Mystical Experience in the Spectrum of Altered States of Consciousness: Overlapping Discourses of Theology and Secular Sciences
Философия и культура October 1, 2022 Yuliya M. Duplinskaya, M. Shugurov
Genuine mystical experience, such as dissolution in the Deity or cosmic consciousness, can be distinguished from surrogate quasi-mystical states by examining infra-personal processes (where the self dissolves or spreads) and ultra-personal processes (where personal consciousness disseminates into multiple spirits or projections). Both categories correspond to authentic mystical states and to clinical conditions—confused or floating consciousness in the infra-personal range, and schizophrenic-type disorders in the ultra-personal range. Neo-mystical and occult practices aim to achieve mystical states through accelerated programs, but modern consciousness often inverts the view, mistaking destructive processes for a higher evolutionary stage. This fosters perceptions of science as a new religion and a support for contemporary occultism.