What Is A Spiritual Encounter

According to polls, there's a 50-50 chance you've experienced at least one spiritual encounter – an overwhelming sense that you've touched God or entered another realm of reality.

So, have you ever pondered if such experiences were all in your brain or if they genuinely happened? According to scientists, the answer might be both.

Jeff Schimmel is the man to talk to if you're looking for proof that religion is all in your head. The 49-year-old writer was raised in a Conservative Jewish household in Los Angeles. But he didn't believe in God until he was touched by something outside of himself.

Schimmel had a benign tumor removed from his left temporal lobe about a decade ago. The operation went off without a hitch. But, unbeknownst to him, he began to have mini-seizures soon after. In his thoughts, he could hear conversations. People around him would occasionally appear slightly surreal, as if they were animated.

Then there were the visions. He recalls looking up at the ceiling twice while lying in bed and seeing a swirl of blue, gold, and green hues that gradually settled into a shape. He was baffled as to what it was.

What is an encounter with the Holy Spirit?

Holy Spirit Encounters are three-day Spirit-filled conferences for men, women, and teen boys and girls. They are intended for devout followers of Jesus who want to grow stronger in their faith.

You'll hear God's Word spoken, show devotion and adoration through praise and worship, and experience healing and freedom through God's love and power at Holy Spirit Encounter. In the lives of Christ's disciples, we want to create a valuable and relevant ENCOUNTER with the Person, Presence, Power, and Presence of the Holy Spirit.

Guests receive biblically-based instruction on Christian fundamentals such as God's love, forgiveness, the Holy Spirit, faith and healing, and spiritual gifts at the conferences. Guests can receive personal prayer for inner healing and deliverance during Encounter Weekends. Each visitor will also be able to receive prayer for the Holy Spirit's release/baptism in their lives.

Encounter Weekends are designed to refresh the spiritual foundations of Jesus' teachings and to seek a new anointing from the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We want to empower God's people to carry out Jesus' ministry in the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

What are some examples of spiritual experiences?

A spiritual experience is defined as an occurrence that is beyond human comprehension in terms of how it may have occurred in the first place. Situations like avoiding death in an otherwise deadly situation or incomprehensible monetary gain are examples of these types of encounters. Another example is looking back in time to see how things unfolded in ways you could never have imagined. While you may not have had a “burning bush” encounter, you should be aware that spiritual experiences are not one-size-fits-all. Here are some suggestions to help you determine if you experienced a spiritual encounter or not.

How do I pray to encounter with God?

In the name of Jesus, Father, give me an encounter this morning; don't let me go back empty.

A divine meeting has the power to transform a man's name and bring mercy into his life. Bartimeaus came across Jesus, and Jesus was moved by mercy to pay attention to him.

The heavenly encounter takes place in God's presence. Anyone who chooses to pitch his tent next to God will have a divine encounter.

• An ENCOUNTER with God ensures comprehensive LIFE and DESTINY transformation. Jacob was supposed to be slain, yet he was praised in the end.
• To COUNTER the enemy's goal, it involves an ENCOUNTER with God. Jacob's interaction with Esau helped him defeat Esau's plan, and instead of being slain, he was lauded.
• A meeting with God transforms a NONENTITY into a CELEBRITY. Jacob became well-known. When Esau saw him, he was overjoyed.
• You were put on the path of destiny and fulfillment by a divine meeting. When Jacob met God, he was on a mission to find satisfaction.

In Exodus 3, Moses was tending to his father-in-sheep law's when he noticed a bush burning, but it was not burnt. He had a divine encounter with God and was placed on a road of destiny and fulfillment. Pharaoh bowed before the one who was in the bush later became the leader of Israel.

In John 5:2-13, a man who had been sick for 38 years met Christ. Even angels saw him, but they passed him by, but Jesus saw him and said to him, “Pick your bed and go,” and the 38 years vanished.

In Matthew 9:20-22, a woman with a blood issue had a heavenly encounter; she had been wallowing in pains for 12 years before meeting Jesus, but she was made whole.

In Acts 9:1-22, Paul was on a journey when he met God, and his life changed forever from being a sinner to becoming a saint.

You must position yourself in God's presence by praying earnestly in order to have a heavenly experience. Jacob realized this and prepared himself to pray in order to have a spiritual encounter. Moses set himself up for a divine meeting by remaining faithful and dedicated to his work, and he achieved his goal. The man at Bethesda's pool positioned himself for Jesus to see him; he wasn't the only one there, but Jesus singled him out. Despite the massive crowd around Jesus, the woman with the blood issue prepared herself for an encounter and the flow was halted, she received her miracle. Instead of walking in the dark, Paul positioned himself to meet Jesus, and his light shone.

Fear, bad nightmares, sickness, curses, struggles, and disappointments might bind you, but you will be set free when you hear God's voice and have an encounter with Him.

• In the name of Jesus, Father, let everything that is keeping me back hear your voice and free me right now.
• In the name of Jesus, Heavenly Father, don't only find me this morning; visit me and let my shining begin.
• In the name of Jesus, Father, may I flourish and shine in all areas as a result of this holy experience in the presence of people who thought I couldn't be anything.
• Jesus, Lord, In the name of Jesus, I extend my hands before you, release what will convert my destiny into my hands, and assist me in all areas.
• God is sending you a new shoe because of this holy encounter. Every improper shoe you are wearing is bringing your destiny backward.
• God has just given you an idea that will lead to your prosperity right now.
• In the name of Jesus, consume the Satanic covering that prevents your countless lights from shining.
• Every evil hand attempting to stop you will wither today, and no force will be able to stop you.

What does it mean to spiritually awaken?

Psychological research on spiritual and kundalini awakenings is still in its early stages, and it has tended to ignore events that occur suddenly and unexpectedly. Studies on the impact of mystical experiences, such as spiritual and kundalini awakenings, on well-being have identified the predominantly positive, healing effects of these experiences, as well as some of the more challenging aspects brought on both by their disruptive nature and by their typically biased clinical interpretations. Despite a greater number of research addressing the powerful physical aspect of kundalini awakenings compared to spiritual awakenings, the subtle phenomenological variations between spiritual and kundalini awakenings have rarely been studied. The interchangeable use of these terminology could make it difficult to comprehend these experiences and their effects, especially as stronger bodily feelings may imply more difficult outcomes. Some of the phenomenological and neurobiological bases of drug and non-drug induced ASCs, as well as the links between the spiritual features of ASCs and the symptoms of TLE and trait absorption, have been investigated by neuroscientific and psychological study. However, SSA/SKAs have yet to be mapped within the ASC framework, and the common predictors used to research ASCs (TLL and absorption) have not been tested as efficient predictors of SSA/SKAs.

This paper will explore the general properties of SSA/SKAs, their consequences on well-being, how they compare to other measurable ASCs, their links with TLL and absorption, and the potential phenomenological variations between them in order to fill certain gaps in the data. The authors hypothesize that Spontaneous Kundalini Awakenings (SKAs) are not only more physical than Spontaneous Spiritual Awakenings (SSAs), but also more likely to produce negative experiences, based on the prevalence of anecdotal accounts of physical and energetic experiences preceding challenging kundalini experiences. After that, the phenomenological distribution of spontaneous Spiritual and Kundalini Awakenings will be mapped within the ASC framework by comparing their phenomenological distribution to that of non-drug and drug-induced ASCs. Following a similar approach to the investigation of induced ASCs, analysis will be undertaken to evaluate the hypothesis that TLL and trait absorption predict the severity of the SSA/SKA ASC. More research will be done to see how the SSA/SKA sample's population distribution compares to the distribution of previously reported “normal” TLL and absorption samples. The short- and long-term effects of these events on one's well-being will be investigated.

What spirituality means?

Spirituality is defined as the awareness of a feeling, sense, or belief that there is something more to being human than sensory experience, and that the greater total of which we are a part is cosmic or divine in nature. True spirituality necessitates the opening of one's heart.

What part of the brain controls spirituality?

This new study, conducted by Yale University and Columbia University's Spirituality Mind Body Institute, looked at the experiences of people from various religions and with varying definitions of what makes spirituality.

Neurobiological Home For The Spiritual Experience

The “parietal cortex,” or more precisely, the “left inferior parietal lobule,” is the part of the brain that processes spiritual experiences. When a person becomes aware of himself or others, this area of the brain is also stimulated. It is also boosted when a person's attention abilities are used.

The researchers interviewed 27 young adults for their study, which was led by Marc Potenza, a Yale Child Study Center professor of psychiatry and neuroscience. They inquired about their previous stressful, calming, and spiritual experiences.

Following the interview, the subjects were subjected to fMRI scans while listening to recordings of their transcendent experiences.

Even though they had diverse spiritual experiences, their brains exhibited identical activity emanating from the parietal cortex, according to the fMRI images. While they continued to listen to their respective recordings or, in effect, as they experienced their various transcendent states, the participants' brain waves replicated a similar pattern.

“We observed reduced activity in the left inferior parietal lobule (IPL) in the spiritual condition compared to the neutral-relaxing condition, a result that suggests the IPL may contribute significantly to perceptual processing and self-other representations during spiritual experiences,” the researchers wrote in the study published in the journal Cerebral Cortex.

The study also found that spiritual stimuli made the brain's medial thalamus and caudate, which are involved for sensory and emotional processing, less sensitive than stress.

Spiritual Experience And Mental Health

The scientists determined that spiritual experience is not restricted to an individual's level of religiosity based on similar brain patterns observed despite the individuals' differing perspectives on spirituality.

Spiritual experience can range from a sense of being one with God to a sense of being one with nature or when one accepts humanity. It can be as simple as being elated during a sporting game to have a spiritual experience.

Finally, the researchers claim that the study will aid professionals in better understanding how spiritual experiences affect people's mental health.

“Spiritual experiences are powerful states that can have a significant impact on people's life,” Potenza explained.

He added that “understanding the brain basis of spiritual experiences may help us better comprehend their roles in resilience and recovery from mental health and addiction diseases.”

What are the spiritual activities?

Finding meaning and purpose in life may be a lifelong process that changes over time as a result of unique circumstances, personal experiences, and global events. A person's level of spiritual wellness, like the other dimensions of wellness, varies throughout their life. It's common to feel a range of emotions on the route to spiritual healing, both positive and negative (hope, forgiveness, acceptance, joy) (doubt, fear, disappointment, conflict).

Spiritual wellbeing has the power to make our decisions and choices easier, to center us during times of change, and to provide us with the resiliency to face hardship with grace and inner peace. Having a spiritual component in our lives may even assist us in healing whether we are afflicted with a physical or mental ailment.

Personal Reflection

Take a moment to measure your spiritual well-being by answering the following questions.

• Do I make an effort to broaden my understanding of various ethnic, racial, and religious groups?

Practice Spiritual Wellness

When it comes to spiritual wellness, it's vital to identify the strategy and approach that works best for you; unlike the other dimensions of wellness, there is no “one size fits all” solution.

• Volunteering in your community, spending time in nature, and appreciating music and the arts are all good things to do.

In future articles regarding spiritual wellness, we'll look at ways to figure out what your meaning or purpose is, as well as activities that can help you maintain or improve your spiritual wellness.