Tell a skeptic: How do you commune with your god/nature/whatever

[Az_]

Hi there. Az here. I am an atheist and a skeptic (they tend to go hand in hand). I also study psychology and neurology (not professionally). So I have my own notions about what communing is to people. I will state it flat out so there is no misunderstanding. Simplified (very much) I believe communing to be an imagined internal dialog. A creation of one's own mind.

My studies of religions and beliefs is not the result of a desire to dismantle them. But rather to discover the beautiful diversity of human exploration of their own social cosmos. Whether I am right or wrong in my presumptions about beliefs and experiences does not mean I can shut myself down to listening to what people are experiencing. Instead I find it most important to find out what they are experiencing and take that information together with what I do understand and try to learn from it (including changing my position if necessary).

So... long story short, I would like to hear how you commune (if you do) with your gods, spirits, cosmic mind, or whatever your particular experience is and how you differentiate it from being imagined (if you do again). I will offer no counter to your stories. I ask that other skeptics respect this as well. I would like to learn of rather than beat down your beliefs and experiences.

tanx in advance. Az.

[Rev.Reverence]

Hi there. Az here. I am an atheist and a skeptic (they tend to go hand in hand). I also study psychology and neurology (not professionally). So I have my own notions about what communing is to people. I will state it flat out so there is no misunderstanding. Simplified (very much) I believe communing to be an imagined internal dialog. A creation of one's own mind.

My studies of religions and beliefs is not the result of a desire to dismantle them. But rather to discover the beautiful diversity of human exploration of their own social cosmos. Whether I am right or wrong in my presumptions about beliefs and experiences does not mean I can shut myself down to listening to what people are experiencing. Instead I find it most important to find out what they are experiencing and take that information together with what I do understand and try to learn from it (including changing my position if necessary).

So... long story short, I would like to hear how you commune (if you do) with your gods, spirits, cosmic mind, or whatever your particular experience is and how you differentiate it from being imagined (if you do again). I will offer no counter to your stories. I ask that other skeptics respect this as well. I would like to learn of rather than beat down your beliefs and experiences.

tanx in advance. Az.

You mean I can finally say 3 things without being berated as a lunatic?

SWEET!

I'll be right back with something here...

[Homicidalheathen]

meditation

visions

music

[Az_]

meditation

visions

music

How do they come through to you though? I mean what is your experience during these things? (on edit: If thats not asking too much as I know these things can be quite personal)

[Oh_My_Goth]

Personally I am not positive that I am not just talking to Meself when I pray.....

Perhaps that makes me God in my world.....

I believe my Angles are looking out for Me because I recognize 'they' are 'there'.....

I have seen spirits, and heard 'God' give Me clues, and communicated with the dead.....

Is it real????? I believe so, but I don't ever make assumptions.....I could be totally wrong.....

I question everything.....Even Me own faith.....I always have, and probably always will.....

I suppose I should answer the question now.....

I speak to the Universe through Nature mostly.....Sitting amongst the trees, by the water, in an open field.....

It is difficult to explain to most skeptics the 'feeling' I get from communing with nature, or the answers I get from the Universe.....

This is a tough one to tackle at work so I will probably expand Me answer later.....

[taysteewonderbunny]

Um. Az_, I think you already have an answer in mind, so I am uncertain about the parameters of your question. Would you care to elaborate, especially per what you mean specifically re: "commune"?

[Msterbeau]

One word: Bacon.

[taysteewonderbunny]

One word: Bacon.

Extra crispy thick cut? Yesh.

[Msterbeau]

Extra crispy thick cut? Yesh.

That's the only way. Maple flavor is OK too.

[taysteewonderbunny]

That's the only way. Maple flavor is OK too.

As long as it isn't bendy. I don't like limp bacon. I can't "commune" with it, ya know? It sorta leaves me high and dry.

[Msterbeau]

As long as it isn't bendy. I don't like limp bacon. I can't "commune" with it, ya know? It sorta leaves me high and dry.

I like it sorta "bendy". The thicker stuff tends to be that way, anyways. There is bliss in bendy bacon.

[taysteewonderbunny]

I like it sorta "bendy". The thicker stuff tends to be that way, anyways. There is bliss in bendy bacon.

We are talking about bacon, right? No, I actually like my bacon very well done. It is almost charred jerky by the time I consider it done. Sort of the obverse of the way I like my steak.

[Msterbeau]

We are talking about bacon, right? No, I actually like my bacon very well done. It is almost charred jerky by the time I consider it done. Sort of the obverse of the way I like my steak.

Same topic. I like mine almost under-done.

[Nightgaunt]

Mostly through meditation these days. I go to a place where I "see" all of the quantum wave functions sort of screaming their way through space/time, analyze, and "ride" the one I want. That's it in a nutshell; it was a long, strange trip before arriving at this point.

I love bacon!

[Az_]

Um. Az_, I think you already have an answer in mind, so I am uncertain about the parameters of your question. Would you care to elaborate, especially per what you mean specifically re: "commune"?

I don't have a particular answer in mind (hence asking the question). The issue I am most interested in is the means of communication from the being being communicated with. In other words whether its a two way form of communication and what form the response takes.

[taysteewonderbunny]

I don't have a particular answer in mind (hence asking the question). The issue I am most interested in is the means of communication from the being being communicated with. In other words whether its a two way form of communication and what form the response takes.

Oh. I wouldn't know. I've always assumed that not necessarily the sense of being communicated with is equal to actually having been contacted. Largely because I frequently experience auditory hallucinations before sleep (frequently= 3 or more times per week).

[Nightgaunt]

I frequently experience auditory hallucinations before sleep (frequently= 3 or more times per week).

As do I, but I'm not necessarily convinced that they're hallucinations...

[Rev.Reverence]

Quick Glossary:

Master : One who has conquered the self...

G*D : The Collective sub-Consciousness of the Entirety of Existence...(I can not discount parallel Universes)

..OR...

G*D : Spirit of the Universe...take in to account the belief that:

The expansion of the Universe is; an inhale/exhale as the resulting exhale/inhale will be it's contraction...

(albeit a singular breath will take "all time" as "time" will be "Reborn" at the "APEX"...continually... & without end "Ouraborus")

You can honestly commune with G*D in whatever way you feel comfortable...G*D is all things to all men...

I use allot of sympathetic majik; in the way of placement of Fetishes & Icons on a Sacred space, an Alter; to commune with the various Spirits of Nature, and the Cosmos.

I also use Trance to speak with my understanding of G*D (as any one being can only commune with the portion of G*D that that being can conceive of...but G*D is far more vast than ACTUAL CONCEPTION.)

Trance can be induced/achieved in a number of ways; dance, sex, meditation, making music & pain; amongst a myriad of other emotive &/or Yogic devices. What I have found is that the most important features of ones "prayer/prayer-like activities" are that they all bring about a certain level of 'excitement'... 'excitement' will manifest itself in the mind as either ANTICIPATION or ANXIETY...pain/pleasure & depression/elation are all viable roads to the state of which I speak...

So, in due course... I have used most roads I have encountered ... but have settled on:

Scourging

Tattoos...interesting in my case, because I do my own if I can reach it...and most of them are Runes or Yantras of my design...

SEX..........really concentrated TANTRIC SEX!!!

Fire-tending

Meditations

Mantras....( a repetitive phase repeated often to effect a change upon the operators consciousness)

Cigarettes...(not always...but it CAN be a prayer)...

DANCE

DRUM

SING (see Mantras)

Sex.....even just a quicky will release enough tension to let me see something in a completely different light...

LAST but not (by a stretch) the least...Schizophrenia...Sometimes, things just pop into my head...Sometimes I see a pattern, I then will research some other fields in light of said pattern and see correlations....I sometimes sift the noises in my head into Prophesy...& it keeps me objective (oft to a fault) because I change points of view so very often....I am at least part-Psychic & part-Sherlock Holmes.

Well that may not be a complete list but it is a good representative of the plethora of devices that a PsycoNaut has at their disposal...

...ANOTHER IS THE UNIVERSE ITSELF!

It is said in many Hermetic texts that, " a Master reads the Universe around him...he knows that G*D talks to him through

the things around him..."

ie. OMENS

Just like when an Operator puts things in certain positions on his Alter, G*D puts things in our lives.

Different OMENS will mean different things to differing Operators & at different times...

I am fine to answer some questions...but many may not like some of my answers.

& YESS MrBOY...I like the bacon as well...limp...if not, crunchy...thick...if not, thin...just as long as it is not rancid or turning.

& YESS GPF...4hrs in the telling...

[Az_]

Coolness. Thanks Rev for the detailed response.

Is there any importance in your view to determining whether all your realizations and insights are creations of your own mind rather than god/universe/other communicating with you? Or is it all really just the same thing and doesn't matter where such things come from? Or do you take a different view on the matter?

[Az_]

Oh and a tasty bit of bacon is always appreciated. As long as its not so crispy that it falls to pieces on contact. Want some meat experiencing still associated with it.

[Rev.Reverence]

Coolness. Thanks Rev for the detailed response.

Is there any importance in your view to determining whether all your realizations and insights are creations of your own mind rather than god/universe/other communicating with you? Or is it all really just the same thing and doesn't matter where such things come from? Or do you take a different view on the matter?

G*D is in the definition given, a conglomeration of EVERYTHING...I would include me in the EVERYTHING, so, I operate under the idea that It is all the same thing...as to saying that it does not matter where such things come from; I can not say whether it does or does not matter where they come from... but I do not care one way or another...for the proof is in my hand...

[Az_]

G*D is in the definition given, a conglomeration of EVERYTHING...I would include me in the EVERYTHING, so, I operate under the idea that It is all the same thing...as to saying that it does not matter where such things come from; I can not say whether it does or does not matter where they come from... but I do not care one way or another...for the proof is in my hand...

Coolness.

[Guest GodfallenPromos]

Well...I don't actually see any spiritual entity higher them myself, because I don't rely on any external source to get my through anything. Now, to understand what I am truely saying, you have to understand that I consider myself 100% bonded with a Daemonic Entity. Also, understand that Daemon is different from Demon on hierarchy and terms of abilities/ "gifts".

So, when I communicate with other spiritual entities, I do it on a common plain...as equals. No prayer, no asking....conversations as equals.

[Az_]

Well...I don't actually see any spiritual entity higher them myself, because I don't rely on any external source to get my through anything. Now, to understand what I am truely saying, you have to understand that I consider myself 100% bonded with a Daemonic Entity. Also, understand that Daemon is different from Demon on hierarchy and terms of abilities/ "gifts".

So, when I communicate with other spiritual entities, I do it on a common plain...as equals. No prayer, no asking....conversations as equals.

Can you clarify how that works. What means does communication occur by? Is it two way? And how do you distinguish between your mind creating such notions and it occurring outside your mind? And is such consideration even a factor?

[Raev]

G*D is in the definition given, a conglomeration of EVERYTHING...I would include me in the EVERYTHING, so, I operate under the idea that It is all the same thing...as to saying that it does not matter where such things come from; I can not say whether it does or does not matter where they come from... but I do not care one way or another...for the proof is in my hand...

...ain soph aur?