Mystical Experience

What is mystical experience?

The recipient experiences a sense of union with God (the universe) . There is also spiritual recognition of truths beyond normal human understanding - beyond the physical world. Mystical experiences “… modify the inner life of the subject “ - James. Basically they change a person: Concerned by everyday material matters→ concerned by others and spiritual matters.

James considers that the essential feature of "mysticism pure and simple … “

Is “ … sudden realisation of the immediate presence of God“

Extrovertive mystical experience

Feel (see) the cosmic consciousness

Introvertive mystical experience

Feel like they're a part of the cosmic consciousness

James also identifies 'cosmic consciousness‘ as a feature of mystical experience

This is the realisation that the universe is a living presence

Cosmic consciousness Jean Houston

“ I was in a universe of friendship and fellow feeling, a companionable universe filled with interwoven presence and dance of life“

Range of mystical experience

Experiences can range from being moved by music , a landscape or poetry (inferential) to an experience where the recipient feels union with God.

William James believes that organised religion is a response to the religious experience of ancestors

Religious are paths to keep to religious truths. Interpreted in different ways leading to different religions

Mystical experience is an interaction with a factually existing God

The result of this interaction are positive "God is real since he produces real effects “

James view of God is that God is not the being described by Judaeo- Christian teachings

God is not necessarily omnipotent, God could be a collection of god-like selves, because God interacts with us in time (God is temporal -in time - finite and does not know the future. Still holly other.

Mystical experience shows us that religious life involves the following three beliefs:

1. There is a spiritual universe which gives meaning and significance to the visible world we inhabit. The visible world makes sense when we glimpse the spiritual realm.

2. The true end for humanity is union with the higher universe (or God)

3. Prayer or inner communion with God works-it produces real psychological and material effects in the world. James refers to the "fruits" of the experience -by this he means that religious experiences have good effects in this world (changes people)

Psychological benefits:

1. An energetic zest for life -living life with a sense of excitement, anticipation, and energy. People may be inspired to do heroic things

2. An assurance of safety, peace, and loving affection

James identifier four characteristics of mystical experience

Ineffability, Noetic quality, Transciency, passivity

1. Ineffability

Can't explain it. The experience is difficult to explain. “ he is neither this or that“ - Ruysbroeck. Cannot describe in positive terms, only what it isn't ( via negativa- via negation)

2. Noetic quality

Full understanding (in depth). New understanding is gained. Truths are revealed. The understanding or truth which is gained is something which is full of significance and importance. It is not something which one can come to know and understand through conventional methods (i.e. Human intellect and reasoning). Life changing. Revelation is the only source of these truths. The recipients simply comes to understand something but cannot explain how ( don't understand how you know it - you just do)

3. Transiency

Not permanent. Only last for a limited time. Such experiences cannot be sustained for long. At most an hour or two, but this is rare

4. Passivity

Although the mystic might perform certain rituals or do certain things to focus their attention and to produce the right state for such an experience to occur, once experiencing a mystical experience the recipient is passive (i.e. Not active,affected by external forces) Person was no control of the experience and cannot bring it about / to end

William James quote on passivity

“… the mystic feet's as if his own will were in abeyance, and indeed sometimes as if he were grasped and held by a superior “

Noetic quality Jean Houston examples

‘ Everything around me, including myself , moved into meaning’

‘ I knew that in some way it all worked together and was very good’

‘ A consciousness that spanned centuries’

Ineffability Jane Houston example

‘ I knew in some way it all worked’

Transiency Jane Houston example

‘This went on for hours but it was only about two seconds’

Passivity Jane Houston example

‘In my innocence have unwittingly tapped into the appropriate spiritual doorway’

Drug induced mystical experience

James considers those experiences which are drug induced to also be a form of mystical experience because the recipient is in a special state of consciousnesses

Religious mystics

A religious person who aims to change their consciousness to have an experience of God

The development of mystical consciousness

Religious mystics develop mystical consciousness through techniques and rituals (such as fasting, concentration , prayer , incantation, dance...). The aim is to develop the consciousness so as to be open to union with the divine.

E. Underhill - ‘Normal consciousness lacks any deep meaning or cohesion’

Mystical consciousness has a superior understanding/ awareness of reality

1st stage of Mystical consciousness - purgation

Eagerness to learn. An individual's purging of their attachments to meaningless objects and values that are distractions to the individual. Rejecting and removing distractions - which brings about a new change in outlook. Ascetic practices till lost all meaningless attraction in their lives - once lost they can stop practicing acetism ( usually begins with dissatisfaction from life)