“I call this theory mystical pluralism because of its similarity to John Hick’s pluralist interpretation of religion. The theory is essentialist in both the therapeutic and epistemological senses described above. Its thesis is that mystical traditions initiate common transformative processes in the consciousness of mystics. Though mystical doctrines and practices may be quite different across traditions, they nevertheless function in parallel ways—they disrupt the processes of mind that maintain ordinary, egocentric experience and induce a structural transformation of consciousness. The essential characteristic of this transformation is an increasingly sensitized awareness/knowledge of Reality that manifests as (among other things) an enhanced sense of emotional well-being, an expanded locus of concern engendering greater compassion for others, an enhanced capacity to creatively negotiate one’s environment, and a greater capacity for aesthetic appreciation.”
Quote by Randall Studstill
Work
Unity of Mystical Traditions: The Transformation of Consciousness in Tibetan and German Mysticism
Browse quotes and source details for this work. more
Author
You May Also Like
Source: Cutting for Stone
Source: Beyond Words and Thoughts
Source: Cosmos and Psyche: Intimations of a New World View
Source: The Little Bird
“There are some sins that can never be forgiven, for to do so would be to commit a far greater sin.”
Source: The Little Bird
Source: My Dark Vanessa
Source: Bubba and the Dead Woman
Source: Rebels & Devils; A Tribute to Christopher S. Hyatt
Source: Omens
“Time is only ever overlapping tumbling versions of the now”
Source: Ness