The Phenomenology and Potential Religious Import of States of Consciousness Facilitated by Psilocybin

Author: Richards, William A.¹

Source: Archive for the Psychology of Religion / Archiv für Religionspychologie, Volume 30, Number 1, 2008 , pp. 189-199(11)

Publisher: BRILL

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Abstract:

Accompanying the resumption of human research with the entheogen (psychedelic drug), psilocybin, the range of states of consciousness reported during its action, including both nonmystical and mystical forms of experience, is surveyed and defined. The science and art of facilitating mystical experiences is discussed on the basis of research experience. The potential religious import of these states of consciousness is noted in terms of recognizing the reality of the spiritual, in better understanding the biochemistry of revelation, and in exploring the potentially positive contributions that mystical consciousness may effect in psychological treatment.

Keywords: RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE; MYSTICAL EXPERIENCE; MYSTICISM; PSILOCYBIN; STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS; ENTHEOGEN

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1163/157361208X317196

Affiliations: 1: Department of Psychiatry, Bayview Medical Center Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

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