--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Ann" <awoelflebater@...> wrote: > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > A guy climbs to a mountaintop, looks out at the beauty > > of creation, and realizes that none of it required the > > existence of a God. > > > > http://www.salon.com/2013/03/03/my_sober_conversion_to_atheism_partner/ > > I liked this man's writing a lot. The article was worth a read for sure. > Thanks for posting. What is it about mountains, though, that causes these > kinds of 'enlightened' insights and experiences? Maybe it's the lack of > oxygen. When I was at camp as a 10 year old in the Swiss > Alps in Leysin I had my first witnessing experiences. Of course, not knowing > about these kinds of things they freaked me out at the time - I was just a > young kid. I guess heights, vistas and strenuous walking up hills might be > the answer - forget all this meditation stuff!
Or maybe combine it? Good question though, what is it about mountains? I think there is a silence when you get above a certain height that is so unusual compared to anything at sea level. Except in the desert, I remember sitting in the Negev desert in Israel at night and being shocked by how loud my breathing felt. I always promised myself I'd go back and meditate there, just find a little cave and blow my mind with some serious transcending! Probably come back enlightened after the first day, that's probably why they say in the bible that God lives in the desert. Mountains are different again though and maybe that is due to oxygen levels, but then I get that *silent* feeling when I'm up mountains in Wales or Scotland and they aren't high enough for it to be noticeable are they? I also get a good feeling of insignificance when I'm hiking the hills, nature dwarfs you so much that you get the sort of sense of perspective you can't get in towns where everything is man made and noisy, even the so-called countryside. I feel a trip to the Isle of Skye coming on! Some serious mountains there...
