What is Spiritual Experience.

david hobbs · What is Spiritual Experience.

Something came up in another thread when tugging a leg or two

that promps me to ask this question.

What is a spiritual experience.

For instance do Witches see what they do as spiritual. Do mediums etc.

It makes me think about the way I view what I do. Is it spiritual, and if not is there a point when it becomes spiritual?

Raymond

As always I can only speak for myself, I'm not a spokeman for anyone but me.
I don't really see witchcraft as a 'spiritual' thing. When you think about it the vast majority of what witches do is to do with earthly matters.
Celebrating the seasons is all about the earth, seasonal tides etc, even working magick is usually done to improve or worsen somebody's material, earthly life. It's a rare witch who would work magick to improve their spiritual life.

I find I feel more 'spiritual' in smaller acts, like doing a favour for a complete stranger or helping out a friend and not telling them.

I think first of all we have to agree on what it means to be 'spiritual'. I believe it has different meanings for different people.

evergreen

I don't see what I do as spiritual either.... the whole term is one I dot' use myself

beantighe

I think spirituality is ethereal, it's so hard to define and differs from person to person.

I may have said before that what makes me feel spiritual is natural phenomena - a beautiful sunset, a waterfall, a flower, a baby animal, the sun's warmth on my back, that feeling of total relaxation just as you're falling asleep, the way my cat 'talks' to me, and to have an animal's trust. All these things, and so much more. These are food for the soul.

david hobbs

I would define spiritual as that which is not of the material.

For instance undergoing an experience such as being in the light. This is so powerful that the material body is completely forgotten.

Bliss is of course another. The feeling is so powerful that nothing but bliss itself exists.

I would also say that any experience that is through the mind cannot be totally spiritual.

But then perhaps all experience is spiritual.
It depends on your viewpoint

beantighe

Unfortunately I can't share in your out-of-this-world experiences, for want of a better term, David, as I've never had any in my life, except once, and I consider myself about as psychic as a breeze block. Maybe it just doesn't fall to everyone to have psychic experiences, I don't know. The things I described are about as spiritual as it gets for me.

david hobbs

I would never call psychic experience spiritual.

That is something that a lot of spiritualists trip up on.

Psychism has nothing to do with it and you do not need to be a psychic or a medium to have a spiritual experience.

swanlady

I have a spiritual experience every morning.
The 1st cup of tea an a ciggie sets me up for the day.
Now that is very spiritual.

david hobbs

Raymond

A spiritual experience is whatever you want it to be.

For some it's good sex, some people are never closer to spirit than during the throes of a good orgasm.
For some it's eating good food ( I can relate to that ), stimulating company, walking in a wild and natural place, in a building of worship, even going shopping can be highly spiritual for some.

Enjoy spiritual moments when they happen for they are few.

david hobbs

So to sum it up a spiritual experience is possibly simply being alive and realising it.

Raymond

And there ends another enlightening conversation.

Just be.

I don't want to sound like a tree hugging hippy or anything but life is great.
F*cking enjoy it!

Yes - crap will happen, it always does. If we lived in constant sunshine we'd soon end up in a desert.
A little rain makes the flowers grow.

beantighe

What is it they say? Life is what happens while you're making other plans!

I do understand what you mean about the difference between a psychic and a spiritual experience, David. Most spiritual experiences are nothing like the blinding flash on the road to Damascus - it can be something quite fleeting and simple, as Raymond says, and yes, it is different for everybody - I think that's what makes them special, like diamonds in the bedrock of life.

david hobbs

mark

i can se you there with a big grin david laughing out load

that tickled you didnt it

evergreen

so you see spiritual as something you choose to do????

I think spiritual is everything.. it is the earth and dirty beneath my feet is is connecting with my kids and smiling upon waking up.. it is a person who never learns to speak or walk but has lived none the less it is also a person born to slavery and a person born to wealth..

nothing separates us but these mortal cloths.. for we are all the same no matter how we do protest...

to me there is no spiritual side to me I just am.. and if I am here then I am full of spirit .. in and out .. even if I don't know it