Why This Blog?

In our society, the dialogue about spiritual experiences is often shrouded in suspicion, judgment, and fear. I want to offer compassion to those who are merely going through a very common and normal part of the human experience.

For many years now, I've been running across people who consider themselves secular, rational, scientific, and/or skeptical, but who have had experiences that they cannot explain. In contemporary America, we would most likely refer to their experiences as "spiritual," "paranormal," or "transcendental," but many self-described skeptics or rationalists are often reluctant to use such words for several reasons:

1) They may be quite sure that there is an explanation that fits an accepted scientific theory of which they may simply be ignorant.
2)  They may consider spiritual experiences to be signs of psychological pathology and may be worried about their sanity.
3) They may believe that spiritual experiences can never be "real."
4) They may be convinced that those who claim to have spiritual experiences are easily deluded or manipulated by dubious religious authorities or other charlatans.

Very often, people keep their experiences to themselves because they don't feel comfortable sharing them with anyone. They may worry that:

1) Their skeptical friends and/or family will laugh at them or judge them.
2) They may not trust psychics or other spiritual practitioners (or may not have the money to pay for a reading or session).
3) They may fear talking to their doctors or psychologists/psychiatrists about what has happened lest they be branded mentally ill.

While I framed the above as problems faced by people skeptical of religion and spirituality in general, religious people also encounter many of the same issues when dealing with their own spiritual experiences. Religious and skeptical is not a contradiction; in fact, depending on who you ask, it's good theology. However, religious people may also have trouble dealing with their experiences if they fall outside the accepted orthodoxies of their religions. This can cause crises of faith as well as problems with friends, family, and religious communities, and the unpleasant or sometimes dire consequences often pressure people into remaining silent about their experiences.

For these reasons, I decided to offer myself as a friendly, trustworthy and FREE resource for skeptical people who just want to start a conversation about their experiences. I am not here to give psychic readings, convert people to my worldview, or sell anything; I'm just here to talk. Please see my "Who Am I?" section for more information about my background and to decide whether or not you would like to reach out to me.

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