Ecstatic Experience Archives

("The Lovers Whirlwind" by William Blake,1824-27)

Natural Mysticism and Its Dangerous Allure

September 14, 2020September 14, 2020 14 min read Willis Renuart Ecstatic Experience, Mysticism, Transcendence

Natural mysticism focuses on awakening us from our ego-bound ordinary life to a universal oneness. But it comes with many dangers.

Treading Lightly in Thin Places Thin Lines Erraticus John Ablett Spiritual Emergencies Breathing Through

("Landscape with Charon Crossing the River Styx" by Joachim Patinier)

To Tread Lightly in Thin Places

May 20, 2020April 28, 2021 10 min read John Ablett Ecstatic Experience, Essential Reading, Psychedelics, Transcendence

A former barefoot guru explores the difficulty in articulating the experience of a spiritual emergency amid societal upheavals.

(Philippe Siguret)

Ecstatic Experience: How the West Can Find Itself by Losing Control

December 17, 2018March 27, 2021 18 min read Jeffrey Howard Ecstatic Experience, Essential Reading, Nature, Romanticism, Transcendence

In the West, we resist ecstatic experience, fearful of losing control—this hyper-rationalistic mindset excludes us from crucial paths to insight and connection. But there is a dark side to ecstasy.