Psychology of Mystical Experience: Muḥammad and Siddhārtha
Anthropology of Consciousness September 1, 2019 Abdulla Galadari
A comparison of the psychological states of Muhammad and Siddhartha examines how their mystical experiences occurred and how their presuppositions and personalities shaped interpretation. Muhammad's experience appeared based on an altered state of consciousness. Siddhartha's teachings, which include avoiding blind faith and remaining open to various truths, may reflect high openness to experience, potentially protecting him from delusion. Mystical experiences may have pathological overlaps and could be categorized similarly to psychological states, but mindful presuppositions and personality traits, especially openness to experience, make perceptions of these experiences diverse.