Mystical Experience and Global Revolution
Published in Athens Journal of Social Sciences, 2018
Abstract
This paper reframes mystical experience as more than a private psychological event. It argues that deep experiences of connection can produce durable shifts in values and priorities—often away from greed, domination, and status competition (a so-called “turn to the left”)—and that these shifts matter politically. In a world facing ecological breakdown and intensifying inequality, the moral and motivational consequences of authentic mystical experience become socially consequential.
Key Points
- Treats mystical experience as a driver of enduring value change, not fleeting “spiritual feelings.”
- Emphasizes the historic link between mystical connection and moral elevation (pro-social orientation).
- Critiques the tendency to domesticate mysticism into private self-help instead of social transformation.
- Frames “global revolution” as a plausible downstream effect when connection reshapes motivation at scale.
Recommended citation: Sosteric, Mike. (2018). "Mystical Experience and Global Revolution." *Athens Journal of Social Sciences*, 5(3), 235–255. https://doi.org/10.30958/ajss.5-3-1
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