Peak experience<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Maslow called it a peak experience, but, indeed, it is an explosion of the heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It can happen in very diverse circumstances. We\u2019ll see three examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An explosion of the heart always deserves full respect.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s a sudden loss of conceptual control. That\u2019s probably why it\u2019s looked upon as irrational. A better term would be a-rational, like a flower or the sunshine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s an experience that can change a person to the core, shaking up things from a bit to essentially. The shaking-up can be followed by a twirling-down into a different configuration, a different-enough mental landscape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Much if not most, if not almost everything, depends on what one does with the experience after the experience. How does it help form the new landscape?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Neuro-stuff<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I don\u2019t know which hormones and neurotransmitters play a role \u2015 in any case: dopamine, oxytocin, endorphins, cannabinoids, serotonin, and many others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the neurophysiological sense, more interesting is what happens with mental-neuronal patterns in such a state or which kind may provoke it. Note that this doesn\u2019t analyze the happening out of the mental or even spiritual sphere. These are different views upon the one thing that only gets more fascinating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It would be an intriguing line of research. I think it will show much parallelism, one way or another. [see: \u201cWhat is \u2018Parallel\u2019?<\/a>\u201d]<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meditation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n [see: \u201cMeditation, a World of Difference<\/a>\u201d]<\/p>\n\n\n\n An explosion of the heart sometimes happens during meditation, mostly after two days during a multiple-day sesshin (meditation retreat).<\/p>\n\n\n\n A meditative opening-of-the-heart is one of many windows. It should not be reduced to another window \u2015 neither should the view one gets through any of these windows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It can also happen at any time of the day \u2015 no formal meditation needed. Prior formal meditation may enhance the occurrence. One can see it as a product of a meditative mindset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Related to meditation is Compassion also in such explosive invitation. [see: “Compassion, basically<\/a>“]<\/p>\n\n\n\n Orgasm<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n An orgasm can be an explosion of the heart. It can also be an intro-injection of meaningless 5-cent-joy. The difference is depth. It doesn\u2019t show at the surface. It shows when you\u2019re there. One who knows both can notice the difference from the inside. Even so, one can fall from one into the other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course, nature did it right in giving us the orgasm-thing as a doorway in specific circumstances. It may bring people together, like shaking up and falling into the other. The man who falls asleep after an orgasm \u2013 as regularly happens \u2013 actually may be falling further in love. Dreams can help there too. Everything that comes naturally can have a proper place. It\u2019s upon the human being \u2013 with this hugely complicating consciousness \u2013 to make the best of it. There are many ways to do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Religious peak experience<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In this field, it may be seen as a mystical experience that can be viewed as such by the person (and others), or it can be witnessed as a passing-by feeling \u2015 depth involved but not seen as \u2018special.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n I don\u2019t think any organized religion is worth its buck if it doesn\u2019t profoundly help in shaping such experiences, including their aftermath. Note that this is pure depth. There is no importance in the concrete layers except in their relation to depth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Organized religion may open this or precisely close it down, both to the extreme. To me, this forms an essential factor in the quality of the religion. A religion that strives for openness is a religion of Compassion<\/a>. Contrary to this, the closing down may aim to control the believers in favor of the organization\u2019s worldly success. One should be very critical about the point of this. Especially nowadays, with a worldwide coming-together \u2013 or the potential to do so \u2013 of all people and religions on the planet, no religion should have itself as aim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Religious explosions of the heart should help form a single religious landscape with many diverse elements, much to explore and experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But still, and for always, one landscape.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This is the landscape that may appear after many explosions have opened it to the heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n