Peak Experience
Definition
The articulation by Abraham Maslow of the structurally-distinct moments of expanded-perception and structural-clarity. Peak Experience names the contemporary articulation that the humanistic-psychology research has documented; the broader Netist articulation reads Peak Experience as one articulation of broader contemplative-state that the developmental-arc supports, structurally-distinct from sustained-Realization which articulates as integrated-attainment.
Literal meaning
The state of structurally-distinct moments of expanded-perception. Peak Experience articulates the broader contemporary articulation of optimal-state-experiences; Abraham Maslow's research documented these as structurally-distinct from ordinary-experience and as contributing to broader self-actualization.
Esoteric meaning
Peak Experience articulates the structural-feature that the broader contemplative-tradition has recognized as *the temporary-attainment-experiences*. The structural-recognition is that contemplative-development includes temporary-attainments that prefigure sustained-attainments; the broader-tradition has documented Peak Experiences as structurally-significant developmental-events that support broader-development without constituting completion-attainment.
Allegorical meaning
A specific-glimpse from a high-vantage-point that the practitioner has reached briefly: the glimpse reveals structural-features the everyday-vantage cannot show, the glimpse is real but temporary, and the structural-recognition is that the glimpse supports the practitioner's broader-development without itself being the developmental-completion.
Extended meaning
Peak Experience articulates several specific structural-features: (1) The contemporary articulation operates through Abraham Maslow's *Religions, Values, and Peak-Experiences* (1964); the broader humanistic-psychology research-community has continued documentation; (2) Peak Experience is structurally-distinct from sustained-Realization; the Peak Experience is temporary-attainment, the sustained-Realization is integrated-developmental-state; (3) Peak Experience articulates the broader-tradition's recognition that temporary-attainments support sustained-development; the broader Way of Return articulation includes Peak Experiences as developmental-events without confusing them with completion-attainments; (4) The Peak Experience-pattern integrates with the broader Spiritual Bypassing concern; the practitioner who confuses Peak Experience for sustained-development produces structural-distortion. The relationship to *Realization*, *Awakening*, *Enlightenment*, *Spiritual Maturity*, *Way of Return*, *Flow State*, and the broader contemplative-state articulations is structural.
*Peak Experience* articulates the contemporary humanistic-psychology articulation. The article complements *Realization*, *Awakening*, *Enlightenment*, *Spiritual Maturity*, *Way of Return*, *Flow State*, and the broader contemplative-state articulations.
Usage
A practitioner encounters Peak Experience in the broader articulation of contemplative-development and in specific contexts of temporary-attainment work.
Science correspondence
Abraham Maslow's *Religions, Values, and Peak-Experiences* (1964) and the broader humanistic-psychology research. The contemporary research at the broader transpersonal-psychology research-community.