Encore: Mysticism and Mental Health

Historically, “the church” minimized the frequency and validity of mystical experiences, especially when the experience downloaded different information than that put forth by the church. And since Sigmund Freud associated mystical experiences with narcissism, wishful thinking and delusion, the mental health world has mostly steered clear of any association with these experiences. But more recently there have been rigorous studies done and it has been learned that these experiences are common, frequent and grounding. Research has also found that mystical experiences offer certain very mental health benefits to the persons who have these experiences. Researchers have also developed tools for measuring these experiences and differentiating them from states of psychosis—which used to be the way we looked at all mystical experiences. Can we now finally begin to validate our own experiences to the point of living into them? Be here for this enlightening discussion.