Mystical journey of self: a case study of Lal Ded

Abstract

Mystical experience is a fundamental category of human experience which psychologically speaking manifests itself whenever consciousness is not yet or no longer effectively centered around the ego. This involves disintegration and a remolding of a fragmented self, which is an inherently difficult yet eventually enriching process that molds the personality and life into a whole. In the present paper, the sayings and hagiographic accounts of Lal Ded, a fourteenth century mystic-poetess from Kashmir have been analyzed using the method of archetypal amplification to develop an understanding of her journey as a case study of how one can move through psychological turmoil and transform into an individual leading a more meaningful and spiritual life.