This essay examines one of the most enduring theological paradoxes in biblical literature-the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart-through the interpretive lens of the Me’or Einayim of Chernobyl (R. Menachem Nachum Twersky, 1730-1797), a foundational text in early Hasidic thought. The biblical narrative presents a profound dilemma: if God hardens Pharaoh’s heart, how can Pharaoh be held morally...
Contemporary interpretations of psychedelic spirituality are dominated by the “mystical experience model,” which emphasizes that psychedelics can lead to well-being through bringing about ego dissolution and a unitive mystical experience. Rooted in perennialist and dualist assumptions—often derived from Christian mysticism, Vedanta, and Plotinian Neoplatonism—this framework has shaped both...
Mystical experiences are generally considered to be rare and special experiences, characterized by feelings of unity and self-loss. Still, certain researchers have recently proposed that mystical experiences could be placed on a continuum with more common and mundane experiences. In this paper, we present the results of an exploratory study, the goal of which was to identify ordinary...
Shamanism is one of the earliest examples of mankind’s healing modalities, beginning with African bushmen such as the Kalahari Kung. Some Africans and others still use trance dancing and medicinal substances to heal themselves and their patients, whether for free or through barter. Traditional Chinese Medicine (approximately 5,000 years old) heals the body and mind through affordable herbs or...
Rabindranath Tagore’s poetry embodies a profound synthesis of spiritual philosophy and artistic expression, where the essence of Sufism becomes a central lens to understand his vision of divine love and unity. This paper explores how Tagore’s poetic universe resonates with Sufi concepts of Ishq (divine love), Fana (self-annihilation), and Tawhid (oneness of being), revealing an intense quest...
Abstract In my paper, I will explore the web of meanings constructed through the poetics of air and breath in a 16th century text Haqā’iq-i Hindī. My approach will view the Sufi-Bhakti interaction in early modern South Asia through lateral processes of knowledge formation, which found common ground in the emphasis on embodied rituals. This dialogue for both traditions shared a common grammar of...
Abstract This paper argues that interactions with artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots, such as ChatGPT, can mediate genuine mystical experiences. Building off the framework of mystical experiences developed by William James, I argue that interactions with AI chatbots can mediate mystical experiences in a structurally comparable way to how guided meditation can produce mystical experiences. I...
Abstract The “irrational” nature of communicating with spirits in shamanic culture possesses a cultural and spiritual healing power that is difficult for modern science to match. The paradox of shamanic culture is that reason does not require us to eliminate irrational elements of emotion, mystical fantasy, and religious belief; rather, all that reason requires of us is to discursively...
In active inference, mystical experiences (MEs) could be characterized as adaptive learning events, where the ordinary expectations of an agent become challenged or change permanently. In the context of psychedelic-induced MEs, these (temporary) changes in information processing have been attributed to increased brain entropy, the effects of which have been seen to reorganize deep...
The paper critically discusses whether mystical experiences induced by psychedelics should be considered inauthentic or counterfeit forms of mystical experiences. It examines three arguments against the authenticity of these experiences: pimes are too easy; pimes do not have lasting spiritual or moral effects; pimes do not involve divine grace. Positive arguments for the authenticity of pimes...