Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Mystical Experiences
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Mystical Experiences
Shamanic cultures have been using substances for thousands of years to induce altered states of consciousness. X ray vision is said to be a key feature of the shamanic experience. This has been observed in Aboriginal rock art where the skeletons of animals are depicted. Cannabis is sacred to the Hindu God Shiva and even ancient Buddhists were known to use drugs. In India there was a substance called Soma, which is mentioned in the ancient Hindu scriptures, the Vedas, which probably used hallucinogenic mushrooms.
There's now a strong working hypothesis amongst academics that traditional religious practices such as meditation can activate chemicals in the brain which produce the same effects as LSD. But Robert Zaehner, an early 20th century British academic argued that only theistic mysticism was sacred and that all other mystical states were profane or immoral.
Joining Ernie Rea to discuss mystical experiences are Dr David Luke, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Greenwich and President of the Parapsychological Association, Shamanic Practitioner, Dr Zoe Bran and Shaunaka Rishi Das, Director of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies.
View all episodes
By BBC Radio 4
4.4
9898 ratings
Shamanic cultures have been using substances for thousands of years to induce altered states of consciousness. X ray vision is said to be a key feature of the shamanic experience. This has been observed in Aboriginal rock art where the skeletons of animals are depicted. Cannabis is sacred to the Hindu God Shiva and even ancient Buddhists were known to use drugs. In India there was a substance called Soma, which is mentioned in the ancient Hindu scriptures, the Vedas, which probably used hallucinogenic mushrooms.
There's now a strong working hypothesis amongst academics that traditional religious practices such as meditation can activate chemicals in the brain which produce the same effects as LSD. But Robert Zaehner, an early 20th century British academic argued that only theistic mysticism was sacred and that all other mystical states were profane or immoral.
Joining Ernie Rea to discuss mystical experiences are Dr David Luke, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Greenwich and President of the Parapsychological Association, Shamanic Practitioner, Dr Zoe Bran and Shaunaka Rishi Das, Director of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies.
More shows like Beyond Belief
View all
In Our Time
5,407 Listeners
From Our Own Correspondent
373 Listeners
The Documentary Podcast
1,837 Listeners
Start the Week
158 Listeners
Global News Podcast
7,728 Listeners
Crossing Continents
77 Listeners
Thinking Allowed
303 Listeners
Great Lives
505 Listeners
6 Minute English
1,773 Listeners
Learning English Conversations
1,078 Listeners
Inside Health
98 Listeners
More or Less: Behind the Stats
894 Listeners
The Forum
275 Listeners
The Infinite Monkey Cage
1,949 Listeners
Newshour
1,048 Listeners
In Our Time: Religion
281 Listeners
The Life Scientific
223 Listeners
Moral Maze
57 Listeners
Word of Mouth
60 Listeners
Dan Snow's History Hit
4,621 Listeners
The Briefing Room
73 Listeners
Americast
755 Listeners
You're Dead to Me
2,993 Listeners
Limelight
259 Listeners