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Hi, Stephen. This is a very interesting question, but one only you can answer to your satisfaction. Since you're a reader, I suggest: Augustine's "Confessions" and William James' "Varieties of Religious Experience."   I submit there are two extreme positions: 1) Those who romantacize every manic or depressive or psychotic episode. Sometimes, we are extremely sick and need medical help. 2) Those who pathologize every out-of-the-ordinary experience. Sometimes, we have a spiritual crisis or a spiritual breakthrough and need the guidance of a spiritual master.   Let's make an analogy: A little anxiety is good. It keeps us on our toes. Too much anxiety may incapacitate us. Way too much anxiety is known as paranoia or even psychosis.   We have a similar spirituality-psychosis spectrum. Herbert Benson of Harvard believes our brains are wired for spirituality. But it's also safe to say that overloading the wiring is not good and that we are talking of psychosis.   There is a phrase called "Holy Madness." Something to meditate on.