Companioning the Unexplainable: Spirituality, Mental Health, and Meaning
Some seekers or congregants seek out spiritual care because they’ve had an experience they can’t explain. Perhaps they’ve heard a voice of guidance, encountered an angel, or received what they believe to be a message from the Divine. Others may have moments of profound insight, overwhelming love, or a deep sense of oneness with the universe. These experiences can bring wonder and transformation—but also confusion, doubt, or fear, especially in a culture that often dismisses the mystical as irrational.
As spiritual companions, or ministers, we are not here to diagnose or judge whether an experience is “real” in a clinical sense. We hold space for the seeker to explore its meaning. Some books, like The Celestine Prophecy, claim to be channeled wisdom, and while many question their origins, others find truth and inspiration in their pages. Instead of focusing on whether an experience meets external standards of credibility, we ask: How has this experience shaped you? What is it inviting you to?
This post offers a framework for companioning those who seek to understand experiences that challenge conventional ways of knowing.
Honoring the Guest’s Lived Experience
For some, mystical experiences – sometimes called “peak spiritual experiences” – bring peace, connection, or a renewed sense of purpose. For others, they are disorienting, challenging long-held beliefs or even sparking fear. A spiritual companion can support guests by:
- Reminding them that they are not alone – Across history and cultures, people have had mystical encounters that shaped their lives in powerful ways.
- Creating space for storytelling – Many have never shared their experience out of fear of being dismissed or judged. Simply speaking it aloud can bring clarity and relief.
- Honoring their spiritual context – Some may interpret an experience as a gift from God, a visitation from ancestors, a “download”, or a past-life memory. Others may struggle to find language for it. Companioning allows seekers to discern meaning in their own way.
- Exploring transformation – A mystical experience often shifts a person’s worldview, relationships, or calling. Companions can help seekers integrate what has changed.
Gentle Exploration of the Experience
The role of a spiritual companion is to encourage the seeker to make meaning and develop their relationship with their sacred. Some guiding questions include:
- What meaning does this experience hold for you?
- How has it changed your sense of yourself and the world?
- What emotions, insights, or questions has it brought up?
- Where is, or was, the sacred in this experience?
Discernment and Well-Being
Not every unusual experience is mystical. Some seekers may wrestle with whether what they’ve encountered is spiritual insight, psychological distress, or something else. This is especially true for those who have been pathologized for their experiences in the past.
As companions, we can:
- Approach with curiosity, not assumption – Instead of defining the experience for the seeker, we invite them to explore what it means to them.
- Consider the fruits of the experience – Has this experience led to greater love, peace, and wholeness? Or has it brought distress, fear, or harm? Traditional discernment practices—like Ignatian reflection or listening for alignment with one’s deepest values—can be helpful.
- Be aware of mental health concerns – While many seekers have spiritually meaningful experiences that are outside the norm, some may also be navigating mental health challenges. If a seeker is in distress, struggling with daily functioning, or experiencing harm, we can gently encourage professional support. Holding space for spirituality and affirming mental health care are not in opposition; they can be deeply complementary.
None of this means ignoring real distress or danger. If someone is in crisis, we have an ethical responsibility to make sure they are safe and aware of available mental health resources. (More on that in an upcoming post on mandated reporting and mental health first aid.) But outside of those moments, our role is not to diminish or explain away their experiences—it’s to hold space for them to explore what those moments mean.
The Problem with Diagnosing—and Alternative Perspectives
In conventional mental health care, spiritual or mystical experiences are often viewed through a diagnostic lens. The DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) is the primary tool for classifying mental health conditions, but it has been widely critiqued for pathologizing normal variations in human experience and for failing to account for cultural and spiritual dimensions of mental well-being (source).
Instead of classifying all altered states as symptoms of illness, some frameworks recognize them as opportunities for transformation. The Spiritual Emergence Network supports those experiencing intense spiritual awakenings that might be misinterpreted as mental illness. The Crazywise Project explores how some Indigenous and wisdom traditions approach these moments as meaningful rather than pathological (source).
Spiritual companionship offers an alternative space: one where people can process their experiences without the assumption that they need to be “fixed.”
The Gift of Nonjudgmental Presence
Mental health professionals diagnose and treat conditions based on clinical models. Spiritual companions, on the other hand, are not here to judge or diagnose—we accompany, listen, and help seekers find meaning in their experiences.
In a world quick to dismiss, explain away, or diagnose, spiritual companionship offers a rare gift: a place where seekers can be heard without fear of ridicule or dismissal. It can be tempting to evaluate a seeker’s experience based on our own frameworks: Is this real? Is this healthy? What does this mean? But spiritual companionship isn’t about imposing our worldview—it’s about honoring the seeker’s path.
By approaching these moments with warmth, curiosity, and deep respect, we offer something the world rarely does—a space where all ways of knowing are welcome, and where the mysteries of life can be explored without fear of judgment.
The question is not whether an experience fits within a particular framework, but how it invites the seeker to live more fully into their truth.
Final Thoughts
As spiritual companions, we are called to honor mystery. We do not have to determine whether an experience is “real” to recognize its impact. We listen, we hold space, and we trust the seeker’s own deep wisdom to emerge.
You are whole, holy, and worthy.
— Rev. Amy
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Further Reading & Resources
- The Varieties of Religious Experience by William James – A classic exploration of mystical and spiritual experiences.
- Listening to the Soul by Jean Stairs – A guide to spiritual companioning.
- The Spiritual Emergence Network – Resources for those navigating transformative spiritual experiences.
- Mystical Hope by Cynthia Bourgeault – Reflections on encountering the sacred beyond the rational mind.
- CrazyWise Project – Exploring alternative perspectives on spiritual awakenings (YouTube).
- Companioning for Spiritual Emergencies: PDF
- Patheos: When to Refer in Spiritual Direction: Article
- Neo-Pagan Spirituality and Mental Health – Honors Thesis
- Spirituality, Religion, and Mental Illness – Factsheet
- Critique of the DSM – Discussion
Have you or someone you know had an experience that defied explanation? I invite you to share reflections in the comments.
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