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Psychedelic-induced mystical experiences: An interdisciplinary discussion and critique

Summary

This paper examines how psychedelic research studies ‘mystical experiences’—profound spiritual-type states often linked to therapeutic benefits. The authors argue that current scientific measures of these experiences are based on Western Christian and colonial-era ideas about mysticism that aren’t universal. They propose that scientists should work more closely with religious scholars and anthropologists to better understand these complex experiences across different cultures and contexts.

Background

Contemporary psychedelic research frequently references ‘mystical experiences’ as a key phenomenon associated with therapeutic outcomes. However, this concept has historical roots in Western esotericism, perennialism, and Christian theology that are often unexamined in current scientific practice.

Objective

To critically examine the historical genesis, conceptualizations, and psychometric assessments of mystical experiences in psychedelic research through an interdisciplinary lens. The authors aim to highlight cultural biases and propose more nuanced, culturally-sensitive approaches to understanding psychedelic-induced mystical phenomena.

Results

The analysis reveals that current operationalizations of mystical experience in psychedelic science contain unacknowledged perennialist and Christian-Protestant biases originating from William Stace’s comparative mysticism framework. Alternative conceptualizations using constructs like ego dissolution, connectedness, and self-experience taxonomy offer more empirically grounded and culturally-sensitive approaches.

Conclusion

Psychedelic science should maintain interdisciplinary engagement with religious studies and humanities scholarship to develop more rigorous, historically-informed conceptualizations of mystical-type phenomena. Future research should decompose mystical experiences into testable psychological and neurobiological constructs while remaining attentive to cross-cultural variations and narrative reports.
  • Published in:Frontiers in Psychiatry,
  • Study Type:Critical Review and Theoretical Analysis,
  • Source: PMID: 37181886; PMC10171200
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