Comments by Jaana

Haha! Brilliant!

Thank you so much for the download option.
I will add this to my "mood-lifting compilation" CD. :-)

Aloha!

3. If you don't accept the supernatural, you obviously think life is depressing, meaningless and cold

Comment #81884 by Jaana on October 25, 2007 at 10:47 am

I spent most of my youthful years in search of the "meaning of life;" exploring everything from Philosophy, Religion, Science/Physics, and then various forms of Spirituality.

Upon looking back, my most miserable years where those during which I became involved in either religious groups or "New age" (spiritual) groups.

Religion, as we all know, speaks a great deal about "sin" and thus, it is not surprising that i felt very poorly about myself (and others) as a result. There was also a great deal of talk about feeling "filled by the Spirit" or "God's presence," and even those claiming God "spoke" to them - which everyone was apparently capable of experiencing but myself. So, I felt even *more* poorly about myself and wondered why am I the only person who seems "untouched" by God? In addition, a heap of guilt was laid on me for everything from my smoking habit to wearing bikinis on the beach.

I finally escaped the clutches of religion in the early 90's (and i am proud to announce I never gave up my bikinis.)

Then I came upon "Spirituality". At first, it felt comfortable & harmless enough. Wishing to keep an "open mind," i went off exploring the many different aspects of spirituality (Channeling, chanting, Sufi dances, psychics, Gurus, "Healing" techniques, etc.)

But it was not long before I once again found myself feeling very alone and depressed. I felt there must be something wrong with me because I was unable to experience such things as the "out of body" phenomenon, nor did i feel any of the warm & fuzzy feelings that all those around me seemed to be experiencing during such things as meditation sessions, nor could i see or feel any "spirit guides" (or the other nonsense) that my peers all claimed to see or feel, ....and the list goes on and on.

I ditched all efforts to belong to any spiritual or religious groups from there on, and instead, I filled the "spiritual void" by simply living my life -and also started researching material on spirituality (primarily the debunking of spiritual claims & atheist viewpoints.)

There is no longer a "spiritual void" in my life. I no longer feel like an outcast or alienated as I had when i was involved in religion or spirituality, and I feel a great deal happier in life!

My suspicion -or belief- is that i was not the only one who felt (or lacked feeling) the way i did in those groups. The strong desire to "belong" and the pressure felt while in these groups likely compels people to either fake these supernatural experiences, or believe they *are* experiencing something through self-deception, the placebo effect, communal reinforcement, etc.

Sadly, in all the groups i have attended, i was the only one with courage enough to admit i did not feel or experience anything. I could see why, as when you confess to having no sensory perception of the supernatural, you are accused of having "blocks" or being "closed minded." Those are stinging words to a person who truly wishes to "belong."

Life was depressing, meaningless and cold until I found my way *out* of religion and spirituality.

I hope this answered the question properly. :-)

Aloha!