▁that ▁includes ▁both ▁science ▁and ▁spiritual ity " ▁and ▁em bra ces ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁forms ▁of ▁main stream ▁science ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁other ▁forms ▁of ▁science ▁that ▁are ▁considered ▁fr inge . ▁ ▁Academ ic ▁discuss ions ▁ ▁Myst ical ▁experience ▁ ▁The ▁idea ▁of ▁a ▁per enn ial ▁philosophy , ▁sometimes ▁called ▁per enn ial ism , ▁is ▁a ▁key ▁area ▁of ▁debate ▁in ▁the ▁academic ▁discussion ▁of ▁myst ical ▁experience . ▁H ust on ▁Smith ▁notes ▁that ▁the ▁Trad itional ist ▁School ' s ▁vision ▁of ▁a ▁per enn ial ▁philosophy ▁is ▁not ▁based ▁on ▁myst ical ▁experiences , ▁but ▁on ▁met aph ys ical ▁intu itions . ▁The ▁discussion ▁of ▁myst ical ▁experience ▁has ▁shift ed ▁the ▁emphas is ▁in ▁the ▁per enn ial ▁philosophy ▁from ▁these ▁met aph ys ical ▁intu itions ▁to ▁religious ▁experience ▁and ▁the ▁notion ▁of ▁non du ality ▁or ▁alter ed ▁state ▁of ▁conscious ness . ▁ ▁William ▁James ▁popular ized ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁the ▁term ▁" rel ig ious ▁experience " ▁in ▁his ▁The ▁Vari eties ▁of ▁Relig ious ▁Exper ience . ▁It ▁has ▁also ▁influenced ▁the ▁understanding ▁of ▁myst ic ism ▁as ▁a ▁distinct ive ▁experience ▁which ▁supplies ▁knowledge . ▁Writ ers ▁such ▁as ▁W T ▁St ace , ▁H ust on ▁Smith , ▁and ▁Robert ▁Form an ▁argue ▁that ▁there ▁are ▁core ▁similar ities ▁to ▁myst ical ▁experience ▁across ▁relig ions , ▁cult ures ▁and ▁er as . ▁For ▁St ace ▁the ▁univers ality ▁of ▁this ▁core ▁experience ▁is ▁a ▁necessary