Counseling is based on scientific research and at the same time attempts to gain new insights into extraordinary experiences and spiritual crises. To this end, we use questionnaires, among other things, which also play an important role in the counseling process itself. Below is an overview of phenomena that are frequently reported by those seeking advice.
Accompanying research
exceptional experiences (ExE)
The multitude of different ExE can be traced back to four different basic classes of extraordinary phenomena:
External phenomena
… are unusual phenomena in the external environment. They often occur in the house or apartment of those seeking advice and are referred to as poltergeist and apparitions described as In particular, kinetic phenomena (e.g. movement, disappearance or appearance of objects), inexplicable noises (e.g. knocking, footsteps), smells, temperature fluctuations and perceptions of visible (shadows, diffuse figures, light, etc.) or invisible presences are reported.
Internal phenomena
… are unusual phenomena that people seeking advice perceive mentally or in their bodies as an internal presence and influence. They usually attribute this experience to certain people or external powers that affect them through telepathic, paranormal or magical forces. They mainly report physical sensations (e.g. energy flows, pain, exhaustion), feelings and moods that are alien to them, intuitions or hearing inner voices.
Coincidence phenomena
… concern extraordinary connections between inner experiences and external events. For example, people seeking advice describe extrasensory perceptions of the inner states of other people (telepathy) or events in the past (retrocognition), present (clairvoyance) or future (precognition, dreams of the future). There are also frequent reports of meaningful coincidences in which oracle techniques (e.g. tarot, pendulum) make accurate statements, certain events are experienced as fateful, or accumulations of similar events (e.g. occurrence of a number, misfortunes) appear not by chance but as signs and messages from a higher order.
Dissociation phenomena
… involve unusual physical phenomena and a loss of control over one’s own body. This can, for example, take the form of mediumship and automatism in which uncontrolled movement and action impulses (e.g. automatic writing, glossolalia) occur that are experienced as externally determined. Conversely, particularly in states close to sleep and on awakening, phenomena are experienced that are described as nightmare and sleep paralysis and are accompanied by an inability to move, often accompanied by tactile sensations (nightmares), as well as external phenomena (apparitions, invisible presence).
ExE usually occur spontaneously, i.e. unexpectedly and without a recognizable cause. However, they can also be induced by techniques such as automatic writing or meditative practices. There are also ExE, which occur after contact with healers, mediums, clairvoyants or as a result of using offers from the esoteric scene.
Research projects on the topics of consulting can be found here:
Four basic classes
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Online questionnaire
- You can use the online questionnaire PAGE-II to describe your experiences in more detail.
- The questionnaire is available in German 🇩🇪English 🇬🇧 and Spanish 🇪🇸 available. You can switch between languages using the three-dot menu (—) at the top right.
- If you contact us, you will receive the access code to a special version for those seeking advice.
Spiritual and meditation-induced crises
For some years now, research has been looking in detail at spiritual crises and the potential risks of meditation. Typical experiences that can occur on spiritual development paths and cause crises include
- States of consciousness that differ significantly from everyday consciousness
- Flows of energy or light in the body or a detachment from the body
- Strong emotional fluctuations (positive and negative emotions)
- Unusual visual or acoustic perceptions
- Increased sensitivity
- Extraordinary phenomena and the above described ExE
- Resurfacing of stressful memories and feelings from the past
- Loss of control and the fear of going crazy
- Questions of meaning, shattering of the world and/or self-image
- Impairment of the ability to cope with everyday life
This handbook provides an overview of the current state of theory, research and practice:
In the research area of spirituality and health, IGPP conducts research on these topics, among others:
Presentation of the consulting focus
Colloquium of the IGPP, 2024-02-27
Online questionnaire
- You can use this online questionnaire to describe your experiences and the associated stress in more detail.
- When you contact us, we ask you to complete this questionnaire so that we can include the evaluation in the consultation.
