How Do Spiritual Experiences Change Us? (materialism)

[Sunstone]

Are people changed by spiritual experiences? If so, in what way(s)?

Do different kinds of spiritual experiences change people in different ways? Or, do all spiritual experiences tend to change people in the same ways?

Can you tell when someone else has had a spiritual experience in their life even without your being told by them? If so, what are the clues that let you know they've had a spiritual experience at some time in their lives?

Is it possible to misinterpret a spiritual experience in such a way that it doesn't change you? Or, do spiritual experiences have some changing effect(s) on you no matter what your interpretation of them is?

Is it easier to describe the consequences of a spiritual experience than it is to describe the contents of one?

Please note: For the purposes of this thread, a spirtitual experience is an experience of connectedness to all things. You are free of course to use your own definition of spiritual experience, but please specify how you are defining the term if you define it differently from an experience of connectedness to all things. Thanks!

[Booko]

Originally Posted by Sunstone

Can you tell when someone else has had a spiritual experience in their life even without your being told by them? If so, what are the clues that let you know they've had a spiritual experience at some time in their lives?

Two of the kindest, calmest, most unrattleable people I've ever met, as it turns out, both had Near Death Experiences (NDE). They both reported having a sense of the "bigger picture" of that connectedness you mention, and had a different sense of priorities in life. Any materialism that was there before was right out the window, and it was all having a positive effect on the world. I don't mean in terms of doing great charitable works or anything, but those little everyday moments where we can choose to hinder or help others.

[Feathers in Hair]

I've been thinking about this long and hard and I believe that, if one is changed by a spiritual experience, it is in that one moves closer to being ones 'true self.' (Or remembering oneself, rather.)

[Guitar's Cry]

I would say that if it didn't change you, then you either wasted the experience, it wasn't genuinely spiritual, or you are already quite a spiritual fellow.

[jacquie4000]

I have a very close friend who had a near death experiance. Before she had this she did not really see her children for who they were, or how lucky she truely was in life. She was actually kind of a cold type of person and quite selfish at times as I would tell her. After her experiance. She saw her life and children in a different light. She does not take advantage of what life has to offer now.

[1nharmony]

We are influenced (changed) by all of the experiences in our lives, including the spiritual ones if you are lucky to have them. The influence of an experience is usually subtle and changes occur over a lifetime of numerous and varied experiences. Rarely do we see a major change reflected by one experience. If you run into someone you haven't seen in twenty years you will probably notice changes that are not simply physical. But you may have to know them well in order to reach the depths of spirit where the changes have occured.

[mostly harmless]

I think a person will be changed if they allow themselves to be changed.

[Sunstone]

Originally Posted by The Ever Rabble Rousing Feathers in Hair

I've been thinking about this long and hard and I believe that, if one is changed by a spiritual experience, it is in that one moves closer to being ones 'true self.' (Or remembering oneself, rather.)

By chance, would this "true self" you speak of have anything to do with gnome gnapping?

More seriously, could you elaborate on what you mean by "remembering oneself"? Is our true self something that we remember?