While there is no universally agreed upon definition of mystical experience, researchers and philosophers generally use the term to refer to those experiences that are unitive. According to the late Princeton University Philosophy Professor W.T. Stace, “the central characteristic of mystical experience is the apprehension of a oneness or a One to which neither the senses nor the reason can penetrate.” A broader definition of mystical experience, which is also valid, includes unitive mystical experience as well as a range of other transpersonal phenomena, such as voices and visions (regardless of whether these phenomena are accompanied by unity).
On www.imere.org, we define mystical experience as: consciousness of The Absolute, Ultimate Reality, or God.
To read about the common characteristics of mystical experiences, please see Q&A 6 BELOW.