Centre for Policy on Ageing



Late-life effective of early mystical experiences — a cross-cultural comparison
Author(s)	L Eugene Thomas
Journal title	Journal of Aging Studies, vol 11, no 2, Summer 1997
Pages	pp 155-169
Keywords	Older men ; Religion ; Spiritual characteristics [elderly] ; Personality ; Life span ; Cross cultural surveys ; England ; India.
Annotation	The effect of early mystical experiences on two old men is examined. The two were among the most spiritually mature people found in a larger study of spiritual personality development in England and India. After having had deeply moving mystical-type experiences as young men, each went through the stages of spiritual development suggested in J E Collins' "Mysticism and the new paradigm psychology" (1991): awakening, purgation, illumination, and transformation. The Indian culture appeared to make transition along this path much easier than was the case with the English respondent. Despite differing cultural influences, both came to a remarkably similar spiritual state, which provides support for William James' argument for the transcultural nature of mystical experiences and their long-term effect. (RH).
Accession Number	CPA-981015212 A
Classmark	BC: TR: EX: DK: BG6: 3KA: 82: 7FA
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...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing.