Unlock Wellness: The Connection Between Transcendent Experiences and Your Health

Do you recall a moment when you felt connected to something greater than yourself? Those transformative moments are known as transcendent experiences. When we have these kinds of experiences, we go beyond our own sense of identity. We’re now starting to recognize the ways that these kinds of experiences can offer profound benefits for our health. Research suggests these experiences have a positive impact on you, which can support your well-being regardless of your age or current health status.

In this blog post, I’ll delve into the realm of transcendent experiences and the impact they can have on one’s health. I’ll shed light on what they entail and explore their potential health benefits. In a subsequent post, I’ll share insights on the intersection of music and transcendence, revealing how I integrate music to facilitate these experiences in my therapeutic work across different life stages.

Understanding Transcendent Experiences

Before we dive in, let’s demystify what transcendent experiences are. Some may dismiss them as frivolous, while others view them as an escape. However, throughout human history, transcendent experiences have been a consistent aspect of our existence. As philosopher Jules Evans notes, there’s a universal human yearning for transcendence, guiding people to different destinations. [4] Therefore, it can be helpful to look at what these kinds of experiences are and how we can experience them.

Diverse Ways to Transcend

An abstract multicolored face in profile morphing with trees and a quote from William James about transcendent experiences

People experience transcendence in various ways, such as:

  • Immersing themselves in nature [1][2][3]
  • Engaging in religious or spiritual practices [1][2]
  • Practicing meditation [1][2]
  • Creating or listening to music [1]
  • Exploring altered states with psychoactive substances [1]
  • Having a near-death experience. [1] 

These diverse avenues highlight that experiences of transcendence aren’t confined to spiritual or religious realms. Transpersonal and positive psychology approaches explore these universal experiences from a secular perspective, recognizing their significance across backgrounds. However, as a therapist, I will work with clients who have religious or spiritual beliefs through the lens of their beliefs. Likewise, I will also work with clients who want to experience the transcendent through secular means.

Impact of Transcendent Experiences

Describing these experiences can be challenging, leading to a myriad of terms like “peak experience,” “flow,” or “objective consciousness.” Therefore, it’s crucial to acknowledge that an individual’s background influences their understanding and the terms they use to describe their experience. As a therapist, I embrace the diverse ways clients may encounter transcendence and want to support them in experiencing that more often. As such, I want to honor the terms that clients may use based on their spiritual or religious beliefs.

From Fleeting Moments to Lasting Transformation

Transcendent experiences can range from brief, impactful events, to more sustained, mature states of being. Mature transcendence fosters inner peace and a sense of unity, serving as a therapeutic goal regardless of age. [2] However, both kinds of transcendent experiences can be helpful.

Elevating Your Well-Being Through Transcendent Experiences

While the immediate impact of transcendent experiences can enhance mood and life satisfaction, the mature type may act as a “protective factor” against diseases. Although not universally applicable yet, ongoing research suggests a positive correlation between transcendent experiences and health. This makes sense to me because of how having a sense of inner peace seems to parallel possible outcomes of ongoing mindfulness practice which has also been shown to have health benefits.

Now I’d like to look a little more closely at how transcendent experiences may affect different aspects of health. These views are based on different factors, such as lived experiences, observations from my clinical work, as well as philosophical, religious/spiritual, and psychological writings on the topic. To illustrate this, I’ll be looking at the physical, emotional, mental, social, and spiritual aspects of health that I looked at in my blog post on how singing impacts health.

Physically

In addition to the possible protective factor that mature transcendent experiences can have on the development and experience of physical disease, I also think that transcendent experiences can inspire and motivate us to take care of ourselves in balanced, healthy ways. This is because such experiences can help us to feel good in our bodies. When we feel good in our bodies, we are more prone to treating ourselves well.

We don’t do this out of fear or out of a sense of deprivation or negative judgment, but rather in recognition that taking care of ourselves feels good and we are worth taking care of. For example, when we feel connected to the greater world, we can develop a better appreciation for the food we eat and how it’s grown or raised. Likewise, we may find that it can be enjoyable to move our bodies in the form of dancing or by walking around in nature.

Emotionally

Regarding our emotional health, part of the way that transcendent experiences can lead to positive effects is because they can induce a sense of awe, peace, and contentment. Being able to experience such feelings can lead to decreased feelings of depression and anxiety. Having a sense of greater meaning and purpose can enhance our mood and outlook on life. It feels good to belong on our terms and in an authentic way.

Mentally

Our mental outlook can be enhanced by transcendent experiences because these experiences lead to new perspectives and a more objective outlook on situations and life experiences. Transcendent experiences can help us to see things more clearly. We may recognize patterns that we hadn’t seen before. As well we can also gain new insights that lead us into new, more productive, or exciting directions in life.

Socially

As far as social well-being goes, transcendent experiences can lead to a recognition of our interconnection and shared humanity. Because of this, such experiences can lead to more prosocial behavior. As well, such experiences can help us to evaluate the relationships in our lives. Transcendent experiences can help us better recognize the importance these relationships have in our lives. They can inspire us to show more love and care towards others, as well as invite us to be more present when we interact with others. This isn’t out of a sense of obligation or something that we think we “should” do, but rather it is something that we want to do because it’s the thing we want to do.

Spiritually

By now, it should be clear how transcendent experiences can contribute to one’s spiritual health and well-being. For those who are religiously or spiritually minded, transcendent experiences can reinforce a personal relationship with a higher power of some sort, with whatever term the person uses to define it. However, for those who don’t identify as being religious or spiritual, transcendent experiences can facilitate a sense of awe and connection to something greater than themselves.

Regardless of one’s specific beliefs, this sense of hope and connection can have an impact on other areas of our lives.

Incorporating Transcendent Experiences For Yourself In Therapy

I hope that after reading this you have a better understanding of how your health can benefit from transcendent experiences. As it should be clear by now, I believe that transcendent experiences are a vital part of human existence. For someone who has experienced trauma or is struggling with finding purpose in life, I think that they can also be healing.

If you’d like to explore the possibility of incorporating transcendent experiences into your therapy, contact me. I offer a free 15-minute phone or online consultation that you can schedule here. Embrace the transformative power of these experiences, and let’s embark on a journey to a healthier, more connected self.

References

[1] Science, Drugs, Death, and Deities: What’s Behind Transcendent Experiences? – Eden Arielle Gordon 
[2] Levin, J., & Steele, L. (2005). The Transcendent Experience: Conceptual, Theoretical, and Epidemiologic Perspectives. In Explore (Vol. 1, No. 2, pp 89-101). https://www.baylorisr.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/levin_transcendent.pdf
[3] Bethelmy, L. C., & Corraliza, J. A. (2019). Transcendence and Sublime Experience in Nature: Awe and Inspiring Energy. In Frontiers in Psychology  (Vol. 10, p. 509). https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00509
[4] The Varieties of Transcendent Experience – Jules Evans

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