Altered States of Consciousness

What is the spiritual experience of Knowing and how does it differ from religious faith or belief? I will try to answer these questions based on my own spiritual experiences. It is an event that may be difficult to grasp through description, and for some difficult to believe without experiencing it themselves.

The spiritual type of knowing discussed here does not refer to factual knowledge, languages, or memory. Rather, as used here, it refers to an inexplicable revelation of spiritual truths of which one suddenly somehow knows with absolute certainty.

The Knowing may take place in a brief, spontaneous altered state of consciousness,  or simply by an abrupt, strong flood of thought. Either mode is sure to get one’s attention and there will be no doubt that something extraordinary has occurred. The knowledge given in this manner may be previously unknown to the recipient, or it may involve something of which the recipient had prior knowledge, but which had not taken deep root in their spiritual awareness.

A characteristic aspect of this type of knowing is that it is  unexpected, and sometimes powerful and overwhelming. It is a spiritual experience unlike anything you may have witnessed before. This is in contrast to faith and belief which are somewhat abstract, intentional commitments that one makes regarding religious and spiritual matters. That is not to say that spiritual experience cannot arise from foundations of faith, but rather faith and belief are not experiences in and of themselves.

For example, one may have faith and believe that there is a God, accepting His existence as a concept. Whereas, a Knowing would be to palpably experience His presence and qualities in an altered state of awareness.

In my book, I describe some of my spiritual experiences of Knowing. Each one was transformative and together they have changed the way I live, think, and view the world. They provided much of the impetus for this website.

The experience of Knowing is not something that one can willfully create. One must be spiritually ready to receive the knowledge it brings. A Knowing is a spontaneous event for which the factors or circumstances needed for its occurrence are largely unknown. It is my belief that if one has an open mind concerning spirituality, a genuine desire for spiritual truth, and strives for purity of heart that they may become fertile ground for the spiritual experience of Knowing.

You may like to see the following related articles:

What is Spiritual Awareness?

Faith and Spiritual Awareness