Ergebnisse | IGPP

Ott, U. (2025). Meditation: from self-regulation to ego-dissolution. In A. Berkovich-Ohana, O. Raphael, E. Shulman, D. Rudrauf, & I. Segev (Eds.), Perspectives on consciousness: inquiries into subjective experience across disciplines (pp. 149–157). MIT Press. https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262547062/perspectives-on-consciousness/

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Costines, C., & Schmidt, T. T. (2024). Phenomenology of Psychedelic Experiences and Psychedelic-Associated Distressing Effects: Quantifying Subjective Experiences (pp. 1–23). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/7854_2024_562

The range of phenomena that can be induced by psychedelic substances is broad and variable, including effects on perception, cognition, and emotion. The umbrella term “psychedelic phenomenology” is used to refer to a combination of altered experiential features, such as hallucinations or ego dissolution, which together constitute a psychedelic experience. However, there is no consensus on the set of alterations of consciousness that qualifies an altered state to be a “psychedelic state.” In this chapter we summarize the most commonly discussed changes in subjective experiences which could be seen as “core features” of psychedelic experiences. While acknowledging the rich history of pioneering phenomenological work of the last century, this chapter focuses on more recent developments in the quantitative work on the assessment of these phenomena. We also address the under-researched phenomenology of distressing effects, often referred to as “challenging experiences” or “bad trips,” and point to their importance in understanding the therapeutic potential and risks associated with psychedelic phenomenology. Historically, one can find many links between psychedelic phenomenology and the phenomenology of psychopathology. We stress the importance to refine the assessment and description also of distressing effects, to identify factors that promote acute experiences which are beneficial and limit those which can have potentially harmful long-term effects.

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Anton, A. (2023). Epilogue. In M. Bohlander (Ed.), Contact with Extraterrestrial Intelligence and Human Law. The Applicability of Rules of War and Human Rights. (pp. 193–195). Brill/Nijhoff.

Bauer, E. (2023). Spooks and Ghostly Apparitions of the Past and Present. In F. Schäfer, J. Pisark, & H. Gritsch (Eds.), Hausgeister! Household Spirits of German Folklore (pp. 175–177). Eye of the Newt Book.

Anton, A. (2019). UFO Research. In G. Mayer (Ed.), N equals 1. Single Case Studies in Anomalistics (pp. 133–150). Lit-Verlag.

Ott, U. (2016). Absorption in hypnotic trance and meditation. In A. Raz & M. Lifshitz (Eds.), Hypnosis and meditation. Towards an integrative science of consciousness planes (pp. 269–278). Oxford University Press.

Atmanspacher, H., & Fach, W. (2015). Mind-matter correlations in dual-aspect monism according to Pauli and Jung. In E. F. Kelly, A. Crabtree, & P. Marshall (Eds.), Beyond physicalism: Toward reconciliation of science and spirituality (pp. 195–226). Rowman & Littlefield.

Belz, M., & Fach, W. (2015). Exceptional experiences (ExE) in clinical psychology. In E. Cardeña, J. Palmer, & D. Marcusson-Clavertz (Eds.), Parapsychology: A handbook for the 21st century (pp. 364–379). McFarland.

Schellinger, U., Anton, A., & Schetsche, M. (2015). Pragmatic Occultism in the Military History of the Third Reich. In M. Black & E. Kurlander (Eds.), Revisiting the „Nazi Occult“. Histories, Realities, Legacies (pp. 157–180). New York.

Fach, W. (2014). Complementary aspects of mind-matter correlations in exceptional human experiences. In H. Atmanspacher & C. A. Fuchs (Eds.), The Pauli-Jung conjecture and its impact today (pp. 255–273). Springer.

Bauer, E. (2013). On the Magic Hill. In R. Pilkington (Ed.), Men and Women of Parapsychology, Personal Reflections (pp. 30–59). Anomalist Books.

Hofmann, L. (2013). The Impact of Kundalini Yoga on Concepts and Diagnostic Practice in Psychology and Psychotherapy. In B. Hauser (Ed.), Yoga Traveling: Bodily Practice in Transcultural Perspective. Transcultural Research: Heidelberg Studies on Asia and Europe in a Global Context (pp. 81–106). Springer.

Ott, U., & Hölzel, B. K. (2013). Meditation-Research. In A. Runehof & L. Oviedo (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Sciences and Religions (p. 1292). Springer Science+Business Media.

Ott, U. (2013). Time Experience During Mystical States. In A. Nicolaidis & W. Achtner (Eds.), The Evolution of Time: Studies of Time in Science, Anthropology, Theology (pp. 104–116). Bentham Science. http://benthamscience.com/chapter/5155

Phenomenological analyses and questionnaire studies have shown that changes in time experience are a prominent feature of mystical states of consciousness. Spiritual traditions employ a variety of methods to induce these states. Research on meditation and psychedelic drugs can help to identify involved brain mechanisms and neural correlates of mystical states. A theory is presented that explains the experience of unity and timelessness with a phase transition to extended coherent EEG gamma activity. Based on this theory, ascetic and meditative practices can be understood as rational methods to enable qualitative shifts in the large-scale organization of brain dynamics. Some supporting evidence for the theory comes from a study with Buddhist monks. Research on mystical experiences has to deal with many methodological challenges and requires a close collaboration of scientists and religious practitioners. Research of this kind can yield important insights into the relativity of reality and its relation to brain functioning.

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Bauer, E., & Belz, M. (2012). Counseling at the IGPP – An Overview. In C. Simmonds-Moore (Ed.), Exceptional Experience and Health. Essays on Mind, Body and Human Potential (pp. 210–222). McFarland.

Bauer, E., Belz, M., Fach, W., Fangmeier, R., Schupp-Ihle, C., & Wiedemer, A. (2012). Counseling at the IGPP – An Overview. In W. H. Kramer, E. Bauer, & G. H. Hövelmann (Eds.), Perspectives of Clinical Parapsychology (pp. 149–167). Stichting Het Johan Borgman Fonds.

Bauer, E., Belz, M., Fach, W., Fangmeier, R., Schupp-Ihle, C., & Wiedemer, A. (2012). Counseling at the IGPP – An overview. In W. H. Kramer, E. Bauer, & G. H. Hövelmann (Eds.), Perspectives of clinical parapsychology (pp. 149–167). Stichting Het Johan Borgman Fonds.

Belz, M., & Fach, W. (2012). Theoretical reflections on counseling and therapy for individuals reporting ExE. In W. H. Kramer, E. Bauer, & G. H. Hövelmann (Eds.), Perspectives of clinical parapsychology (pp. 168–189). Stichting Het Johan Borgman Fonds.

Ott, U., Hölzel, B. K., & Vaitl, D. (2011). Brain structure and meditation: How spiritual practice shapes the brain. In H. Walach, S. Schmidt, & W. B. Jonas (Eds.), Neuroscience, consciousness and spirituality (pp. 119–128). Springer.

Atmanspacher, H., & Fach, W. (2007). Acategoriality as mental instability. A dynamical system approach to James‘s account of mental activity. In S. Franzese & F. Krämer (Eds.), Fringes of religious experience: Cross-perspectives on William James‘s „The varieties of religious experience“ (pp. 39–68). Ontos.