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Mystical Experiences Without Psychedelics and How Integration Improves Well-Being in Adults

NCT07584070 · Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 120

Last updated 2026-05-13

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate whether a guided, non-drug spiritual intervention can facilitate mystical-type experiences and improve well-being in Christian adults.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

* Does the guided spiritual intervention produce measurable mystical experiences?
* Does participation in the intervention and assigned integration program lead to improvements in well-being over time?

Researchers will compare a Christian-based integration program to a structured control integration program to determine whether Christian-based integration leads to greater improvements in well-being.

Participants will:

* Complete baseline questionnaires assessing spiritual experiences, religiosity, and well-being
* Complete one in-person session of the "guided invocation for mystical experience"
* Be randomly assigned to complete either a Christian-based or control integration program for 4 weeks
* Complete follow-up assessments at 1 month and 2 months

Conditions

  • Healthy Adult Participants

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Guided Invocation for Mystical Experience

Participants will complete a single, in-person Guided Invocation for Mystical Experience (GIME) session conducted by a trained practitioner using a standardized protocol. The session includes an initial briefing and rapport-building period, followed by a structured breathing exercise (approximately 8 minutes) designed to facilitate a non-ordinary state of consciousness. Participants then receive guided imagery and verbal suggestions intended to promote relaxation, absorption, and experiential openness. The practitioner delivers a standardized script targeting features commonly associated with mystical-type experiences (e.g., unity, positive affect, and altered perception of time and space). The session includes a brief period of silent introspection, followed by re-alerting procedures. The total session duration is approximately 60 minutes.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Templeton World Charity Foundation

    collaborator OTHER

  • Baylor University

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Gary Elkins, PhD · Baylor University

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
SINGLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2026-04-30
Primary Completion
2027-04-30
Completion
2027-08-01

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT07584070 on ClinicalTrials.gov