Are Spiritual Encounters All In Your Head? Some of them, it seems.
According to polls, there's a 50-50 chance you have had at least one spiritual experience — an overpowering feeling that you've touched God, or another dimension of reality.
50%? Wow. Not me, though.
About a decade ago, Schimmel had a benign tumor removed from his left temporal lobe. The surgery was a snap. But soon after that — unknown to him — he began to suffer mini-seizures. He'd hear conversations in his head. Sometimes the people around him would look slightly unreal, as if they were animated.
Then came the visions. He remembers twice, lying in bed, he looked up at the ceiling and saw a swirl of blue and gold and green colors that gradually settled into a shape. He couldn't figure out what it was.
"And then, like a flash, it dawned on me: 'This is the Virgin Mary!' " he says. "And you know, it's funny. I laughed about it, because why would the Virgin Mary appear to me, a Jewish guy, lying in bed looking at the ceiling? She could do much better."
Schimmel became fascinated with spirituality. He became more compassionate, less ambitious. And he wondered: Could his new outlook have to do with his brain? The next visit to his neurologist, he asked to see his most recent MRI.
"My left temporal lobe looked completely different from the way it did before the surgery," he says.
Gradually, it had become smaller, a different shape, covered with scar tissue. Those changes had sparked electrical firings in his brain. Schimmel's doctor told him he had developed temporal lobe epilepsy — a disease that has fascinated doctors for centuries.
I think I'll sleep better tonight knowing this....
How can you know? I mean, I read it, but I can't absorb anything.
maybe we can get together and watch it somewhere
If I'm feeling healthy I'd like this.
Apparently when I'm rested, trying to eat healthy, and taking my vitamins, cashiers feel the need to card me for products that you need to be 18 to buy. I guess I am all right with that.
If I'm feeling healthy I'd like this.
Cool. I'll do some research and get back to you via email.
DH loves the UFC. We're going to be at my sister's else we'd be PPVing it. I enjoy it, too, which is interesting because I'm not big into blood sports.
Poor Noah! Kat, the 'verse needs to lay the fuck off already.
I negated my healthy yoga class with a stop over at Taco Bell (Owen's choice). I haven't eaten there in YEARS.
Neighborhood association was interesting. About what was expected. Our state delegates showed up to report on the budget and recent bills passed. Our cop gave the crime rundown since the last meeting. There was the one requisite thing where the board members want to oppose a celltower for suspect reasons, but whatever. Walked back with a woman who turns out to be one of the super helpful people on the listserv and she was fun to talk to.
I just got a new sofa! It's supposed to be delivered on Friday (if I can get the day off of work).
The wood on the front is more of a honey color than that photo indicates, and the material is a thick weave dark beige. It's not quite as deep as I'd like (only 39 inches), but it's probably better that it's not too comfortable, so I stop sleeping all night elsewhere than my bed.
Kathy, holy crap! I was just looking at that sofa (online) the other day! But, due to massive cat hair issues (it is SO hard to get cat hair off the current sofa), I really want my next sofa to be microfiber, which, if I go with Value City, would be this one: [link] or this one: [link]
The first one looks squooshier (which I like), but I love the color of the second one.
I just bought a microfiber sofa!
