Beautiful Emotional Experience

[Michelle]

I'd like to write about an emotional experience I have now and again. Perhaps someone has some insight into it.

It happened today again very intensely, although it has happened in the past. I went to a travel agent in order to gather some info on honeymoon destinations for my fiance and I. Upon walking in an agent greeted me and I went to sit with her at her desk. On the outside this surely looked like a perfectly normal appointment. She was friendly, I was interested in the brochures she showed me. In the end I had a better idea of where to travel.

However, on the inside I had the feeling of overwhelming love, kindness and warmth. It felt like she was caressing me tenderly, but on the inside. It was beautiful. I wanted to stay as long as possible, and after leaving I wanted to hold on to that feeling. It really was beautiful and because our appointment lasted about 30 minutes, the effect lasted a while after leaving. Physically, I notice warmth throughout my body, especially in the heart area and in the back area near the shoulder blades.

This is not something I experience regularly, only once in a while. I've experienced it once while a cashier lovingly wrapped a gift I had bought. I also experienced once in a flower shop. From what I can remember, I've only experienced this with women.

What do you guys think?

[Statikkk]

Hey Michelle,

Very interesting experience you had. Can you describe the physical sensation in more detail?

I'm not sure if it's quite the same thing, but I have noticed for as long as I can remember a similar feeling that occurs on occasion when another person is somehow assisting me, very similar to what you mentioned. The more personal the assistance is, the more likely it is that the experience will happen. I have noticed the assisting person can be a man or a woman, and I have also noticed it happens almost always with a stranger, never with someone I already have a relationship with.

I would describe it as more of a physical sensation than emotional, but that may just be the way my brain has framed it. It's a tingly feeling that focuses up and down my spine but emanates through my torso and head. It's a very good feeling and one that would always make me wish it could continue for longer than it does.

Strangely, this experience has become much less frequent as I have gotten older. I'm now 30 years old, and I remember it happening much more frequently from age 10-25.

[Freelancer]

Nope never experienced this.

[Michelle]

That sounds exactly like what I experience. The physical sensation, too. I'm 29 and have only had this occur during the last few years.

[Spartan]

Originally Posted by Michelle

This is not something I experience regularly, only once in a while. I've experienced it once while a cashier lovingly wrapped a gift I had bought. I also experienced once in a flower shop. From what I can remember, I've only experienced this with women.

What do you guys think?

What do you want me to say... lesbian?

Seriously though, sounds like you've been taking ecstasy?!

[Michelle]

Yeah. Thanks, Spartan. Very helpful.

[Spartan]

Originally Posted by Michelle

Yeah. Thanks, Spartan. Very helpful.

Are you being sarcastic? Because the symptoms you describe sound very similar to the effects of ecstasy (methylenedioxymethamphetamine).

[Michelle]

I've never taken ecstasy.

[Statikkk]

I wonder what this sensation is all about - being able to identify what causes it and then exploring it more regularly could have some wonderful effects.

I'm wondering if it is just a chemical release that happens to be triggered more easily when someone you have no previous judgement for empathizes with you, or if it is more of a mutual resonance of positive energy. I haven't ever concluded that it happens only when I am already on a positive wavelength so I'm not really sure about the latter.

Did it happen to you for the entire 30 minutes? That must have been craaazy. Did you feel like you were leaving the spa at the end of it?

[Angela]

Michelle, I think I know that experience, too. It's like I've been hypnotized, and there's a velvety smooth feeling between my shoulder blades, and a tingly feeling, too. Time sort of slows down a little. It's a very 'cared for' feeling -- not necessarily by the person who is with me, but by the universe. It's how I used to feel with my mom. So I guess, "mothered", would by how I would describe the feeling; again, not by the person, but just... cared for.

...and Spartan, for me at least, it's nothing like Ecstacy. It's more receptive and passive and allowing, and not so actively loving.

[Michelle]

Yes, Angela - that feels like it. I wasn't very well mothered by my mom, so I can't say if that fits.

The idea of a kind of melding of positive energy is interesting. I was a bit depressed afterwards wondering what is wrong with me that I don't feel that all the time and wondering why she radiates that! It may have been her, or it may have been the both of us together.

I have to admit that 30 minutes were almost too much to handle without losing my cool. I just wanted to get closer to that feeling, roll around in it, let it grow and expand. Not at all appropriate for a travel agency!

[Spartan]

"The empathic action of MDMA is still not well understood, but one theory is that oxytocin, a hormone and neurotransmitter crucial to social bonding, is released in large quantities when MDMA is taken" - Wikipedia

Perhaps a hormone imbalance caused you to release oxytocin? Oxytocin is nicknamed 'the cuddle hormone' and is released in mothers during pregnancy to help them bond with their baby. This could be the reason for the simulated effects of ecstasy?

"In humans, oxytocin is thought to be released during hugging, touching, and orgasm in both sexes. In the brain, oxytocin is involved in social recognition and bonding, and may be involved in the formation of trust between people and generosity" - Wikipedia

[Angela]

Originally Posted by Michelle

It may have been her, or it may have been the both of us together.

Another thing it might be is 100% you.

Regardless of how you were mothered by your mother, I think everyone yearns for that feeling of being mothered, safe and stroked like a cat. Maybe you just opened up the (chakra? whatever.) that allowed that mothering feeling to make itself present to you -- maybe it's always there; it's just a matter of allowing it into the vessel that is you.

It's funny that it's a travel agency. Maybe you needed to have an escape route -- a ticket out! -- in case it overwhelmed you.

[Lola]

Originally Posted by Statikkk

or if it is more of a mutual resonance of positive energy.

This was my thought when I read your post, Michelle. I usually get a strong loving, healing energy from you, or from your posts, rather. Perhaps when you're in the company of a like soul, one who is also generating love from their heart, the combined energy is producing the physical effects you describe.

[Michelle]

Originally Posted by Lola

This was my thought when I read your post, Michelle. I usually get a strong loving, healing energy from you, or from your posts, rather. Perhaps when you're in the company of a like soul, one who is also generating love from their heart, the combined energy is producing the physical effects you describe.

Just want to say thanks for this feedback. It means a lot.

[Michelle]

Originally Posted by Angela

Another thing it might be is 100% you.

Regardless of how you were mothered by your mother, I think everyone yearns for that feeling of being mothered, safe and stroked like a cat. Maybe you just opened up the (chakra? whatever.) that allowed that mothering feeling to make itself present to you -- maybe it's always there; it's just a matter of allowing it into the vessel that is you.

It's funny that it's a travel agency. Maybe you needed to have an escape route -- a ticket out! -- in case it overwhelmed you.

You are right about wanting to feel mothered. And I am also sure it is always in me (and everyone else for that matter). It would be so nice to feel that all the time.

[Spartan]

Originally Posted by Lola

This was my thought when I read your post, Michelle. I usually get a strong loving, healing energy from you, or from your posts, rather. Perhaps when you're in the company of a like soul, one who is also generating love from their heart, the combined energy is producing the physical effects you describe.

This response gets thanks, when my scientific response doesn't even get a mention? I am stunned! I thought this was a forum for "smart people"? Come on... lets try to be a bit more scientific about things.

For a start energy is a concept in science. Don't really know what you are trying to say Lola, but it sounds extremely dubious.

[Michelle]

I'm sorry, Spartan. I do appreciate your taking a stab at an answer. But, like I said, I've never done ecstasy! And I don't know why I would suddenly have a hormonal imbalance for a few minutes in a travel agency.

[Statikkk]

It's interesting, since reading and replying to this post this morning I've at least partially re-created the physical sensation all by myself maybe a dozen times. It's not nearly as good as when it happens naturally, and maybe it's a coincidence, but I've been feeling particularly good this morning, especially considering it's a freaking Monday.

[Angela]

Originally Posted by Spartan

This response gets thanks, when my scientific response doesn't even get a mention? I am stunned! I thought this was a forum for "smart people"? Come on... lets try an be a bit more scientific about things.

For a start energy is a concept in science. Don't really know what you are trying to say Lola, but it sounds extremely dubious.

Spartan -- that is an excellent name for you!

When the women in your life talk about emotional experiences with you, do you complain that they are not being smart or scientific enough? That's not going to get you too far with the babes!

[Angela]

Originally Posted by Statikkk

It's interesting, since reading and replying to this post this morning I've at least partially re-created the physical sensation all by myself maybe a dozen times.

Me, too! Thanks, Michelle, for reminding me of this sensation. Sometimes all it takes to trigger it is hearing about someone else having it!

[Spartan]

Originally Posted by Angela

Spartan -- that is an excellent name for you!

When the women in your life talk about emotional experiences with you, do you complain that they are not being smart or scientific enough? That's not going to get you too far with the babes!

Crikey, I come up with the most likely explanation for your empathic experience in this thread and then get accused of being too insensitive with women.

And Statikkk, it sounds like you have somehow mastered the release of oxytocin?!

Lol, I just read on Wikipedia that oxytocin is released after stimulation of the nipples... Statikkk!

[Angela]

Originally Posted by Spartan

Crikey, I come up with the most likely explanation for your empathic experience in this thread and then get accused of being too insensitive with women.

Hey, Spartan, I didn't accuse you of being too insensitive with women, by the way. Also, my response wasn't aimed at your likely explanation the empathic experience described in the thread; it was in response to your suggestion that if we were smart, we would take a more scientific approach to these things, and that Lola's connected, supportive, and loving post was "dubious."

Just wanted to clear that up.

[Old Soul]

I believe it was a spirit connection, your spirit responding to hers.. it is a wonderful thing

I've expeienced the same thing , only 2 or 3 times now and I am almost 49 yrs old...... When it happened it was really awsome, like Butterflys were fluttering in my stomach and i felt quite at home in that particular persons presence, and i remember walking away from the encounter smiling from ear to ear :-))

its awsome huh?
enjoy and see it as a blessing!!!

BTW- the one experience was with a young man who happened to be showing us his car, as we were ,used car shopping.... and on another occasion it was with a woman at a grocery store, the 3d time it was a stranger who stopped to ask me something about a railroad in our city, and it was he* who had the profound experience, lol

and later i thought, what in the world did i say to leave such an impact on this older man... and i realised it was not what i said ......it was the "spirit connection"

[Spartan]

Originally Posted by Angela

Hey, Spartan, I didn't accuse you of being too insensitive with women, by the way. Also, my response wasn't aimed at your likely explanation the empathic experience described in the thread; it was in response to your suggestion that if we were smart, we would take a more scientific approach to these things, and that Lola's connected, supportive, and loving post was "dubious."

Just wanted to clear that up.

Ok, no prob. Smart isn't synonymous with scientific, my bad.

[Spartan]

Originally Posted by Old Soul

I believe it was a spirit connection, your spirit responding to hers.. it is a wonderful thing

It's just that I would find an explanation like this unsatisfying, but maybe you are different.

[Michelle]

You know, I am fairly certain there is both a scientific and a spiritual explanation for the occurence. We humans may simply not be able to guage both equally at this point.

[Old Soul]

It's just that I would find an explanation like this unsatisfying, but maybe you are different.

I'll see if I have poem for a better descriptive:-)

[Angela]

Originally Posted by Spartan

It's just that I would find an explanation like this unsatisfying, but maybe you are different.

Spartan, would that be true for you for any unfamiliar feeling? Like, if you were suddenly overwhelmed by some new feeling for a person in your life, would you feel unsatisfied until you had investigated the scientific basis for it? (that's a real question, by the way; I'm not trying to be a pill.) I get that you're fascinated by the underlying science of feelings; me, too. The whole "addiction to love"/oxytocin connection thing, for instance.

[Spartan]

Originally Posted by Angela

Spartan, would that be true for you for any unfamiliar feeling? Like, if you were suddenly overwhelmed by some new feeling for a person in your life, would you feel unsatisfied until you had investigated the scientific basis for it? (that's a real question, by the way; I'm not trying to be a pill.) I get that you're fascinated by the underlying science of feelings; me, too. The whole "addiction to love"/oxytocin connection thing, for instance.

It depends really on what the emotion was. If it was warranted, i.e. reasonable for me to feel that emotion under the circumstances, then I wouldn't need any further explanation. But if I had no reason to feel a certain way, then I would think there was something wrong, and so I would need a more scientific explanation to rationalize my emotions.