who else has also had "religious experiences" in seizures?

[jimijimenez]

Im an atheist with TLE, but I've had a lot of religious seizures/visions in the past (NDE,white golden light/god, feeling of unity, euphoria etc).Im just wondering who else has had these sensations, i.e how common it is, and how similar?

 

[epileric]

I think of them as spiritual rather than religious but yes..... I've had them too.

 

[Nakamova]

You may find this story interesting...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/horizon/2003/godonbrain.shtml

 

[KelVarQ]

religious experiences

Absolutely! I would call them Spiritual Awakenings. They seem so "real" and intense and just recently I had one of those and it went like this:
The clouds sort of opened up and I saw blue skies and before you know it I felt as if G-d could see me. I had an enlightening experience and felt incredibly happy. So I tell my husband along with a few friends that I had this spiritual awakening and I was just absolutely delighted inside and out. Anyway, after all said and done I felt absolutely ridiculous for even opening my mouth and telling anyone because they all think I'm nuts. I told my husband the next time I tell him something that he truly can't relate too or understand (it appears off the wall, ex: G-d sees me) please remind me of my seizures since at the time and even sometimes days after it seems so incredibly real. (As we know emotions can be quite powerful).
So yes, I do have spiritual things happen and another time I thought G-d was speaking to me or through me. They don't happen all the time but they're aren't abnormal. I tend to like them because they make me feel really happy, so as long as I don't go blabbing to everyone who doesn't have epilespy or can't understand it's neurological and not spiritual I'll be alright : )

 

[KelVarQ]

One more thing

I also have Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (RTL).

 

[KelVarQ]

Wow, great article Nakamova. Thanks for sharing : )

 

[Meetz1064]

I've had

some of them before, but I don't have TLE....it's possible that they were actually auras for me, although as far as I'm aware, I don't have auras.....

 

[Bernard]

See previous discussion on the subject: http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f20/epilepsy-spiritual-experience-6079/

 

[tjgcoach]

I am not sure about religous experience but I could be in a very dangerous situation and if I have a siezure , never be phisically injured. I am told and I believe that angels do protect you as you make your way through a very rough time. In that regard its strange but sometimes I feel lucky , depressed but all things considered...
Tom

 

[vapour]

Yes.....also temporal lobe epilepsy (left) Unfortunatly my spiritual experiences have been absaloutly scary, probably mainly because I am a christian and the experiences I have had are considered probably witch craft. My first temporal lobe seizure among alot of things, consisted of me feeling I was everything around me, almost as if I were God.. the trees... the plants the earth, and the source of all noise. The others I have had are feeling out of body experiences stemming from my stomach and a feeling of electricityu in my body been whooshed up. Also have had feelings around my head of dead people trying to contact..actually this happened once and I felt it was a dead little girl... extremly scary.

 

[Nakamova]

In the Hmong culture, they describe epilepsy as "The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down". (Also the name of an interesting book about the subject). Probably similar to ancient outdated ideas about epilepsy being a kind of "possession". But since some people do have religious sensations while seizing, it's easy to see where that comes from.

 

[Cint]

I have temporal lobe epilepsy, but haven't had any "spiritual" experiences. My auras have always been like doom and then then I'm out.

Nakamova, I read "The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down", also. Very interesting about the Hmong culture living in the American society with a daughter who has epilepsy and their treatment of her.


I find this subject very interesting and recently found another book: "Did Man Create God?" ~by David E. Comings
In it, there is a chapter, "The Spiritual Brain" and it talks about religious experiences with temporal lobe epilepsy. Here is a clip:

 

[Mike]

I have R.T.L epilepsy but dont believe that Ive had any spirtaul experinces other than having a few prayers answered and a miracle or two.

 

[Loopy Lou]

I have temporal lobe epilepsy too (right and left), and i've had these sort of experiences ever since i was little, although i was also a child prone to daydreaming and imagination. It's like i feel all floaty and light, and get an extreme sense of euphoria and happiness.

The problem is that during these episodes i feel like nothing could hurt me - like i'm invincible. That can be a pretty dangerous thing.