Tanya Luhrmann on practicing discernment with spiritual experiences

Professor Tanya Luhrmann is an award-winning anthropologist at Stanford University who has worked for many years on how people in different cultures engage with God, gods and spirits. Her 2012 book When God Talks Back was a brilliant analysis of how charismatic Christians 'learn' how to hear the voice of God. We discuss her research on the psychological characteristics that enable some people to engage with God / gods - particularly 'absorption'. And we also discuss whether discernment practices from religious traditions can be helpful to people trying to make sense of psychedelic experiences.
Interview by Jules Evans of www.philosophyforlife.org

[@PlatosPodcasts]

So interesting the way Luhrmann stays with accepting experiences and discerning experiences, and keeps paracosms open. Thanks Jules. Really worth hearing as there's something in the spirit of her attitude that comes across.

[@wademach77]

I have watched some of her videos about religion on youtube. It is like seeing religion from the inside. It helps me see how people hear an external voice in some religions to engage their higher power. My favorite story was when a person told her to set a cup of coffee for God.

[@headachecomix]

That was excellent, thank you both.

[@mwmingram]

Very interesting.

[@mwmingram]

The absorption criteria sound like Ernest Hartmann's "Boundary" questionnaire.

[@London-Lad]

🎧 Podcasts? 🎧 Does this creator have a podcast on Google or can anybody recommend any good Podcasts along this or any other interesting genres? I'm very open and broad minded. Many thanks 🙏😉

[@nospecialmeaning2]

I relate to this. But I thought of it as the better and wiser part of me articulating more correct thoughts. The moral upper envelope of me. I guess it perhaps depends on the definition of God: is it an entity outside of us, or some bit of us? If it's a part of me, then it could be God. Also why would God tell you anything about other than moral judgements?