Mystical Experiencer: Male in early fifties
Current location: U.K.
Age at time of experience: 32
Deeply traumatised by a relationship ending, I had moved back to my parents' house to stay with them while I sorted out a place for myself. I went out for a walk to get away from their intrusive concern. I walked out of town, wanting solitude, along the cliffs. It was a fine sunny day, I was extremely engrossed by my problems and pain, only mechanically aware of my environment.
With no warning, my sense of self shifted from the isolated, disconnected, self-obsessed awareness that was then normal, to a rapidly increasing, hugely expanding inclusive consciousness. The most fitting description is enlightenment. A flood of light welled up from within, illuminating and expanding every particle of self. At the same time and as an obvious consequence, everything around me lit up too. The world shone. Living things most brightly, inorganic objects more muted, but all lit from within. And the light in me was the light in them.
Boundaries disappeared. All was one. And the one was so overwhelmingly beautiful and correct and true and perfect and inclusive and intimate that no part of it could possibly be seen as bad or wrong. All the pain, loneliness, depression was there, but accepted as a necessary and beautiful part of the necessary and beautiful whole.
The integration was total and obvious and right and good. The only verbal response I could muster was “Oh! I see!”, repeated over and over and over. How long the state lasted I can't say. Minutes only I imagine. It stopped as it started, a swift but smooth dimming of the light.