Mysticism and mystical experience are culturally specific concepts with extensive connections to music. This course considers musical genres and styles that are tied to mystical belief systems, such as Sufi zikrs, Hasidic niguns, and Gnawa music, as well as the music of composers deeply invested in mystical theologies, such as Scriabin and Messiaen. The course also examines the impact of mystical ideas on music as a social activity: for example, mysticism may galvanize musical communities in popular spheres, transcend or reinforce social boundaries, or provide alternative avenues for musical expression within formal religious contexts. Through comparisons of musical expressions, the course engages concepts and terms such as ecstasy, shamanism, trance, spirituality, nothingness, and oneness.