Peak Experiences

Peak experiences are the most valuable deposits in our memory bank. It is described in psychology as transcendent moments of pure joy and elation. In Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, self-actualization is located at the very top of the pyramid, representing the need to fulfill one’s individual potential. According to Maslow, peak experiences play an important role in self-actualization.

Other experts describe peak experiences as “a heightened sense of wonder, awe, or ecstasy over an experience, or a highly valued experience which is characterized by such intensity of perception, depth of feeling”, or it can be a “sense of profound significance as to cause it to stand out, in the subject’s mind, in more or less permanent contrast to the experiences that surround it in time and space.”

There are many other descriptions of what a peak experience really is. For me, it is a heightened spiritual experience. The best description of it though, would be based on actual experience. I will use the words of Russell E. Dicarlo in describing one. 

“Blanketed by an azure sky, the orange-yellow rays of the setting sun can, at special times, gift us with a moment of such considerable beauty, we find ourselves momentarily stunned, with frozen gaze. The splendor of the moment so dazzles us, our compulsively chattering minds give pause, so as not to mentally whisk us away to a place other than the here-and-now. Bathed in luminescence, a door seems to open to another reality, always present, yet rarely witnessed.” 

Above is a common experience, if one were to witness it during sunrise or sunset with an open heart and mind.

Now let me pull out one of my rarest experiences of it. It happened merely a decade ago. It was just an ordinary sunny Saturday morning inside the campus. No students are present except for those taking the Masteral classes. While waiting for the professor to arrive, we were standing outside of the gymnasium talking leisurely. Fronting the gymnasium was a small yard covered with grasses and of mixed plants and flowers planted along the wall of the fence. There was a tree with birds busy chirping and hopping under it. It was just an ordinary sight of busy birds looking for food and playing. However, suddenly a bird with a straw, around fifteen inches long, hanging down its beak flew swiftly in front of us. In the fleeting moment the most magical thing happened. Five feet above the ground, as the golden rays of the sun hit the bird and the straw floated ever so softly in the air, the bird and the straw turned gold before my eyes as if a golden spotlight from somewhere illumined upon it and made it glow. It glowed so luminously I was stunned. I seemed to be looking at a photograph. The bird froze and the time suspended. Everything was quiet as my eyes grew big in amazement and awe. I felt I was in another place and time away from everything. My spirit was ecstatic I forgot my physical body. Everything stopped. But reality immediately pulled me back as fast as it had let me go. Sensing that I was not alone in my ecstasy, I turned around and saw one of my classmates with a mesmerized expression on her face. Full of awe and in high spirits she asked me, “Have you seen it? Have you seen it?”All I could mutter was, “Yes, yes”. “It was so beautiful!” ”Yes it was.”And we both fell silent still asking ourselves if it was just an illusion while feeling the remaining taste of ecstasy that just entered in our memories. 

Was I lucky? Was I blessed? I do not know. 

They say that self-actualization is considered quite rare, which means that peak experiences can be equally elusive. In one study, researchers found that only about two-percent of individuals surveyed had ever had a peak experience. If this is true, does this mean that God plays favorites? I do not think so. In my experience, I will have one when my soul and spirit are in peace with God; when I commune with God regularly; when my mind is quiet; when I allowed God to take me wholly. And when I allow my mind to live in turmoil and give my full attention to the cares of this material world, these experiences are alien and yes, elusive.

In everything, God is still in command when He would give out or when He would hold back. We just have to do our part. Jesus told us that in order for us to enter the kingdom of heaven we should be like little children. Amazement and awe are inherent characteristics of children. We just have to open our spirit and our soul to every blessing that God is about to shower upon us. Most importantly, we should not put God in a box as if we already know completely who He is. He created the universe and us, and also of wonders, of things that are still undiscovered and unexplained by science. As long as our minds are open, He is willing to bring us to our ultimate peak experience.

A Rose's Life

Beautiful bloom. Fragrant bloom.

Withered. The end.

Does the Rose cry when its petal starts to wilt?

Does the Rose fret when its fragrance fade? 

It does not. The Rose just give what it has to give. It submits to the law of nature. It patiently waits for the passing of the season for it to bloom again its finest. It does not complain. It does not ask why. Somehow deep in its roots it seems to know all is well; bloom and be admired, be picked and be displayed on the table, or be picked and light up a lover's eyes in its finest moment. And when the time comes for the blooms to say goodbye, it humbly lets go of its wilted petals. It does not become sad because it knows it will produce beautiful blooms again. It knows the value of the moment. It knows how it is to give and to let go. It knows how to take the stage. It knows how to just be plain. It knows it just have to live and live fully.

If the Heavenly Father provides the Rose with these qualities, does He too not provide us enough that would ensure us to have a well-lived life?

Get happy!

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Path To Awareness

Yes, this book is old. It has been with me for twenty-two long years. It was given to me by Sister Elena as a guide on my way to a new path. The words of this book are simple, written by an Indian priest, Father Anthony de Mello. But the message? Oh, so deep until now I am still struggling to apply in my life. I already lost count of the times I read this book. I had read it over and over again. Once I thought I already understood his words and had believed in myself I was that enlightened. But it only took few failures in myself did I realize how ignorant I still was. 

Using the words of Fr. de Mello and borrowing from his experience made me only become self-righteous. One priest said, had he read this book earlier he would have woken up earlier. But me? I was only eighteen when I first got hold of this book; yet I was not any better five or ten years after that. I even came to the point of attempting to burn this book because I thought I did not benefit from it. It only made me feel guilty of not being as enlightened as Father de Mello was. In short,  his words are easy to understand but difficult to apply. Enlightenment or awareness, is honestly like a bubble in the air. You are mesmerized by its beauty when it floats but bursts when it touches your hands; for when you are aware what you learned no longer matters. What matters most is the present moment, the Being that is you.

So then I tossed the book aside and forgot all about it for almost a decade. The other day, I remembered it. I took it from the shelf and started to read again, waiting for any sparks in my spirit. After reading just the first few pages, I finally understood why. Father de Mello became wise because of his learning, of his experiences, of his influences, of everything he had been through. I could only get inspiration from his words and his life. I could only say to myself, 'hey, it is possible to be like him.' But even memorizing all his words could not make me as wise and as enlightened as he had been. I have to follow my own path. I have to learn my own lessons. I have to live my own life. And if all my efforts would pay, I could only say, 'this I have done, this I have become. If you want to be where I am, hear my words but do not follow me. Do your own thing, dance your own dance, paint your own masterpiece, for it is only you who knows deep in your heart what makes you happy and what makes you realize your Being.'

God sent people in our lives that would serve as our guides. But our final destination depends solely on us. This is where our Will play the crucial path. Learning and becoming is not done overnight. It would take a lifetime. And we are so blessed if we would be able to realize this before our candle gives off its light.

On my part, I am so thankful for meeting Fr. de Mello at an earlier age for I already know where my destination is. Getting there is my only struggle. But with God, I know someday I will become the Being I am supposed to be. And I hope you would be too.

Get happy!

Lessons In Heartbreak

I read this story from babble.com. I share it here because I believe it would touch you too the way it touched me.

There is a Jewish Mystic story about and old Rabbi who taught his disciples to memorize the teachings and place the holy words on their hearts.

"Why on our hearts, and not in them?" one student asked.

"We put the words on our hearts, so that someday when our hearts break they will fall in."

True right? We learn the most when our hearts break. Things will become clear when our hearts break. And we become wiser when we pass through a heartbreak. Heartbreaks teach us. Heartbreaks strengthen us. 

Get happy!

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The Process Of Becoming

This is a  re-post from Fr. Ronnie E. Ablong's  facebook account. You may view the original post here: fb/ronnieablong. It is Fr. Ronnie's desire to spread the word of God through media. And it is my pleasure to share his thoughts here. (Posted with permission).

We learn to walk by walking just as we learn to talk by talking. Life is a constant process of becoming and there never seems to be enough for in this world the only permanent is change. And there is no escape except in the tender embrace of God whom Jesus called "Abba" (Father).
We all want comfort; we all long for consolation; we all need acceptance and appreciation. Sometimes it comes, at other times, does not or not at all. It slips through our grip because our hands are greased with hatred and jealousy; our hearts are envious, our thoughts vengeful. In life, we cannot have all that we like and all that we ever wanted so we may see the need of a God who truly provides.
Life's greatest lessons are learned in adversity and not in plenty; its farthest stride are not made at sunrise but at sunset. There's something in moving on than in stepping back. The former is hope; the latter is depression.
Walking. Moving on. Making strides. These are part of the thing called life.

Get happy!

The Secret Getaway

What kind of person who loves to be alone? Indeed you're right. The loner. The loner loves to be alone not because he is lonely but because he is just so comfortable with himself and with the world alone. 

I happen to be one of them. I'm proud of it. I love to be around with people I am comfortable with. Yet, no pleasure could match the feeling I have when I am alone. Scary? Not for me. If you're curious about the kind of person I am, let me bring you to my wanderings alone. If you're like me, you could relate with me so easily. But if you're exactly my opposite, just bear with me and see for yourself how boring myself could seem to be.

In my aloneness I love to go places. I love to explore deep, deep down in my heart. I feel so at peace whenever I'm in connection with that light deep within. Sometimes too, I just love to float. You see, I just have to lie down. I prefer in the bedroom since there is lesser noise and there is no one to bother me. I lie down, then I close my eyes. Most of the time I cover my eyes with a piece of cloth so that all I could see is total darkness. It is in this total darkness that I notice even the tiniest flicker of light. Then I put both my hands sometimes on my stomach, sometimes on both sides. I don't know why, but I feel so at peace and more comfortable whenever I put both my hands on my stomach. There is that kind of energy that relaxes my gut. After I find myself so comfortable, I started to float. In my mind only, of course. I have not yet developed that kind of levitation. And if ever I could float while lying on my back, I might looked like being possessed. That might be the reason why it seems to be impossible levitating in that position. 

Anyway, if my busy mind could not contain itself in the dark and keep on entertaining whatever thoughts that come upon its way, I escape into my most favorite secret place - my favorite getaway. This place is a place out of the blue. All I need to get there is just close my eyes, be still and go there. I don't remember exactly how I find this place. All I know is I have been going this place for decades now. It's just an ordinary one. It's full of dry leaves. Whenever  I find myself there I have to take five steps forward and stop on an area where dry leaves are much thicker upon each other. I slowly sweep aside with my right hand the leaves. A steel cover of a man hole appears. With my two hands I pull to the right the steel cover. A man hole appears. I slowly sit down on that opening. First, my right leg, then my left leg. I put my feet on a steel ladder that leads down to the tunnel. Then I slowly inch my way downward. When I reach the fifth rung down the ladder, with my right hand I pull the steel cover to close the opening. There is also a handle under it. Then I continue to climb down. After I step on the twelfth rung my right feet hits the ground. Wow, deeper on earth I am. Though I am below the ground I am not afraid because I know I am on the safest place on earth that I know of. My right hand then reach for the switch of the light at my right at level with my ears. The light of the bulb is yellow. Nobody builds this place. God does. He built this place just for me alone. He brought me to this place. And it is mine. Now, when the light is on I could clearly see the way ahead. I then walk a meter only and arrive at a wooden door standing opposite the ladder. I just have to push that door slowly. And then, charan! 

Paradise here I am. Welcome to my paradise. Here the tigers, the lions, the sharks, the crocodiles, every creature are my friends. I float on air. I flow with the wind. I swim the deepest sea. I swim in the clearest river. I sit on the rainbow. I bath in the rain. Here, I am not a queen or a princess for there are no maid servants. Yet, I am the happiest woman I can be. I blow bubbles. I watch the cool sunrise. I watch the gentle sunset. I lie on smooth grasses and wide prairie. I ride on a unicorn. I swim with big and small fishes. I ran with dogs and puppies. I float on the sea. I float on air, which is my most favorite activity. There are so many beautiful things I could do in this place. I couldn't name it all. There are just too many to mention. 

But for now, let me bring you to one of my most favorite activities - sitting on the grass in the prairie and watch the gentle sunrise.  Take off your shoes; could you feel the smooth grass? Don't be surprised if by just closing my eyes the scenery changes the way I imagined them to be. It is just part of God's precious gift to me - giving what my mind hoped to be in my own paradise. Beautiful, isn't it? Now we're on the prairie. Everywhere are small hills and grasses. In our right are majestic mountains. In our left is the blue ocean far, far beyond. Let's feel the fresh air. Gentle winds are blowing on our face. The wind is so cool you thought you are in an air-conditioned room. Come on, breathe the fresh air. Let out your tongue and feel the gentle breeze. You want to run? Let's run. The grass is so smooth we are like running on a bear's fur. There are no stones or tiny pebbles here so nothing's going to hurt our feet. You want to shout? Shout! Shout the goodness inside of you, for here nothing could corrupt our mind. "I love you God! I love you paradise! I love you life!" See? I love shouting those words. And I love so much to feel the gentle wind. Let me open wide my arms, look up in the blue sky, and take a very, very deep breath. Hhhhmmmm..... Refreshing... Now the sun's about to rise. Let us sit down and watch it rising over the hills in front of us. Beautiful. Could you feel it whispering your name and greeting you a very, very beautiful day? It shines  on you. Feel it. Feel it's golden color. Touch it. Touch the light. Be refreshed by its light. Be empowered by its light. See the birds at the other side of the prairie? Look at their golden silhouette. Look at how they move. Look at how they fly. I am so much mesmerized. Are you not? Beautiful. How I wish I could sit here in this way, with this scenery forever. Yet, in this paradise the only thing I have not power over is time. Time continues. And so this sunrise. For now, let us enjoy to the fullest this beautiful sight in front of us for it only lasts for a few minutes. Beautiful sun. And remember, the sun is just is. It's our world that's making it, the way we see it now. So we could also say, what a beautiful and amazing world we have...

You just discover one aspect in my paradise. Perhaps you might be wondering why in all of God's creature there is no other human being  you could see in there. Why? I invite no one. After all it's my most favorite place to go alone. Remember? It's the loner's paradise. When I'm done with all the play and the leisure, I then slowly say good bye to each and go out the way I enter. When I'm in the open ground above I close again the cover of the manhole with the tunnel cover and put the dry leaves back again. Then five steps I take and open my eyes with a big smile. Wow, what a refreshing experience that one has been. 

That was it. Now you have just been there. So it's no longer a secret place for me alone. It's our secret place. Care to borrow my place? Well, you could. Just make sure I am not there when you go there. By the way, you don't have to ask me nor let me know when you're going there. The only thing you need to do is be present with yourself alone. Do not think of anybody else including me. For if you do, you could never be alone because you are bringing someone in your thoughts. That's a tip I could leave you for now. And if ever you're wondering why I brought you there to this visit when I don't like to invite anyone, it's not for the pleasure of playing there alone, it's for the pleasure of letting someone know how to enjoy oneself when you feel like it. Am also not afraid that you'll take my place away from me, for you couldn't. If ever you'll decide to go there, God will bring  you to your very own. It might look like my very own place but I know there would be some differences; for we don't have the same eyes. Our paradise depends on how our eyes could see and how our heart could feel. It's called privacy, and no one can enter. God created our privacy that only He has the access; for  it's the only way He can connect with us heart to heart .

 That's all for now. Thank you for the company.

Get happy!

Photo Credit: 500px.com

 

With A Smile

Life is a rhythm of good days and not so good days. Today is a not so good day for me. The good thing with this kind of day is--when you are struggling hard to just get through with this kind of day, out of nowhere something catches your attention as if to say, 'hey, take it easy, slow down, it is gonna be alright.' This song of the Eraserheads just pop up as a background of an ad in YouTube. But then the lyrics hit me hard and good. It said, 'baby, don't be scared.... Baby, you don't have to worry 'coz there ain't no need to hurry.' Just these lines and I feel a whole lot better. Seems God is speaking to me directly. These lines are all that I need and I am all set. I have copied the lyrics here. So sing along with me.

Lift your head, baby, don't be scared
Of the things that could go wrong along the way
You'll get by with a smile
You can't win at everything but you can try.

Baby, you don't have to worry
'Coz there ain't no need to hurry
No one ever said that there's an easy way
When they're closing all their doors
And they don't want you anymore
This sounds funny but I'll say it anyway.

Girl I'll stay through the bad times
Even if I have to fetch you everyday
We'll get by with a smile
You can never be too happy in this life.

In a world where everybody
Hates a happy ending story
It's a wonder love can make the world go round
But dont let it bring you down
And turn your face into a frown
You'll get along with a little prayer and a song.

(Too doo doo...)
Let me hear you sing it
(Too doo doo...)

In a world where everybody
Hates a happy ending story
It's a wonder love can make the world go round
But don't let it bring you down
And turn your face into a frown
You'll get along with a little prayer and a song.

Lift your head, baby, don't be scared
Of the things that could go wrong along the way
You'll get by with a smile
Now it's time to kiss away those tears goodbye

(Too doo doo...)
Let me hear you sing it
(Too doo doo...)

That was so good. Thank you God. Thank you Eraserheads. 

Get happy!

Photo Credit: 500px.com