The study of the effect of ""exceptional"" experiences and beliefs on health--including anomalous, placebo, or hypnotic healing and mystical, religious, transpersonal, and creative experiences--has expanded and gained wider acceptance. This collection of essays explores the nature of mind, its impact on the body, and the relationship between ""exceptional"" experiences and physical health, mental health, and the potential for other types of perception. Examining the influence of spiritual practices, different types of mental imagery, and the practice of alternative healing methods such as reiki and johrei, the pieces propose ways of harnessing positive potential and encourage the expansion of mental health practice to include the full range of exceptional experiences. By normalizing experiences that are often pathologized, this book recognizes that exceptional human experiences can and do have value for physical and mental health.

From the ancient world to the present day, anomalous experiences - such as apparitions, premonitions, out-of-body and near-death experiences - provide stories that continue to mystify and intrigue. In this lively introduction, the authors investigate what these stories signify, and why some people turn to the paranormal for explanation. From defining anomalous experiences to examining the psychological models and methods that have been used to explain them, this text will help open up these strange tales to analysis. Whatever your level of study, this introduction will guide you through the key areas of this fascinating subject.