Ecstatic Transformation

For the medieval mystic Mechthild of Magdeburg, ecstatic and visionary states expressed not only an intimate relationship with the Divine, but they also served a significant therapeutic function within her religious community. It was through these states that Mechthild articulated a new understanding of Christian spirituality, a remarkably confident view of female teaching authority, and compassion for others.

Ulrike Wiethaus compares Mechthild's mystical teachings with modern concepts of humanistic models of spiritual and psychoanalytical approaches and psychophysiological research on altered states. She uses both historical and contemporary methods as building blocks in the ever-changing dialogue of the unexplored territories of the mind.

The medieval model illustrated by Wiethaus offers intriguing avenues of reconceptualization in the converging of body and mind, in soul searching, and in what Western culture calls interpersonal growth.