Does a unitive mystical experience affect authenticity? An intuitive inquiry of ordinary Protestants

The researcher used the intuitive inquiry method to interview Protestant Christians about their unitive mystical experiences. The unitive mystical experience is an experience of being one with God or the universe knowing ultimate love, peace, or truth. Thirteen adult participants described in an interview format whether or not they were living in accordance with the new knowledge received in their experience. This is defined for the purpose of this study as authenticity. The researcher transcribed the interviews, verified each transcript with each participant, used thematic analysis to identify themes, and invited outside interview readers to confirm or refute the researcher's identified themes. All participants reported a change in their values and behaviors due to their experiences. Participants also verified the 12 themes that the researcher compiled as the research results. Two important findings are that the participants have an increased connection and feeling of responsibility to Spirit, people, and the world; and participants experience a surrendering of ego and self while opening to the Divine immediately before or during these experiences. Transpersonal authenticity is a termed coined by the researcher and supported by this research and other literature to describe the relationship between the unitive mystical experience and authenticity. One conclusion of this study is that the unitive mystical experience does affect authenticity, and this path of authenticity is personally unique to each individual.