PUBLISHED
BY:
Scribes
of Solomon’s Mentors
S
O S
MENTOR
Eureka Moments ~ Ordinary and Marvelous!
Non-linear thinking is
a huge asset that is often ignored by linear thinkers, to their own detriment.
When human beings in
every culture have a common behavior, that behavior is considered a part of
basic human nature, rather than the product of cultural conditioning. For
instance, marriage occurs in all cultures. Thus, marriage is part of human
nature, and has what anthropologists call “cross-cultural verification.” This
brief essay is an introduction to a special kind of universal human experience
that remains a Mystery for most people. It is important to note that this
mysterious phenomenon has cross-cultural verification. This Ordinary and Marvelous
event is something that comes from our fundamental human nature. Our challenge
is to define this Mystery that occurs in every century and every culture, and
to understand its effects.
What does this
experience feel like? Here are some quotations:
“I suddenly became
vividly aware that every blade of grass had its own life.”
“Time seemed to stand
still.”
“I lost awareness of
my separate existence. I realized I was part of everything.”
“Everything — the
flowers, birds, and trees — seemed alive with a buzzing or glowing energy. It
was like someone had sprinkled ‘pixie dust’ everywhere.”
“It was so beautiful!
It was still the Ordinary world, but now I realized its perfection. Tears began
to roll down my cheeks. I wasn’t sad! I have never been so happy in my life;
true rapture! It was as if an absolutely perfect reality had been there
all along, and suddenly I could see lt.”
“Somebody turned
reality up a notch. Everything was brighter. Somehow everything was more real.”
“Every detail was
perfect. Nor could it possibly have been any other way!”
“Even while I watched
it happen, I knew … as though I had known all along. There was a feeling that of course this was how things really are.”
None of these
statements would sound strange to an ancient mystic. Mystics have always been
aware of these special states of consciousness. Mystical literature is full of
such references. What is surprising is the dawning awareness that we all have
mystical experiences. Very ordinary people who don’t write poems, burn incense,
meditate, see visions, use hallucinogenic drugs, or experience miracles, often
report “Peak Experiences.” Remember, this is a common phenomenon in all
cultures.
In our discussion of this
subject we use the phrase “Peak Experiences” which is borrowed from the
American psychologist, Abraham Maslow. Maslow and other psychologists have
extensively researched this phenomenon, and they have applied the label “Peak Experiences”
to what has been called “inspiration,” “the Divine ecstasy,” “enlightenment,”
“satori,” “being born again,” or “seeing the Glory of God,” etc.
Different Peaks
The psychological
exploration of Peak Experiences has revealed some astounding facts, and spawned
fascinating speculations. Below are some of the types of Peak Experiences:
Insight Experiences — Newton, when the apple hit him on the
head — Einstein, when the general and special theories of relativity were
“revealed” to him — Bohr’s discovery of quantum theory — the “gift” of the
perfect solution to a complicated problem, without any conscious problem solving
on your part. Knowledge through
revelation is a common Peak Experience for many people.
Spiritual Rapture — St. Paul, on the road to Damascus —
Buddha, under the Bo tree — Jesus, in the desert — the rapture of the prophets
— feeling God’s presence around a camp fire – religious literature abounds with
examples — For a good discussion on this subject see William James, “The
Varieties of Religious Experience.”
Creative Experiences — An entire symphony with full
instrumentation playing in the mind of a great composer for the first time —
the rush of ideas pressing the mind of the novelist, so that his typing cannot
keep up with the flow of ideas and words — the states of consciousness associated
with Peak Experiences are resident in the poet, artist, composer, musician,
writer, actor, orator, dancer, the theoretical physicist, the sub-atomic
physicist, and the astrophysicist.
Nature Experiences — Stars that take your breath away one
special night, even though the same stars are there every night — things seeming
more real, more alive, brighter, perfect, beautiful — a fraternal connection
with an animal (i.e. Martin Buber’s description of his experience with a horse)
— Nature is the setting for the most common kind of Peak Experience.
Impossible Events
— Football’s “Immaculate
Reception” — the “hole-in-one” you knew was a hole-in-one before you hit the
ball — that sense of perfect action which you “know” will turn out perfectly as
you do it — feeling “in sync” with things and action — sports, ballet, martial
arts, and many other things that happen in “perfect synchronicity.”
Trauma Experiences — Near death experiences, like men in
combat — people near death from sickness — people who belong to the “zipper
club” — near fatal accidents, are commonly reported as changing peoples’ lives
forever. Also included are trance states induced by tribal dancing, prolonged
fasting or other deprivations. Groups who experience trauma (like earthquakes) are
often bonded by the shared Peak Experience associated with many kinds of
extreme stress.
There are other kinds
of Peak Experiences. These examples are offered to stimulate memories of your
own Peak Experiences.
After the Peak
For many people, the aftereffects
of Peak Experiences are every bit as real as the experience itself. The
aftereffects are profound and long lasting. They seem to establish the validity
of Peak Experiences in peoples’ lives. Below are some of the reported
aftereffects of Peak Experiences:
Peak Experiences have
a therapeutic effect, in the sense that they remove problems from peoples’
lives. Long-standing neurotic symptoms sometimes disappear. Occasionally,
addictions are instantly overcome. Physical healings are reported
in the aftermath of Peak Experiences. Such therapeutic effects are
plentifully recorded in human history.
Peak Experiences can
change a person’s view of himself in a healthy direction.
Peak Experiences can
change a person’s view of other people, and one’s relationship to them, in many
ways.
Peak Experiences can
permanently change a person’s world view, or one’s understanding of the meaning
of life.
Peak Experiences often
release greater creativity, unique traits of personality, spontaneity, expressiveness,
and joy.
People often have
exceptionally vivid recollections of their Peak Experiences, see them as
desirable, enjoy reliving them in memory, and eagerly anticipate the occurrence
of similar experiences.
The person is more apt
to feel that life in general is worthwhile. In the midst of the Ordinary, the
person knows at his core that beauty, wholeness, goodness, truth, and
meaningfulness, really do exist. Faith no longer means believing without
evidence. He has personal experience of the Divine nature. He has known his
perfect self, and experienced a perfect universe. Life itself is validated!
Personal Peaks
Maslow summarizes
aftereffects this way. “I think that
these aftereffects can all be generalized, and a feeling for them communicated,
if the Peak Experience could be likened to a visit to a personally defined
paradise, from which the person then returns to Ordinary life.” Maslow goes
on to quote the mystic poet, Samuel Taylor Coleridge; “If a man could pass through paradise in a dream, and have a flower
presented to him as a pledge that his soul had really been there, and if he
found that flower in his hand when he awoke – Ay! And what then?” Peak Experiences
give us a glimpse of a Reality that is stripped of our personal and cultural
perspectives. It is nothing less than the direct experience of a Reality that
is unsullied by human limitations.
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