Mystical Experiences

Who are some of the leaders of transpersonal psychology?

Abraham Maslow and Kuhn, Anthony Sutich, Charles Tart, Ken Wilber

Classical Conceptualization: Evolved Consciousness

Bucke- animals are aware, humans are self aware, and some humans are aware of their unity with the world (basically, some people are more advanced) Jung- archetypes are evolutionary ways to experience the world, and a ME is a natural occurrence that helps us meet our potential

Measure in Pahnke's study

based on Stace's theory

What are the unhealthy states of Buddhist psychology?

delusions, attachment, and aversion

How does a mystical experience relate to a numinous experience?

often more impersonal/ unity with everything, a numinous experience is personal mystical experience where there is awareness and relation to a specific being

How does a mystical experience relate to a religious experience?

often more impersonal/ unity with everything, more extraordinary (religious experiences also include ordinary experiences)

Why are some aspects of psychology unacceptable for study in the mainstream?

paranormal activity, spirituality

What is the spectrum of consciousness?

shadow-ego-existential-transpersonal-mind

What are some ways of dealing with a spiritual emergency?

shamanism, kundalini yoga, and myth

Procedure of Panke's study

solid preparation that provided support and reduced fear, it was double blind, placed in a private chapel on Good Friday

What are the healthy states of Buddhist psychology?

wisdom & insight, loving kindness, equanimity

Who is more likely to report mystical experiences than others?

women, elderly, educated & more affluent, and psychologically healthy

What is Stace's theory/definition of mystical experience?

mystical experience ha "family resemblances" that are universal and not particular to a religion: -unity with the world -sense of sacred -transcend space and time -deeply felt positive mood -experience feels real -is ineffable -paradoxical -leaves a positive change in the self

What is the research evidence that shows that lucid dreaming is a thing?

eye movements are recorded and they can make the eye movements that were agreed upon to show that they are awake in their dream

What are the two factors of the Mysticism Scale?

Factor 1: basic unitive experience Factor 2: religious interpretation of the experience

Classical Conceptualization: Heightened Awareness

James- it is on the outskirts of consciousness, so people who have them might just be more aware of the stream of consciousness and they are picking up more of the outskirts than others

Who and under what conditions are people likely to report the drug experience was also a religious experience?

intrinsically religious people, and clients whose therapist provided a religious context

What are the three factors of the Mysticism Scale?

introvertive experiences: unity without content (void, vaccuum) extrovertive experiences: unity with content (everyhting was alive) religious interpretation

Participants in Pahnke's study

20 Christian theological students matched according to background

What is the prevalence of mystical experiences?

29% agree with the sense of unity 34% of adults had an "out-of-body" experience 65% of British say they've been aware of a presence different from their everyday self

What percentage of the population have a mystical experience?

30-40%

What types and how common is religious imagery when taking such drugs?

96% showed some type of religious imagery 91% saw a church/temple 58% saw a sacred person 49% saw devils or demons 34% saw a religious symbol

Classical Conceptualization: Erroneous Attribution

Leuba- it's purely physical Freud- it's a recollection of an infantile state Durkheim-it is mistaken as a relation with God, when in fact it's a relation with society

Results of Pahnke's study

Psilocybin had significantly higher percentages of mystical experiences

What are some areas of parapsychology?

Telepathy, Precognition, Psychokinesis, ESP

What is a spiritual emergency?

a psychosis like state where you see and hear things others don't, and feel powerful and as if you were one with the universe and are also frightened or in awe, but have a better prognosis

What are some effects of meditation?

helps relax, lowered breathing rate, blood pressure, heart rate, and metabolic rate, larger temporal lobe, and more psychologically healthy

What are the implications of studying lucid dreaming?

lucid dreaming can be taught and people can work out problems or entertain themselves in their dreams

What does transpersonal psychology study?

mental processes and behavior that goes beyond the individual, examples: mystical and religious experiences, near death experiences, hypnotism, ESP, lucid dreaming, and spiritual emergencies

How prevalent is lucid dreaming?

most people experience it at least once, & 20% experience it once a month or more

What is the view on psychedelic drugs and mystical experience in the US?

most say that drugs cannot produce a religious/mystical experience

What are other ways to know things, besides science?

religion and philosophy

How are the areas of parapsychology studied?

telepathy- show pictures to A, and B in another room can say what A saw psychokinesis- get dice in a cage to come up a certain number, healer touched water and cured a person

What does research show about the psychological effects of psychedelic drugs?

the drug is a correlation, not a causation the drug can alter perception but do not cause hallucinations or sudden psychoses

In what ways is science subjective?

they are based on a paradigm/prevailing view of what is acceptable to study and how its to be studied and some assumptions and theories dominate and things that don't fit it are discounted

What did subjects report 25 years after Pahnke's study?

those who took the psilocybin reported a more vivid memory of the experience because it was more intense, reported it as one of their high points in their spiritual lives and said it was an important spiritual and psychological growth moment

What is lucid dreaming?

when you are aware that you are dreaming, and have control over what happens in it

What is a near death experience?

where someone physically died and had an out of body experience where they go thru a dark tunnel, see their life playback, see their deceased relatives and the "light", are told to return and are overwhelmingly peaceful