The article is devoted to the philosophical and religious analysis of monasticism as a holistic spiritual teaching that combines ascetic practices, inner prayer, mystical contemplation and theological reflection. Monasticism is considered as a specific type of spiritual experience aimed at the radical transformation of human subjectivity through the process of purification of the heart,...
ReligionsNovember 26, 2025John R. Snarey, Eunil David Cho, Shelby L. Hall
William James’s two psychological classics—The Principles of Psychology (1890) and The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature (1902)—are widely read but rarely connected. How are James’s psychological theories in The Principles applied in The Varieties? Most scholars say they are not. Our thesis is that, throughout The Varieties, James uses The Principles as the foundation...
Abstract Muslims understand humility (Arabic: khushu‘/tawadu‘) to be inseparable from the servitude to God (‘ubudiyya) that is demanded of them by their faith. The defining place of the virtue in Islamic ethics is underscored by the fact that the sin of the two archetypes of wrongdoing in the Quran––Pharoah and Iblis (Satan)––was pride. With that said, humility can be conceived in two...
Abstract A surge in societal and scientific discussion surrounds psychedelic research. One surprising fact keeps standing out: Many users report the psychedelic experience as a positive and lasting impact on their quality of life. The present study aimed to explore the quality and consequences of the most impacting psychedelic experience, with the user's Big Five personality in focus. This...
Abstract This study explores the first-time use of psychedelic macrodoses among Latin American adults, addressing a gap in the literature regarding naturalistic use outside clinical settings. A total of 4,810 participants from six Latin American countries completed an online survey assessing sociodemographic characteristics, substances used, consumption contexts, motivations, and subjective...
Acute subjective experiences induced by psychedelics have been identified as important mediators of therapeutic outcomes in many studies. Mystical experiences specifically, have been correlated with a range of therapeutic outcomes including reductions in symptoms of depression, anxiety and addiction. This paper assesses acute subjective experiences induced by an encapsulated DMT-harmala...
This article examines one of the least studied representatives of Russian pre-revolutionary philosophy, P.D. Ouspensky. To this day, the legacy of this unusual, original thinker remains little explored in Russian thought, whose interests included the ideas of “superman”, “eternal return”, “fourth dimension”, “third organon”, as well as the study of consciousness taken in unusual, religious...
Atheists have long advanced arguments against the existence of God, challenging the claims of theists. Among these, John L. Schellenberg has proposed an argument known as “divine hiddenness,” which has garnered significant attention from philosophers of religion. Therefore, the subject of this paper is to critique and examine this argument based on the ontological foundations of Avicenna, one...
Spirituality is an essential dimension of human life, encompassing self-awareness, relationships with God, others, and nature, as well as the search for meaning in life. This study examines spirituality through the perspective of Transpersonal Psychology, a modern branch of psychology that emphasizes transcendental experiences, heightened consciousness, and the integration of psychological,...
Abstract Breathwork which increases ventilatory rate or depth represents an accessible nonpharmacological modality for potentially inducing altered states of consciousness (ASCs). Despite gaining traction as a therapeutic tool, empirical research remains limited, hence we conducted the first randomised-controlled trial (NCT06916312) on breathwork and ASCs. We examined the effects of a single...