knowledge and mystical power. This paper...
This study examines the representation of self-negation in the poetry of Ghani Khan through the mystical philosophy of Mansur al-Hallaj, with particular focus on the doctrine of fanā (annihilation of the self). While Ghani Khan’s poetry has often been approached through aesthetic, existential, and socio-political frameworks, its engagement with radical Sufi mysticism remains underexplored....
Rudolf Steiner's anthroposophical project seeks to bridge the chasm between the empirical rigidity of modern science and the mystical depths of religious experience.For Steiner, the Apostle Paul is not merely a theological architect of early Christianity, but the first "spiritual scientist" of the Christian era-a figure whose conversion on the Damascus road constitutes a prototype for a...
Purpose: One of the greatest mystical traditions of the world is the Tamil Bhakti literature. It is literature of devotion focused on inner realization and the unitive experience with the Divine. For instance, this paper presents a comparative study of some Tamil Bhakti saints, primarily the Nāyaṉmār and Āḻvārs, and the global mystical traditions of the Indian subcontinent Sufi, Christian...
In the modern era, many individuals experience spiritual emptiness and mental health disorders due to the pressures of life and loss of meaning in life. S.N. Goenka's technique of Vipassana meditation is present as an alternative to spiritual practice that emphasizes the observation of bodily sensations without ritual and is non-sectarian, thus attracting the interest of lay practitioners from...
This study addresses a lacuna in Buddhist modernism scholarship, which has extensively examined Buddhists’ employment of science as an instrument for Buddhist apologetics across Theravada, Yogacara, Zen and Tibetan Buddhist traditions, yet has largely neglected Huayan Buddhism. Taking an influential contemporary Buddhist adherent, Zhong Maosen (b. 1973), as a case study, it analyzes his...
Throughout human history, movement has functioned not only as a physical activity but also as a ritual, considered a healing practice linked to meaning-making and social balance. Bodily performances and ritual-based practices—such as folk dances and mystical rituals—have historically supported the physical and emotional integrity of individuals. This paper examines the historical continuity of...
This interdisciplinary study expands the concept of biophilia by integrating a mystical dimension—spiritual biophilia—through an in depth exploration of biophilic themes in the works of modern Jain Ācārya Śrīmad Rājcandra. This paper aims to expand the concept of biophilia by incorporating a mystical aspect—spiritual biophilia—to emphasize the holistic nurturing of both the planet and the human...
Psychedelic substances like ayahuasca, psilocybin, and LSD have been used for thousands of years in spiritual ceremonies, with users often reporting transcendent and life-altering experiences. Chapter 8 traces the arc of psychedelic use from ancient rituals and colonization to the countercultural revolution and modern neuroscience labs. The chapter blends cultural history with...
This paper explores the mystical unconscious as a dimension of psychoanalysis that moves beyond psychoanalysis's emphasis on repression and interpretation. Drawing from psychoanalytic insights, mystical traditions, and personal clinical encounters with states of spirit possession, the author argues for a psychoanalytic stance of witnessing. Through concepts such as the mystical vertex, internal...
Esotericism often refers to exclusive knowledge that only a few people possess. This field can encompass several disciplines, such as astrology, magic, and other forms of knowledge. Some social scientists stress that it is a rejected form of knowledge. The main objective of this research was to describe the esoteric traditions in one Minangkabau village community. It intends to show that there...
Abstract The acute effects of psychedelic medicines include shifts in perception and awareness that can often include mystical or spiritual elements. Research suggests that these experiences can also extend into more persisting changes in spirituality, yet this area is underexplored. This study examined the effects of psychedelic experiences on spiritual beliefs using a survey of N = 151 people...
This essay explores the intersection of medieval Christian mysticism and AI-generated imagery, reflecting on a six-week online course taught in summer 2024 at Drew University. A student’s experiments with AI-generated images of texts by Pseudo-Dionysius, Bernard of Clairvaux, Jan Ruusbroec, and Catherine of Genoa prompted reflection on pedagogy, ethics, and the representation of spiritual...
This project explores the religious philosophy, pedagogical practices and story of Mahmoud Malamatian, an Iranian-American Sufi teacher who practices in present-day Oakland, California. I have known Mahmoud, his wife Rozaneh and their family for eight years. To honour my proximity to the 'subject,' I employed a Lived Religion theoretical framework and gathered data using the qualitative...
A mystical experience typically includes feelings of unity and heightened connection, an enhanced positive mood, the sensation of transcending time and space, and ineffability. They are understood as both common, significantly impactful for individuals who have them and can occur under several circumstances. The rise of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy has seen an increased understanding of...