Mystical and Semi-Mystical Experiences

The current paper has tried to describe and categorize mystical experiences according to special criteria to find solid norms for redefining semi-mystical experiences to differentiate them from original mystical experiences.A study of norms considered by ancient and new mystical schools of thought both religious and irreligious, will show that there are two final norms for spiritual experiences to be mystical: First, unity; and second, inexpressibility. According to these criteria, there are two basic conditions, which are necessary but not sufficient, for a spiritual experience to be mystical.The current paper will first study the aforesaid criteria before focusing on a modern concept born as a result of studies carried out by Professor Lotfizadeh (the renowned Iranian scientists and mathematician), which is know ‘fuzzy logic’, introducing mystical experiences as being fuzzy. According to this viewpoint, being mystical includes a wide range of spiritual experiences from the most original religious experiences to those resulting from psychosomatic practices and even the effects of certain kinds of drugs. Therefore, to differentiate such experiences (which have been described semi-mystical here) from original mystical experiences we would need additional criteria in addition to two major criteria used for describing mystical experiences. This sufficient criterion is conforming to sharia or a special religion; that is rationality and custom.The article will conclude by proposing solutions for pathologies of mystical experiences so that we can differentiate between mystical and semi-mystical experiences. In this way, a wide range of spiritual human experiences will turn out to be unreal and non-original on the basis of criteria used to identify mystical experiences. However, since the nature of mysticism and mystical experiences is fuzzy, they can be described as semi-mystical experiences as opposed to original mystical ones.