Mysticism and psychedelics: The case of the dark night

A model of consciousness derived from LSD-assisted psychotherapy illuminates painful experiences on the mystic's path known as the 'dark night.' The dark night experiences described in John of the Cross's Dark Night of the Soul can be conceptualized as Stanislav Grof's 'perinatal experience.' This reconceptualization has implications for understanding and evaluating mysticism, assessing LSD's potential for fostering genuine spirituality, and reassessing the ancient claim that the capacity for transcendental states is innate.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This study uses a model of consciousness derived from LSD-assisted psychotherapy to illumine an enigmatic set of painful experiences that occur on the mystic's path known in Western circles as the "dark night." It argues that the dark night experiences described in John of the Cross's classic workDark Night of the Soul can be conceptualized in terms of Stanislav Grofs category of "perinatal experience." The discussion examines the implications of this reconceptualization in three areas: (1) our understanding and evaluation of mysticism, (2) assessing LSD's potential for fostering genuine spirituality, and (3) reassessing the ancient claim that the capacity to experience transcendental states of being is innate.