Are Spiritual Experiences Important?

I spent ten years living in India with a great spiritual master and Guru.  And although he talked often of spiritual experiences he always made a point to emphasize what is not so obvious - that experiences are simply stops along the way and have nothing to do with a quiet mind and a peaceful heart. 

Many seekers confuse experiences with a state of being and that is simply not the case.  Spiritual experiences come when the mind is quiet.  Only then does the heart open and we have the ability to access other realms.  The irony is that sometimes these experiences happen when we are stoned, drinking or taking drugs.  We get a mind blowing experience only to forget it the next day!!

These experiences, regardless of how they come about, are always a result of grace, a divine opportunity for us to "see" to the heart of the matter.  No one's experiences are like anyone else's and no one can tell you what these mean for you.  There is an unequivocal quality to these experiences; they are the truth for you and they are not up for debate.  In an instant, they can shift the way you look at the world, but they are not a magic bullet.  I know many people who are psychic, have had visions, heard voices, etc.  You can have the most incredible experience and still have a messed-up life. 

Remember, experiences exist in the present moment - not the past or the future - and if you try to make them something more than what they are and hold on to them without having a congruent life of substance, you will feel disjointed and out of sync, always trying to re-capture a time gone by.  The importance of these experiences is to show us there is something more, and that it is joyful and infinite.

If you are lucky enough to have one of these experiences, hopefully you can put it in the right context and make it work for you.  Nothing substitutes for hard work and the right attitude.  Living a spiritual life is more than an experience; it is making loving choices on a daily basis and having a quiet mind. 

Comments

[S Hood]

How timely this is, Chandra! I spent two evenings this past weekend with a mystic guru and attempted meditation for the first time in my life. It is an interesting experience, and I came away with some enlightenment. The guru would agree with what you say here, and I do, too. Thank you for sharing your widsom!

[Daily Spiritual Tools]

No matter how long a person has been meditating it is always nice to have different perspectives. I really enjoyed your blog and this post. One line particularly caught my attention, "The importance of these experiences is to show us there is something more, and that it is joyful and infinite." That is so true! I believe love, joy, and bliss are our natural states. We spend a lifetime of forgetting and remembering. I've been sharing my tools on my blog and would love your feedback. Namaste, Sherry

Daily Spiritual Tools

[Chandra Alexander]

Thanks so much for your comments. Spiritual experiences are often misunderstood and it is important to put them in the "right" context. Enjoy your experience but always remember it is just an experience - no more or less than any other. The greatest spiritual experience in the world is to be PRESENT - moment by moment, and when that is occuring, there is no longer anyone to talk about the experience.