[obz900]

Something interesting happened to me today so I decided to post this. I was working on my roof just as it was getting dark, listening to music and such. I stood up and looked out across the city and something happened that I don't think I can accurately describe in words. The entire day, I was focused on what needed to be done. Step 1, Step 2, etc. And during that very brief moment on the roof, my entire perspective on life changed. I became very euphoric and the craziest, most beautiful thoughts ran through my head.

I quickly thought of things that had been troubling me so as to get a different perspective on them. And they didn't seem so bad. I don't want to say it was an epiphany or anything, because it wasn't like I suddenly found the solution to a problem or anything. It was just like this tiny little glimmer of clairvoyance.

This has happened before, but not often. Most of the time it happens when I'm outside and surrounded by nature. It wouldn't seem so significant, except it is definitely different from the every day daydreaming I experience as an INFP. The closest thing I can compare it to is an extended orgasm



Has anyone experienced anything like this?

[susurration]

We talked about this in a thread about stargazing about a month ago (and maybe another thread now that I think about it)

I described it as a moment of supreme consciousness that carries through for a period, and I alikened it to an orgasm too. An experience-gasm. Another member said it had a name - 'peak experience' Peak experience - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I experience these all the time - after I went through an isolated existential crisis... and something in me clicked.. and now I can summon a sense of calm and which involves the suspension of 'meaning and thought' for pure acceptance, often. Sometimes it takes a whole day to 'wake up' to myself to reach that 'peak experience'.

I don't know if we are talking of the same thing, but regardless... it's a fabulous experience. Sometimes it pushes me to just do things. Just get things done with urgency, because this is it.
But most of the time, I just feel very calm. I don't need to do anything at all. Just enjoy the moment.

I have experienced it in beautiful environments.

[obz900]

We talked about this in a thread about stargazing about a month ago (and maybe another thread now that I think about it)

I described it as a moment of supreme consciousness that carries through for a period, and I alikened it to an orgasm too. An experience-gasm. Another member said it had a name - 'peak experience' Peak experience - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I experience these all the time - after I went through an isolated existential crisis... and something in me clicked.. and now I can summon a sense of calm and which involves the suspension of 'meaning and thought' for pure acceptance, often. Sometimes it takes a whole day to 'wake up' to myself to reach that 'peak experience'.

I don't know if we are talking of the same thing, but regardless... it's a fabulous experience. Sometimes it pushes me to just do things. Just get things done with urgency, because this is it.
But most of the time, I just feel very calm. I don't need to do anything at all. Just enjoy the moment.

I have experienced it in beautiful environments.

Wow, that Wiki article perfectly described it. Thank you.

[Shaneus]

Would you say it's a permanent perspective change or just temporary? I'll often have times where I can look at certain issues in my life from a different point of view, but always revert back. If I can somehow make that permanent or even just draw from it easier (or more subconsciously) then I think my life would be far less problematic and somewhat "easier".

[Sily]

Wow, obz900 - pretty cool. I wonder if you had a sudden release of a chemical in your brain that changed your thoughts (adreneline, serotonin, dopamine, endorphins?)-- like something was messing with your pineal gland. Whatever it was, you felt and thought it and that can't be denied. I hope you have more experiences like this.

[Aero]

Can't remember having this, but something potentially similar maybe. It would almost sound like the same thing, but without being awake for it. I sometimes go into a state of rest that isn't sleep as far as I can tell, but isn't being awake, I'm not sure what it is. And everything just seems right and ok and good with the world. Like there are no real problems and there's a solution for any problems I've had on my mind. For certain things, maybe they can't be fixed, but there's a sense of "it's ok, we can just <do such and such>", as in doing something that just transcends/supersedes/over-(somethings) the issue. For example, I'd been worried a lot recently about if X happens, then Y will happen, and you can't prevent X. Then in this state the feeling is like, "so what, we can just accept Y, what's the problem?"

I get thinking about the most awesome things, seem to find solutions that I never realized were there all along, but I can never remember what I was thinking, only how I felt about it. And it bugs me, because I know whatever it was made me so happy. An idea, or realization, or opportunity, or possibility. A new exciting revelation that significantly improves things. Something great I realized that was not only possible but within my grasp, something real.

It's dreamlike, but it isn't the same as regular dreaming (or daydreaming, exactly, hmm). It's almost like just thinking like normal, but in more of a dreamstate or something. It's really hard for me to understand, let alone describe...

[susurration]

Can't remember having this, but something potentially similar maybe. It would almost sound like the same thing, but without being awake for it. I sometimes go into a state of rest that isn't sleep as far as I can tell, but isn't being awake, I'm not sure what it is. And everything just seems right and ok and good with the world. Like there are no real problems and there's a solution for any problems I've had on my mind. For certain things, maybe they can't be fixed, but there's a sense of "it's ok, we can just <do such and such>", as in doing something that just transcends/supersedes/over-(somethings) the issue. For example, I'd been worried a lot recently about if X happens, then Y will happen, and you can't prevent X. Then in this state the feeling is like, "so what, we can just accept Y, what's the problem?"

I get thinking about the most awesome things, seem to find solutions that I never realized were there all along, but I can never remember what I was thinking, only how I felt about it. And it bugs me, because I know whatever it was made me so happy. An idea, or realization, or opportunity, or possibility. A new exciting revelation that significantly improves things. Something great I realized that was not only possible but within my grasp, something real.

It's dreamlike, but it isn't the same as regular dreaming (or daydreaming, exactly, hmm). It's almost like just thinking like normal, but in more of a dreamstate or something. It's really hard for me to understand, let alone describe...

Does this sound a bit like Ni to anyone else? it sounds a bit like a different realm of consciousness to me too (research on hypnosis suggests there is more than just one form of consciousness i.e. split consciousness. A lot of evidence for that is based on case studies, but still, it's interesting to think about). But I have to say, I experience much of what you referred to in your second paragraph, Aero. Often all I have to do is force a switch of consciousness, and I can alter a perspective, get an answer to a problem, or gain a fresh set of eyes to view things.

This leads me to the point I was going to make. I forgot to mention earlier that I have perspective changes (sometimes extended) every few days. I grow and change at a fast rate- sometimes I go backwards, but little by little I work up to a paradigm shift. I see it when I look at diary entries of mine, or even things i've posted here from a month ago. Right now, I am not "where I was" last month. I suppose it may come down to the switch of consciousness I discussed earlier, and others in this thread.

[refugee]

I have similar experiences also, I sometimes get so ecstatic that I just end up in another world. I can't explain it, but it feels something like being in a place of perfect peace and bliss. I couldn't bottle and sell this experience if I could.

[obz900]

Would you say it's a permanent perspective change or just temporary? I'll often have times where I can look at certain issues in my life from a different point of view, but always revert back. If I can somehow make that permanent or even just draw from it easier (or more subconsciously) then I think my life would be far less problematic and somewhat "easier".

Yes it's the same for me. Definitely a temporary change, sometimes lasting only 20 or so seconds. I have never tried forcing these "moments" either. They seem to come and go at random.

[bmk2307]

Yea! Stargazing is definitely one of those activities that fosters that way of thinking.

I also experienced it while traveling abroad. It was my 2nd day in Berlin (out of a month in Germany) and I dropped my camera on the cement and broke the lens. I was so frustrated at first and angry, and determined to be angry and feel bad for myself the rest of the week. Then, while standing on the ground where Hitler's bunker used to be, I suddenly had received a sense of peace. It didn't really matter. There was no reason to get upset about it because what happened had happened, and there is no reason to let that effect the rest of my trip. Looking back, I am glad that it happened, in a way. It forced me to stop at the sights we saw and actually look at them and at the details. My friends would just snap a picture and move on. I would be lagging behind trying to take it all in. Now, I can look at a picture from the trip and know exactly where it was taken, while my friends have no idea. That moment of clarity has helped shape the way that I think about things.