The Psychedelic Mystical Experience: what science has to say about it.



People often report intense and profound mystical experiences during their psychedelic trips. Dr. David Yaden and colleagues investigated these psychedelic mystical experiences and their potential benefits, comparing them with genuine mystical experiences not evoked by psychedelics. The study recruited 739 participants who experienced religious, spiritual, or mystical experiences (RSMEs). Participant RSMEs were grouped by those evoked by psychedelic substances and those that were not. According to the study, mystical experiences induced by psychedelic substances were rated as more intensely mystical , resulted in a reduced fear of death, increased sense of purpose, and increased spirituality as compared with non-psychedelically triggered RSMEs. This was a major foundational study to show that RSMEs induced by psychedelic substances are genuine and as powerful, if not more powerful, than non-psychedelic mystical experiences. And it also showed that psychedelic RSMEs generally produce positive outcomes.

Outside of this paper, there is a growing body of evidence supporting the idea that the mystical aspect of the psychedelic experience has true benefit to it. In fact, according to some studies, the mystical experience has been positively correlated with the psychological benefits of psychedelics as well as ego dissolution.

To read the full paper: Of Roots and Fruits: A Comparison of Psychedelic and Nonpsychedelic Mystical Experiences