The Mystic Heart - Part 5 - Psychosis or Mystical State?

In this dialogue series, Brother Wayne Teasdale and Ken Wilber discuss the advent of an integral mysticism in the postmodern world. Reflecting on their own spiritual experiences, the relation of science to spirituality, the lives of the great inter-spiritual pioneers, and how youth culture is revitalizing the mystical traditions, Brother Wayne and Ken show how an integral perspective can bring the revelations of mysticism into everyday life. In so doing, we learn to give fullest expression—as parents and professionals, students and seekers—to the Mystic Heart in each of us.

If, as historian Arnold Toynbee put it, the introduction of Buddhism into the West "may well prove to be the most important event of the 20th century," we might also argue that the re-discovery of the contemplative roots of Christianity will be equally important. And as we enter the 21st century, it stands to reason that the recognition of a common mystical ground between Buddhism, Christianity, and the other World Religions will be the most important event of all.

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• Integral
• Naked
• Ken
• Wilber
• Wayne
• Teasdale
• Christianity
• Spirituality
• Meditation
• Prayer

[smallpotatoes989]

@MrSpadeofAce common sence is a colection of prejustices colected after the age of 18...Albert Einstein (quote)

[MrSpadeofAce]

@smallpotatoes989 common sense

[smallpotatoes989]

@MrSpadeofAce how can you tell for sure?

[MrSpadeofAce]

god cant talk to you.. he does not exist

[hotkafka]

One major way to differentiate between psychotic and mystical states is language. Depending on the ability of the experiencer, one could report very similar concepts and ideas proposed in both states. I think that psychosis and psychotic experiences primarily deviate from mystical states in that psychotics tend to experience the concept of "union" as a reaction, in fear, as opposed to most mystics whom experience union, or the collapsing of boundaries between self and larger SELF, as bliss.

[IChIDH]

GOD lives where EGO dies.

[winstono75]

@smudge6699 I was the second coming too. I wonder how many people think that way. Since Jesus is supposed to be the only divine incarnation in our culture it makes sense that the mind would interpret awakening that way.

[MiriamSPia]

@lolnik1 That is a bit strange. I don't think its strange to have had a spiritual sensation or even a phase where you felt aware of your own power and both joy and fear regarding its source. I would ask a seemingly unrelated question: did your parents or main care givers go through any major changes in their sex life/lives or their financial circumstances? I ask because when we are children we mostly ignore the sexual dynamics of our parents but indirectly we are strongly affected by that.

[Nhordmyr]

@nicolatwo I somehow wish myself to be not that open for anything, like "normal" humans are with a "normal" functioning mind. Maybe it's my age but I don't like (especially in these modern days and in our western Civ) that you get influenced by any Piece of sh*t and actually have to waste energy letting yourself get influenced by all sorts of things. Sometimes I think it's nearly impossible to get such an open mind while sticking to your PC and the internet (and entertainement with it). Tough

[lolnik1]

I had mystical state in my childhood everyday near 3 years. I thought, that i'm son of satan after, that i'm sent to earth by Jesus. I had full of positive emotions, i known sense of world etc. It ended and depression came. World made empty, dark, strange, dangerous. I don't know how to recover my mystical state, i think of it everyday nearly 9 years! My psychiatrist says, that was psychotic period, but i'm not psychotic it was just different state of mind, no psychosis. I want to recover this