The gateway to the eternal dimension is subtle, never wide open. There are generally no signs above it advising us where the road will lead at any given time. At times it brings us to a state of profound ecstasy, lightness, satisfaction and well-being, representing contact with our deepest dimension, and a heightened awareness of our spiritual essence.This mystical state may occur in an unspectacular way. It may spread through us when contemplating something which gives us pleasure. It may be intermittent and brief. It glows on enlightened faces, reflecting joy and serenity. I have seen this reflected on the faces of patients who have gained transcendent insights during a particularly powerful session. Because they are directly experiencing the joy of the altered state, you can often see it in children at play or people in love.
One characteristic of the spiritual experience is to radiate compassion and love to others without expecting anything in return. The person feels a oneness with every other person and being, with all there is.
The many ways of achieving this feeling, or of letting oneself be touched by it, quite naturally vary from person to person.
The regular practice of meditation may lead to past life memories. The mind becomes a passage, and the person meditating is able to recognize the passage and move through it into deeper, more transcendent states. All this takes time and practice. Exploring past lives through meditation is quite safe. The unconscious mind is very wise and will not let anything harmful move through to the memory.
But the possibility of spiritual development offered by meditation is not limited to revisiting past lives. Intuition is another type of spiritual experience, and regular meditation enhances intuitional phenomena. At times, knowledge, wisdom or some significant revelation is whispered to our consciousness by an inner voice. The more we open ourselves to this intuitional wisdom, the clearer the message becomes. It is important to learn to listen and trust its guidance. Thoughts, images and ideas often come to me when I am deeply relaxed or meditating. (Dr Brian Weiss)
