Summary: A controlled clinical study found that two guided psilocybin sessions produced substantial and lasting improvements in psychological well-being, spiritual insight, and vocational functioning among clergy from several major world religions. Participants described these sessions as among the most spiritually significant and psychologically meaningful experiences of their lives, with many reporting sustained positive changes in religious practice, personal beliefs, and leadership effectiveness for more than a year after treatment.
This research supports the potential of psilocybin, when administered in a structured, supportive setting, to facilitate enduring positive changes in both religious and non-religious domains of life for ordained and lay religious leaders.
Key facts
- Durable effects: Positive changes in attitudes and behavior were observed up to 16 months after the second psilocybin session.
- Spiritual significance: 96% of participants rated at least one session as among the top five most spiritually significant experiences of their lives.
- Vocational benefits: Many clergy reported improved effectiveness in their role as religious leaders following psilocybin-assisted sessions.
Source: Mary Ann Liebert, Inc
A peer-reviewed study published in Psychedelic Medicine evaluated the effects of psilocybin administration in a sample of psychedelic-naïve clergy drawn from multiple major world religions. The investigators—led by the late Roland Griffiths (Johns Hopkins University) along with Stephen Ross and Anthony Bossis (NYU Grossman School of Medicine) and colleagues—used a randomized, parallel-group, waitlist control design to assess outcomes after two supported psilocybin sessions.
In the protocol, participants received an initial dose of 20 mg/70 kg and, roughly one month later, a second session of either 20 mg/70 kg or 30 mg/70 kg. Outcomes were measured using self-report instruments at multiple time points, including session days and follow-ups at 4 and 16 months after the second session. A primary comparison was made between the Immediate Group (n = 13) and the Delayed Group (n = 16) at six months after screening.
Relative to the delayed-control participants, those who received psilocybin reported significantly greater positive change across several domains: religious practices (such as prayer and meditation), attitudes toward their own religious tradition, daily sense of the sacred, effectiveness as a religious leader, and non-religious attitudes, mood, and behavior. These improvements persisted over time, with many participants continuing to report benefits at the 16-month follow-up.
Ratings of the subjective nature of the sessions showed high levels of spiritual and psychological impact: 96% placed at least one experience in their top five most spiritually significant events; 92% described an experience as profoundly sacred; 83% found at least one session highly psychologically insightful; and 79% considered a session highly psychologically meaningful. Notably, 42% rated one of their experiences as the single most profound event of their lifetime.
About this psychedelics and neurotheology research news
Author: Kathryn Ruehle
Source: Mary Ann Liebert, Inc
Contact: Kathryn Ruehle – Mary Ann Liebert, Inc
Image credit: Neuroscience News
Original research (open access): Effects of Psilocybin on Religious and Spiritual Attitudes and Behaviors in Clergy from Various Major World Religions by Roland Griffiths et al. Published in Psychedelic Medicine. DOI: 10.1089/psymed.2023.0044
Abstract
Effects of Psilocybin on Religious and Spiritual Attitudes and Behaviors in Clergy from Various Major World Religions
Background: Historical accounts and previous experimental work have linked psilocybin to religious and spiritual experiences, but prospective experimental studies specifically examining how clergy experience and interpret psilocybin have been lacking. This exploratory clinical trial aimed to assess safety and both immediate and lasting effects of psilocybin in a clergy sample.
Methods: The trial enrolled psychedelic-naïve clergy representing various major world religions and used a randomized, parallel-group, waitlist control design. Participants underwent two supported psilocybin sessions (20 mg/70 kg followed by 20 or 30 mg/70 kg approximately one month later). Outcomes were assessed via self-report at six months after screening to compare immediate versus delayed groups, and additional follow-ups were conducted up to 16 months after the second session for participants who completed both sessions (n = 24).
Results: At the primary six-month endpoint, the immediate-treatment group reported significantly greater positive change than the delayed group across religious practice, attitudes toward religion, vocational effectiveness, and non-religious mood and behavior. Follow-up data indicated that these changes were largely maintained through 16 months after the second session. High proportions of participants rated sessions as among their most spiritually significant, sacred, insightful, and meaningful life experiences, and a substantial minority considered an experience the single most profound event of their lifetime. While no serious adverse events were reported, nearly half of participants (46%) rated a psilocybin session as among the top five most psychologically challenging experiences of their lives.
Conclusions: In this exploratory sample of clergy, psilocybin administered in a supportive setting was safe and produced enduring improvements in multiple aspects of psychological well-being, including religious attitudes, practices, and perceived vocational effectiveness. The study’s limitations include the waitlist control design, a relatively homogenous participant group, and the use of some outcome measures that lack full validation. Future research should use more rigorous control conditions and broader, more diverse samples to confirm and expand these findings.