The framework of mystical journey and spiritual development from the perspective of phenomenology

Gasemzadeh, Seiied Ali; Amirifar, Atefe

doi:10.30465/lir.2025.52877.2058

The framework of mystical journey and spiritual development from the perspective of phenomenology

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

seiied Ali Gasemzadeh ¹

Atefe Amirifar ²

¹ Professor, Department of Persian Language and Literature, Faculty of Humanities, Imam Khomeini International University

² Ph.D. in Persian Language and Literature (Specialization: Mystical Literature), Imam Khomeini International University

10.30465/lir.2025.52877.2058

Abstract

Introduction
Classical semiotics defines the world through the relationship between the Subject and the Other. By adopting a phenomenological approach, Eric Landowski introduced fundamental and systematic transformations to this field and reconceptualized the relationship between the Subject and the Other through the framework of the regimes of meaning. A discursive and phenomenological examination of mystical elements seeks to uncover their social foundation by defining the network of internal relations within mystical discourse and the participation of its actors as a dynamic process constituted in relation to the Other and other Subjects.

The programming regime is centered on a Subject that occupies an autonomous and authoritative position, possessing the capacity to intervene in and regulate the components of the phenomenal world. This Subject functions either as the planner or as the authority responsible for establishing the program itself. Consequently, the rule-governed nature of the programming regime indicates that every action proceeds according to predetermined principles and structures established by a transcendental and authoritative Subject. In contrast, the manipulation regime is fundamentally grounded in intentionality. Unlike the programming regime, where the authoritative Subject directly acts upon phenomena, here action is delegated to another Subject. The authoritative Subject achieves its objective by bringing about an internal transformation within another Subject. In other words, through intentionality, the Other is induced to act upon the world through its own action, a process that Landowski conceptualizes as action upon action.

Within both regimes, the spiritual master (pir/murshid) functions as a powerful Subject occupying the position of the Higher Spiritual Instance, whereas mystics and the audience of mystical discourse appear as participating Subjects assuming distinct thematic roles. They nevertheless remain human and social followers whose participation is generally unidirectional. Each Subject constructs the meaning of mystical discourse according to their own mode of engagement, while simultaneously pursuing common objectives.

The ultimate aim of both the mystic and the spiritual seeker, as Subjects performing thematic roles within the programming and manipulation regimes, is the attainment of meaning. Such meaning emerges through the network of internal relations constituting mystical discourse within the process of Sayr wa Sulūk (the mystical spiritual path). This meaning can only be attained through progression across the successive stages of Sayr wa Sulūk and through obedience to the spiritual master (pir/murshid).

Materials and Methods

Although the Subjects within mystical discourse are assigned predetermined thematic roles, they nevertheless retain the capacity for action. Within the manipulation regime, what establishes both participants in the interaction as acting Subjects is their distinctive modal competence—namely, wanting, having-to, knowing-how, and being-able-to. A thematic role constrains the action of an actant by situating it within a pre-established framework, thereby reducing the actant to an executing agent. Modal competence, however, grants the actant the modality of wanting, transforming it from a merely executive and mechanical agent into a genuine Subject.

Sayr wa Sulūk is fundamentally grounded in the principles of the programming and manipulation regimes of meaning. The rigorous order, discipline, and structure governing the mystical path are established by a higher authority rooted in the mystical tradition. This higher authority is embodied by the shaykh or spiritual guide, whose guidance constitutes one of the internal requirements of mystical discourse. Any deviation from his principles distances the seeker from the ultimate goal of meaning-making and from the meaningful realization of mystical lived experience. Moreover, the social and semantic function of the spiritual guide derives from his position as the Higher Spiritual Instance within the manipulation regime. Through persuasive discourse and influential conduct, he is capable of convincing the seeker to remain on the path of Sayr wa Sulūk. His mystical teachings and lived experience likewise become an enduring exemplar, serving for centuries as an authoritative model within mystical traditions and schools.

Mystical discourse is fundamentally governed by a set of internal organizational and social requirements collectively referred to as the mystical tradition. These requirements do not necessarily rest upon a logical causal relationship; nevertheless, within interpersonal interactions they operate with a degree of regularity comparable to that of causal and mechanical principles, making it possible to anticipate the behavior of others. Consequently, Sayr wa Sulūk exhibits a recurring pattern that has remained operative across centuries despite minor variations. The accounts preserved in Sufi treatises and hagiographical narratives attest to the continuity of these recurrent structures and behavioral patterns.

Conclusions

Within the Manipulation Regime, the notions of obedience, allegiance, and discipleship acquire particular significance. What motivates eminent mystics, experienced seekers, and novices alike to undertake the arduous path of Sayr wa Sulūk is a form of Consensual Motivation arising from persuasion and voluntary submission. Despite their obedience and commitment, these individuals do not become mechanical components of a predetermined structure. Rather, they remain intentional, questioning, and self-determining human Subjects whose participation in mystical discourse is sustained by a shared and consequential motivation grounded in consensus rather than coercion.

Ultimately, the objective of all Regimes of Meaning is the production or attainment of meaning. Meaning may either be discovered as something attainable or generated as something created through interaction. Within the Programming Regime, meaning is produced through regulated communication and a rule-governed structure. Yet, because such meaning is repeatedly reproduced within an established framework, it may gradually give rise to experiences of emptiness and meaninglessness. Excessive dependence upon order and predetermined programs can diminish interaction among Subjects, resulting in stagnation and the erosion of meaning.

By contrast, within the Manipulation Regime, meaning remains attainable through the intentional activity of the persuading Subject. The persuading Subject seeks to realize a predetermined meaning not only for itself but also for the Other by means of persuasion and the formation of belief. Those Subjects who are persuaded ultimately attain that meaning through the operation of Consensual Motivation or through various persuasive strategies that reshape their intentional orientation.

From this perspective, Sayr wa Sulūk is fundamentally structured by the complementary operation of the Programming Regime and the Manipulation Regime. The rigorous discipline, hierarchical organization, and normative order of the mystical path are established by the Higher Instance, embodied by the spiritual master (pir/murshid), whose authority constitutes one of the defining principles of mystical discourse. Obedience to the spiritual master is therefore not merely an external obligation but an internal condition for meaningful participation in the mystical path. Simultaneously, the spiritual master performs the social and semantic function of persuasion, guiding seekers through discursive, behavioral, and experiential forms of influence that enable them to continue their spiritual journey. His teachings and lived experience become an enduring Exemplar, shaping successive generations of seekers within diverse mystical traditions.

Accordingly, a phenomenological reading of mystical discourse reveals that the relationship between the Subject and the Other extends beyond a merely structural or linguistic relation. Rather, it unfolds as a dynamic process of interaction in which intentionality, participation, persuasion, and shared commitment collectively generate meaning. The phenomenological framework proposed by Landowski thus makes it possible to reinterpret Sayr wa Sulūk not only as an individual spiritual experience but also as a socially constituted semiotic process in which meaning emerges through the interaction of Subjects within the Regimes of Meaning. The enduring presence of the Higher Instance, together with the continuity of mystical tradition and the operation of Consensual Motivation, explains both the persistence of mystical discourse and the meaningful participation of its practitioners across generations. Consequently, the social organization of mysticism and the continuity of its lived tradition can be understood as manifestations of the dynamic interplay between the Programming and Manipulation Regimes, through which mystical meaning is continually reproduced, experienced, and transmitted.

Keywords

Mystical discourse

Semantic regimes

Programmatic

Persuasive

Landowski

Subjects

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