On Mystical Experiences as: Support for the Perennial Philosophy
Journal of the American Academy of Religion January 1, 1994 Jonathan Shear 36 citations
Mystical experiences across different traditions share core features that support the perennial philosophy, the view that a universal, transcendent reality underlies diverse religious traditions. The article argues that these commonalities are not merely superficial but involve deep structural similarities in the experiences themselves, which have been documented across cultures and historical periods. This suggests that mystical experiences provide empirical evidence for a shared spiritual reality, challenging purely constructivist or culturally relative interpretations of mysticism.