Sam Woolfe
Freelance Writer, Editor & Author

The Portrayal of ‘Ecstatic Agony’ in Hellraiser (1987) and Martyrs (2008)

The Portrayal of ‘Ecstatic Agony’ in Hellraiser (1987) and Martyrs (2008)

I recently rewatched the horror classic Hellraiser (1987), and as well as finding it better on the second watch, I was fascinated with its portrayal of the ‘ecstasy of agony’ or the ‘agony of ecstasy’ (which we could also call ‘ecstatic agony’). I’m currently working on a book on the subject of ecstasy, and despite…

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Secular Ecstasy: Mystical States Without the Supernatural

Secular Ecstasy: Mystical States Without the Supernatural

It is possible for anyone, regardless of his or her religious or metaphysical beliefs, to have a mystical experience. These mystical states of consciousness have been accessible since time immemorial. You can find accounts of profound altered states in ancient Hindu and Buddhist scriptures and in the descriptions of the Eleusinian Mysteries, those secret rituals…

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