Archives: Submitted Stories

Mystical Experiencer:  Female in early fifties
Current location:  Ireland
Age at time of experience:  36

I was at work in a residential facility for adults with an intellectual disability. Whilst helping a lady, a thought suddenly came to me there is an Angel near and my gaze was drawn to her side, yet I could not see anything. Immediately after this thought, I was completely overwhelmed by a feeling of love.

The feeling was different to anything I remember having felt before. I would describe it as sacred and I also remember thinking with awe this is what is meant by heaven on earth. Although I didn't leave the room I think a part of me did, during this time, exist in another dimension.

Time seemed to alter and I now think that I was being shown another place. It's almost like I went on a “walk” in a heavenly garden. I can't remember much about right afterwards. In the fifteen or sixteen years since the experience I have mentioned it a few times to people close to me, but I would not try again as it is so hard to describe. Words are not adequate and I've found nobody that really wants to hear.

On analysis, just before the experience, I remember looking at the lady I was with and thinking how beautiful and dignified she was and how though limited physically through use of a wheelchair she had so much grace. I felt humbled by her.

Mystical Experiencer:  Male in late fifties
Current location:  India
Age at time of experience:  54

Was being initiated into guided meditation when I heard recorded drums music being played. Something was telling me to let go and join the rhythm of the drums but I held on to my control feebly. Eventually the music became irresistible and I could see Shiva dancing in my mind – which exploded and I lost what little control over my mind and I LET GO.

I was shivering like a leaf and tears were pouring non-stop and I was laughing and crying at the same time. I had my eyes shut all the while as the music was playing. My mind was filled with happiness and I felt my consciousness spread all over the universe and I did not want that feeling to diminish or vanish.

The music eventually stopped and we were gently asked to open our eyes and return to the world – which was kind of sad.

I have been reliving this experience in my mind many times and get inspired by it. But the first experience was the best and unequalled.

The joy was entirely within me and I felt that I was one with the world and was smiling with love at every object I could see.

Mystical Experiencer:  Female in mid-fifties
Current location:  United Kingdom
Age at time of experience:  23

When I looked at the world it was as if I saw everything was connected with silver string. Like a spider's web, each string was imperfect and yet perfect, because it was natural rather than artificially made. I did not exactly “see” this string, more sense it perhaps? Like a huge matrix everything affected everything else. But not in any oppressive way, just a joyful way.

I realised that I was a part of the universe, in the same way that the leaves and the stars were. It was as if I realised that we were made of the same stuff. This sounds a bit Desdirata I know, but it was the realisation that everything was one. Deeply peaceful, as if I had seen what was behind life and it had an ultimate meaning. I expected it to “wear” off and was delighted when the feeling was there when I still woke up and lasted like a few days. Oceanic. I was peacefully inconsequential.

Mystical Experiencer:  Male in mid-seventies
Current location:  Sri Lanka
Age at time of experience:  20

A dim golden ray appears in the Eastern horizon and spreads out slowly its radiant wings. It is a cold morning among the mountains. The earth is quiet in the deep silence of the boundless heaven. The noisy world is yet to come. The occasional breeze is refreshing. Trees, plants and bushes are waiting impatiently for the warmth of the rising sun. Leaves are studded with diamond like dewdrops. The mist settled among the blue mountains is thinning out slowly as the air gathers the sun’s warmth.

Flowers seem to welcome the rising sun dancing joyfully with the playful breeze. The mind wanting to enjoy inner peace sets to meditation. It tries to gather itself in concentration. As it attempts to go deep within a casual thought arises distorting attention. One really wonders: “What are these thoughts?” Thoughts are nothing but disturbances within. We are inwardly living in a world of restless thoughts arising and falling like the waves of sea. Living in this world of thoughts is superficial.

Thoughts chatter endlessly, not leaving a single moment of silence. Mind is crowded by thoughts leaving no space between them. One can suppress these thoughts to experience silence. But such silence brought by control of mind cannot go far. So, all what you can do is to watch the stream of thoughts without any choice. A thought arises and proceeds along. Then it subsides letting another thought to arise. Thus the stream of thoughts proceeds continuously through time.

Why are you letting yourself go with the stream of thoughts? Because you feel that thoughts take you forward. But at close observation it is a false notion. Thoughts do not take you anywhere. In spite of all your wanderings in thoughts, you are still in the same old place. You will never arrive at anything new by going from one thought to another. Seeing this, can you realize the futility of pursuing thought after thought?

With that flash of insight the miracle happened! Clinging to thoughts dropped down. The mind ceased to be. With that cessation of thoughts, a boundless space opened up – a dimension not known before. Mind awakened itself from all its illusionary and dreamy wanderings. All the petty limitations of the mind vanished away. They had been created by the center “I”. This is a wonderful dimension of freedom. With this miraculous opening one felt being born again to a new Life, which is so perfect and so sacred. How ecstatic is living now? Now the whole universe is revealing itself.

As the mist cleared away, the vast sky appears in startlingly blue. The sun’s golden rays touched the mountain peaks. The roses dance to the rhythm of the gentle breeze cheerfully welcoming the new day. The freshly bloomed roses sweeten the air. Now every moment is charmingly sweet and fresh. One is amazed at this unique inner discovery. Every moment is amazingly joyous and fulfilling. No sorrow can touch this clarity. You can laugh at the sufferings you had gone through in the past. This dynamic quality is not a self-created elevation, nor a self-hypnotic delusion, nor a sentimental height brought about by a belief or faith. The mind is fully awake with all its intelligence and awareness. The mind has willingly ceased all its activities for the Vastness of the Cosmos to be. This is a rediscovery of Life.

Mystical Experiencer:  Female in late twenties
Current location:  Iceland
Age at time of experience:  26

I could not stop laughing. Felt peace beyond what is described. Like everything came together as one. I have difficulties writing this as I understand there is no need, but still there is a need as the world is as it is.

I believe people use the word love most times incorrectly so it loses its power, but love is the most powerful “energy” that is. There was only love when I had my experience – nothing else – complete peace with love.

Mystical Experiencer:  Female in early forties
Current location:  Greece
Age at time of experience:  37

After my awakening moment, when I felt as if the vail has been taken off before my eyes – the initial reaction was a deeply felt desire to give of myself to others, to serve in any way that I can. Thought came into my mind that I have been given such a gift (experience of cancer) so I can reconstruct my life, myself. I have wished for 7 years to find work of meaning, where I could contribute to the world, to my family, to really serve my Soul purpose here, but despite my experience, qualifications, trying hard – nothing came my way. And now, that I was put in a situation where I will not be able to search for work – since I had no breast, no hair (due to the breast cancer), I would be put under medication, and I would have to do many operations…in other words, all my outside “tools” were taken away from me….I felt I was stripped down naked with nothing to hang on to, with nowhere to go but inside…. And what I found on the inside is this enormous desire to just give ….give of me….whatever I had…to others….And for the first time in many years, I felt I had so much to give.

Days before my mystical experience were spent in yearning for God. I cried from sorrow finally realizing my own ego traps, my sins, and I cried from greatness of what was revealing itself to me. I purposefully opened my heart, and focused on my heart, I did everything I could to fill myself up with God, every minute of every day. I simply followed my instincts on what to do, I did not know any steps on how to do it. I did all I could to purify myself, empty myself and then fill myself up with God. I was grateful beyond words for all that I was, and all that I am.

I remember asking Holy Spirit to enter me….I am not a religious person but somehow to call upon a Holy Spirit is exactly what I felt like doing. And I asked with my heart being stretched in pain and sorrow about my “sins”, and with it being raw and open to receive whatever I was worthy to receive.

I remember at some point I was 'pushed' into a present moment and I stayed there for days. I finally understood what it meant to be here and now, and out of that sense of true connection with others and everything came about.

In my continuing desire to serve, my days were filled with reaching out to others, organizing projects…often I was under heavy pain, but I felt carried by a much stronger force, so none of it mattered. At times, when the pain was too much to bear, I would take a medicine similar to morphine, which normally results in one's losing the ability to think clearly. Also, people usually just go to sleep. Despite the medicine, I remember frantically writing, wide awake, full of clarity with the words were flowing through me with no conscious effort.

All this happened over perhaps 3 weeks or so.

My mystical experience happened when I was walking. I remember looking around feeling deep sense of gratefulness for life around me. I don't remember how the experience started or when it finished….I don't remember having specific thoughts at the time, but a sense of admiration, awe, clarity, expansion…..colors were vivid, and the air was thicker but lighter. I could sense the energy moving in a most wonderful way, everywhere….although I could not see it. I was aware of everything without focusing on anything. I had the feeling of very expansive love and connection to everything. I remember not having a clear sense of me but of all. I mean, not that I disappeared but somehow the sense of 'I' faded away and there was a sense of being part of, belonging, being one.

It all made sense. The way the world is is perfect and there is no need to fix it. It is all just, and all the way it should be. I felt this although I cannot now conceptually explain it.

Looking back, this probably lasted a few minutes but the feelings of humility, love, expansion, gratefulness, sense of belonging, and even deeper desire to serve others continued for many, many months on with a great intensity.

Mystical Experiencer:  Male in mid-forties
Current location:  Australia
Age at time of experience:  43

I was driving home one day thinking about creation. Creation of the world, creation of the universe, my creation. I pondered the big bang theory, the moment when everything began, trying to imagine what it was like. I wondered if I had begun this way, as a result of evolution, of something that just seemed to come about over millions of years.

How was I created? I asked the question and then the answer came. It was as if I was instantaneously encompassed by the most beautiful golden light. All awareness of my body, my surroundings and even the fact that I was driving was non-existent. Time stopped and as I was encompassed by this light. It became all there was and I became a part of the light that seemed to emanate from a presence of which there was a feeling of overwhelming peace and love, like the love for a child, innocent and pure.

My appreciation of this love made the feeling more intense and I seemed to sense a warm welcoming smile which flowed from the source of this love to my awareness. In a moment of recognition or knowing, it just seemed all so obvious that this was God, the source of my creation, the truth of my identity. This was spirit itself, being the ever expanding love that I share with all creation, timeless, beyond perception, beyond description.

Then just as suddenly I awoke to the seeming reality of driving my car again. The world just seemed to appear before my eyes and there I was still driving yet still in awe of what just happened. Still with a deep sense of peace and love and with an undeniable Knowing that I had just experienced God, the truth of my creation, the truth of my identity.

I’m still not sure to this day how long I had been unaware of driving or how far I had travelled for time didn’t seem relevant having just experienced an instant in eternity. And if it took me an eternity to relive that instant that would be my heart’s desire.

In the presence of God I realised that the truth of our creation is the loving relationship that we all share with each other as one. This is the meaning of Heaven and the knowledge of the universe is contained within this awareness. Beyond the ideas of time and space is where we truly exist. Not as separate physical beings but together as the spirit of love in the eternal mind of God. Love is the nature of our being, it is what we truly are.

Mystical Experiencer:  Female in mid-fifties
Current location:  U.S.A.
Age at time of experience:  20

I had just ridden my bike half way around Mackinac Island, Michigan on a summer day. I pulled off the side of the road and walked down to a beach on Lake Huron. The lake was clear and flat and the air was still.

To the best of my recollection, it was somewhat overcast. I had a bathing suit on under my shorts and top. I removed my shoes, shorts and top and left them on the beach behind me. I walked into the water until the water was about level with my mid to upper thigh.

I recall suddenly perceiving that there was no boundary between my physical body, the water and the rest of the environment I was in. In other words, sky, water and physical body were no longer distinct. I do not recall how long the experience lasted as the passage of time was not distinct either.

The experience seemed suggestive of the oneness of things and the illusion of physical separation or physical boundaries.

Mystical Experiencer:  Female in early forties
Current location:  Australia
Age at time of experience:  25

I was living on my own following a breakup with my boyfriend. I had a troubled relationship with my family after many years of abuse. I was lost without my boyfriend and deeply contemplating my future direction. I felt unworthy and unlovable. I was working in the corporate world doing what I thought would make me happy. I was focused on other people's ideas of success: making money and having an executive job with status, but I felt unfulfilled.

I started dreaming of my ex boyfriend, symbolic dreams which continued for years and led me to finding my spirituality. Soon after my breakup I dreamt that I’d left my body which I could see asleep on my bed in my room. I was floating towards an all loving, all encompassing conscious energy that wrapped its love around me like a warm blanket. It felt like I had finally come home or I was back in the womb.

This energy was omnipotent and had both masculine and feminine energy and was deeply compassionate. It conveyed to me through thought that I was deeply and unconditionally loved. It loved me completely. Nothing I could say or do would ever stop It from loving me. It was a love that I’d never experienced before and a love that I know no human being is capable of while on earth.

I have had many mystical experiences since, including experiencing God's love and being able to feel all the love around me. I’ve felt intuitively that our negative conditioning prevents us from experiencing the love around us and for us. I continued having very symbolic and psychic dreams for years after this and developed a deep sense of spirituality. I changed careers and became a social worker. I focused less and less on material success and more on my spiritual and psychological growth.

Love is our true nature and God is Conscious Love. We are unconditionally loved by God who does not judge us – we judge ourselves. We come to earth to learn about the different manifestations of love. Sometimes the only way to understand what love is, is by experiencing what it is not.

Mystical Experiencer:  Male in late fifties
Current location:  U.S.A.
Age at time of experience:  32

I had entered into what I would call an educational flow. I read and incorporated religious texts from all over the world. Though I didn't understand most of what I was reading in the moment as I slept it would come together. I awoke daily with new revelations.

I followed instincts to see myself as the bird that flies, as the tree, as the rock, as the person beside me. I would say things to myself like look at me soaring in the wind, or look I'm an old lady or look at me there driving a brand new car, I'm doing quite well.

I had amazing but brief visual experiences as well as a higher state of awareness. One day while watching TV with my girlfriend and her daughter, I heard, in my mind, a man with an Indian accent start talking to me. It felt quite natural. We began to talk and he began to teach me about things I never knew. He had a great sense of humor and made me laugh out loud which caused my two girls to look at me and ask what was so funny. I told my girlfriend I have a teacher and she being spiritual herself just thought it was great. Our daughter just smiled and probably thought I was going nuts but she also laughed along with me.

This was two months prior to my experience and eight months in total in the flow. The teacher was now with me all the time. My understanding, compassion, joy and sorrow where at such a deep level that I felt it was time to confront the truth of whatever the truth truly was.

In these last two months I went deeper and deeper into myself removing everything that blocked the path of freedom. One week to go the teacher stopped talking to me but I felt his presence still. Each night now I would lie in bed being challenged by the faces of demons that would appear in the darkness of my mind. Waves after wave seemed to strike my body as I passed each face in the stillness. Than it was quite, pitch dark, moving in expansion. A blackness dark and heavy was coming toward me and swept over me.

There was now a grey light and in that light I approached a man dressed in a robe standing between two pillars. He stopped me from continuing and asked what I was doing here. I told him I would know the truth of God and life and he had no authority to stop me. We argued, I passed. He pointed to a distant ring and said go.

I felt myself flying and I went through the center of the ring. In the distance another ring appeared. I headed toward it and passed through it, in all I counted seven rings but before entering the last I surrendered myself entirely. The light upon this new shore was brighter than a thousand suns, I was not yet I was.