Life changing experience

**Kscott** · April 29, 2006, 09:30 PM

Have any of you had an experience that completly changed the way you look at things? Im sure most og you have or will have them in the future. I think it would be very intresting for everyone to share that moment and how it changed you. Remeber this is in the ethos, so by change I predominatly mean how you think, not some material change. I'll start it off, hope you guys follow me up.

My experience was just last night. It began like any normal friday, just hanging out with the boys. After some music and other various activities that one may do we decided to go out back and have some cigars. The Marely was blaring in the background and these were some very high grade cigars(bought individually). Very shortly all three of us were just at complete peace with the earth. As I stared up that the thatched roof of my friend's tiki hut I started to do alot of thinking. First I came at complete peace with the whole of existance. I thought of all the times I had been an ass to someone or felt hate towards a fellow and just realized, why? Why should I do anything in this world other than love it to death. Life is far to short to live in any way other than bliss. I then carried this belief to specific areas of my life. I used to have somewhat of a grudge against authority, but now I hardly even got anything against Bush. I still disagree with him, yet I don't feel the ill will I used too. I have learned for authority we should not resort to submission, but we must however have acceptance of the authority they wield or else we can never have peace. I then took this acceptance to my God and praised him with all my heart. I got all I could out of that cigar because I just couldn't let that moment end. Such thoughts sound like something a high man would say, yet high I was not. I had reached such a state of relaxation that my I feel I came in closer contact to my soul than ever before. A combination of factors gave me this feeling and surely it will not be a night easily reproduced. Despite that I am not sad for I know that that night will live with me forever and I can happily say, I am the better person becuase of it. It was a magical night that is for certain.

**Fenris** · April 29, 2006, 09:40 PM

I've had. A few times.

First there's a few mushrooms trips I had, one in particular. It was very, very positive, I might add.

There's also the reading of On the Road by Jack Kerouac and Also Sprach Zarathustra by Nietzsche that have changed me in their own ways.

Then, I made a trip recently, and since when I came back, some of my closest friends say they barely recognize me, not necessarily in a negative way. And I do kind of agree with them, and it's not a change that has been done "on purpose" at all. I personally think that I'm really on a transitionary stage of my life, and that this trip was one step, but now I am waiting for the other and I feel that what I am doing now is totally useless and absurd (I am going to college, tis summer I'm making a huge trip and then I'm entering university, and I'm kind of only awaiting for this)... but anyways it really seems like my life has changed...

**Zenith Darksea** · April 30, 2006, 07:42 AM

Yes, I have had a couple of life changing experiences. One was when my mother died - it really brought home the transient and fleeting nature of life to me. It showed me that I couldn't take things for granted, especially as it had been so sudden and unexpected. The other (call me cliched if you will) was when I became an Orthodox Christian, particularly my first Orthodox Easter. That showed me that death was not something to fear. Still, it's hard to explain these things to someone who hasn't experienced them for themselves. The priest cried, "Oh death, where is thy sting?" That moment will really stick with me.

**Tostig** · April 30, 2006, 07:56 AM

I don't think a particular moment has ever truly changed my view on life, however certain periods have changed the person I am.
When I joined my current college I has changed a lot compared to how I was before the exams - I'd sorted my head out, matured a lot and generally just openned my eyes to the world. What made the difference? I had to get my arse in gear for the first time in my life. I buckled down and got on with exams, quit the drinking binges I used to take part in. I then stayed with relatives when term started at my new place. I got a job, developed new friends and began to really grow used to this place.

What made me change? I had to take responsibility, not just for my actions but also for who I was. Once away from the anglo-catholic environs of before I began to read more in things I was interested in.

Incidentally I feel that making this post has proved somewhat changing - it's given me a moment to evaluate myself and decide how to deal with a situation I'm in. Thanks for the oppertunity.