Slain in the Spirit

[Heuchler]

I was once a Protestant, do not believe in being SITS, but would never call the phenomenon demonic. Involving as it does the (loss of) human consciousness, I’d say that the whole thing starts and ends in the individual’s mind.

I just don’t see what is “spiritual” about leaning into someone so that the body topples like a tree. Also, I know of no Scripture that connects the Holy Spirit with loss of consciousness.

YMMV, of course. God Bless and ICXC NIKA.

Exactly

 

[MorningSong51]

I don’t think anyone who uses the phrase “slain in the Spirit” in our modern time is talking about a spiritual phenomenon, but a physical.

What Ginger is talking about with regard to unbelievers falling backward when encountering the Spirit of God is in the Scripture:

John 18:4-9
4 Then Jesus, knowing all that was to befall him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” 5 They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. 6 When he said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 Again he asked them, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he; so, if you seek me, let these men go.”

Hi Guanophore;

Yes, Ginger pointed out some very good scriptural points - and started: see next page >>

 

[MorningSong51]

Genesis 17

1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. 2 I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.”
3 At this, Abram fell face down on the ground.

Leviticus 9
23 … and the glory of the Lord appeared to the whole community. 24 Fire blazed forth from the Lord’s presence and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When the people saw this, they shouted with joy and** fell face down on the ground**.
1 Kings 18
38 Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench! 39 And when all the people saw it,** they fell face down on the ground **and cried out, “The Lord—he is God! Yes, the Lord is God!”

2 Chronicles 7
1 When Solomon finished praying, fire flashed down from heaven and burned up the burnt offerings and sacrifices, and the glorious presence of the Lord filled the Temple. 2 The priests could not enter the Temple of the Lord because the glorious presence of the Lord filled it. 3 When all the people of Israel saw the fire coming down and the glorious presence of the Lord filling the Temple, they fell face down on the ground and worshiped and praised the Lord, saying,“He is good!His faithful love endures forever!”

Ezekiel 1
28 All around him was a glowing halo, like a rainbow shining in the clouds on a rainy day. This is what the glory of the Lord looked like to me. When I saw it,** I fell face down on the ground,** and I heard someone’s voice speaking to me.

Ezekiel 3
22 Then the Lord took hold of me and said, “Get up and go out into the valley, and I will speak to you there.” 23 So I got up and went, and there I saw the glory of the Lord, just as I had seen in my first vision by the Kebar River.** And I fell face down on the ground.**
24 Then the Spirit came into me and set me on my feet. He spoke to me and said, “Go to your house and shut yourself in.

Ezekiel 43
1 After this, the man brought me back around to the east gateway. 2 Suddenly, the glory of the God of Israel appeared from the east. The sound of his coming was like the roar of rushing waters, and the whole landscape shone with his glory. 3 This vision was just like the others I had seen, first by the Kebar River and then when he came to destroy Jerusalem.** I fell face down on the ground**. 4 And the glory of the Lord came into the Temple through the east gateway.

Ezekiel 44
4 Then the man brought me through the north gateway to the front of the Temple. I looked and saw that the glory of the Lord filled the Temple of the Lord, and** I fell face down on the ground**.

Daniel 8
17 As Gabriel approached the place where I was standing, I became so terrified that I fell with my face to the ground. “Son of man,” he said, “you must understand that the events you have seen in your vision relate to the time of the end.”
18 While he was speaking, I fainted and lay there with my face to the ground. But Gabriel roused me with a touch and helped me to my feet.

Matthew 17
1 Six days later Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. 2 As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. 3 Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared and began talking with Jesus. 4 Peter exclaimed, “Lord, it’s wonderful for us to be here! If you want, I’ll make three shelters as memorials[a]—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”5 But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.” 6 The disciples were terrified and fell face down on the ground.

Revelation 1
17 When I saw him,** I fell at his feet as if I were dead. **But he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.

Revelation 7
11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living beings. And they fell before the throne with their faces to the ground and worshiped God.

and using the correct term, Tachanun or Taḥanun (Hebrew: תחנון “Supplication”), also called nefillat apayim (“falling on the face”)
**
Supplication isn’t “Slain in the Spirit” in modern day time, is it? Because that’s isn’t what it means according to the verses pointed out - “falling on the face”** - and how one prostrates themselves during supplication (canon) - On closer inspection, we can discern three closely related forms of posture. First there is prostratio — lying with one’s face to the ground before the overwhelming power of God; secondly, especially in the New Testament, there is falling to one’s knees before another; and thirdly, there is kneeling. Linguistically, the three forms of posture are not always clearly distinguished. They can be combined or merged with one another. LINK: catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=4607

 

[MorningSong51]

Also, if you read the entire post you would have noted that, "There are verses that speak of people falling backward, but it is the unsaved,** those who are perishing fall backward in the Scriptures. Or when a demon iks cast out of them they convulse**.

My reply was is that unsaved people don’t experience “Slain in the Spirit” unless they have been evangelized, witness too, or had a conviction - and ignored God’s plan for their salvation - and like Jonah, he was ordered by God to go to the city of Nineveh to prophesy against it “for their great wickedness is come up before me.” Jonah seeks instead to flee from “the presence of the Lord”!

… and we could use that as another example: In Modern day times…do these unsaved people experience convulsions? - because of demon iks cast out them. Again, its difficult to answer.

 

[ltwin]

I was once a Protestant, do not believe in being SITS, but would never call the phenomenon demonic. Involving as it does the (loss of) human consciousness, I’d say that the whole thing starts and ends in the individual’s mind.

I just don’t see what is “spiritual” about leaning into someone so that the body topples like a tree. Also, I know of no Scripture that connects the Holy Spirit with loss of consciousness.

YMMV, of course. God Bless and ICXC NIKA.

Growing up Pentecostal, I’ve fallen under the power a few times in my life. Never was I unconscious though. Not saying there aren’t those who might be unconscious, but one should never assume a person is unconscious. There is a lot going on when it happens, and every person is ministered to in a different way according to his need.

The times I have fallen under the power have been times of intense cleansing of sinful desire, etc. That is why Pentecostals know full well that being slain in the Spirit has nothing to do with personal holiness. On the other hand, I have also been slain in the Spirit and have been led into a more profound state of consecration and God’s calling on my life was given greater clarity.

 

[vera_dicere]

Seen it, it happens. Never seen convulsions though.

And in the charistmatic circles I’ve been in it, I’ve heard it reffered to as “resting in the spirit”.

 

[guanophore]

I was once a Protestant, do not believe in being SITS, but would never call the phenomenon demonic. Involving as it does the (loss of) human consciousness, I’d say that the whole thing starts and ends in the individual’s mind.

I just don’t see what is “spiritual” about leaning into someone so that the body topples like a tree. Also, I know of no Scripture that connects the Holy Spirit with loss of consciousness.

YMMV, of course. God Bless and ICXC NIKA.

I think this is not a correct understanding of the experience. The person does not become unconscious. It is more a case of being so acutely aware of the divine presence that one is no longer attentive to ones human faculties, including standing.

You are right, there is nothing spiritual about “leaning into someone”. That is why it is much better to avoid making physical contact at all, or do so very lightly and gently so as not to apply any physical pressure. I have been serving in the prayer ministry for about 30 years, and I have seen people fall in front of me while I prayed, and also fallen myself when prayed for by others. I think St.Teresa gives a very good description of the experience in the Interior Castle. I should like to describe here several kinds of raptures of which I have learnt from spiritual persons with whom I have discussed the subject, but I am not sure whether I shall succeed in explaining them as I did elsewhere. 3 It has been decided that it will not be amiss to repeat what was said about these and other things that happen in this state, if only that I may treat of all the mansions contain in proper order.

1. In one sort of rapture the soul, although perhaps not engaged in prayer at the time, is struck by some word of God which it either remembers or hears. 4 His Majesty, touched with pity by what He has seen it suffer for so long past in its longing for Him, appears to increase the spark I described in the interior of the spirit until it entirely inflames the soul which rises with new life like a phoenix from the flames. Such a one may piously believe
   p. 189

her sins are now forgiven, 5 supposing that she is in the disposition and has made use of the means required by the Church. The soul being thus purified, God unites it to Himself in a way known only to Him and the spirit, nor does even the latter so understand what happens as to be able to explain it to others afterwards. Yet the mind had not lost the use of its faculties, for this ecstasy does not resemble a swoon or a fit in which nothing either interior or exterior is felt.

1. What I do understand is that the soul has never been more alive to spiritual things nor so full of light and of knowledge of His Majesty as it is now. This might seem impossible; if the powers and senses were so absorbed that we might call them dead, how does the soul understand this mystery? I cannot tell; perhaps no one but the Creator Himself can say what passes in these places–

I have only recently begun reading the writings of the mystics, and when I came across this, realized that this describes what moderns call “slain in the spirit”.

 

[guanophore]

Also, if you read the entire post you would have noted that, "There are verses that speak of people falling backward, but it is the unsaved,** those who are perishing fall backward in the Scriptures. Or when a demon iks cast out of them they convulse**.

I read the whole thread. You are talking apples and potatoes here. The falling phenomenon that is associated with the charismatic renewal has nothing to do with any of thetypes of falling in adoration or prayer cited by Ginger2.

My reply was is that unsaved people don’t experience “Slain in the Spirit” unless they have been evangelized, witness too, or had a conviction - and ignored God’s plan for their salvation - and like Jonah, he was ordered by God to go to the city of Nineveh to prophesy against it “for their great wickedness is come up before me.” Jonah seeks instead to flee from “the presence of the Lord”!

What happened to Jonah has nothing to do with the falling phenomenon found in the Charismatic Renewal. There was nothing with regard to Jonah that relates to “slain in the Spirit” physically, or spiritually.

… and we could use that as another example: In Modern day times…do these unsaved people experience convulsions? - because of demon iks cast out them. Again, its difficult to answer.

While the finger of God does cast out demons, this does not necessarily have anything to do with the falling phenomenon either.

 

[guanophore]

Growing up Pentecostal, I’ve fallen under the power a few times in my life. Never was I unconscious though. Not saying there aren’t those who might be unconscious, but one should never assume a person is unconscious. There is a lot going on when it happens, and every person is ministered to in a different way according to his need.

The times I have fallen under the power have been times of intense cleansing of sinful desire, etc. That is why Pentecostals know full well that being slain in the Spirit has nothing to do with personal holiness. On the other hand, I have also been slain in the Spirit and have been led into a more profound state of consecration and God’s calling on my life was given greater clarity.

This is entirely consistent with what saint Teresa of Avila writes about the experience.

 

[MorningSong51]

I read the whole thread. You are talking apples and potatoes here. The falling phenomenon that is associated with the charismatic renewal has nothing to do with any of the types of falling in adoration or prayer cited by Ginger2.

Guanophore;

You’re not reading it - correctly. The scriptural points that she listed are under “they fell face down on the ground” not fell backwards. These verses are under:

NAFILLATH APAYIM STUDIES
Korea, Qidah & Prostration

and this is also, under supplication. You’re correct in one respect - this has nothing to do with falling backwards, as shown with the scriptural points in 1 Samuel 4:18, when Eli,the high priest, fell backward off his chair by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died.

and to quote from the thread master:

** Originally posted by Ginger:
There are verses that speak of people falling backward**

 

[MorningSong51]

Ginger;

Last remark:

When I was standing off to the side of the room with a friend of mine, and the person who spoke in tongues - at the church that mentioned, umm… there was no one (at time) to interpret (?) from what I understood. Personally, the person was looking my way - I thought, at that time, I’m glad there was no one available to understand it! Because tomorrow I will be in the confessional with the priest, discussing the look I received - I was hoping that no personal information was being transposed…so if, that’s being “Slain in the Spirit” - than I guess it was.

Next, after my visit in a Charismatic church - I continued on into the Baptist church and that’s when I received Christ into my heart and soul. Our Lord, leads us everyday to him in scripture and guides us, but this is a life long journey. I remember being invited to a revival, again by a friend, and sitting down listening to the minister’s sermon - this friend announced to everyone about my personal convictions - and how I was willing to accept Christ into my life that day. I had this look on face - of total surprise! Irregardless, I stood up and into the water I went - and submerged (down) for a symbolic death and coming up, as a new person in Christ.

After this, I had return back to the church with new outlook - a better understanding and also a closeness to Christ that I never felt. Christ has been working in my life continually - its a blessing that I can’t explain. However, there were times I drifted. Years back, I can even remember, I sat in our living room to pray and I picked my bible and began to read. My starting point (again) didn’t begin with the New Testament, it started with the Exodus from Egypt - I have learned a great deal from that starting point. The example to this is like a flower that blooms, I might have laid dormant for a number of years - but when Our Lord calls us out - we answer, inside. Now, I feel encouraged and also his love, even when I failed him.

This is my background and I hope this explains somewhat the roads I’ve been on…there are many others but all roads lead to God.

Mary

 

[guanophore]

Guanophore;

You’re not reading it - correctly. The scriptural points that she listed are under “they fell face down on the ground” not fell backwards.

I am reading it correctly. The verses posted have nothing to do with the modern falling phenomenon associated with the charismatic renewal.

How do you figure? slain - people who have been slain (as in battle) dead - people who are no longer living; “they buried the dead”

People who are killed in battle or put to death by God have nothing to do with the modern falling phenomenon.

 Peter replied, "Why is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit?" Peter pointed out that Ananias was in control of the money and could give or keep it as he saw fit, but that he had withheld it from Peter and lied about it, and stated that Ananias had not only lied to Peter, but also to God.** Ananias died on the spot, and as a result, everyone who heard the tale became afraid. Three hours later, his wife told the same lie and suffered the same fate.**

This has nothing to do with the falling phenomenon seen in the charismatic movement.

Slain of the Spirit - meaning you are having convictions! - Has God touched your heart, and brought you under deep convictions of sin? and you are earnestly reaching out to Ask, Seek, and Knock – Matthew 7:7-8, see article: Ask, Seek, and Knock – Matthew 7:7-8

While it is true that the modern fallning phenomenon is often accompanied by a deep sense of conviction of sin and expereince of intimacy with God’s divine love, what you are describing can happen just as well without a falling phenomenon.

Again, tell this to the poster - why are you telling me? - I have already emphasized that point…

You seem to have a misunderstanding about the nature of the experience.

When I was standing off to the side of the room with a friend of mine, and the person who spoke in tongues - at the church that mentioned, umm… there was no one (at time) to interpret (?) from what I understood. Personally, the person was looking my way - I thought, at that time, I’m glad there was no one available to understand it! Because tomorrow I will be in the confessional with the priest, discussing the look I received - I was hoping that no personal information was being transposed…so if, that’s being “Slain in the Spirit” - than I guess it was.

No, it was not.

I have learned a great deal from that starting point. The example to this is like a flower that blooms, I might have laid dormant for a number of years - but when Our Lord calls us out - we answer, inside. Now, I feel encouraged and also his love, even when I failed him.

This is my background and I hope this explains somewhat the roads I’ve been on…there are many others but all roads lead to God.

Mary

May God richly bless your journey.

 

[MorningSong51]

May God richly bless your journey.

Hi Guanophore:

Let me write back to you tonight with my reply, and Thank You for your blessing! and Our Lord enriches us in every step we take in our journey - he is a great teach and enriched with compassion!

Mary

 

[Big_Dummy]

Let me start by saying I do not believe these “slain in the spirit” experiences are real. I try to keep an open mind, because I know God can do all things, but what I have read and see on TV, looks nothing like what I see in Scriptures.

According to the Scriptures:

1. every instance of someone "falling down in the presence of God in Scripture or “being slain in the Holy Spirit” that person falls forward.
2. every instance of someone " falling down in the presence of a demon" or “being slain by an evil spirit”, that person falls backward. And they usually convulse!!!

To be “slain” means the Holy Spirit would kill them. Ah, I did not know the Holy Spirit was armed. (ok, olde joke).

Seriously, please give the biblical references?

 

[Big_Dummy]

Out of the Scriptures.

Genesis 17

1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. 2 I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.”
3 At this, Abram fell face down on the ground.

Leviticus 9
1 Kings 18
2 Chronicles 7
Ezekiel 1

Ezekiel 3
22 Then the Lord took hold of me and said, “Get up and go out into the valley, and I will speak to you there.” 23 So I got up and went, and there I saw the glory of the Lord, just as I had seen in my first vision by the Kebar River. And I fell face down on the ground.
24 Then the Spirit came into me and set me on my feet. He spoke to me and said, “Go to your house and shut yourself in.

Ezekiel 43
Ezekiel 44
Daniel 8
Matthew 17

Revelation 1
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.

Revelation 7

There are verses that speak of people falling backward, but it is the unsaved, those who are perishing fall backward in the Scriptures. Or when a demon iks cast out of them they convulse.

Genesis 43:28 >>

New International Version (©1984)
They replied, “Your servant our father is still alive and well.” And they bowed low to pay him honor.

New Living Translation (©2007)
“Yes,” they replied. “Our father, your servant, is alive and well.” And they bowed low again.

English Standard Version (©2001)
They said, “Your servant our father is well; he is still alive.” And they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
They said, “Your servant our father is well; he is still alive.” They bowed down in homage.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
And they answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance.

GOD’S WORD® Translation (©1995)
They answered, “Yes, sir. Our father is alive and well.” Then they knelt, bowing down.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
And they answered, Your servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and paid him honor.

American King James Version
And they answered, Your servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance.

American Standard Version
And they said, Thy servant our father is well, he is yet alive. And they bowed the head, and made obeisance.

Bible in Basic English
And they said, Your servant, our father, is well, he is still living. And they went down on their faces before him.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And they answered: Thy servant our father is in health, he is yet living. And bowing themselves they made obeisance to him.

Darby Bible Translation
And they said, Thy servant our father is well; he is yet alive. And they bowed, and made obeisance.

English Revised Version
And they said, Thy servant our father is well, he is yet alive. And they bowed the head, and made obeisance.

Webster’s Bible Translation
And they answered, Thy servant, our father, is in good health, he is yet alive: and they bowed their heads and made obeisance.

World English Bible
They said, “Your servant, our father, is well. He is still alive.” They bowed the head, and did homage.

Young’s Literal Translation
and they say, ‘Thy servant our father is well, he is yet alive;’ and they bow, and do obeisance.

Ezekiel 3
22 Then the Lord took hold of me and said, “Get up and go out into the valley, and I will speak to you there.” 23 So I got up and went, and there I saw the glory of the Lord, just as I had seen in my first vision by the Kebar River. And **I fell face down on the ground.
24 Then the Spirit came into me **and set me on my feet. He spoke to me and said, “Go to your house and shut yourself in.

Everyone of those texts speaks of someone awake volunetary bowing down to another person out of respect. This has nothing to do with being “slain with the spirit”.

Rev 1 is the only expection to what I said. And, to my knowledge the people being pushed backwards do not recieve a book of Revelations, nor are they Apostles.

 

[Big_Dummy]

From the Assemblies of God, the largest Pentecostal denomination:

(From “Modern Day Manifestations of the Spirit”)

It is indeed real. It has happened to me on several occasions. I have personally never been “unconscious” during these experiences. I have simply felt the overwhelming presence of God upon my body. At the same time, the Lord was ministering to me and doing a work in my life.

There are scriptures that speak of people not being able to stand in the glory of the Lord.

2 Chronicles 5:14 ~ “Nor could the priests stand and minister by reason of the cloud. For the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God.”

1 Kings 8:11 ~ “And the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord.”

Of course, we are not given any scripture that clearly describes what is experienced today as being “slain” or “resting in Spirit”. But is it that unbelievable that an all powerful living and infinite God might manifest Himself in such away? Is it that surprising that people could experience dramatic and overwhelming physical responses in His presence?

And, yet those people are still awake, not sleeping, nor in a trance.

 

[Big_Dummy]

Well, the thing is you’re not going to find absolutely everything in Scripture. And like I said before, ultimately being slain in the spirit is between that person and God. There’s no possible way that you can judge for yourself that others aren’t having a personal experience with God.

If you are saying Rev 1 is John being slain in the Spirit. Then using that very text yes one can judge if your modern experience lines up with that scripture. For one thing, John was an Apostle who recieved Revelations through his experience.

You then fail on two counts:

1. you are not an Apostle.
2. based on Hebrews 1, and the Rev 22:18-19 there are no further revelations being given today. If you believe Revelations continue and you claim people being slain recieve revelations then based on I Cor 14, such revelations must be tested.

Note: this board does not allow one to post or avoicate their personal revealtions.

What tests are given to your revelations? And, how do you know that those are vaild tests?

also, I have not seen your proofs that those slain by demons fall backwards.

 

[Big_Dummy]

I don’t think anyone who uses the phrase “slain in the Spirit” in our modern time is talking about a spiritual phenomenon, but a physical.

What Ginger is talking about with regard to unbelievers falling backward when encountering the Spirit of God is in the Scripture:

John 18:4-9
4 Then Jesus, knowing all that was to befall him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” 5 They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. 6 When he said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 Again he asked them, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he; so, if you seek me, let these men go.”

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.

International Standard Version (©2008)
When Jesus told them, “I AM,” they backed away and fell to the ground.

In verse 6, at best you have people backing up and tripping over each other. It does not say if they fell forward or backward(most likely), nor does the text say they were slain by the Spirit or slain by demons. The text does not in any way indicate that they were asleep or in a trance of anykind.

 

[Big_Dummy]

I think this is not a correct understanding of the experience. The person does not become unconscious. It is more a case of being so acutely aware of the divine presence that one is no longer attentive to ones human faculties, including standing.

You are right, there is nothing spiritual about “leaning into someone”. That is why it is much better to avoid making physical contact at all, or do so very lightly and gently so as not to apply any physical pressure. I have been serving in the prayer ministry for about 30 years, and I have seen people fall in front of me while I prayed, and also fallen myself when prayed for by others. I think St.Teresa gives a very good description of the experience in the Interior Castle. I should like to describe here several kinds of raptures of which I have learnt from spiritual persons with whom I have discussed the subject, but I am not sure whether I shall succeed in explaining them as I did elsewhere. 3 It has been decided that it will not be amiss to repeat what was said about these and other things that happen in this state, if only that I may treat of all the mansions contain in proper order.

1. In one sort of rapture the soul, although perhaps not engaged in prayer at the time, is struck by some word of God which it either remembers or hears. 4 His Majesty, touched with pity by what He has seen it suffer for so long past in its longing for Him, appears to increase the spark I described in the interior of the spirit until it entirely inflames the soul which rises with new life like a phoenix from the flames. Such a one may piously believe
   p. 189

her sins are now forgiven, 5 supposing that she is in the disposition and has made use of the means required by the Church. The soul being thus purified, God unites it to Himself in a way known only to Him and the spirit, nor does even the latter so understand what happens as to be able to explain it to others afterwards. Yet the mind had not lost the use of its faculties, for this ecstasy does not resemble a swoon or a fit in which nothing either interior or exterior is felt.

1. What I do understand is that the soul has never been more alive to spiritual things nor so full of light and of knowledge of His Majesty as it is now. This might seem impossible; if the powers and senses were so absorbed that we might call them dead, how does the soul understand this mystery? I cannot tell; perhaps no one but the Creator Himself can say what passes in these places–

I have only recently begun reading the writings of the mystics, and when I came across this, realized that this describes what moderns call “slain in the spirit”.

The “unconscious” claim comes from their proof text of Rev 1, where John fell “as dead”.

 

[Big_Dummy]

This is entirely consistent with what saint Teresa of Avila writes about the experience.

Please post quote with link.