Have You Had a Mystical Experience?

One may say truly, I think, that personal religious experience has its root and center in mystical states of consciousness. 
—William James (1902, p. 379)

​Have you ever had a mystical experience?

What separates a mystical experience from an ordinary one? 

The Core of Mystical Experience

The cornerstone of mystical experiences, as researchers concur, is the profound sensation of unity. 

At the heart of debates surrounding mystical experiences lies the interpretation of this unity. How do we understand or express this overwhelming oneness?

A seminal reference in Western studies of mystical experiences is William James's "Varieties of Religious Experience." James posits that these moments, though infrequent, represent episodes where individual consciousness coalesces in an overwhelming unity with the cosmos.

James delineated four hallmarks of mystical experiences:

1. Ineffability - The indescribable nature of the experience.
2. Noetic Quality - A deep, insightful knowledge or realization.
3. Transiency - The fleeting nature of the experience.
4. Passivity - A feeling of being overtaken or grasped by a force beyond one's control.

James's pioneering work underscores the distinctiveness of mystical experiences, setting them apart from our routine experiences. His insights laid the groundwork, setting an exemplary standard for contemporary explorations into the realm of mystical experiences.

Introvertive and Extrovertive Unity

​One of the enduring queries that has followed William James's exploration is: What precisely constitutes the mystical experience of unity?

Stace (1960) proposed that this enigmatic experience of unity manifests in two distinct ways: the "introvertive" and the "extrovertive." 

The introvertive unity is an introspective journey, where the individual delves deep into the mind, reaching a state of "pure consciousness." It's often encountered during meditation with closed eyes and is characterized by a profound sense of emptiness or nothingness.

Conversely, the extrovertive unity is an outward-facing experience. As described by Stace (1960, p. 110), the individual "looks outward through the senses," recognizing the interwoven tapestry of existence, finding unity in the diverse fabric of the natural world. Here, everything, from stones and trees to the vast expanse of the sky, is felt to pulsate with life.

Delving into related phenomena, the term "synchronicity," introduced by renowned psychologist Carl Jung, describes moments where an external event resonates deeply with one's inner state. These synchronistic episodes lack a causal link between the tangible event and the internal experience. This concept aptly encapsulates the extrovertive facet of the mystical experience.