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Perhaps a year or so after I stopped drinking, I was walking home late at night in the snow. Suddenly, the snow and everything around me turned a golden yellow (a natural phenomenon of some kind, I am sure), and while this was happening, it was as if there was a strong thought planted in my brain: you never have to drink again.
Of course, I had heard these words numerous times in AA meetings and from individual members, and I knew what the words meant: I have a daily choice to drink, or not. But I had never "felt" those words in the sense that I had internalized them and they gave my life a new meaning.
What I felt at that moment was a tremendous sense of being at peace with myself.
I have had several other, lets call them, "faith-related experiences" and in every case I have felt the same calm conviction in my faith in a higher power, that everything is going to be OK if I act on that faith. It's a good feeling.
Perhaps a year or so after I stopped drinking, I was walking home late at night in the snow. Suddenly, the snow and everything around me turned a golden yellow (a natural phenomenon of some kind, I am sure), and while this was happening, it was as if there was a strong thought planted in my brain: you never have to drink again.
Of course, I had heard these words numerous times in AA meetings and from individual members, and I knew what the words meant: I have a daily choice to drink, or not. But I had never "felt" those words in the sense that I had internalized them and they gave my life a new meaning.
What I felt at that moment was a tremendous sense of being at peace with myself.
I have had several other, lets call them, "faith-related experiences" and in every case I have felt the same calm conviction in my faith in a higher power, that everything is going to be OK if I act on that faith. It's a good feeling.
Thank you for sharing this. This is exactly what I am wondering about.
I am spiritual, not religious. As a spiritual person, I "believe" in a power greater than myself . . .don't have a clue what it is, but I believe there is a divine power of some kind . . .
And I pray to that divine power and believe my prayers have some effect on changing "reality."
But my faith is intellectual - and maybe spiritual, but not emotional or physical . . .I can't FEEL anything coming back in terms of reciprocation . . .
So this post is for those of you who FEEL a spiritual presence . . .what can you say about that?
I am not sure why my spiritual/emotional senses are blocked (I perceive that there is a block) . . .It is very frustrating. I think my whole life would be different if I could actually FEEL a divine presence in my life.
This thread is strictly about FEELING DIVINE PRESENCE, NOT ABOUT RELIGION. I would love to hear people's experiences.
I've never been "slain in the spirit".
Never spoken in tongues.
Never seen a healing service.
I've had many different mental and emotional experiences ( I'm a child of the 60's ). And I think I've able to discern between;emotional highs and lows, induced feelings, euphoria etc.
I did in fact have a "Damascus road" experience.
It was as if "someone" entered the "room". And all was well.
I was alone at the time. No music, no drugs, no nothing.
I was alone one minute, and the next I wasn't.
Just that simple.
I should have known I would get bible quotes and advice. Thank you to the people who actually referred to my OP and tried to describe what they feel.
I agree. hjlc is famous for the "Wall of Biblical Quotes" approach, It's not only tiresome, it also carries no weight with any objective reader here. Seems he/she cannot provide honest personal opinions without having an Insta-Bible Quotery handy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pamelaBeurman
Jaded? No Honey, just realistic.
Truth be told, I feel closer to whatever higher power exists just walking in the woods or tending our farm than I ever did in church. I prefer it that way. Nature is honest and upfront, it is what it is.
How very true, pB!! The outdoors, esp. the very remote and untouched-by-humans places I love to get to (like the Alaska Brooks Range, or the Arctic tundra) is my "church", where I can observe and become engulfed in the surroundings that naturally resonate within our primordial DNA and biochemical memories. Even certain odors, like that of river scrub willow or some animal smells (like a moose or bear in the area..) can and do set off distinct primordial memories in some of us who choose to be "tuned in".
By comparison, Mystic has probably tuned in to a slightly different biochemical resonant wavelength than I in our mutual ancestral humano-centric biochemical memories, which (unfortunately, IMHO...) he then consciously auto-attributes them to his God. Me, not so much, esp. given all the mounting and discounting evidence for that particular God.
BTW, we have actually proven that DNA can and does retain some ancient memories, sometimes called "instinct", like when my chickens scattered for their coop the other day when a pair of big Golden Eagles flew by high above them and screeched in unison. Self-protection for sure. They have transfered rat DNA from trained rats to the untrained, and guess what? The neophytes can "remember" what the others have been taught. God's graces? Not frickin' likely!
But there's no reason that cannot also hold for a feeling of calm, of being one with your origins (sans the Creator thing...) and a feeling of being human but also tied to our Evolutionary pre-hominid ancestry. <Grunt, snort....>
Quote:
Originally Posted by winstead
I experience it recently though I've always believed. It's unimaginable joy. I always cry for joy when God validates Himself to me. The feeling that everything will be alright because He has your back. The last experience I have is His validation that He does saves.
rflmn's comment to those new-age pop-rock religious lyrics and melodiesI listened and almost vomited.. so sorry, winstead, but your's and my appreciations for (1) musical talent, and (2) lyrical connection, are obviously wildly different.. Anyone else try to listen to that "stuff"?)
That song lyrics is spot on. I admit though, debating the atheists here esp the all knowing and "winning" one, shook my belief for awhile. But after my last experience, I will NEVER ever!! doubt again that I and everything around me and the universe are ALL created by God.
Oh by the way, I was in dark times on my recent experience with God. If HE didn't save me, I really will go the dark side for the rest of my life. I guess God didn't want me to coz i ask Him - Take me out of the dark My Lord, I don't want to be there. God did took me out of the dark side. FOR GOOD!!
Oh God I'm crying now for joy again. This song has this powerful effect on me coz the lyrics, I have experienced first hand.
So osrry for your obviously sensitive feelings. Now I"d attribute them to your situaiotn, plus your deep psychological need for some form of comfort that you attributre to God's love for you.
Unfortunatley, the preponderance of evidence is that prayer does exactly NOTHING for anyone, ever. Yep, coincidental positive responses do happen, but in an exactly equal number they do not do anything. Why not? Because there's no-one listening is why! (i.e.: your prayers have only a 50:50 chance for working out or not working out... which is what you get when you flip a coin! Flippin' for Jessuss!)
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Originally Posted by saltine
Forgive me if I break your rules. I have witnessed some strange things, unexplainable things throughout life. Nearly the last time it happened was in the rural black hills of SD. A female voice clearly said something only I would understand, my dog barked so I knew it was true. I heard footsteps on my roof. I grabbed my gun and went outside and pointed at my roof and had a look around. I went back inside knowing this wasnt normal. I suddenly had an unexplainable rush of serenity and security as the image of Jesus Christ as I know him appeared in my mind by itself and fear vanished and I felt Very strong. I knew at that point that the very bizaar would mostly cease.
I cant really explain it any better. The other side does exist
Yes, in fact you can explain it better, and I'll let you imagine how I would explain it, because right now I've got to go. But do try being an honest skeptic and look at all the possible answers, OK?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Frihed89
Perhaps a year or so after I stopped drinking, I was walking home late at night in the snow. Suddenly, the snow and everything around me turned a golden yellow (a natural phenomenon of some kind, I am sure), and while this was happening, it was as if there was a strong thought planted in my brain: you never have to drink again.
What I felt at that moment was a tremendous sense of being at peace with myself.
I have had several other, lets call them, "faith-related experiences" and in every case I have felt the same calm conviction in my faith in a higher power, that everything is going to be OK if I act on that faith. It's a good feeling.
Pssst.. you do understand about yellow snow, do you not? Perhaps you just stumbled across a favorite marking place for the local doggie [populaiton? (Hee hee... I'm just kidding! Really I am...).
As for your assuming the cause of the nice-n-warm fuzzies you felt, that can be explained in many wys. You have chosen to interpret them in a particular ewya, and thta's your right and personal choice, but to then make any absolute claims about what they mean? Now that topic we could debate. But I have to go, as I said.
Peace, luv and better appreciations for Science, my friends!
In response to OP's question (I am atheist from earliest thought but will share experiences). Not trying to sound trivial, but as a teenager I took LSD many times with the goal of understanding life/consciousness/reality/truth (yes, I know that's ambitious!) and several times I experienced the reality that everything is energy, "we" are all connected, that day-to-day reality is very very shallow and superficial and often unpalatable to downright nasty. It was also very clear to me that there was no god that is involved in life and that shallow stuff or me personally, that all is energy and molecules and quite indifferent to individuals. I've talked to many people who took LSD similarly, and some referred to my above experience as "seeing god," I think because they'd been raised with some sort of god belief (even if they lapsed or walked away from that religion or belief).
It took me years to validate my own experience then. It is hard for me to take the shallow realities very seriously, although of course we must tend to our day to day lives. I do feel I took a shortcut to a universal truth, did not find it peaceable or difficult, but very informative.
In response to OP's question (I am atheist from earliest thought but will share experiences). Not trying to sound trivial, but as a teenager I took LSD many times with the goal of understanding life/consciousness/reality/truth (yes, I know that's ambitious!) and several times I experienced the reality that everything is energy, "we" are all connected, that day-to-day reality is very very shallow and superficial and often unpalatable to downright nasty. It was also very clear to me that there was no god that is involved in life and that shallow stuff or me personally, that all is energy and molecules and quite indifferent to individuals. I've talked to many people who took LSD similarly, and some referred to my above experience as "seeing god," I think because they'd been raised with some sort of god belief (even if they lapsed or walked away from that religion or belief).
It took me years to validate my own experience then. It is hard for me to take the shallow realities very seriously, although of course we must tend to our day to day lives. I do feel I took a shortcut to a universal truth, did not find it peaceable or difficult, but very informative.
The problem with achieving altered states with LSD or Shrooms is that you have no conscious control. In such extremely suggestible states your subconscious is largely in control . . . or someone outside "guiding you." This level of brain state is malleable (meaning if you had conscious control you could alter it at will) . . . but being without such control (or someone outside) . . . you are susceptible to your preferred and most solid beliefs, fears and expectations about reality. The stronger your personality and the more rigid its perceptual preferences . . the less likely you are to experience anything that conflicts with it. I have known LSD users who have never had a bad trip and never experienced anything too weird. They were very concrete and grounded personalities.
I achieve those brain states without any substance and under conscious control which affords me the perspective necessary to evaluate the experiences rationally and with a clear mind. I recommend it.
I'd suggest that people who have a mysterious experience of a presence or proof of a god or whatever are not in conscious control either, in fact, isn't prayer or mediation or whirling dervishes or such a specific effort to get away from one's rational conscious mind?
I did know people who "saw god" or "I'm god/Jesus," on LSD, and I think that's because they had that pre-set belief from rest of their lives.
I just know I saw and understood things that were as different from my regular mind as a double helix would be to a stationary point or like describing a color you never saw. I can't say I recommend hallucenogenics, but they were instrumental in my learning at the time.
I'd suggest that people who have a mysterious experience of a presence or proof of a god or whatever are not in conscious control either, in fact, isn't prayer or mediation or whirling dervishes or such a specific effort to get away from one's rational conscious mind?
There is much hocum associated with meditation, etc. and I had to sift through the lot of it to finally develop my own technique by first acquiring the skill of bio-feedback control over my autonomic system. I remain in conscious control throughout my meditation as I go into deeper brain states.
What I have felt feels like a warm, secure, safe feeling. No worries, just peaceful and serene.
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I listened and almost vomited.. so sorry, winstead, but your's and my appreciations for (1) musical talent, and (2) lyrical connection, are obviously wildly different.. Anyone else try to listen to that "stuff"?)
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