Abstract

Prodromal and pre-psychotic states are characterized by pervasive instabilities on all levels of experience and could lead to what Karl Jaspers calls limit-situations. In the process of defending against such existential instabilities or limit-situations, different strategies and mechanisms are employed to provide a shelter or enclosure. In this article, we explore the transition from the limit-situations to enclosures in psychotic and mystical states. In both we can differentiate multiple orientations. Many individuals, who experience psychotic and mystical states, have in fact experiences of both, at least to some extent. Together with everyday, common-sense level of experience we can thus say, that they have not only double, but triple orientation. The sensibility for multiple orientations, which is systematically explored within the phenomenological psychiatry and existential psychotherapy, is compatible with endeavours of the so-called contemplative psychotherapies.