Mysticism and madness: Different aspects of the same human experience?

Heriot‐Maitland, Charles

doi:10.1080/13674670701287680

Cited by 14 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…The primary difference, they suggest, is that whereas mystical experiences are "willingly strived for and at least partially controlled, the self-disorders are typically uncontrollable and involuntary, causing immense suffering" (p. 78). Similar to Brett (2002) and Heriot-Maitland (2008) suggests that mystics will "almost certainly have a context to provide meaning for the experience, thus allowing the development of a structured appraisal, " whereas the absence of a context for other individuals will leave the appraisal "dangerously open to suggestion, " leading to various delusions (pp. 317−318).…”

Section: Previous Research On the Differential Diagnosis Of Religiousmentioning

confidence: 99%

Progress or Pathology? Differential Diagnosis and Intervention Criteria for Meditation-Related Challenges: Perspectives From Buddhist Meditation Teachers and Practitioners

et al. 2020

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Section: Previous Research On the Differential Diagnosis Of Religiousmentioning

confidence: 99%

Progress or Pathology? Differential Diagnosis and Intervention Criteria for Meditation-Related Challenges: Perspectives From Buddhist Meditation Teachers and Practitioners

et al. 2020

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“…This section reviews various previous attempts at differentiating religious, spiritual, or mystical experiences from schizophrenia, psychosis, or psychotic-like symptoms. The criteria offered come from researchers adopting different methodologies, ranging from phenomenology, psychology, and psychiatry (Brett, 2002;Heriot-Maitland, 2008;Parnas & Henriksen, 2016) Vieten & Scammel, 2015), and also previous reviews on this topic (Menezes & Moreira-Almeida, 2009. Despite the intuitive assumption that some experiences would be either "religious" or "psychopathological" simply by virtue of their characteristics, research has generally concluded that the core qualities of an experience are not sufficient for making a differentiation and that other criteria must be taken into consideration.…”

Section: Approaches To Differentiating Religious Experiences From Psymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Both Menezes and Moreira-Almeida (2009; as well as Vieten and Scammel (2015) included the absence of medical or psychiatric comorbidities among their criteria. Other mental health requirements are described in terms of capacities, such as "intact reality testing," a "critical attitude," "psychological maturity," healthy personality or ego structure, or the ability to induce or control the experience (Miller, 1993;Heriot-Maitland, 2008;Menezes & Moreira-Almeida, 2009Vieten & Scammel, 2015;Parnas & Henriksen, 2016). Some capacities may be acquired or trainable.…”

Section: Individual Factorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Challenging and Adverse Meditation Experiences

Lindahl

Britton

Cooper

et al. 2019

The Oxford Handbook of Meditation

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Challenging meditation experiences have been documented in Buddhist literature, in psychological research, and in a recent qualitative study by the authors. Some of the central questions in the investigation of this topic are: How are meditation-related challenges to be interpreted or appraised? Through which processes are experiences determined to be expected or “normative” aspects of contemplative development versus undesirable “adverse effects” or psychopathology? And is it possible to differentiate or disambiguate the two? A review of available research suggests that distinguishing between experiences that are religious or mystical and those that indicate psychopathology depends on detailed knowledge of the specific contexts in which these experiences occur. Furthermore, research that specifically examines meditation-related challenges shows that interpretations, causal explanations, and recommended responses are often negotiated between practitioners and other people in their practice settings and larger social communities. This chapter considers some of the social dynamics of these appraisal processes and explores some of the consequences of adopting different appraisals. However, because there can be a lack of consensus around how experiences should be interpreted or appraised, a more useful question may be: What type of support does this particular experience require? Systematic attention to social context can both inform research on meditation-related challenges and provide guidance on the issues surrounding their appraisal and management in both clinical and non-clinical contexts.

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“…Nonetheless, whatever these mystical experiences may be, a biological causation, itself perhaps caused by physiological and nonphysiological factors, such as stress, anxiety, food or sleep deprivation, prolonged mindful meditations, or even hallucinogens, may be traced through our understanding of neuropsychology. Reaching an altered state of mind that results in the subject perceiving what may be called a mystical experience may not be completely dissociated with a psychotic experience (Heriot‐Maitland ). Perhaps everyone has the ability to reach this altered state, but individuals who are within the schizotypal spectrum may have a better chance in reaching these states (Heriot‐Maitland ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Reaching an altered state of mind that results in the subject perceiving what may be called a mystical experience may not be completely dissociated with a psychotic experience (Heriot‐Maitland ). Perhaps everyone has the ability to reach this altered state, but individuals who are within the schizotypal spectrum may have a better chance in reaching these states (Heriot‐Maitland ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychology of Mystical Experience: Muḥammad and Siddhārtha

Galadari

2019

Anthropol of Consciousness

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a b s t r a c tA comparison between Muḥammad and Siddh artha's psychological states is made to identify how they had their mystical experiences and how their presuppositions and personalities shaped their interpretation of these experiences. Muḥammad's mystical experience appeared to be based on an altered state of consciousness. Siddh artha's teachings include that one must not have blind faith and remain open to various truths. These teachings may reflect that he was high in openness to experience, which may have fortified him from becoming delusional. While mystical experiences may have pathological overlaps, they could be categorized in a similar way to psychological states. Yet, mindful presuppositions and personality traits, especially from within openness to experience spectrum, are what make perceptions of these experiences diverse. k e y w o r d s : Buddhism, Islam, mystical experience, personality, psychology & i n t r o d u c t i o nThis article looks into the descriptions of mystical experience by Muḥammad, according to Muslim tradition, when he first described receiving divine revelations and compares it with the experience of Siddh artha, also known as the Buddha, according to the P ali canon. A comparison of these experiences may suggest that they have a similar neuropsychological basis but that the individual's presuppositions and personality cause a difference in the interpretation of these experiences.

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Mysticism and madness: Different aspects of the same human experience?

Cited by 14 publications

References 48 publications

Progress or Pathology? Differential Diagnosis and Intervention Criteria for Meditation-Related Challenges: Perspectives From Buddhist Meditation Teachers and Practitioners

Progress or Pathology? Differential Diagnosis and Intervention Criteria for Meditation-Related Challenges: Perspectives From Buddhist Meditation Teachers and Practitioners

Challenging and Adverse Meditation Experiences

Psychology of Mystical Experience: Muḥammad and Siddhārtha

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