Ramakrishna and the Clinic of Paradox.
Paulo H C Dias, Gilberto Safra
Journal of religion and health December 1, 2016 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1007/s10943-015-0131-5 via PubMed
Summary
The study explores a clinical understanding of human beings as a balance between immanence and transcendence, focusing on mystical experiences. It critiques both psychological-only and spiritual-only views of such experiences, using the life of Indian mystic Ramakrishna as a case study to compare interpretations from various authors and introduce a new perspective.
Study at a glance
| Population | mystics and their experiences, specifically Ramakrishna |
|---|---|
| Key finding | The study critiques the psychological-only and spiritual-only approaches to mystical experience, proposing an integral perspective. |
Abstract
This study presents a clinical conception of the human being as the paradox between immanence and transcendence. Through an exposition of the clinical conceptions of Brazilian author Gilberto Safra, we search for an integral manner in which to understand mystical experience as a way to rethink the ontological conceptions inherent to clinical practice. In such perspective, we elaborate a critique of both the psychological-only approach to mystical experience as well as the spiritual-only approach. We present it through the life of Indian mystic Ramakrishna, by comparing the interpretation different authors make of his experiences and placing our own perspective.