‘Mental Health, Religion & Calne BrunnerRoutledgesyrit, alm 5, Number 1, 2002 A reappraisal of medieval mysticism & hysteria JEROME KROLL*, BERNARD BACHRACH" & “Gry of Moms USA nt'S Po MN, USA Maw Ha ain Cen84.7 Kroll etal TThete has also been a divergent line of thought, one cleaey ia the minority erceived these exceptional individuals as God: eis and routine pra ir passion to subdue the demands ofthe lesh and their discomfort wih ‘embodied existence in general, and for whom the desire for an intense personal ed within ordinary bounds of experience ‘encounter with Ged could not be cont tary principle of the universe ones, {quest toward transcendence appears to be a basic human trait (Cloninger, 1993), found ta varying degrees in most individuals and accepted and supported in ‘various expressions in most cultures studied (Winkelman, 1992). In medieval and contemporary Christian mysti ‘or union with, the Godhead (McGinn, 1994). A. “The literature of mysticism is divided berween mystical teats and a secondary ‘that analyses and explicates these texs.TTere are many debates within ions of mysticism, the various components sense of certainty, sense of unity with affective myst ‘of God by progrA reappraisal of medicoal mysticiom © hysteria 85 with God (DeGanck, reflected a shift in religious sentime notion of God held in the early Mi rot experienced it (McGinn, 1994). As we read the intense writings of br We might keep in mind, before making judgments about hyst ‘of the Song of Songs: Lec him kiss me with the kises of his mouh— for your love is more delightful than wine isthe fragrance of your perfumes: ‘your name is lke perfume poured out No wonder the maidens love you! “Take me away with you us hurry! ‘Let the ing bring me into his chambers.