Hubbry Logo
Oceanic feelingOceanic feelingMain
Open search
Oceanic feeling
Community hub
Oceanic feeling
logo
8 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Oceanic feeling
Oceanic feeling
Oceanic feeling
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia
For the Prayer Boat album, see Oceanic Feeling (album). For the Lorde song, see Solar Power (album).
painting of a man reaching towards nature
Manfred and the Alpine Witch, by John Martin

In a 1927 letter to Sigmund Freud, Romain Rolland coined the phrase "oceanic feeling" to refer to "a sensation of 'eternity'", a feeling of "being one with the external world as a whole", inspired by the example of Ramakrishna, among other mystics.[1][2]

According to Rolland, this feeling is the source of all the religious energy that permeates in various religious systems, and one may justifiably call oneself religious on the basis of this oceanic feeling alone, even if one renounces every belief and every illusion.[3] Freud discusses the feeling in his Civilization and Its Discontents (1929). There he deems it a fragmentary vestige of a kind of consciousness possessed by an infant who has not yet differentiated itself from other people and things.[4]

History

[edit]

In November 1927, Freud's new book The Future of an Illusion was printed, and one of the copies was sent by him to Rolland.[5][6] Rolland responded with a letter to Freud, writing that he should also consider spiritual experiences, or "the oceanic feeling", in his future psychological works:[7][8][9]

Mais j'aurais aimé à vous voir faire l'analyse du sentiment religieux spontané ou, plus exactement, de la sensation religieuse qui est [...] le fait simple et direct de la sensation de l'éternel (qui peut très bien n'être pas éternel, mais simplement sans bornes perceptibles, et comme océanique).[10]

But I would have liked to see you doing an analysis of spontaneous religious sentiment or, more exactly, of religious feeling which is [...] the simple and direct fact of the feeling of the eternal (which can very well not be eternal, but simply without perceptible limits, and like oceanic).[11]

— Letter from Rolland to Freud, December 5, 1927

Rolland based his description on the example of Ramakrishna who had his first spiritual ecstasy at the age of six.[12][13] From his 10th or 11th year of school on, the trances became common, and by the final years of his life, Ramakrishna's samādhi periods occurred almost daily.[13]

Rolland described the trances and mystical states experienced by Ramakrishna and other mystics as an "'oceanic' sentiment", one which Rolland had also experienced.[14] As described by Rolland, it is "a sensation of 'eternity', a feeling as of something limitless, unbounded", a "feeling of an indissoluble bond, of being one with the external world as a whole".[1] Rolland believed that the universal human religious emotion resembled this "oceanic sense".[15] In his 1929 book The Life of Ramakrishna, Rolland distinguished between the feelings of unity and eternity which Ramakrishna experienced in his mystical states, and Ramakrishna's interpretation of those feelings as visions of the goddess Kali figure.[16]

In July 1929, Freud asked for permission to publish in his next book an answer to Rolland's previous request about oceanic feelings.

Your letter of Dec. 5, 1927, containing your remarks about a feeling you describe as "oceanic" has left me no peace. It happens that in a new work which lies before me still uncompleted I am making a starting point of this remark; I mention this "oceanic" feeling and am trying to interpret it from the point of view of our psychology.

— Letter from Freud to Rolland, July 14, 1929[17]

In the beginning his new book Civilization and Its Discontents (1929) Freud attributed the concept to an anonymous friend, but in a later edition a footnote was added revealing Rolland's name.[18][19]

Freud's explanation

[edit]

Freud argues that the "oceanic feeling", if it exists, is the preserved "primitive ego-feeling" from infancy. The primitive ego-feeling precedes the creation of the ego and exists up until the mother ceases breastfeeding. Prior to this, the infant is regularly breastfed in response to its crying and has no concept that the breast does not belong to it. Therefore, the infant has no concept of a "self" or, rather, considers the breast to be part of itself. Freud argues that those experiencing an oceanic feeling as an adult are actually experiencing a preserved primitive ego-feeling. The ego, in contrast, comes into existence when the breast is taken away, and involves the infant's recognition that it is separate from the mother's breast, and therefore, that other people exist. Freud argues that it would not necessarily contradict psychoanalytical theory for this primary ego-feeling to coexist along with the ego in some people. The main argument for this is that psychoanalytical theory holds that all thoughts are preserved in a conservation of psychic energy. Therefore, the "oceanic feeling" described as a oneness with the world or a limitlessness is simply a description of the feeling the infant has before it learns there are other persons in the world.[4][20]

Other explanations

[edit]
Main articles: Mystical experience, Neuroscience of religion, Temporal lobe epilepsy, Geschwind syndrome, Ecstatic seizures, and Peak experience

The relevance of Romain's stance on the oceanic feeling has been recognized by scholars, who argue for a more encompassing understanding of religion and spirituality, offering a transformational model of psychology which validates the claims of mystics.[21][20] Neurotheology, on the other hand, investigates the neurological basis of religious experiences, such as oneness with the universe and ecstatic trance.[22]

Early on, Ramakrishna's spontaneous experiences have been interpreted as epileptic seizures,[23][24][25][26] an interpretation which was rejected by Ramakrishna himself.[25] According to Anil D. Desai, Ramakrishna suffered from psychomotor epilepsy,[26] also called temporal lobe epilepsy.[27][note 1]

These experiences can also be intentionally induced. Andrew B. Newberg, Eugene G. d'Aquili, and Vince Rause found that "intensely focused spiritual contemplation triggers an alteration in the activity of the brain that leads one to perceive transcendent religious experiences as solid, tangible reality. In other words, the sensation that Buddhists call oneness with the universe".[28]

Bulgarian-French philosopher Julia Kristeva writes about oceanic feeling in Black Sun: Depression and Melancholia. Her conception is similar to Freud's, relating the feeling to infantile regression.[29] More recently black studies scholar and poet Jackie Wang wrote about the notion of oceanic feeling in the article "Oceanic Feeling and Communist Affect," outlining its historic development through the work of Rolland and his relation to Spinoza, Freud, Kristeva, finally relating it to blackness and the trauma of the Middle Passage as discussed by Fred Moten.[29]

See also

[edit]

Explanatory notes

[edit]

Citations

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Roberts, Robert (18 November 2016). "Emotions in the Christian Tradition". In Zalta, Edward N. (ed.). Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
  2. ^ Masson 2012, p. 33.
  3. ^ The Ontology of Religiosity: The Oceanic Feeling and the Value of the Lived Experience
  4. ^ a b Freud 1975, pp. 78–83.
  5. ^ Freud 1975, p. 3.
  6. ^ Parsons 1999, p. 3.
  7. ^ Parsons 1999, pp. 3–4.
  8. ^ Roland, Alan (March 1998). "Ramakrishna: Mystical, Erotic, or Both?". Journal of Religion and Health. 37: 31–36. doi:10.1023/A:1022956932676. S2CID 21072291.
  9. ^ "Oceanic Feeling" Archived 2009-04-11 at the Wayback Machine by Henri Vermorel and Madeleline Vermoral in International Dictionary of Psychoanalysis.
  10. ^ Masson 2012, p. 34.
  11. ^ Parsons 1999, p. 173.
  12. ^ Zaleski & Zaleski 2005, pp. 162–163.
  13. ^ a b Bhawuk 2003.
  14. ^ Parsons 1999, p. 37.
  15. ^ Torgovnick, Marianna (1998). Primitive Passion: Men, Women, and the Quest for Ecstasy. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. p. 12. ISBN 9780226808376. OCLC 445179421.
  16. ^ Parsons 1999, p. 114.
  17. ^ Parsons 1999, p. 174.
  18. ^ Freud 1975, p. 65.
  19. ^ Parsons 1999, p. 48.
  20. ^ a b Ostow 2006, p. 3.
  21. ^ Parsons 1999.
  22. ^ Burton 2008.
  23. ^ Neevel 1976, p. 70.
  24. ^ Vivekananda 2005, p. 482.
  25. ^ a b Adiswarananda 2005, p. 65.
  26. ^ a b Katrak 2006.
  27. ^ Bennett 1962.
  28. ^ Newberg, Andrew B.; d'Aquili, Eugene G.; Rause, Vince (2002). Why God Won't Go Away. Brain Science and the Biology of Belief. New York City: Ballantine Books. ISBN 0-345-44034-X.
  29. ^ a b Jackie Wang (December 2016). "Oceanic Feeling and Communist Affect". Giulia Tofana the Apothecary. Retrieved 2021-02-24.

General and cited sources

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Oceanic feeling

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
The oceanic feeling is a profound psychological and mystical experience characterized by a boundless of unity or oneness with the , often described as a sensation of without perceptible limits, evoking an "oceanic" boundlessness that transcends individual boundaries. This subjective sentiment, which can feel like an infinite extension of the self into the , is reported as a source of vital renewal and religious energy, independent of specific dogmas, creeds, or institutional . It represents a core aspect of human for some, blending elements of and . The concept originated in a private 1927 letter from French writer and Nobel laureate to , dated December 5, in response to Freud's , where Rolland sought to highlight a universal mystical foundation of overlooked by . Rolland, influenced by his studies of Indian mystics such as Sri Ramakrishna and , portrayed the oceanic feeling as a constant, beneficent state experienced by millions, akin to an "ocean of the Spirit" that provides inner strength and challenges reductive psychological explanations. Freud, in turn, addressed it prominently in the opening of his 1930 book , acknowledging Rolland's description but reinterpreting it through a psychoanalytic lens as a vestige of infantile —a primitive ego-feeling from when the distinction between and external world had not yet formed, rather than a primary religious phenomenon. Subsequent scholarship has expanded the oceanic feeling beyond this Freud-Rolland debate, framing it as an existential feeling that structures one's overall relation to the world through pre-intentional bodily affects. Philosophers and psychologists distinguish two forms: transient episodes involving temporary dissolution of psychological or sensory self-boundaries, often triggered by , , or ; and a more permanent orientation of and , where unity persists as a stable mode of being. Freud's initial resistance to the concept, possibly due to its association with the death instinct or risks in therapeutic processes, underscores ongoing tensions between mystical and scientific interpretations, influencing fields from to phenomenology.

Definition and Characteristics

Definition

The oceanic feeling refers to a profound subjective of boundless unity with the , first articulated by the French writer in a letter to dated December 5, 1927. In this correspondence, Rolland described it as "the simple and direct fact of the feeling of the ‘eternal’ (which can very well not be eternal, but simply without perceptible limits, and like oceanic, as it were)," emphasizing a sensation of independent of any religious , creed, or institutional framework. This core notion positions the oceanic feeling as a spontaneous, renewing of oneness, where the sense of individuality dissolves into an expansive, limitless whole. At its essence, the oceanic feeling manifests as an unlimited sense of merger with the , evoking through the erosion of and a direct immersion in the vastness of . Rolland portrayed it as a "religious feeling" in the broadest sense—a vital, beneficent power observed across diverse spiritual traditions, such as in the experiences of figures like Sri Ramakrishna—yet accessible to millions without reliance on specific beliefs or hopes of . Unlike transient emotional states, it represents a constant undercurrent for some, providing existential renewal amid the perception of infinite expanse. This experience is distinct from , which carries a uniformly positive, hedonic valence, whereas the oceanic feeling encompasses both serene oneness and potentially unsettling dimensions like or isolation. It also differs from transcendence in its primarily emotional and spontaneous character, as opposed to the more intellectual or noetic quality often associated with transcendent states. Similarly, while sharing elements of , it is not synonymous with ecstasy, which implies intense , but can instead evoke a terrifying liberation through boundary dissolution. The term's draws from the of the , symbolizing vast, borderless expanses that mirror the feeling's sense of unboundedness and fluidity, as Rolland explicitly likened the sensation to something "oceanic" to convey its limitless nature.

Key Characteristics

The oceanic feeling is characterized by a profound sense of ego dissolution, in which the boundaries of the self temporarily fade, allowing an individual to experience a merger with a greater whole, such as the or a divine entity. This dissolution often manifests as a boundless unity, where expands beyond its usual confines, evoking a sensation of interconnectedness with all . As originally described by in his letter to , it involves "the simple and direct fact of the feeling of the ‘eternal’ (which can very well not be eternal, but simply without perceptible limits, and like oceanic)." Central to the experience is a of timelessness, where the usual flow of time dissolves into an eternal present, accompanied by boundless and serenity. This is affective rather than intellectual, often described as a deep, tranquil that transcends ordinary emotional states. Phenomenologically, the feeling is primarily non-verbal and ineffable, resisting full articulation in language, though individuals may report subtle physical sensations such as a of expansion, warmth, or visceral within the body. The intensity of the oceanic feeling varies widely, ranging from subtle intuitions of connectedness—such as a quiet sense of being "at one" with during a walk—to profound mystical states of complete absorption and transcendence. In more intense forms, it can evoke a liberating oneness, as in personal accounts of merging with the during moments of . Common triggers include contemplative practices like , immersion in natural environments, or peak experiences that disrupt everyday awareness. For instance, individuals may encounter it spontaneously while contemplating vast landscapes, feeling an overwhelming sense of unity with the surrounding world.

Historical Development

Romain Rolland's Coining

Romain Rolland (1866–1944), a prominent French writer, dramatist, and essayist, received the in 1915 for his epic novel cycle , which explored themes of artistic struggle and humanism. His intellectual pursuits extended beyond Western literature to include a profound engagement with Eastern and philosophy, particularly the tradition introduced to him through the works of (1863–1902), whose teachings on universal spirituality and non-dualism profoundly shaped Rolland's worldview. Rolland's exposure to these ideas, combined with influences from figures like Sri Ramakrishna, fostered his interest in mystical experiences that transcended cultural boundaries, informing his later writings on spirituality. On December 5, 1927, Rolland penned a private letter to following his reading of Freud's , in which he introduced the concept of the "oceanic feeling" based on his own personal mystical experiences. In the letter, Rolland described this sensation as a boundless unity with the —a feeling of eternity and oneness, akin to being enveloped by an infinite ocean—contrasting it with Freud's atheistic critique of religion. He emphasized that this sentiment was not tied to any specific or institutional but represented a core, universal religious impulse present in diverse spiritual traditions, serving as the "subterranean source of religious energy" that vitalized believers across cultures. Rolland's intent in sharing this concept was to underscore a simple, primordial religious emotion independent of rational analysis or structures, one that he experienced as a constant inner state offering renewal and connection to the divine. Although the oceanic feeling originated in this personal correspondence, Rolland later referenced similar mystical unities in his biographical works, such as The Life of Ramakrishna (1929), where he evoked 's visions of an "ocean of the Spirit," and The Life of Vivekananda (1930), which highlighted Vivekananda's yogic insights into universal consciousness. The term gained prominence primarily through Freud's subsequent engagement with the idea, though Rolland's original formulation remained rooted in his lifelong synthesis of Eastern and Western thought.

Freud's Initial Reception

In 1927, as part of an ongoing correspondence prompted by Freud's publication of , wrote to Freud on December 5, challenging his dismissal of religious sentiment by introducing the concept of the "oceanic feeling" as a core, dogma-independent experience of unity with the . Freud did not immediately respond, but the idea lingered, as he later confessed in a letter to Rolland dated July 14, 1929, stating that Rolland's remarks "has left me no peace" and had persistently occupied his mind. In this reply, Freud acknowledged the oceanic feeling as a genuine subjective , describing it as a peculiar sensation difficult to analyze directly, yet one that he recognized as real based on reports from others, including Rolland himself. Freud's preliminary interpretation in the 1929 letter framed the oceanic feeling through a psychoanalytic lens, attributing it to an "oceanic" metaphor rooted in infantile helplessness, where the perceives the external world—embodied initially by the —as an enveloping, protective force against vulnerability. He viewed this not as a mystical but as a regression to a primary narcissistic state of undifferentiated oneness, persisting as a faint echo in the adult ego. This response reflected Freud's broader with Rolland on , where he saw the feeling as a potential challenge to his illusion-based critique in , yet one that could be assimilated into his theory without granting it transcendent validity. Despite his engagement, Freud expressed toward the oceanic feeling, noting its elusiveness and his personal unfamiliarity with it—"I myself cannot contribute anything to this from my own experience"—while questioning its centrality to religious belief, which he continued to regard as secondary to deeper drives like the need for paternal protection. In the same letter, he sought Rolland's permission to reference the concept anonymously in an , emphasizing his intent to explore it further without direct attribution. This exchange laid the groundwork for Freud's more extended analysis in Civilization and Its Discontents (), where he revisited the oceanic feeling as a "residue of a primary state of mind" from infancy, solidifying its place in his critique of religious origins while underscoring its emotional, if illusory, appeal.

Psychological Interpretations

Freudian Perspective

In Sigmund Freud's mature , the oceanic feeling is conceptualized as a remnant of primary , an early infantile phase in which the ego has not yet distinguished itself from the external world, resulting in a sense of boundless unity. This feeling arises from an original psychic condition where the ego's boundaries are not yet formed, prior to the differentiation imposed by the reality principle. Freud elaborates this in his 1930 work , tracing the sensation to a "shrunken residue" of a once all-embracing ego-feeling that persists unconsciously, evoking an illusion of oneness with the universe. Psychoanalytically, the oceanic feeling is associated with a regression to this primal ego state, often evoking a of unity reminiscent of intrauterine , though Freud approached such interpretations cautiously. This state temporarily dissolves ego boundaries, serving as a defensive maneuver against the frustrations of civilized life. Freud links it to the where narcissistic libido, originally invested in the self, retains traces of its expansive origins, though such states are transient and illusory rather than adaptive. Freud critiqued the oceanic feeling as a form of mystical , not a profound into but a psychological defense mechanism against the inevitable dissatisfactions and helplessness of existence, particularly in the context of religious experience. He famously admitted, "I cannot discover this 'oceanic' feeling in myself," approaching it intellectually rather than emotionally, yet acknowledged its significance in sustaining religious illusions by fulfilling for protection from fate's superior power. Rather than originating religious sentiment, Freud argued, it coexists with more primal sources like infantile helplessness and the father-longing, rendering mysticism a regression rather than enlightenment.

Other Psychoanalytic and Psychological Views

In Jungian psychology, the oceanic feeling is interpreted as a profound encounter with the , often manifesting as a experience of unity that facilitates integration of the psyche rather than mere regression. described such encounters with the archetype—the central representing wholeness—as evoking "sublime, or oceanic experiences" that inspire and promote , contrasting with Freud's view of it as an infantile . This perspective emphasizes the oceanic feeling's role in transcending the personal ego to connect with universal psychic structures, as explored in Jung's works on . Within existential and humanistic psychology, the oceanic feeling aligns with concepts of self-actualization and noetic insight, framing it as a transformative, affirmative state rather than a pathological one. William James, in his analysis of mystical experiences, highlighted their "noetic" quality—imparting profound knowledge or —often accompanied by a sense of boundless unity akin to the oceanic, which he saw as a valid dimension of contributing to personal growth. Similarly, Abraham Maslow characterized peak experiences as "exciting, oceanic, deeply moving" moments of ego-transcendence that reveal higher values and foster , positioning the oceanic feeling as an innate capacity for profound joy and interconnectedness accessible to psychologically healthy individuals. In modern , the oceanic feeling is linked to positive forms of depersonalization, such as those occurring in flow states, where self-boundaries dissolve adaptively during immersive activities, enhancing performance and well-being without pathology. This contrasts with its potential appearance in borderline personality experiences, where merger-like sensations may arise but can be reframed as adaptive mechanisms for emotional when integrated therapeutically, promoting resilience rather than dysfunction. Empirical studies on self-transcendent experiences support this view, associating oceanic states with beneficial outcomes like reduced anxiety and increased as of 2025. Post-Freudian critiques, including Romain Rolland's original conceptualization, emphasize the oceanic feeling as an innate, non-illusory sentiment of eternal unity with the , independent of religious or regression—a "simple feeling" of oneness that Rolland urged Freud to recognize as a fundamental human endowment rather than a defensive fantasy. This perspective influenced later psychoanalysts to view it as a core affective experience fostering authenticity, diverging from Freud's skeptical reduction to primary .

Philosophical and Mystical Contexts

Religious and Spiritual Dimensions

The oceanic feeling finds profound parallels in Eastern religious traditions, particularly through Romain Rolland's engagement with Hindu mysticism. Influenced by the experiences of Sri Ramakrishna, a 19th-century Bengali mystic, Rolland described the oceanic feeling as akin to the state of —a meditative absorption in where the individual self merges into boundless unity with the divine or cosmic whole. In Ramakrishna's frequent episodes, characterized by ecstatic dissolution of ego boundaries and a sense of infinite oneness, Rolland identified the core affective source of religious sentiment that transcends doctrinal specifics. Similar resonances appear in Buddhist practices, where facilitates non-dual awareness, echoing the oceanic sensation of boundlessness and interconnectedness central to enlightenment paths. In , the Islamic mystical tradition, fana represents the annihilation of the self in divine unity, often depicted as a drop merging into the ocean of . This state involves the dissolution of personal identity, yielding a profound sense of eternal immersion in the divine essence. Sufi poets and practitioners, such as those invoking fana fi Allah (annihilation in ), emphasize this experiential merger as the pinnacle of spiritual realization, fostering a direct, intuitive grasp of the sacred beyond rational thought. Western Christian mysticism also evokes the oceanic feeling through contemplative union with the divine. , the 13th-14th century Dominican theologian, portrayed mystical experiences as a "birth of God in the soul," where the self yields to an boundless divine flow, akin to merging with an infinite ocean of mercy and compassion. Similarly, St. Teresa of Ávila's Interior Castle delineates stages of prayer leading to ecstatic union, described as the soul's immersion in God's vastness, evoking a sense of eternal boundlessness and intimate . These accounts highlight the oceanic feeling as a transformative encounter with the sacred, distinct from intellectual faith. In contemporary , the oceanic feeling can arise in contemplative practices such as , often triggered by techniques to evoke unity with the . Psychedelic-assisted therapies, particularly with , reliably induce oceanic boundlessness—a hallmark of mystical-type experiences involving ego dissolution and profound interconnectedness—reported in clinical settings as enhancing spiritual insight and emotional integration. Such experiences, when integrated with , are associated with increased and affect regulation, bridging ancient contemplative traditions with modern therapeutic applications. Theologically, the oceanic feeling represents a direct apprehension of the divine, serving as the affective foundation for religious life rather than mere belief, as Rolland posited it as the energizing source permeating all faiths. This unmediated encounter with the infinite fosters ethical dimensions, such as heightened , by dissolving ego-centric boundaries and revealing inherent interconnectedness, as seen in Eckhart's oceanic metaphors for merciful action toward others. Distinct from doctrinal adherence, it cultivates a lived of unity, promoting and spiritual depth across traditions.

Philosophical Analyses

In existential philosophy, the oceanic feeling has been interpreted as possessing a "noetic" quality, whereby it conveys a of profound insight or valid knowledge about the interconnectedness of self and world, akin to the illuminative states described in mystical experiences. , in his analysis of religious consciousness, emphasized that such feelings provide an authoritative of reality that transcends ordinary cognition, suggesting they reveal truths about existence that rational thought alone cannot access. This perspective aligns the oceanic feeling with broader existential inquiries into authentic being, where it serves as an affective gateway to understanding one's place in the . Martin Heidegger's concept of "being-in-the-world" () offers a framework for viewing the oceanic feeling as a pre-egoic attunement, a fundamental mood that discloses the primordial unity of human existence with its surroundings prior to reflective subject-object distinctions. In this attunement, the self is not isolated but embedded in a holistic relationality, echoing the boundless immersion characteristic of oceanic states without reducing them to mere psychological phenomena. Phenomenologically, Edmund Husserl's emphasis on pre-reflective and Maurice Merleau-Ponty's notion of the "lived body" further elucidate this as an embodied unity that dissolves dualistic boundaries, allowing perception to merge subject and object in a seamless perceptual field. Merleau-Ponty, in particular, describes this as the body's pre-objective engagement with the world, where feelings like the oceanic arise from the flesh's intertwinement with environment, bypassing abstract egoic structures. Critiques of the oceanic feeling often invoke Immanuel Kant's delineation of reason's limits, arguing that such boundless sensations exceed the bounds of theoretical cognition and venture into the realm of practical or aesthetic feeling, as seen in his treatment of the sublime—an overwhelming encounter with that humbles reason while affirming moral freedom. Ethically, Arthur Schopenhauer's philosophy positions the oceanic feeling as a perceptual glimpse of the underlying unity of all beings in the Will, fostering by eroding the illusion of separate selves and motivating altruistic action through intuitive recognition of shared suffering. This unity counters solipsistic isolation, yet critics argue it risks ethical passivity if the feeling prioritizes undifferentiated oneness over individual agency and responsibility.

Contemporary Scientific Perspectives

Neuroscientific Approaches

Neuroscientific investigations into the oceanic feeling have primarily focused on its association with of induced by psychedelics and , revealing underlying neural mechanisms that contribute to sensations of ego dissolution and unity. (fMRI) studies from the 2010s onward have demonstrated that experiences akin to the oceanic feeling, such as oceanic boundlessness, correlate with reduced activity in the (DMN), a network involved in self-referential processing and maintaining a sense of ego boundaries. For instance, administration leads to decreased DMN integrity, facilitating ego dissolution and a merging of with surroundings, as observed in healthy volunteers during scanning sessions. Similarly, long-term practitioners exhibit DMN hypoactivity during deep states of absorption, mirroring the neural signatures of psychedelic-induced oceanic experiences. Neurotransmitter systems play a crucial role in modulating these states, with serotonin signaling via 5-HT2A receptors being central to psychedelic-induced oceanic feelings. Classic psychedelics like and act as agonists at 5-HT2A receptors in cortical regions, disrupting hierarchical and promoting desynchronized neural activity that underlies boundary dissolution and unity. , while less dominant, contributes to the rewarding and euphoric aspects of these sensations, potentially enhancing feelings of interconnectedness through modulation of reward pathways in the ventral during both psychedelic and meditative practices. These effects are supported by pharmacological studies showing that blocking 5-HT2A receptors attenuates oceanic-like experiences, underscoring their mechanistic specificity. Recent 2025 research in existential neuroscience has advanced models of oceanic states by integrating with phenomenological analysis, proposing that timelessness—a core feature of the oceanic feeling—arises from modulation and decoupling of the DMN from (PAG) activity. In this framework, psychedelic or meditative interventions reorganize brain dynamics, reducing self-referential constraints and fostering transcendence, as evidenced by fMRI patterns in experienced meditators and psychedelic users. The interplay between the DMN (including the and ) and PAG, a hub for affective regulation, is highlighted as pivotal for generating sensations of boundless unity and existential awareness. Theoretical models grounded in predictive processing further elucidate how the oceanic feeling emerges from minimized errors at self-world boundaries. According to this framework, the maintains a hierarchical model of the self; psychedelics and relax high-level priors, reducing the precision of self-boundary predictions and leading to ego dissolution as sensory inputs overwhelm rigid self-models. This results in a collapse of recursive self-representations, allowing for experiences of unity where distinctions between subject and object blur, as formalized in active inference accounts of altered . Such models emphasize that oceanic feelings reflect adaptive neural plasticity rather than mere disruption, with empirical support from EEG and fMRI data showing decreased prediction error signaling during these states.

Empirical Measurement and Studies

The OCEANic Feelings Scale, developed and validated in 2024, serves as a psychometric tool to assess individual dispositions toward oceanic feelings, capturing two primary dimensions: self-dissolution, characterized by a blurring of ego boundaries, and unity, involving a sense of oneness with the environment or . This 12-item self-report measure, rated on a 5-point , demonstrates strong (Cronbach's α > 0.85) and test-retest reliability, making it suitable for linking oceanic experiences to broader psychological constructs such as and personality traits. Validation involved exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses across diverse samples, confirming its bifactor structure where a general oceanic factor loads onto specific self-dissolution and unity subscales. A 2025 study utilizing the OCEANic Feelings Scale examined oceanic feelings' associations with and organization, revealing strong positive correlations with spiritual well-being dimensions such as connectedness (r = 0.68) and (r = 0.61), suggesting that individuals with higher spiritual orientation report more frequent and intense oceanic states. These findings indicate that oceanic feelings may underpin creative and imaginative tendencies, with spiritual receptivity facilitating transcendent experiences. Additionally, the study found moderate correlations with (r = 0.41), particularly positive schizotypy subscales, but no significant links to negative symptoms, highlighting oceanic feelings' adaptive rather than pathological nature in non-clinical populations. Empirical evidence points to higher of oceanic feelings among artists and creatives, as explored in on painterly , where self-reports from visual artists describe experiences of unity and boundary dissolution during creative flow states, potentially fostering innovative expression. Methodological advances in studying oceanic feelings include longitudinal surveys tracking changes over time and experience sampling methods to capture real-time triggers, such as environmental cues, enhancing over retrospective reports. These approaches underscore the transient yet durable nature of oceanic feelings, with neural correlates like deactivation providing supportive physiological evidence.

References

  1. https://web.english.upenn.edu/~cavitch/pdf-library/Freud_SE_Civ_and_Dis_complete.pdf
  2. https://philarchive.org/archive/MAHTCO-17
  3. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281092162_The_oceanic_feeling_A_case_study_in_existential_feeling
  4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28899140/
  5. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1558537/full
  6. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12375664/
  7. https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-enigma-of-the-oceanic-feeling-9780195115081
  8. https://www.academia.edu/5107492/The_oceanic_feeling_a_case_study_in_existential_feeling
  9. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/c/ca/7523862.0012.014/--oceanic-feeling-in-painterly-creativity?rgn=main%3Bview=fulltext
  10. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/literature/1915/rolland/facts/
  11. https://frontline.thehindu.com/society/romain-rolland-indian-spiritual-leaders-gandhi-ramakrishna-vivekananda-biographies/article69195219.ece
  12. https://doi.org/10.1080/01916599.2017.1356741
  13. https://pep-web.org/browse/document/zbk.051.0388a
  14. https://vedanta.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Debating-Freud-on-the-Oceanic-Feeling.pdf
  15. https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdfplus/10.1086/490288
  16. https://fountainmagazine.com/all-issues/2019/issue-132-nov-dec-2019/annihilation-in-god-fana-fillah
  17. https://silenceteaches.com/2017/10/02/deep-vast-ocean-god/
  18. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/human-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2025.1653801/full
  19. https://www.technologynetworks.com/neuroscience/news/psilocybin-induces-hyperconnectivity-in-the-brain-which-produces-feelings-of-oceanic-boundlessness-387163
  20. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10696130/
  21. https://huumanists.org/publications/journal/ontology-religiosity-oceanic-feeling-and-value-lived-experience
  22. https://dailymeditationswithmatthewfox.org/2020/09/07/the-fetal-waters-of-compassion-eckhart-on-the-yin-side-of-compassion/
  23. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/james/#ReliExpe
  24. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/kant-sublime/
  25. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/schopenhauer/
  26. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10032309/
  27. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031699724007397
  28. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1053811919302952
  29. https://www.jneurosci.org/content/33/25/10544
  30. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11258181/
  31. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnins.2017.00539/full
  32. https://academic.oup.com/nc/article/2017/1/nix016/3916730
  33. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8968396/
  34. https://philosophymindscience.org/index.php/phimisci/article/download/8955/8734
  35. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/human-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2024.1329226/full
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.