The ‘revelation’ (in quotes because it’s not really a revelation) is that I don’t have to, and shouldn’t have, closed my mind to the notion of disconnection from the Self (that which to me is ‘I’). I guess I did close my mind because even though, as an Atheist, one of my favourite ‘Religions’ (quotes because it’s less clearly defined as a religion) is Buddhism. Before I became a stealthily-obnoxiously-atheistic atheist I had a keen interest in a particular text which explained vipassana meditation. I never finished the text, but what I did read interested me greatly.
The basic idea is that normally we see ourselves as seperate from everything (there’s me, and there’s everything else), but with some work we can switch that off, and we see ourselves as being part of the everything.
I know it doesn’t even make perfect sense to me, but that’s because I haven’t achieved this state.
Anyway, the book (I’m rushing this now because work has caught up with me) implies that there is no need to dismiss this on the grounds that it is ‘religious’ or linked to religion, so I can now open my mind up to it again.
And it shows that I have overdone the skepticism inherent in Atheism. I’ve been TOO closed minded to the non-physical (I still think that there is no actual ‘spiritual’ world, just as much as I did before, but now I am open to the idea that the physical world, and specifically the human brain, is stranger than it appears.
I’ve got a [sort of, little] goal now. Whereas before I never had any goals.
I agree with this - I’m agnostic and pretty much dismiss religious dogma and groups - but I’ve read some interesting things about religious experiences and origins of religions (some historians claim many early religions may have been ultimately based on experiences with psychedelic plants) especially as interpreted by buddhism that lead me to think that while religious explanations are a farce, spiritual experiences do exist and are meaningful/worthwhile whether or not they happen to be paranormal. Plus, a lot of techniques such as meditation have psychological value as tools for the brain.
Sounds like basic mysticism (used as in “the mystic experience” rather than meaning “obscure”).
There is no necessary connection between mysticism and religion - the two have historically been linked for the simple reason that everyone experiences mysticism through the lens of their own cultural and mental predisposition.
The main message is always similar - dissolving the boundaries of the ego and union with … [and here the cultural differences start - the divine? Nirvana? all of reality?]
Point is this - it is a change of perspective, has nothing necessarily to do with religion per se (though various religions have developed a large vocabulary to describe and explain the process). No reason an atheist cannot be a mystic.
It’s a shame that so many people confuse atheism with materialism. I accept the existence of many things that are non-physical, though not in any “spiritual” sense.
As soon as you admit to the unmeasurable, the non-physical (in the sense of matter & energy), aren’t you opening the door the fact that spirit (in the paranormal sense) is also possible?