DRUGS AND MYSTICISM An Analysis of the elationship between Psychedelic Drugs and the Mystical Consciousness : A thesis presented by 4, : Walter Norman Pahnke The Committee en Higher Degrs+s in au History A Philos of Reltion dn partis] fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Fhilosophy in the subject of Religion and Society Harvard Univers ity Cambridge, Massachusetts duns, 1963 S y Trrrnan Cobnbe 1.8, Tignta cone. SUARY of Tin TSSIs: DRUCS AND KYSTICISN fn Analysis of the Relaticoship betweea Paychedelic Drug Experience and the Kystical State of Consciousness by Walter M. PahnkeACKNOWLEDGMENTS The author wishes to express his deep gratitude for the support and encouragement of many members of the academic community who made this study possible in a troubled but promising area of research. Particular appre= ciation is extended to Dr. Hans Hofmann, who was a continuing source of counsel and inspiration, and to Dr. Timothy Leary, who assisted with the execution of the experiment. Through the guidance of the thesis committee, the author's perspect- ives have been clarified and deepened. Mr. Peter H. John contributed such time and tireless effort toward the mechanics of tha manuscript. Finally, the author desires sincerely to ‘thank all the persons who volunteered to Participate in this investigation aa experimental aubjects or group leaders. aaTABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS, «© 2 2 ee se eee et et ee LIST OF TABLES « «4 soe 8 5 oH He Hee Rw ee ee Chapter I. INTRODUCTIO! II. RELIGION AND PSYCHEDELIC SUBSTANCES: A SURVEY. . 2. 2 ee tt tt ee Data from History, Archaeology, Anthropology, Botany, and Psychopharmacology Data from Clinical Research III. THE DEFINITION OF MYSTICISM 2... ese eee Mystical Experience in General The Relationship Between Mystical . Expérience and Religious Experience The Universality of the Characteristics of Mystical Experience Primary Experience versus Interpretation Phenomenological Typology ef Mystical States of Consciousness Category I: Unity Category Ilr Transcendence | of Time and Space das Page 44a vi 24Iv. VI. vil. VIII, Category III: Deeply Felt Positive Mood Sategory IV: Sense of Sacredness Category V: Objectivity and Reality Category VI: Paradoxicality Category VII: Alleged Ineffability Category VIII: Transiency Category IX: Persisting Positive Changés in Attitude and Behavior The Continuum of Mystical Experiences EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN . 2 2. , ee ee ee Non-drug Factors Choice of Drug Recruitment and Pre-testing of Subjects Preparation and Grouping of Subjects Experimental Procedure ‘ Drug Preparation Protocol during the Experimental Day Collection of Data after the Experiment DATA USED IN MATCHING OP SUBJECTS . sae Pre-drug Questionnaire and Interyiew Data California Psychological Inventory Data DATA FROM QUESTIONNAIRES, INTERVIEWS, AND CONTENT ANALYSES... . 0. see Data Relevant to the Categories of the Typology of Mysticism Other Data GENERAL DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS + ~~ - Discussion of Design Observations of tha Exper dimenter during the Experiment Summary and Discussion of Data , Conclusions SUGGESTIONS FoR FURTHER RESEARCH AND IMPLICATIONS FOR THE FUTURE . . iv 85 244APPENDIX a se ee ee 261 A, Medical History Form for Volunteer. Subjects for Psilocybin Research . . . toe ee ee ew ew 261 B. Pre-Drug Experience Questionnaire... 1. Cc. Post-Drug Questionnaire with Significance Levels of the Difference Between Scores of Experimentals and Controls . . tee ee we 266 D. Follow-up Questionnaire with Significance Levels of the Difference between Scores of Experimentals and Controls + +--+ +s + « «274 E. Content Analysiss 2 ee. ee ee ee ee 283 Content Analysis Instruction Manual for Judges Content Analysis Score Sheet Used by Judges with the Probability for cach item that the Difference between Experimentels and Controls was due to Chance Reliability of Judges as Determined from Kendall Rank Correlation Coefficient (T) F. Explanation of the Columns and Symbols Used in the Category Tables. - . - ee ee ews 298 GS. Bata Not Directly Relevant te Categories of the Typology of Mysticism +. eee se eee ey 299 Group I: Integrative ana Constructive Phenomena Group II; Disturbing Changes in Attitude and Behavior Group I1I: Physical Sensationa Group IV; Miscellaneous BIBLIOGRAPHY. . . .LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Data Used in Matching Pairs of Subjects from Pre- Drug Questionnaires and Interviews... .... 116 2. From the California Psycholegical Inventory: Relev- ant Scores Used in Matching Pairs of Subjects. . 119 3. Category I: Unity (Combination of ALL Subcate- gories) se. eee ee ee ee 18 4, Category I: Unity (Internal Unity) .-...... 128 5. List of Items Used to Measure Internal Unity... 130 6. Category I: Unity (External unity) . .. «2 ee 133 7. List of Items Used to Measure External Unity... 134 @. Cateyory I: Unity {Supplementary Phenomena) . . . 138 9. List of Supplementary Phenomena of Unity... .. 139 lO. Category II: Transcendence of Time and Space 141 (Combination of all Subcategories) .... 2.0 il. Category II: Transcendence of Time and Space 142 12. List of Items Used to Measure Transcendence of Time and Spaces. es eee eee ee eee we) (1D 13, Category III: Deeply Felt Positive Mood... .. 147 (Combination of all Subcategories) 14, Category III: Deeply Felt Positive Mood wot (Most universal phenomena: joy, blessedness, & peace. Less universal: love) .... .... 148 15. List of Items Used to Measure the Most Universal Phenomena of Deeply Felt Positive Mood (Joy, Bleescdness, and Peace) «see se ee ee ee 14DTable 16. UT. 18. 19. 20, 21. 22. 23, 24, 25. 26, a7. 28, 29, List of Items Used to Measure Love... 2.5 + Category IV: Sense of Sacredness (Combination of all Subcategories) . ... List of Items Used to Measure Sense of Sacrednesa. Category IV: Sense of Sacredneas (Phenomena with Implicit Indication of Sense of Sacredness. Phenomena which Explicitly Mention the Holy, Sacred, and Divine)... 5+ eee Category V: Objectivity and Reality (Combination of all phenomena, Most essential Phenomena) . se 6 se ee et ee we ee List of Items Used to Measure Objectivity and Reality... ee ee ee ee Category VI: Paradoxicality (Combination of all Items)... es es eae List of Items Used to Measure Paradoxicality . . « Category VII: Alleged Ineffability (Combination of all Items)... ees ee eee List of Items Used to Measure Alleged Ineffability Category VIII: Transiency (Combination of all Phenomena. Essential Phenomena) «se ee eee ee te ee List of Items Used to Measure Transiency. .. « « Category IX: Peraisting Positive Changes after Six Monthea . . 2. 1s we List of Items Used to Measure Persisting Positive Changes in Attitude and Behavior . vad Page 154 i538 is9 162 168 169 177 178 182 183 187 188 193Table Page 30. Category IX: Persisting Changes Toward Self after. Six Months (persisting POSITIVE Changes. Persisting NEGATIVE Changes)... +--+ +--+ = 199 31. Category IX: Persisting Changes Toward Others after Six Months (Persisting POSITIVE Changes. Persisting NEGATIVE Changes). . «2 se 2 + © 200 32. Category IX: Persisting Changes Toward Life after Six Months (Persisting POSITIVE Changes. Persisting NEGATIVE Changes)... «s+ +2 + 202 33. Category 1X: Persisting Changes Toward Experience after Six Montha ({Persisting POSITIVE Changes. Persisting NEGATIVE Changes)... --+-- + 202 34. Summary of Significance Levels Reached by Experimental Group for Categories Measuring the Typology of Mysticism. ee eee ee ee ee BRD 35. Sumnary of Data Measuring Degree of Completeness or Intensity of Categories of the Typology of Mysticism 2. ee eee ee ee ee ee ee 282 wiilThis dissertation vas en empirical study designed to investigate tha similarities and differences between experiences described by mystica and those induced by psychedelic (or mind-manifesting) drugs such as d-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin, end mescaline. First, a phenomenological typology of the mystical state of consciousuass was carefully defined after a atudy of the writings of the mystics themselves and of scholarg who have tried to characterize mysticel experienc ‘Then, some drug experiences vere empirically studied, not by collecting auch experiences Wherever an interesting or striking cne might have teen found and onalyzed after the fact, byt ty conducting double-blind, controlled experiments with subjects whose religious backround and experience au Well aa personality bad been measured before their drug experiences, The preparation of the subjects, the setting under which the drug was administered, and the collection of data about the ex- perienuce vere cade as uniform as possible. The experinsuter hinself deviaed the experiment, collected the data, aud evaluated the results without ever having had an experience with any of these drugs. The long and coatinuing history of the religious use of plante which ccrtain paychedelic aubstances vas surveyed. In some instances, such natural products vere ingested by © priest, shamen, or witch doctor to induce # trance for revelatory purposes) souetimes they were taken.by groups of people vho participated in sacred ceremonies, Tor example, the dried heada of the peyote cactus, whose chief active ingredient 1s mescaline, were used by the Astece at least es early es300 B.C, and are currently being employed by over 200,000 Indians of the North American Native Church as a vital part of their religious ceremoni Both ololiuqui, @ variety of morning glory seed, and certain kinds of Mexican mushrooms (called teonauacatl, "flesh of the gods") were also Used for divinatory and religious purposes by the Aztecs, These practices have continued to the present among.remote Indian tribes in the movateius of southern Mexico, Modern psychopharmacolegical research has shown the active chemicals to be petlocybin in the case of the mushrooms, and several coupounds closely related to 19D in the case of ololiugut. Acanita muscaria, the mushroom which has been used for unkiown centuries by Biberien shecens to induce religious trances, Goes not contain peilo- cybin. The most important psychologically active coxpound fron this tushrooa has not yet beea iuolated. Other naturally-occurring plants, which are used by various South Arerican Indian trites in a religious uauuer for prophecy, divination, clairvoyance, the tribal initiation of male adolescents, or sacred feasts, are cohoba snuff cade froa the pulverized seeda of Piptadzaia (s tree); the drink, vinho de Juruscna, nade from the seeds of Mimosa hoatilis (a tree); and th drink, caapt, made from Banisteriopsis ( @ jungle creeper). These last three products contain various indolic compounds which are all closely related to patlocydin, both structurally and in their psychic effects (e.g-, dimethyltryptamine, bufotenine, and barniue). Soma of the roacarchers who have experfénted with synthesized mescaline, LSD, or psilocybin have rensrked upon the similarity betveen drug-induced and myatical experiencos because of the frequency with Which some of their subjects have used mystical and religious lenguege to describe their experiences. Our study vas an attempt to explore thisclaim in @ systematic aud scientific way. ‘The nine-category typology of the uystical state of consciousness Wau defined as 8 basis for measurement of the phenonena of the psychedelic drug experiences. Anong the numerous echolera of nysticism,the work of W. 7. Stace! vag found to be the moat helpful guide for the construction of this typology. His conclusion that in the mystica} experience there are certein fundauental characteristics which ere univerael end are uot “ reatricted to any particular religioa or culture (elthough particular cultural, historical, or religious conditions may influence both the interpretation end devcriptiva of these bagic phenouena) was taken as a presupposition. Whether or not the mystical experience is "religious" depends upon one's definition of religion and vas not the problem in- vestigated. Our typology defined the universal phenosena of the mystical expericace, whether considered "religious" or not. ‘The nine categories of our phenomnological typology may be sucmarized aa follows: Category I: Unity Unity, the moat important characteristic of the mystical experience, 1s divided into internal and external types, which are different ays of experiencing en undifferentiated unity, The major difference is that the ioternel type finds unity through an “inner world" vithin the experiencer, end the external type finds woity through the external world outalde the experiencer, _ Wet, Stace, Hyatictem 4 Philosophy (Philadelphia and New Yorks J.B, Lippincott, 1y60,The essential elewents of internal unity are logs of usual sense imprevatons and loss of self without becoming vuconscious, The multi- plicity of usvel external aud iaternal sense impressions (including tine and wpace) and the empirical ego or usuel sence of individuality fade or melt eway while conacfousness remains. In the most complete experience thie cousclousness {a a pure avereneas beyond empirical content, with no external or internal distinctions. In spite of the loss of sense Impressious and d4asolution of the usual personal identity or self, the ‘svarenesa of cacness or unity is still experienced and remenbered, One da not unconselous, but ratber very much avare of an undizferentiated unity. ternal unity 1a perceived outvardly with the physical senses through the external world. A sense of underlying ovenees is felt behind the empirical multiplicity. Th: subject or obuerver feels that the vaual veperation between himself and an external cbject (ineninate cr animate) 4s ao longer present in a baie sense, yet the subject still knows that on another level, at the same time, he and the objncts are separate. Agother vay of expressing thia sana pheoozenon is that the eaaences of cdjecta are experiencad intuitively and felt to be the samo at the deepest level. The subject fuels a senga of oneness with these cbiacte because be "scea" that at the most basic level ell are @ part of the sana undifferentiated unity, The capsule statement, “all fa One", is @ good summary of external unity, In the most ccuplete ex- pertence # cosmic dimension ts falt so that the experiencer feals in a deep sense @ part of everything that is. ‘ Category Ilt Transcendence of Time and Space ‘Thie category refers to lots of the vsuel sense of tine and apace,Time means clock tine but may also be one's personal sense of his past, present, end future. Transcendence of epace means that a person lo his ugual orientation aa to where he 1m during the experience in terms of the usual three-dimensional perception of hig environment. Ex- periences of timelessness and space lessne: may also be described ag an experience of "eternity" or infinity”. Category III: Deeply Felt Positive Mood The most wnivereal elements (and therefore, the ones which are "most essential La the definitica of this category) are joy, blesaedness, and peace, Their unique character in relation to the mystical ex- perience is that their intensity rarks them es being at the highest levels of the human experience of theae feelings, end they are valued highly by the experiencers. Teara may be asucciated with any of these elements becauge of the overpowering nature of the experience. These feclings may occur et the peak of the éxperience or during the "ecstatic afterglow" when tha peak haa passed, but its effecto ond memory are still quite vivid and intense. Love moy aleo be au elenent of deeply felt positive mood, but does not have the seme univeronlity aa Joy, Dleasedness, and peace. Category IV: Sense of Sacredness ‘Thia cetegory coaprises the sense of sacredneas which {s evoked dy the mysticel experience. Tha sacred ia here defined broadly as that vhich # person feels to be of special value and capable of being profened, ‘The baaic characteristics of sscreduess ts @ noa-rationsl, intuitive, hushed, palpitant response of ave and Woudor in the presence of inspiring realities, No religious "beliefs" or traditional theological termtnology Reed nece ily be iovolved even though « sonse of reverence or a feelingthat what ie experienced is holy or divine my be included. Category Vi Cojectivity end Reality This category hea two interrelated alement: (1) inaightful kaoWledge or illumination felt at au intuitive, non-rational level and gained by direct experience and (2) the authoritativengas of the experience or the certainty that such knowledge is truly real, in contrast to the feeling that the experience 1s a subjective delusion. Thewa two elements ra connected bacause the knowledge through ex- perience of ultimate reality (in the senae of being able to "know" ard “aee" what se reelly real) carries its own sense of certainty. The experience of “ultimate” reality 1s an awareness of another diman- sion not the gaue as “crdinary” reality (The reality of usual, everyday ecusctoustess), yet the knowledge of “ultimate” reality is quite real to the experiencer. Such ingightful kuowledge does not cecessarily rean an increase in facts, but rether {atuitive illumination. What becomes "known" (rather than only intellectually assented to) ts in- tultively felt to be authoritetive, requires no proof at « rational level, and hag an inward feeling of obsective truth. The content of this knowledge can be divided into two main types: (a) insights inte deing and exietence in generel, and (b) inaights into one’s personal, finite gelf, Category Vi: Paradoxicality Accurate descriptions and even rational interpretations of the uyatical exportence tend to be logically ccatradictory vben wtrictly analysed, For example, in the experience of internal unity there 16 6 logs of e11 empirical content in ea empty unity which ts at the came tine full and couplete. Thie loss includes the loss of the sense of self end@tasclution of individuality, yet something individual remeins to ex- Perience the unity. The "I" both existe and does not exist. Another example is the separateness from, yet at the som: time unity with, objects in the experience of external unity (essentially « paradoxical trangcendence of apace). Category VII: Alleged Ineffability In spite of attempts to tell or write about the myatical experience, uyatics ineist that words fail to describe it adequately or thet the perience ia beyond vords. Perhaps the reason ig an enbarrasszent vith Isnguage becuuse of the paradoxical nature of the essential Phenomena, Category VIII: Transtency Trensiency refers to duration and means the temporariness of the syatical experieace in contrast to the relative perrsnence of the level of usual experience, There is a traneient appearance of the special and wauguel levels or dimensions of consciousness which are.defined by our typology, but eveatusl diseppearance aud retura to the more usual. The characterlatic cf trangtency indicates that the mystical state of consciousness is not sustained indefinitely. Category IX: Perotsting Poottive Chougea in Attitude and/or Behavior Because our typology 1a of a bealthful, Life-enhancing nysticien, this cotegory describes positive, lasting effects which ere the result of the experienc These changes are divided inte four groups: (1) toward seit, (2) tovard others, (3) toverd life, and (4) tovard the mystical experience itself, (1) Increased integration of personality is the basic inward change in the persouel self. Undesirable traits may be faced ina way that enables them to be dealt with and finally reduced or elininated,Isguing from perecnal integration, the sen of one's inner authority nay be strengthened, and the vigor and dynamic quality of @ person's life may ba Increased, Creativity and greater achievement efficiency may be released, There may be an inner optimistic tone with consequent increase in feelings of hippineas, Joy, and peace. (2) Chonges in attitude and behavior toward others include more senaitivity, more tolerance, more real love, and more authenticity as a person hy being more open and more one's trove self with others. (3) Changes towsrd Life in a positive di- rection taclude philosophy of life, sense of values, sense of weaning ond purpose, vocational comaittnent, need for service to others, and ne4 upprectation for lite cr the vhole cf creation. Life may seem richer, The senge of reverence may be increased, and more tice may be spent in devotional life and meditation, (4) Positive change tovard the exparience means that it is regarded ag valuablo and that what hos beea Larned is thought to be useful, The experience 1s remembered ag 4 bigh point, and an attempt 1s nade to recnpture tha e-perience, of if possible, to gain new oxperiences as @ source of grovth and strength, Mysticel experiences of others are more appreciated and understood. Tha purpose of the experinest in vhich patlocybin was administered ina religious context was to gather empirical data about the etete of consctouencsa experienced. Ine private chapel on Good Friday twenty Christian theologica: ntudents, ten of vhom had been given psilocybin one -and-~on Lf houra before, listened over loud epeskers to a tvo- and-one-half-hour religious service which conaisted of organ music, four soloa, readings, Prayers, and personal maditation, The aesumption van nade thet for experiences moat likely to be mystical, the atwouphereshould be broedly comparable to that achieved by tribes who actually vse natural psychedelic substances in religious ceremonies. The particular content and procedure of the ceremony had to be applicable (1.e. familiar and masningful) to the perticipants, Attitude tovard the experience, both before and during, vas taken into serious congidera= tion in the experimental design. Preparation was meant to maximize poaltive expectaticn, trust, confidence, sad reduction of fear, Setting vas planned to utilize this preperation through group support and rapport, frlendentp, an open and trusting atmosphere, and prior knowledge of the procedure of the experiment in order to eliminate, if possible, feelings of uanipulation which might arise, In the weeks before the experiuent each subject participated in five hours of various preparation end screauing procedures which in- eluded poychological tests, wedical history, physical exaa, queatlonnaire evaluation of previous religiova exporieace, inteosive loterview, and group interaction. The twenty subjects vere graduite-stutent volunteers, all of whom vere from aldJle-class Protestunt backgrousds and from one. deuouioational ceminary in the free-church tradition, Mona of thom had aver taken psilocybin or related subatadces before this experiemeat. The volunteers ware divided into five groups of four studéute cach on the Danis vt compatibility end friendship. Two leaders who knew from past axperience tha positive and negative possibilities of the pailocysin reaction mt with their groups to encourage trust, confidence, group support, and fear reduction, The mthod of resction to the experience Wae emphasized (1,0, to relex and cooperate with, rather than to fight egainet, the effects of the drug), Throughout the preperation an effort Was made not to suggest the characteristics of the typology of mysticiaa,Double-blind technique vas enployed in the experiment so that neither the experimenter nor any of the participants (lesders or subjects) knew the specific contents of the capsules vhich vere identical in appeerance. Eslf of the aubjects and one of the leaders in each group received puilocybin. Without prior knowledga of the effects, the renaining subjects and the other leader received nicotinic acid, @ vitemio which causes transient feelings of warath and tingling Of the skin, in order to maxiuize suggestion for the control group. Data were collected during the experiment and at various tines up to alx months aftervards, Oa the experizental day toze recordings Were cade both of individual rewctious imcedintely after the religious service and of the group digcuseions which followed. Zach aubject Wrote en account of bis experience as acon after the experiment Wag convenient, Within @ week all subjects hed ccmpleted a 147-item questioncaire which had been designed to ceaaure phenozena of the tupology of nysticiua on @ qualitative, numerical scale. The results of this questionnaire vere used as the basis for @ one-and-one-nelf= hour, tape-recorded interview which immediately folloved. Six months later cach subject vas tnterviewed ogain after coxpletica of @ follov- vp queaticunaire in three parts with a aimtlor scele, Part I vas Open-ended; the pertictpant vas asked to list aay changes which he felt were a result of his Good Friday experience and to rate the de- agree of benefit or harm of each change, Part II (52 items) vas @ condensed end somewhat more explicit repetition of items from the post. rug questionnaire. Fort III (93 items) wi designed to meagure both Ponitive and negative attitudinal and bohavioral changes Which had lasted for atx months and vere due to the experience, The individuel,descriptive accounts and Part I of the follow-up questionnaire were content-enalyzed with # qualitative, numerical scale by judges who Were independent from the experiment, Prior to the experiment the twenty subjects had been matched into ten pairs ca the basis of data from the pre-drug questionnaires, {nterviews, end psychological testa, Peat religious experience, re- ligious background, and general puychological make-up vers used for the pairings in that order of impoctauce. The experizent vas designed ao that one subject from each pair received psilocybin end one received tha control substance, nicotinic acid, lis division into an ex- Perizeatal end coutrol group was for the purpose of statistical evaluation of the scores from rach of the three rethods of magure- mente which used @ numerical acalet the poat-drug questionnaire, the follov-up queatioanaire, and the content snelysis of the written accounts. The data froa theay three wethods of measuremnt were prosented by categories, Tha individual iteas which were used to measure each category were listed in groups for each mthod, The difference in Score betwen each of the ten pairs of experixental and control subjects vere analyzed statistically by the Sign Test for each item and also for the total scores of items in groups. In adddtion, exsuples of each of the nine categories were given in the form of exerpte from the descriptions which vere written by the subjucts, Froa these date the conclusion vae dreva thet under the conditions of cur experinant, those subjects who received Pailocybim experienced phencosna which vere apparently indiatinguieheble from, if not identical Whes with, certain categories defined by our typology of mystical:analyzed statistically, the acores of the experimeutel subjects were significantly higher than those of tha control subjects from all three methods of maasurement in ell categories except sense of sacred- ness. In all the other eight categories there vere less than two changes in one hurdred that the difference waa due only to chance rather then to psilocybin, and in wore than half the categories leas than two chances in one thousand, Even sacredness showed @ statistically significant difference in acore (chance expectation of no more than five chances in one hundred) from both questionueires, but uot from the con- tent analysis. The degree of cox teness or intensity cf the various categories vag presented and discussed by coupering the consistency of Score levels on {individual itoms and groups of items among the three netheda of measuresent, Not all categories were experienced in the Rost complete vay posible, although there vas evidence that each cate- gery hed bean experienced to sows degree. qa terms of our typology of mysticlam, ideally the uoat "complete" mystical experience should heva demonstrated th: phenoneos of all the categorieg in a maximal way, The evidence (particularly from the content snalyais and also supported by impressions from the interviews) shoved that such perfect coupletenc. in ell categories vas not experienced by the experizental eubjects. Tha phononene of internal ity, hovaver, Were experienced to a rather complete degree; and because unity is the heart of the ayatical experience, phenonene of the other categorion hight also have been expected to have been experienced to dua as com plete a degrea as “by-producte' In our data avch « prediction wag correct for transcendence of time and apace, transiency, psredoxicality, and pereteting positive changes in attitude @nd behavior toverd self andlife. The evidence indicated a leas, although almost, complete ex- perience of external unity, cbJectivity and reality, joy, and alleged ineffebility, There ves a reletively greater lack of coupleteness for sense of secrednzss, love, and persisting positive changes in attitude and behavior towerd others and tovard the experience. ech of these last eight categories or subcstegories vas termed incomplete to a wore or lesa degree for the experinentals, but vas definitely present to some extent when coupared vith the controls. When analyzed nost rigor- ously and ueeaured against all possible categories of the typology of aysticla, the experieac: of the experinental subjects Waa considered incomplete in this strictest sense. Usually such tncaupletencss vee caused by rosults of the content anelyacs, ‘The control subjects did not experience much phenonens of the nystical typology and even then only to a low decree of completeness, The phenoama for which the scores of the controls were closest to (although still olways less than) the exper sentale vere: blecucdueae and peace, sense of sacredazss, love, and p:raiating pouitive changas in stiitule and beBavior toward others and toward the experience. ‘Tha design of the experiment suggested an explanation for the experience of thesa phenosena ot all by the controls. The neeningful religtous setting of the oxperizent would have been expected to have encouraged @ response of blessedness, yaace, and eacrednass, In the case of cacrednena, implicit phenomena ouch as ave, wonder, mysterious fascination in spite of terror or fenr, and sense of the wholly otherness of what Wao mot in the experience showed @ statistically significant ecore difference in favor of tha exparimentals compared to the controls, whereas phenomena With @ more explicit indication of sacredness by theof conventional religious or theological terminology 41d uot show a significant difference between the two groups. In the case of love ond persisting changes tovard others end toward the experience, cbserva= tion by the controts of the profound experience of the experimentals end interaction between the tvo groups on an interpersonal level appeared from both post-experinental interviews to have been tha main baie for the controls’ experience of these phenomena, The experience of the experimental subjects ves cortainly more Like mystical experience than that of the controls who had the same expectation and suggestion frou the preparation and setting. The most otriking differ- soce betweea the experimcntels and controls was the ingestion of thirty ailligrams of patlecybin, which it was concluded v the faciliteting agent responsible for the difference in pheucnens experienced, This conclusion gave support to the claims code by others who have used pallo- eybin or similar drugs such as LSD or cescaline to aid in the induction Of experiences which are concluded to be not valike those described by nyatics, Such evidence also potuted to the porsible tmportance of bio= chenical chatges which might occur in ao-called "non-artificial” mystical experience (especially the effects of sacetic practices). After en eduittedly short follow-up period of only #ix mcaths, Lifes euhancing end -enriching offects similar to sone of those cleined by mystica vere shown by the higher scores of the experinental subjects when compared to the controls, In addition, after four hours of follow. up intervieve with each aubject, the experimenter vas left vith the overwhelming impression that the experience bad mede @ profovad ‘impact (especially in terne of religious feeling and thinking) on the Lives of eight out of ten of the subjects who had bean given patlocybin. Althoughthe psilocybin experience w quite unique and different trom the "ordinary" reality of their everyday Lives, these subjects felt thet thin experience tad motivated them to appreciate more deeply the weaning of their lives, to gain more depth and authenticity in ordinary Living, snd to rethink their philosophies of life and values, The date did not sugges’ that any “ultinete” reality was no leager important or meeningful. ‘The fact that the experience took placa in the coutext of Worship service with the use of symbols which vere fecilier and meaningful to the yarticipants appeared to provide « useful franevork withia which to derive meaning end integration trom the experience, both at the tins and later, The relaticuehip end relative t:portance of psychological prepare- *fon, setting, end drug vere tuportant questions raiged vy our resulta, A meaningful religious preparation, expectation, and environment ap. Peared to be conducive to positive drug experiences although the pre- Cize qualitative und quantitative rola of each factor vas not deternined, For example, everything posible vas done to mexinize ovggeation, but svcgratioa slone carsot account for the reaults because of the different experience of the coutrol group. The hypothesis that suggestibility was heightened by petlocybin could not be ruled out on the beatae of our ex- Periment. An effort vas made to avold suggesting the phenomena of the typology of myoticiaa, and the service itself made uo puch direct suggestion, Paychologiste of religion by their fotereat in Peychology and presumed religious senaitivity should be well qualified to atudy the variables at work here, Mention was msde of the elucidating auggestivencas of our axperie wentel findings for a votter Paychological unde. standing of the theologicalsignificance of worship and of such doctrines au the efficacy of the sacrenents, the Incarnation, the Holy Spirit, the presence of Christ, and gratia activa, Questiona were raised as to the place of the emo= tional factor compored to the cognitive in religious worship and as to the validity of mystical experience in terms of religious truth. The czucnstration of at least pailecybin, if not LSD and mescaline dy analogy, ag a tocol for the atwly of the mystical stete of conscious- Nese suggeated both further research and implications for the future. Possibilities for research in the psychology of religion with these chemicals were divided into two different kinds in relation to the aim: (1) theoretical understanding of the phenosena and psychology of mysti- elom end (2) experimental iavestigation of possible social application in a religious context. The method suggested for the firat or theoretical kind was to approach the mystical utate of consefousnesa as closely as possible under exper!mental conditions and to measure the cffect of variables. Suggestions were gives for confirsatory studies of the work already done, additional new exerinmonte, and better techniques of ne rement. This dissertation vas only # otart toward this approach for a better vaderatanding of mysticism from physiological, biocheatcal, and pay= chological perapective, Several experiuental approaches vere onvisioned for the second kind of research to determina the best method for useful epplication in « Teligtous context, One uvageution vas the eateblishwent of a pilot re- fearch center on the model of @ religious retreat where carefully con= trolled drug oxperiments could be done by @ trained research steff vhioh would conatat of payohiatrists, clinical Paychologiats, and ministers, Another suggestion was @ study of the effect on emell natural eroups of