[kdcaboy]

Hi Steve, All,

Like others that have posted on this thread, I have enjoyed reading your blog but this is the first time I've made it to the forums and decided to participate!

This was such an interesting article for me to read, as I have experienced similar things but it has always been somewhat fuzzy, messages always showing up as flashes of past shared experiences, cliches that pop into my head, or similar things. On rare occasions with people I feel a very strong connection with however, it's loud and clear and often scares me!

When you said "A skeptic cannot be shown proof of what they doubt" I sat straight up in my seat.

Over the last several years I have known many people who clearly have had similar experiences, but they aggressively change the topic and sometimes even refuse to acknowledge that I've said anything when I bring topics like this up. It's frustrated me to no end ... My inner voice tells me that it's often improper to talk about these things, sometimes because of their nature (talking is physical, it is impossible to fully express these topics with words and speech) and also because there is no physical evidence what good will talking do -- eventually you have to stop looking for reassurance from other people and believe on your own. Seems such a similar point I couldn't help but respond here.

However, in my own experience I have found that nothing in this spiritual and metaphysical world ever truly becomes "real" for me until I *do* share it out loud with somebody else. But in my life it has been so frustrating to share these things! LIke I said, almost everyone around me denies that it exists. Perhaps I will spend some time on this board and find an opportunity to change that? But as I type this, my inner voice is asking me why I need to prove myself or my beliefs to anybody?

While I am not skeptical of many things, I do have a considerable amount of self doubt in my "gut" and in my senses. For eight years I abused drugs (speed and psychedelics) and alcohol, and my world and reality was in some ways opened up dramatically and in other ways terribly distorted. I know that what I experience today is real, but I was so wrong about so many things for so long that I rarely trust myself. I become overwhelmed easily and end up an anxious, dysfunctional wreck! Not particularly helped by the lack of outlets to discuss. Every day I struggle, thinking that if I was so wrong then, how do I know I'm right today?

There is so much more I'd love to write here :-) Anyway, thanks for the great post and how it encouraged me to check out your forums!

- James