I can think of three types of experiences I’ve had over my life that might be described as spiritual or mystical.
One long ago, and certainly drug related (grew up in the late 60s and 70s). The experience was essentially an “out of body” experience. I was floating in space, somewhere like the orbit of Saturn or Jupiter. I was being told, if I wanted it I would be given absolute power on earth—I would have everything I wanted. My response was No. I did not want that type of power. I only wanted control and power over myself and my decisions. Make was you will about the “vision” and the whole temptation theme but that was really when I realized who I wanted to be at a fundamental level and what type or relationship I wanted with the rest of the world. I wanted to be me and to let others be themselves.
In general I have been rather lucky. I have been quite a few situations were things could have gone really poorly for me, like not being alive. I’ve never been seriously hurt. After one of the accidents I was several people kept asking my how I was not hurt or dead after seeing the car I was in. I have frequently had the feeling that something is watching over me. I can accept that as just lucky, in instinctive in terms on understanding dynamic forces so just know to position myself in a good orientation to deflect more than absorb the shocks.
Lastly, now and then when I’m thinking about “big thoughts” like meaning of life, is there something more like some god and what exactly that might be (I don’t buy into the formal conception of god that Christians, Jews or Muslims seem to have ) I sometimes feels I’ve touched on something and get sensation that is like s an energy passing through me or that perhaps I am passing through some energy barrier. It’s a bit hard to explain but clearly could simply be some neurological sensation (What was that line from A Christmas Carol, “You might be nothing but a piece of the lamb chop I ate for dinner.”—probably not accurate) However, I really cannot say I find such an explanation any more convincing. I’m comfortable living with things like this unexplained for now.
I can think of three types of experiences I’ve had over my life that might be described as spiritual or mystical.
One long ago, and certainly drug related (grew up in the late 60s and 70s). The experience was essentially an “out of body” experience. I was floating in space, somewhere like the orbit of Saturn or Jupiter. I was being told, if I wanted it I would be given absolute power on earth—I would have everything I wanted. My response was No. I did not want that type of power. I only wanted control and power over myself and my decisions. Make was you will about the “vision” and the whole temptation theme but that was really when I realized who I wanted to be at a fundamental level and what type or relationship I wanted with the rest of the world. I wanted to be me and to let others be themselves.
In general I have been rather lucky. I have been quite a few situations were things could have gone really poorly for me, like not being alive. I’ve never been seriously hurt. After one of the accidents I was several people kept asking my how I was not hurt or dead after seeing the car I was in. I have frequently had the feeling that something is watching over me. I can accept that as just lucky, in instinctive in terms on understanding dynamic forces so just know to position myself in a good orientation to deflect more than absorb the shocks.
Lastly, now and then when I’m thinking about “big thoughts” like meaning of life, is there something more like some god and what exactly that might be (I don’t buy into the formal conception of god that Christians, Jews or Muslims seem to have ) I sometimes feels I’ve touched on something and get sensation that is like s an energy passing through me or that perhaps I am passing through some energy barrier. It’s a bit hard to explain but clearly could simply be some neurological sensation (What was that line from A Christmas Carol, “You might be nothing but a piece of the lamb chop I ate for dinner.”—probably not accurate) However, I really cannot say I find such an explanation any more convincing. I’m comfortable living with things like this unexplained for now.