Physical experience of the spiritual

[PoliSciProf]

I once attended for a brief period an ecumenical discussion group of mostly Protestants but which also included a few Catholics. Somehow in the course of discussion I brought up an experience of a physical experience of the divine/angelic/whatever. This has happened to me only once but I once felt a strong physical push and there is no question in my mind about its physicality and reality (details are unimportant and private). There is absolutely no question (and I have a very scientific and sceptical mind) that this was an outside force acting upon me and it was clearly and without a doubt good. A few of the Protestants in the group have felt this but none of the other Catholics present did. The sample size of Catholics was very small and hence irrelevent. This was not any sort of private revelation but a phenomena that I think about a lot. My questions: have any CA members had such an experience? Is there a non-religious explanation of this? Are there any Catholic teachings or cautions about such an experience?

 

[chsngtailodogma]

i can relate. i agree that it is unmistakable, and i’m notorious for my skepticism. i also felt that it was unmistakably good. i don’t know how there could possibly be a nonreligious explanation for it though, especially since my experience was in a church. if anything, it was spiritual. i don’t know if there are any catholic teachings on this. IMO i think it would be best to just not dwell on it. it’s something to look back on fondly, but at least in my situation, nothing good would come of me telling anybody and/or trying to rationalize the experience beyond the simplicity of what had happened and what i felt (physically, emotionally and spiritually). i feel that the experience is complete without the opinions of others, which will usually only bring self-doubt, frustration, misunderstandings, whatever. you know?

 

[MarcoPolo]

Father Corapi talked about an evil physical encounter in part 4 of his Immortal Combat series. He also discusses a lot of the physical manifestations of evil like sickness or possession.

As well, there are many good manifestations, often medically or angelically related that are physical manifestations of the good.

 

[PoliSciProf]

As I said in my post, I have absolutely NO DOUBT that this was good. I am curious about how common this is especially since my Protestant friends seemed very comfortable with it. I am not saying we all had the same exerience or that there may be in some some sort of physical explanation.