Mystical Experiencer: Female in late forties
Current location: U.S.A.
Age at time of experience: 47
I was out of work after losing my job at a successful company. I had been dissatisfied with the job but was still slightly depressed. I had been reading books on Buddhism and meditation to help me make sense of my depressive thoughts. This particular day, I decided to go for a walk on a nearby walking trail that meanders near a river and is very peaceful. I thought I would try some of the meditation techniques I had read about.
Up to this point, I hadn’t felt like I made much progress with the meditation and actually felt silly for trying it, but I decided to keep at it. As I was walking along, I started using the breathing techniques and concentrating on the rhythm of my steps and a strange thing happened – I felt as if my feet weren’t touching the ground and I experienced a warm tingling throughout my head. My head felt like it was slowly being inflated like a giant balloon and my body felt like it was as light as air.
All at once, all the colors seemed brighter and more beautiful and the sounds much crisper. I felt as if I was seeing the earth and everything in it for the very first time, and it was beautiful. I believed that love is everywhere, even where you have not been aware of it before. All my physical pain that I normally have when I walk a distance was gone and, in fact, I did not feel my body. Thinking and breathing and being seemed effortless.
Years ago, I had had a similar experience when experimenting with a hallucinogenic drug and was very shocked to have an even more intense experience while stone sober. After the feeling dissipated, the relaxed and peaceful feeling continued and in fact has happened again, but not as intensely as on my walk. I truly believe I was touched by an unknown life force or entity, and that it is of a higher calling than mere man. I am not a religious person, but am convinced I have experienced the divine.