Applied Mysticism

Studies of Meditation and Psychedelics in Secular Contexts

Richard H. Jones

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Hardback

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English

State University of New York Press
01 March 2025

Mysticism; Psychological theory & schools of thought; Social, group or collective psychology; Mysticism, magic & ritual

Examines how mystical practices and experiences are being applied in secular contexts today.

Today is an exciting time for mysticism. Interest in mysticism today often involves what Aldous Huxley called ""applied mysticism""-that is, taking mystical practices and experiences out of their traditional contexts, where the focus was on the total transformation of the individual, and applying them (often within a secular framework) to help other people with more limited this-worldly problems, such as a person's well-being in society or general social change. Neuroscientists are taking mystical experiences seriously, studying meditators and psychedelic subjects to gain knowledge of how the brain works. Cognitive scientists are exploring mystical altered states of consciousness to expand the spectrum of consciousness states-in particular, whether there is a state of ""pure"" consciousness. Buddhist meditation is being taken out of its religious contexts and adapted by psychotherapists to help with problems such as depression or addiction. The use of psychedelics in psychotherapy is also gaining traction while New Age thinkers are extolling the alleged merger of post-Newtonian science with mysticism. Mystical ideas are being adapted to problems on the social level-for example, in ""socially-engaged"" Buddhism. This is the first book to explore all these varieties of applied mysticism together and to examine the current state of the field (with a focus on philosophical issues) in a readily accessible manner.

By: Richard H. Jones
Imprint: State University of New York Press
Country of Publication: United States [Currently unable to ship to USA: see Shipping Info]
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 29mm
Weight: 272g
ISBN: 9798855801507
Pages: 346
Publication Date: 01 March 2025
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Richard H. Jones is an independent scholar and researcher. His previous books include History of Mysticism and An Introduction to the Study of Mysticism, both published by SUNY Press.

Reviews for Applied Mysticism: Studies of Meditation and Psychedelics in Secular Contexts

"""Questions of the larger significance of psychedelics are very apropos to the academic discourse and debate around these substances. One of the challenges for work in this area is that it needs to be conversant with an unusually large range of disciplines, including neuroscience, philosophy, and religious studies, among others. Jones weaves them all together well, and this will be a valuable resource. As someone who has been immersed in this literature, I learned a great deal from this fascinating book."" — David J. Blacker, author of Deeper Learning with Psychedelics ""This book offers a series of state-of-the-field assessments at the intersection of mysticism, philosophy of mind, cognitive science of religion, and psychedelic research. These are dynamic and technical literatures, and Jones has done us the service of reading them together without prioritizing one over the others. His facility with both the scientific and humanistic literature of the field is especially impressive and helpful."" — Timothy R. Grieve-Carlson, Westminster College"