Today’s Featured Comment
As we age, it seems inevitable that the ‘death’ mystery seems to niggle it’s way into our thinking! The book Dying to Be Me is such a beautiful account of the dying ‘space’ that one enters. It didn’t come across as “airy fairy” or overly religious, like so many of these books do.
Years ago, I had a similar experience happen to me, but it came ‘out of the blue’ I wasn’t dying or pronounced dead, but was asleep! The brilliant light and all encompassing love enveloped me…a great tenderness! The strong message emanating from the light was “Everything is alright, right now!” It was pure joy! I awoke knowing there is more to existence than what appears in our objectified world.
Unfortunately, our practical minds are often skeptical of such ‘happenings’ and we write them off as biological malfunctioning…or we think some “kook” is just trying to get attention. We tend to be very factual, very scientific, in our approach to life and discredit something that is not measurable.
Because of my past, amazing experience and my advancing age, I am slowing down a bit and looking with my ‘new eyes.’ Steven Levine, after working for years with the terminally ill, said that our “capacity to love” is all that matters…and we “take that capacity with us into death” (in his great book, “Who dies”). So, in my slowing down, I am looking at love through a different lens. What is my quality of love and how freely do I give it? I do believe that love is reflected in love and that may be why we are here! In our increasingly fast paced world we are forgetting the importance of love and there is no love in a harried, hurried, life…it is squashed!
[This comment was originally posted in this conversation. ~ Eds.]
Have you ever had a mystical experience?
My six year old granddaughter told me just the other day that she is learning yoga in gym class. She said the teacher told them it would help them to calm down and be more peaceful. Then she demonstrated warrior lll and tree pose. I promised her I'd 
An addendum: I'm a little bit of a perfectionist and by little bit I mean a lot. I hate making mistakes, hate getting in trouble and am not a bit fan of being wrong. However, I learned that the most useful thing I could do for myself was to all
Watermusic,
That is exactly what to do to keep your spirit and energy in harmony. Thank you for sharing. Letting yourSelf off the hook is the hard part. Good for you.
I want to share your story with a client that is coming next week who can ne
I guess it is your son or M. Obviously your son is into protecting you from further engagement in a destructive relationship. Your son is right, you did deceive him. Again, obviously he holds you in higher esteem than you hold yourself.
Ho
I have been on a spiritual quest lately. Have been reading about this kind of thing. Talking with other folks who believe in this idea. I’m a born skeptic but am trying to open my mind to other ways of thinking as religion has never made sense to me.
My upcoming book may shed some light on the topic for you. It’s about spiritual development from a skeptic’s point of view.
Margaret Placentra Johnston
FaithBeyondBelief-Book.com
You are indeed fortunate to have had this experience, and to remember and acknowledge it. If more people would take their spiritual experiences seriously, we would have a more spiritually mature world – one where, as you put it, love is viewed “through a different lens.”
Margaret Placentra Johnston
http://www.FaithBeyondBelief-Book.com
I believe that God is love and that he resides in us. I can’t imagine how lonely he must be when we fail to acknowledge Him.
Two things:
Years ago I was in despair. I discovered my husband was bi-sexual, I needed more money, I lacked faith. I went to bed one night and dreamt I was in a city burned out by nuclear war. I wandered the lonely streets and there was no one to be found. Suddenly I felt a presence. A figure in white appeared as I turned around. I knew it was Jesus. I said in wonder “it’s you” and the figure assented. I woke with the words on my tongue: “Go forward in the darkness”.
Some years ago I went on a spiritual sabatical. One night I sat at a dinner table with three priests. One started talking about church basements. (AA). I thought “is it written on my forehead?” I really wanted to make a confession. I had not made one in 25 years. After the meal I asked him if he would hear my confession. He readily agreed. He said “Do it as a fifth”. (In the 12 steps of recovery it is ‘admitted to God, ourselves and another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.) I prepared for three days, writing it down.
The following Sunday after mass I told him I was ready. We agreed to meet in the chapel at 4:30 – one half hour before mass. I went and he did not come. I cried inwards. Oh, God, why have you forsaken me? I left the chapel and was on the way to the dormitory to bawl. On the path from the chapel he showed up with another priest. He said something like “oh, dear, I forgot”. I said ”That’s okay”. He said ”No, it is not”. He asked a member of the apostolate if there was a building we could use.
I told him everything – even a sorrow I will take to my grave. He said it was one of the best confessions he had ever heard! I was profoundly moved.
Some months later I sent him a Christmas card to the apostolate for forwarding. No one had ever heard of him. I saw him speak to so many people. There was no priest of his name or description at the place in the previous October. He was an angel. Sent to me by our redeemer. Just for me! Wonders will never cease!
I love to hear stories like this. Wow, this is something. I long to have an encounter of some kind.
Oh, darling, I was so undeserving. And I felt unredeemable. I had buried myself in a pit of darkness and did not think even God could find me. Then I remembered the words of Jesus – I did not come here for those who did not need redemption. I came for the forsaken. Those who need me the most will be the ones who I will pay the most attention to. Just repent and I will save you. I will give you rest. Jesus asked for our help to get those who are the most fallen. “Whatever you do to the least of my brethern, you do unto me”.
I believe with every cell in my body that the worst, ugliest thing we offer up for redemption will bring mystical experience. It may not be a miracle that opens up the sky and shouts a choir of angels. It may just be something you do not even know God has given you or others through you. It may be a chance thing you desperately needed and appeared out of nowhere. It may be a word from a stranger who can’t possibly know your pain but balms the wound. It may be a ten dollar bill you lost and a homeless person found. We can not comprehend the full extent of God’s mercy and love. Even Jesus told his disciples that he could not fully explain the plans of God. He told them if he told them what he knew they would know more than he did.
I think your wistfulness for such an experience is a desire to feel and know your own spirituality. However you find it, may it bless you and keep you always. Peace to you.
I keep looking for what you have but it eludes me. Makes me feel like something is wrong with me. Why can’t I feel this? Am I that closed minded? I tried for years…sitting in church, feeling like the biggest hypocrite. Took Bible class after Bible class, study after study. Never finding what I was looking for I guess. I quit going to church about a year ago and have since been looking at this other “spiritual” path. I don’t really know what I’m doing!
Some of us find a path quickly, some don’t. But God is not finished with you yet, or you would be dead. If at first you don’t succeed, pray, pray, again.
Faith can not be ungranted.
Her feet were firmly planted on the rock.
Amid the wildest storms she stands undaunted;
nor quails before the loudest thunder shock.
She knows omnipotence has heard her prayer,
and cries, “it shall be done, sometime, somewhere”.
Perhaps your part is not yet wholly done.
The work began when your first prayer was uttered,
and God will finish what He has begun.
If you will keep the incense burning there
his glory you shall see, sometime, somewhere.
-Orphelia Browning