Open minded Atheist - Ever have a mystical experience?

Question

I am not here to convert anyone to anything, so relax and just talk to me. Most people who have mystical experiences are religous and view them through their religious beliefs. I am just wondering if anyone without a religion or a belief in God has had such experiences. If you have please describe it and if possible tell me what you think caused it. Thanks.

Answer 1

I think you will find most skeptics open minded. Part of the credo, "Question everything.", requires that we fairly examine all evidence.

The common meaning of the word mystical is a thing of supernatural nature. I have not had experiences of a clearly super natural nature. I have had ones of an enigmatic nature.

There are times that I am move deeply by feeling which are impossible to put into words. I often feel a sense of peace and a oneness with the world. The Japanese word for this is satori, but it is an imperfect description of what I feel, and loaded with Buddhist meaning which I do feel are valid. I'll just say there are time when I feel the boundaries between me and the world are more artificial constructs than realities. Those are beautiful moments.

Thank you for your question.

Answer 2

Yes. The first I remember was when I was a school. It was a bright sunny day and I suddenly had this intense feeling of clarity. Everything looked 'super-real'. I felt connected with everything and a great calm.

Since then I have had other 'glimpses' but most of the time it's 'just' a joyous feeling.

I dare say it was brain chemistry. Who knows. It was nice. I don't think of it as a religious experience though I have developed a sort of spirituality since then. If that doesn't discount my answer?
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Answer 3

i was and am an agnostic.i had a big time mystical experience in 1982 sitting on my couch on a Sunday in Austin tx. this thought popped in my head."GOD is everything,i don't exist. the next moment i was blissed out( and stayed that way for months). also, world took on a very vivid color, sort of like a Van Gogh painting.(for several days) i just walked around repeating(to myself)God is everything!it was like the world was perfect just the way it was and couldn't be different.. also, i was psychic alot during that time and had tons of energy even tho i ate little . /how did it happen? i had given up hope of my life getting any better than it was because of my limitations. i accepted it completely and happily live my mediocre life And then it happened! so i guess i just surrendered. (also, that yr i had become a vegetarian and ate no sugar or caffeine?!)/ i completely identify with the teachings of Eckhart Tolle,the Power of Now./also, i gave thought to why the bliss diminished and thought it was because no one else around me was like me so i adjusted to the majority and i started having conflict with life again .so i'm in between the regular world and the mystical world view.

Answer 4

Sure, I've had plenty of them. They've been so numerous in my life that I couldn't possibly describe them all.

But that doesn't mean that I've concluded that a God actually exists.

The human brain is a powerful thing. It undoubtedly has many hardwired neural loops of which we are simply unaware and have no idea about the function thereof.

Hence, when we experience one of those theretofore unexperienced neural loops, we ascribe it to a mystical experience.

Answer 5

Multiple times! In fact, I actively pursue them.

When I was much younger and still a Christian, I had a very powerful vision of the Crucifixion (which I tested with prayer) that left me bawling for hours, utterly convicted of my sins, and truly reborn as a new creation.

Much later, after I left the Christian faith, I had a NDE wherein I awoke to find myself in a dimly lit cave. Next to me I saw a massive wolf, my size or larger, that I immediately recognized as Fenrirulfr (Fenris Wolf of Norse mythology). I placed my hand on his shoulder, he returned the gesture. No word was spoken, but I knew I was welcome back.

Some time after that, I had the first of many OBE's. I was at a bar and undergoing some intense but willing pain, and I cognitively felt myself leave my body. I looked back, saw myself with my arms outstretched, screaming, then I found myself back in the cave. Fenrirulfr gave me a stern but caring look and metaphorically took my heart from my chest and showed me a 'spiritual'/emotional wound that I'd been trying to hide from myself. For a single instant, he shared his heart with me in his aspect of Lone Omega, a omega with no pack, no home, no companions to howl back when he is lost cold and alone, and he promised that this wound would eventually find its cure. When I came back, I physically had to fight to get off the floor and moved around to this spot behind a tree, and let loose this howl that will haunt me for the rest of my life, to know that a human could HURT that much -- there are no words for that soul-shattering agony.

I've since returned multiple times, but none were so intense.

Of course, for me, I recognize the natural neurology behind NDEs and OBE's and the ilk, so I don't consider these supernatural or genuinely 'mystic', but all the same, they were deeply personal and meaningful to me. I even still continue to seek out opportunities for OBE.

Answer 6

Not all 'atheists' refuse to believe that there are beings superior to man in this great cosmos. They simply refuse to believe that this 'god' in the bible is for real in any way.

The narrow-mindedness of some atheists shouldn't be misconstrued as a statement on behalf of all, anymore than the silliness of one person claiming to speak on behalf of all christians is noteworthy.

On the otherhand many atheists find their way into churches and politics as leaders of same, who privately note that people are getting dumber all the time.

Answer 7

Some varieties of out of body experiences, some occasions of sensing a "presence", some hallucinations and delusions when seriously ill.

Nothing beyond the range of what the human brain is capable of throwing up, but consistent with what others might interpret as connection with something "out there".

Answer 8

"What if god or in spite of you call it relatively is the universe many times?" have been given info for that? "have you ever asked your self if the universe is somewhat this decreased mechanism that technological awareness says it relatively is?" i do no longer think of that scientists have shown the international as decreased, they have shown us that the universe is extra complicated and extra strange than previous generations might have probably imagined! "Why do you get rid of spirituality out of your existence?" supply me a working definition of what "spirituality" is and that i will make it easier to comprehend! "Why do you suspect in each little thing they inform you without even contesting it?" i'm an atheist by fact i'm companies to contesting popularly held ideals! "Why do you think of spirituality is a few better being in the sky overseeing us?" lower back, what the heck is this "spirituality" thingamy? "Why do you think of technological awareness isn't liable to any mistake?" of direction it relatively is liable to blunders, scientists suited the blunders of different scientists all the time. It takes up a extensive area of what scientists do as professionals. FYI no longer all atheists are scientists! "Have ever asked your self if spirituality is somewhat a development they designed to impose a particular habit on human beings or no be counted if it relatively is a sort of synchrony with the universe that we are residing in?" lower back, i don't have a significant definition of this spirituality stuff. I also have a feeling of ask your self, I savor elegance, I even have interest and stable stable morals. What can "spirituality" supply me that those can no longer? "have you ever thought approximately placing out YOUR recommendations?" it relatively is open, is yours? "the international isn't a mechanic device." And however an identical rules of physics function in the Andromeda galaxy as they do here. "i'm no longer protecting christianity or any faith, by fact i'm no longer in choose of it in any respect. i'm no longer religious, yet i comprehend that the international isn't a device and that i comprehend that there is not any absolute certainty, and each ingredient is susceptible." humorous, i presumed you have been berating atheists for being irreligious-stupid me!

Answer 9

I have had what I would define as mystical experiences. Not that that makes them mystical, but I don't have any other words to describe them.

Answer 10

Many times ... but i call it the paranormal. I'm psychic.. i can remote view to be exact if you've heard of that.. and I believe in MANY things .. just b/c we're atheist doesn't mean we disbelieve EVERYTHING that has no explaining.. its just means we disbelieve in gods.. or your god.