Exploring Mystical-Type Experiences Through Auto-Induced Cognitive Trance.
Aminata Bicego, Naji Alnagger, Etzel Cardeña, Corine Sombrun, Charlotte Martial, Jitka Annen, Olivia Gosseries, Audrey Vanhaudenhuyse
The International journal of clinical and experimental hypnosis January 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1080/00207144.2025.2544055 via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractAuto-induced cognitive trance (AICT) can produce mystical-type experiences in healthy individuals, with 29% of participants reporting such experiences during AICT compared to none during a rest condition. The study examined twenty-seven people who could self-induce AICT, measuring their religious and spiritual practices and paranormal beliefs beforehand. Participants completed five conditions including rest, imagination, and AICT with or without auditory stimulation. The intensity of the AICT experience and features resembling near-death experiences were linked to mystical-type experiences only during AICT. This is the first demonstration that AICT, a technique distinct from hypnosis or meditation, can induce mystical-type experiences outside life-threatening situations.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Within-subjects experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 27 |
| Population | Healthy individuals capable of self-inducing auto-induced cognitive trance |
| Interventions | Auto-induced cognitive trance rest rest with auditory stimulation imagination AICT with auditory stimulation |
| Keywords | Beliefs Mystical-type experiences Trance states |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key finding | Auto-induced cognitive trance induced mystical-type experiences in 29% of participants, while the rest condition induced none. |
Abstract
Mystical-type experiences can be induced through techniques like hypnosis and meditation. These experiences are common in near-death experiences (NDEs) and have been linked to paranormal beliefs. This study explored auto-induced cognitive trance (AICT) as a method to induce mystical-type experiences and NDE outside of life threatening situations (NDE-like), as well as examining the influence of factors like religious/spirituality practices, and paranormal beliefs. Twenty-seven participants capable of self-inducing AICT were studied. Before the experiment, their religious/spirituality practices and paranormal beliefs were assessed. Participants underwent five conditions: rest, rest with auditory stimulation, imagination, AICT, and AICT with auditory stimulation. Experience intensity, mystical-type experiences, and NDEs-like were measured before and after AICT and rest. Results showed that AICT induce mystical-type experiences more frequently (29%) compared to the rest condition (0%). More specifically, the intensity of the experience and features of NDEs-like during AICT were linked to mystical-type experiences during AICT only. This is the first study to demonstrate that AICT can induce mystical-type experiences in healthy individuals.