October Spiritual Exercise: Faith

Let’s reflect on a very personal component of faith. Have you ever had a mystical experience? An experience, most likely quite brief, in which you felt something like: one-ness, connectedness, euphoria, deep joy, deep peace, epiphany, ecstasy, flight, presence, understanding, communion with God, ultimate reality, oceanic feeling? (To list just a few descriptors…!)

A Pew Research survey from 2009 says that about half of Americans have had such an experience, and half do not report one. So whether you’ve had one or not, don’t worry, you are normal.

If you have had a mystical experience:

Spend some time reflecting on that experience. Where were you? How old were you? What was happening around you? Who were you with? What happened before and after the experience? How often do you think of it? How has it affected your life—your choices, desires, hopes, and beliefs? What are ways you may seek to bring that mystical experience into your life again?

If you would not describe your experiences as mystical:

Reflect on experiences in your life that felt ground-breaking, mind-blowing, life-changing. Where were you? How old were you? What was happening around you? Who were you with? What happened before and after the experience? How often do you think of it? How has it affected your life—your choices, desires, hopes, and beliefs? What are ways you may seek to bring that meaningful experience into your life again?

Share your experience(s) and reflection with your covenant group.

Spiritual Exercises and Covenant Groups: We print the spiritual exercises every week for individual use and also for discussion in Covenant Groups. If you would like to learn more about Covenant Groups, see this page or speak to Membership Director Andy Wells-Bean at membership@follen.org. Note: Catherine Collins is covering for Andy during his parental leave until October 12.