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Experiences in Religions
- Thread starter Psalm23
- Start date
I fear I could go on days on this.... there's been so many.
I've had positive and direct experiences both in personal worship and prayer, and also at the temple I attend. I've had negative experiences when I was in environments that didn't fit me. People I've met along the path have contributed to both of these.
I've had positive and direct experiences both in personal worship and prayer, and also at the temple I attend. I've had negative experiences when I was in environments that didn't fit me. People I've met along the path have contributed to both of these.
Spirit of Light
Be who ever you want
For me, religious practice has opened my eyes to what I am not
And it opened my eyes to what had to be left in my past for me to move on 
Likely not the kind of experience you're taking about but it stuck with me
I remember I had brought my friend to an Anglican Mass, whereas before she'd only been to a Catholic one. We were kneeling at the little rail for reception of Communion and the Vicar came to her. She was adamantly refusing to take it because in the RCC you have to fulfil certain requirements in order to take it, but in the Anglican communion you can take it no matter. So I'm silently urging her, You can take it!! She took it. The Vicar and I found it wholesomely humorous.
I remember I had brought my friend to an Anglican Mass, whereas before she'd only been to a Catholic one. We were kneeling at the little rail for reception of Communion and the Vicar came to her. She was adamantly refusing to take it because in the RCC you have to fulfil certain requirements in order to take it, but in the Anglican communion you can take it no matter. So I'm silently urging her, You can take it!! She took it. The Vicar and I found it wholesomely humorous.
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In no particular order but what comes to my mind:
Peace and the satisfaction of a mental enlightening in the presence of the Lord Jesus.
Embarrassment at confessing a sin against a priest to said priest.
Annoyance at children running around near me.
Cringe and wanting to sink into the ground when introduced to a massive group of people.
Shame from not having fancier clothing for my own Baptism.
Joy when being able to talk to an educated priest on theology.
Depression when said priest was transferred due to the evil of another priest.
Euphoria at meeting God in prayer and learning the glory of all creation.
Peace when receiving the Eucharist.
Crying tears of joy at seeing others including children receiving it.
Awkwardness at not knowing where to look when someone was in the pew in front of me.
Satisfaction when growing in knowledge of Latin and the meaning of prayers in Latin.
Excitement when reading a theological article that opened up many new understandings for me (jumping up and aggressively pacing the floor while sweating kind of excitement).
Awe when I saw a Saint immediately answered my prayers despite being evil to them in the past.
Annoyance at the cost of certain books.
Being impressed at the knowledge of many older men who were holy and desiring to be like them.
Joy when reading the Scriptures and various early Christian works for the first time.
That's some of 'em, there are a lot.
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
I've only been Nichiren Buddhist and Catholic (not at the same time) formally mostly in my late teen years after 20 or so. I don't know if I can say I had negative experiences as a whole. I didn't care for the heavy influence it has with politics and the "cultish" (that's what it felt like) focus on happiness was unattractive. Here's some things about it. https://www.nichirenshoshu.or.jp/eng/practice.html. I was there for about half a year and its off shoot SGI for about a year. Experiences? After I found out the members didn't want to speak with me anymore after I left or just called to see if I'm coming to the meeting and general sense of uneasiness about promoting "happiness" through extensive chanting, there's really nothing bad about it. It's more to each his own type of thing.
I haven't had bad experiences in catholicism. I had a priest yell at me in confession when I thought something was wrong when it was just he was sleeping. I left cause of the theology and never believed in a creator. The experiences in the Church are numerous. I wouldnt know where to start really. Here's something I wrote 2015. Why I left Christianity and values I've learned by it
Wow. So far I changed in my dialogue approach since then. Least so far I've noticed. Interesting.
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
To tell you honestly, guys, I don't even know who'se talking me or the person I was replying to.
Psalm23
Well-Known Member
I’m not sure what you mean.
I was on pilgrimage to the sacred stone temples of South India. I had hired a driver for the tour. We were at a particularly large temple that is only now regaining its once famous popularity, a massive edifice, a national historic site, simply referred to as the Big temple. (Thanjavur)
I have instructed the driver to take me at opening time, which is 7 AM. This morning it's not particularly busy, about 20 people waiting at the gate. I suddenly realise that I've forgotten to buy a flower mala, so I ask the driver to go back to the streets where markets are open, and buy one, then meet me inside. The twenty or so devotees follow the priest the 100 metres or so across the courtyard, past the massive Nandi, and up into the sacred space known as Tanjore. All of us are audibly or inaudibly chanting the sacred mantram of Saivism to ourselves.
The priest opens the door, and does the initial waking aarti, and we stand and watch. Soon many of the devotees, after prostrating, or taking the flame from a distance, leave ... until all have left, except me, the priest, and the sacred lingam in the sanctum. I stand there enraptured, pondering how this happened, in awe, for whatever time it was, somewhere between a minute, and a half an hour. One of the most famous temples in a country of 1.3 billion people, and I have this place to myself. Whoa.
Amazing place. At festival time there may be as many as 100 temple musician pairs. For the 1000th anniversary they had a 1000 bharatya natyam dancer performance.
I have instructed the driver to take me at opening time, which is 7 AM. This morning it's not particularly busy, about 20 people waiting at the gate. I suddenly realise that I've forgotten to buy a flower mala, so I ask the driver to go back to the streets where markets are open, and buy one, then meet me inside. The twenty or so devotees follow the priest the 100 metres or so across the courtyard, past the massive Nandi, and up into the sacred space known as Tanjore. All of us are audibly or inaudibly chanting the sacred mantram of Saivism to ourselves.
The priest opens the door, and does the initial waking aarti, and we stand and watch. Soon many of the devotees, after prostrating, or taking the flame from a distance, leave ... until all have left, except me, the priest, and the sacred lingam in the sanctum. I stand there enraptured, pondering how this happened, in awe, for whatever time it was, somewhere between a minute, and a half an hour. One of the most famous temples in a country of 1.3 billion people, and I have this place to myself. Whoa.
Amazing place. At festival time there may be as many as 100 temple musician pairs. For the 1000th anniversary they had a 1000 bharatya natyam dancer performance.
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
Oh. My post in the thread I linked. It has a mixed style of writing and I normally don't red highlight my text since it's harsh on my eyes. That or I could have mixed up the quoting.