This paper explores William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and of Experience as a poetic cartography of visionary mindscapes, where perception is not merely a sensory but a divine act. Tracing key influences from Jacob Boehme’s mystical theology and drawing connections to the phenomenological aesthetics of Maurice Merleau-Ponty, the theological and philosophical underpinnings of William Blake’s...
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...
Posthuman “borderlands” are represented in literature as diverse repetitions of similar dynamics of power. The postcolonial literature of Haiti presents a unique situation in comparison to the networks of power observed in political economic theory. Colonized people are the central actors in Haiti: they create posthuman entities such as the zombies to reclaim a political agency. Employing...
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...
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...
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...
This paper aims to juxtapose bodhisattvas, awakened beings recognized in various Buddhist traditions and contemporary philosophies, as viewed through different lenses: as personified symbols, idealistic visions, mystical manifestations, naturalized sentient beings, and integral visions. Specific attention is given to the contrasting bodhisattva motivations and ideals articulated in Theravāda...
Summary This case study focuses on the experiences of mystical healing practices exemplified by Butati Dham in Rajasthan, India. Butati Dham, a revered site for mystical healing, offers a compelling case study of how Indigenous wellness tourism transcends modern scientific rationality to meet deep psychological and spiritual needs. The Dham’s rich spiritual heritage, rooted in the legend of...
Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) remains a challenge, with many patients unresponsive to standard antidepressants. NN-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a fast-acting psychedelic, offers potential benefits due to its rapid onset and short duration. This review, registered with the Open Science Framework (DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/6D9WC), summarizes the safety and tolerability of DMT in early-phase...