Archive for the Psychology of Religion
January 1, 2008
William A. Richards
19 citations
Psilocybin, a psychedelic drug, produces a range of conscious states including both mystical and nonmystical experiences. The text surveys and defines these states, discusses how to facilitate mystical experiences based on research experience, and notes their potential religious significance. Such states may help recognize spiritual reality, understand the biochemistry of revelation, and contribute positively to psychological treatment.
Archive for the Psychology of Religion
July 26, 2024
Hemal P. Trivedi
2 citations
A proposed model for comparing mystical experiences across cultures and eras integrates three components: neurocognitive mechanisms and brain substrates, phenomenal experiences, and noetic accounts. Applied to ego-dissolution experiences of the modern mystic Sadhguru, medieval mystic Teresa of Ávila, and individuals using psilocybin and LSD, the neurocognitive component—drawn from studies of brain injury, psychedelics, and meditation—serves as a bridge that undercuts the longstanding debate between universalist and contextualist approaches. This multidisciplinary framework aims to identify both universal and context-specific elements of mystical experience, contributing to theology, religious studies, philosophy, history, and cognitive neuroscience.
Archive for the Psychology of Religion
January 12, 2026
Junyi Hao, Chang Liu, Shaozhen Feng et al.
Daoist meditation practices, such as Sitting in Oblivion and Inner Observation, are less commonly used than Buddhist meditation for psychological regulation due to their philosophical complexity. This analysis compared classical Daoist methods and developed a new technique called Merging Oblivion Meditation, which combines Inner Observation and Sitting in Oblivion. Inner Observation, which involves merging with the cosmic landscape, proved more adaptable for psychological use. Merging Oblivion Meditation uses guided imagination to reduce the sense of self by fostering experiential unity with cosmic landscapes, facilitating nondual awareness without apophatic operations. This approach simplifies traditional Sitting in Oblivion, making it more feasible as a psychological technique. It differs from Buddhist-derived practices in process and effects, potentially engaging distinct mechanisms for nondual experiences.