Rethinking PSEs

As I have trekked this journey of following my PSEs, my perspective on what constitutes a PSE is expanding. Years ago when I taught a graduate course "Narratives of Personal and Religious Experience", I used William James' defining chararcteristics of "mystical experience", namely, ineffable, noetic, transcient, and passivity. Although, these four characteristics remain true for mystical experiences, I have begun to understand that PSEs encompass many more kinds of experiences.

Personal Spiritual Experiences (PSEs) are a broader category, of which mystical experience is a subset. This idea of a bigger category is important to to note because many of you may think that you have to be a mystic to benefit from your spiritual guidance. As I set out to explain in my newly released book, spirit is always reaching out for you. The challenge is in the recognition of these divine efforts to get your attention and redirect you.

So, here is my developing idea. Anything out-of-the-ordinary can be considered a PSE. Any event that didn't go as you planned. Any disruption in your planned life direction, from an unexpected herd of sheep in the middle of the road blocking your path, spilt tea in the morning or the gift of a double rainbow. In this sense, a PSE is non-ordinary. What is required is that you decide to pay attention and take a bit of time to reflect, like "What can this mean?". Ask yourself, what is spirit trying to convey?

Notice the trajectory of your thoughts and feelings are directed inward to reflection. It takes a bit of time to develop this habit for sure. To delay problem solving or fixing. To delay, "getting on with it". But honestly, it makes life much more interesting.

I offer a journal on my website to keep track of these PSEs, so that overtime, you will notice a developing pattern in your divinely directed life.