Interesting article thanks! My answer to the title question is yes, this is the purpose of prayer and meditation in various religious traditions. Even if at first one doesn’t totally believe or have the spiritual experience, the effects of prayer and meditation (and in my opinion especially with the word of God) will over time transform one’s consciousness in a very profound way and bring a very deep joy which is difficult to describe.

In my religious tradition, the Baha’i Faith, Baha’u’llah explains it this way:

“Intone, O My servant, the verses of God that have been received by thee, as intoned by them who have drawn nigh unto Him, that the sweetness of thy melody may kindle thine own soul, and attract the hearts of all men. Whoso reciteth, in the privacy of his chamber, the verses revealed by God, the scattering angels of the Almighty shall scatter abroad the fragrance of the words uttered by his mouth, and shall cause the heart of every righteous man to throb. Though he may, at first, remain unaware of its effect, yet the virtue of the grace vouchsafed unto him must needs sooner or later exercise its influence upon his soul. Thus have the mysteries of the Revelation of God been decreed by virtue of the Will of Him Who is the Source of power and wisdom”