Lasers, fog machines, silent prayers…and don’t forget the ecstasy! In episode 126 of Overthink, Ellie and David dive into the experience of ecstasy. They look at interpretations of ecstasy in the tradition of mysticism, where ecstasy has been figured as a loss of self. How common are experiences of ecstasy? Are they limited to religious contexts, or are there alternate avenues for entering ecstatic states? And what about MDMA and its relation to rave culture? In the bonus, they explore how well ecstasy fits into William James’ framework for mystical states, and consider the relationship between ecstasy, reason, and age.

Works Discussed:
St. Teresa of Avila, The Life of St. Teresa of Jesus
 Simon Critchley, On Mysticism: The Experience of Ecstasy
 James Landau, “The Flesh of Raving”
 Marghanita Laski, Everyday Ecstasy
 Wilhelm Mayer-Gross, “The Phenomenology of Abnormal Emotions of Happiness”
 Simon Reynolds, Generation Ecstasy
 Summer Heights High (2007)

Support the show

Substack | overthinkpod.substack.com 
Website | overthinkpodcast.com
Instagram & Twitter | @overthink_pod
Email | dearoverthink@gmail.com
YouTube | Overthink podcast

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Overthink

Ellie Anderson, Ph.D. and David Peña-Guzmán, Ph.D.

Ecstasy

MAR 25, 202557 MIN
Overthink

Ecstasy

MAR 25, 202557 MIN

Description

Lasers, fog machines, silent prayers…and don’t forget the ecstasy! In episode 126 of Overthink, Ellie and David dive into the experience of ecstasy. They look at interpretations of ecstasy in the tradition of mysticism, where ecstasy has been figured as a loss of self. How common are experiences of ecstasy? Are they limited to religious contexts, or are there alternate avenues for entering ecstatic states? And what about MDMA and its relation to rave culture? In the bonus, they explore how well ecstasy fits into William James’ framework for mystical states, and consider the relationship between ecstasy, reason, and age.

Works Discussed:
St. Teresa of Avila, The Life of St. Teresa of Jesus
Simon Critchley, On Mysticism: The Experience of Ecstasy
James Landau, “The Flesh of Raving”
Marghanita Laski, Everyday Ecstasy
Wilhelm Mayer-Gross, “The Phenomenology of Abnormal Emotions of Happiness”
Simon Reynolds, Generation Ecstasy
Summer Heights High (2007)

Support the show

Substack | overthinkpod.substack.com
Website | overthinkpodcast.com
Instagram & Twitter | @overthink_pod
Email | [email protected]
YouTube | Overthink podcast

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.