Expressing the "mystical"

[Travo7]

This is hard to explain. I noticed that many people have deep, mystical, emotional experiences, or if "mystical" is too new-agey a word, then maybe just experiences that have a certain unexplainable quality too them, like, for example:

*Feeling drawn to a certain culture to which you are a total foreigner

*Having a sudden deep understanding of something you were previously oblivious to

*Feeling a deep immediate connection to someone you just met

*Having a "spiritual" moment when you are out in nature, where you have a philosophical understanding of life and the universe which seems to make absolute sense, maybe even bringing you to tears. (ok, I'm not crazy, right?)

All of these things happen to me with some regularity, but as a peculiarity, I noticed the ability I have to analyze or reflect on these experiences, to transform them into knowledge of the world, people or myself, and not just have this experience happen and remember it just as a moment when I "felt good", satisfied or something like that.

Does any of this make sense?

Is this something all INFJs have or is it just some random thing?


Your thoughts?

 

[ZenCat]

I have them, very much as you describe From reading this forum, I suspect moments like these may be something INFJs experience fairly regularly.

 

[Shaz]

Thank you so much!

This thread... sums up what I feel is the essence, the most important thing in my life. I use the term mystical experience to describe them too.

When I experience that kind of things it feels like something is awaking deep down, at the very core of my self. Physically it starts from the bottom of the sternum, the solar plexus, and reverberates in all my chest.

It feels like it is of the utmost importance, like it's something so important and yet intangible. I feel the urge to make people aware of what I experience, the urge to move closer to the universe.

this :

*Having a "spiritual" moment when you are out in nature, where you have a philosophical understanding of life and the universe which seems to make absolute sense, maybe even bringing you to tears. (ok, I'm not crazy, right?)

is of particular relevance to me. To the word! And no you're not crazy!! When that happens everything seems so much simpler, and the worries of your everyday life seem utterly unimportant. You feel like you belong, like you are but a little grain of sand but it brings you such joy. Bliss. Deep connection with the whole, with the universe.

Actually, I found this article interesting http://www.themystica.com/mystica/articles/m/mystical_experiences.html

It would be nice to have a thread where we could tell the most important ones We had... Though I don't know if it would really be of any use to people? What do you think?

 

[Zanshin]

Ya that's good stuff. Happens to me when I listen to certain kinds of musical pieces or songs, when in nature at certain times, and although rare, when I meet someone who just clicks with me.

It feels like it is of the utmost importance, like it's something so important and yet intangible. I feel the urge to make people aware of what I experience, the urge to move closer to the universe.

It really is an awesome feeling and hard to put into words. I find myself wanting to share it with someone, but somehow I feel like they wont understand.

 

[arbygil]

You're not crazy at all. It's common among INFJs, I think, although it can happen in varying degrees to all of us. I'm drawn to certain cultures (either temporarily or for extended periods), certain places, certain people, and the like. It's tough to find people like us and when we do sometimes we'll click...and sometimes we won't - but we'll "feel" them differently.

It's like a thin, invisible string connecting us.

 

[Shai Gar]

read all of crowleys books, and levays books

it should help express the mystical better

 

[dylan]

YAWP!

+1, forrr sho'

And although I don't think it's strictly an INFJ thing, I do think INFJs are maybe more open/prone to having those kinds of experiences.

Kinda ties in with G.Kai's thread about what we're here for. To have those experiences, and bring back what we learn to the rest of the folks...

Like Shaz says - it's important.

 

[IndigoSensor]

Oh yeah, I get this ALOT. Like others said, this isn't just limited to INFJ's. I would imagine that N's would get it way more then S's, but any type I would imagine could have a moment or phase like this.

What I have noticed with me is when these attractions or drawn to things happen, they are the most powerful when they appear to be triggered by nothing.

 

[Ambrosia Lemon]

Very much so. I feel this way at least once a month. I think(for me at least) you are drawn to something to learn what you can from it , and then drawn to something else that has a connection to what you drawn to before. Who knows why? Maybe just to learn.
The more I walk and spend time in nature, the more at peace my mind seems to be, that I have those 'ah ha!" moments.

 

[Travo7]

Oh yeah, I get this ALOT. Like others said, this isn't just limited to INFJ's. I would imagine that N's would get it way more then S's, but any type I would imagine could have a moment or phase like this.

What I have noticed with me is when these attractions or drawn to things happen, they are the most powerful when they appear to be triggered by nothing.

Yeah, I totally agree with this.

 

[msjeenee]

This is hard to explain. I noticed that many people have deep, mystical, emotional experiences, or if "mystical" is too new-agey a word, then maybe just experiences that have a certain unexplainable quality too them, like, for example:

*Feeling drawn to a certain culture to which you are a total foreigner

*Having a sudden deep understanding of something you were previously oblivious to

*Feeling a deep immediate connection to someone you just met

*Having a "spiritual" moment when you are out in nature, where you have a philosophical understanding of life and the universe which seems to make absolute sense, maybe even bringing you to tears. (ok, I'm not crazy, right?)

All of these things happen to me with some regularity, but as a peculiarity, I noticed the ability I have to analyze or reflect on these experiences, to transform them into knowledge of the world, people or myself, and not just have this experience happen and remember it just as a moment when I "felt good", satisfied or something like that.

Does any of this make sense?

Is this something all INFJs have or is it just some random thing?


Your thoughts?

I can completely relate to everything you described.

Funny. I always wanted to know if others could do this or if I was the only one.

I like you....maybe because I'm like you.

 

[Spuddy]

*Feeling drawn to a certain culture to which you are a total foreigner


*Feeling a deep immediate connection to someone you just met

*Having a "spiritual" moment when you are out in nature, where you have a philosophical understanding of life and the universe which seems to make absolute sense, maybe even bringing you to tears. (ok, I'm not crazy, right?)

This happens too me too. Though it happens more often when I am walking in nature, perhaps this is why I love nature. Feeling an immediate connection to someone I have just met is also something that happens from time to time

 

[Travo7]

Thank you so much!

This thread... sums up what I feel is the essence, the most important thing in my life. I use the term mystical experience to describe them too.

When I experience that kind of things it feels like something is awaking deep down, at the very core of my self. Physically it starts from the bottom of the sternum, the solar plexus, and reverberates in all my chest.

It feels like it is of the utmost importance, like it's something so important and yet intangible. I feel the urge to make people aware of what I experience, the urge to move closer to the universe.

this : is of particular relevance to me. To the word! And no you're not crazy!! When that happens everything seems so much simpler, and the worries of your everyday life seem utterly unimportant. You feel like you belong, like you are but a little grain of sand but it brings you such joy. Bliss. Deep connection with the whole, with the universe.

Actually, I found this article interesting http://www.themystica.com/mystica/articles/m/mystical_experiences.html

It would be nice to have a thread where we could tell the most important ones We had... Though I don't know if it would really be of any use to people? What do you think?

Hey, thanks for the link. A very interesting article indeed.

I totally relate to what you wrote here:

"It feels like it is of the utmost importance, like it's something so important and yet intangible. I feel the urge to make people aware of what I experience, the urge to move closer to the universe."

I have even tried to tell people sometimes, but I usually get this response:

"I can tell there's something there, but I just don't get it."

oh well...

 

[Travo7]

I can completely relate to everything you described.

Funny. I always wanted to know if others could do this or if I was the only one.

I like you....maybe because I'm like you.

Hey thanks! It's good to talk about these things I think. It's just hard to find the right people IMO. I'm glad there are others out there, here I mean.

 

[Bored Now]

read all of crowleys books, and levays books

it should help express the mystical better

Bah to Anton levay (Satanism is a leetle too close to objectivism in my book and I despise Ayn Rand among other issues) but I'll agree with Crowley. He was a bit pompous and theatrical, but he knew his stuff. Besides pompous and theatical is amusing to me usually, so I don't hold that against him too bad.

Surprised how much I resonate with everything being expressed here. Part of the reason I got into Gnosticism when I was younger, trying to define the indefinable and all that rot. I always like when I get that weird instant recognition thing with people. It always starts off as this unspoken bond. It's comforting in a lonely way I can't describe.

Has this ever happened to you guys along the same lines of the instant recognition thing? Have any of you ever had this weird connection with an acquaintance? Someone that you didn't know beyond thier name but that you felt... an unspoken kinship with that was inexplicable. Like you knew this person on some level better than your closest friends? But it remains mostly unspoken though you know the other person feel this too?


The first time it happened was with a girl named Michelle in the 7th -9th grades. We moved in completely different circles with not one friend in common. Had completely different interests and were completely different people. Never even talked, but we were sure to say Hello to each other if we saw each other. One day out of the blue she said
"Nickey, will you split this muffin with me? I don't want to eat the whole thing"

And so we split a muffin. And then she says "We're friends in a strange way, aren't we?" I knew immediately what she meant and said yes. I don't think we said more than "hi" afterwards until I changed schools. But I still felt... oddly close to her. Like despite all outside appearances, we were made of the same stuff on this really intrinsic level. The only thing we had in common is that we were both quiet. (Her: popular, blond with the most BEAUTIFUL eyes you've ever seen. Everyone would compliment her on them. They were this placid blue that was arresting. Preppy Good Girl. Richer than God. Me: angsty, sarcastic, poor, dark and subversive...but more infamous than popular. I raised hell because I was always sticking up for people though. I can't stand bullies.)

Anayway, it's happend a couple of times since, but that was the first. It's always cool though.. like a work- free friendship. God, I type alot when I drink tequila. I suppose I better switch to whiskey then... Sorry if there are a bunch of typos.. The weekend starts early tonight. WOOT!

 

[corvidae]

I had an experience when I was an INTP, and I think it was one of the things that turned me into an INFJ. At school I met an ESFP, and we became friends pretty quickly, despite my being an antisocial loser. I was pretty surprised when a week after her graduation party of 50+ people, I got a long card thanking me for going. Only then was it obvious how much we connected, despite completely different personalities.

This kind of feeling is happening more often now. When I have a lot of time to daydream (usually on the bus home), I get these sudden flashes of inspiration where the world suddenly makes sense. Or, a song that I've listened to for years brings me to tears for the first time.

There's a girl in one of my classes who almost never speaks, and my conversations with her are always awkward. Yet for some reason I feel a bizzare connection with her.

I'm guessing this feeling is what evangelicals mean when they say they've seen "God's grace" or "the Word of God".

 

[Soulful]

I feel strangely left-out.
Mostly because I like experiences like that.
And - this is so silly - makes me question my own INFJness - only because I've been questioning it for a long time now.. but anyways.

The thing about energy coursing through your body:

[SIZE=Default]When I experience that kind of things it feels like something is awaking deep down, at the very core of my self. Physically it starts from the bottom of the sternum, the solar plexus, and reverberates in all my chest. (Shaz)[/SIZE]

Maybe it's energy moving through your chakras? If you believe in chakras/energy..

 

[Wyote]

I noticed the ability I have to analyze or reflect on these experiences, to transform them into knowledge of the world, people or myself, and not just have this experience happen and remember it just as a moment when I "felt good", satisfied or something like that.

Does any of this make sense?

Is this something all INFJs have or is it just some random thing?


Your thoughts?

Yea, I'd say that's the most important element to it all. I can't say it's specific to INFJs, but it is definitely an important aspect to the process of absorbing an experience like this. Making sense of it and then applying it in a practical way in my life has made me a stronger person.

 

[rainrise]

i don't believe in love at first sight, but taken to account something did happen to me that fit just that phrase in its common definition requires a better explanation if it was to be plausible.

i would liken it to a mystical experience as the first time i saw that person, i felt an immediate pull toward them. it was a feeling that was far greater than myself and i could never forget the surge of sheer intrigue that seemed to overwhelm me so entirely. it was not infatuation, but a pang of familiarity and intense fondness. i could describe it as a form of intuitive knowing. a knowing that somehow, this stranger i had never met before was important to me. yes, it was not logical nor did it make any common sense to have felt that way, but deep down it was intelligible to me.

that was the one of the strangest experiences i have had and it cannot be understood rationally (and still dumbfounds me to an extent). later on, the person really did play an important role in my life and continues to do so.

 

[TaylorS]

I've had "mystical" experiences, but I don't think there is anything supernatural to them (I'm an atheist), but to me they are a profound sense of understanding, and sense of oneness with the rest of the universe.