Well…I need to think about this. Numinous is a word I too have been searching for. I have had this feeling many times in my life and could never explain it clearly, whether out loud or in my head. My daughters always teased me when we traveled together to a beautiful place, the desert, beach or a historical city. I would stand there staring, absorbing the experience and say something silly like “look at the awesome power or nature” or “engineering” or “ art”. It’s become a family thing to say “the awesome power of” whatever. But I know they feel it too. And didn’t have words.
I love your phrase “a visceral experience of the spirit or soul. …experience of transcendence.” That’s it! It’s not religion, it is part of our essence, that 90% of our brain we don’t use. There’s something in all of us to have a numinous experience. Maybe some have lost the ability, never learned to tap into it, or rejected it.
Having such a beautiful word for this is …awesome!!! This was a wonderful read. I love listening to your words too. 😍😍💕
You put it all so well. And that big part of our brain that we don't use! I hope you will share your new word the next time awesome power of something occurs when with your family :) Thank you, Sue.
I was so happy to read your reflection on the “numinous.” I first heard the word some years ago when my friend, Fr. Joe, was studying once again the works of the German theologian Rudolf Otto. Apparently, it was Otto who brought the word into common usage in his 1917 book, “The Idea of the Holy: An Inquiry into the Non-Rational Factor in the Idea of the Divine and its Relation to the Rational.” Fr. Joe was ordained in 1956 and explained that Otto’s work and ideas were hugely influential during his seminary years, and not just on Roman Catholics, but on students of theology in many different religious traditions up to the late 1960s. There was a time, he said, “When Rudolf Otto was a name on everyone’s lips.” Imagine!
When Fr. Joe (who was a seminary professor himself) tried to explain the concept to me, it seemed at once totally obvious and completely obscure. But, I think that’s a function of the way academics think and write! The descriptions are always so abstract. You have to know what they’re talking about to know what they’re talking about. Your explanation is far better and immediately accessible.
In case you’re interested, here is what Otto wrote in trying to explain the idea (from Wikipedia): “The feeling of it may at times come sweeping like a gentle tide pervading the mind with a tranquil mood of deepest worship. It may pass over into a more set and lasting attitude of the soul, continuing, as it were, thrillingly vibrant and resonant, until at last it dies away and the soul resumes its “profane,” non-religious mood of everyday experience. [...] It has its crude, barbaric antecedents and early manifestations, and again it may be developed into something beautiful and pure and glorious. It may become the hushed, trembling, and speechless humility of the creature in the presence of—whom or what? In the presence of that which is a Mystery inexpressible and above all creatures.”
You and he are describing the same thing, but your musings are so much clearer. With your description, I think all of us can say, “Ah, yes! I know exactly what that is!” Thank you for bringing this lovely word and memories of my old friend back into my life today!
You are so welcome. What a great memory! Sounds like a fascinating person. I have friends that speak in those ways, too. I like how you describe, you have to know what they're talking about to know what they're talking it. I have no idea what I am talking about, but I know how it feels in me, and so I write that down. xoxo
Wonderful musings on this word and your experiences. I think you may have the beginnings of a book here ❤️. I’ve only encountered this word through you and I love it.
Thank you for this word, and your words. How it came to you and what you learned. Then your ability to share with us, the understanding & experience of the word’s meanings.
I know this feeling, this kind of glowing energy. It is, I believe, very human.❤️
As it's often the case with your writing, I'm touched and uplifted and moved to tears by it.
I first encountered "numinous" as a word about 10 yrs ago, English being my second language I've always assumed I was the only person in my study group not to have met it before.
What you say about it not being supernatural strikes a deep chord within me, as does your reflection on sex.
There is something so familiar and yet so otherworldly in that special shade of awe we call numinous. Like the voice from a Mother that, for the fleeting instant of our life on earth, we forgot to be related to. And then we hear it again, in the sound of the waves on a deserted beach. In the breathing of our lover, that dances in unison with ours while we lay, spent, in each other's arms. In the specs of gold in my godson's irises, when he looks at me so trusting and innocent and his immaculate soul shines through his gaze. When my clients reach a breakthrough in therapy session and I fall in love, yet again, with my jobation*, knowing that what happened is not "me doing something" rather "me making space for it to happen". The numinous is not just out there for us to reconnect with, it also runs through, a spiritual current for us to gift, freely and generously, to the collective soul.
So beautifully put! You and Kateri are surely kindred spirits in both temperament and expression. It was wonderful to read your words this morning. Thank you for taking the time to write.
Gosh, Stefania, yes. Thank you for this. "knowing that what happened is not "me doing something" rather "me making space for it to happen"."i I feel this about so so many things in life. Making the space. Showing up. Presence. Having the antennae ready. Yes. thank you!
Oh, Kateri, this is such a beautiful essay! You have way of explaining which takes an obscure concept and makes it immediately understandable. I wonder if we all have these moments...I certainly have and am grateful for such an apt word to use to describe it. Numinous, hmmm, it even feels delicious to say.
Well…I need to think about this. Numinous is a word I too have been searching for. I have had this feeling many times in my life and could never explain it clearly, whether out loud or in my head. My daughters always teased me when we traveled together to a beautiful place, the desert, beach or a historical city. I would stand there staring, absorbing the experience and say something silly like “look at the awesome power or nature” or “engineering” or “ art”. It’s become a family thing to say “the awesome power of” whatever. But I know they feel it too. And didn’t have words.
I love your phrase “a visceral experience of the spirit or soul. …experience of transcendence.” That’s it! It’s not religion, it is part of our essence, that 90% of our brain we don’t use. There’s something in all of us to have a numinous experience. Maybe some have lost the ability, never learned to tap into it, or rejected it.
Having such a beautiful word for this is …awesome!!! This was a wonderful read. I love listening to your words too. 😍😍💕
You put it all so well. And that big part of our brain that we don't use! I hope you will share your new word the next time awesome power of something occurs when with your family :) Thank you, Sue.
I was so happy to read your reflection on the “numinous.” I first heard the word some years ago when my friend, Fr. Joe, was studying once again the works of the German theologian Rudolf Otto. Apparently, it was Otto who brought the word into common usage in his 1917 book, “The Idea of the Holy: An Inquiry into the Non-Rational Factor in the Idea of the Divine and its Relation to the Rational.” Fr. Joe was ordained in 1956 and explained that Otto’s work and ideas were hugely influential during his seminary years, and not just on Roman Catholics, but on students of theology in many different religious traditions up to the late 1960s. There was a time, he said, “When Rudolf Otto was a name on everyone’s lips.” Imagine!
When Fr. Joe (who was a seminary professor himself) tried to explain the concept to me, it seemed at once totally obvious and completely obscure. But, I think that’s a function of the way academics think and write! The descriptions are always so abstract. You have to know what they’re talking about to know what they’re talking about. Your explanation is far better and immediately accessible.
In case you’re interested, here is what Otto wrote in trying to explain the idea (from Wikipedia): “The feeling of it may at times come sweeping like a gentle tide pervading the mind with a tranquil mood of deepest worship. It may pass over into a more set and lasting attitude of the soul, continuing, as it were, thrillingly vibrant and resonant, until at last it dies away and the soul resumes its “profane,” non-religious mood of everyday experience. [...] It has its crude, barbaric antecedents and early manifestations, and again it may be developed into something beautiful and pure and glorious. It may become the hushed, trembling, and speechless humility of the creature in the presence of—whom or what? In the presence of that which is a Mystery inexpressible and above all creatures.”
You and he are describing the same thing, but your musings are so much clearer. With your description, I think all of us can say, “Ah, yes! I know exactly what that is!” Thank you for bringing this lovely word and memories of my old friend back into my life today!
You are so welcome. What a great memory! Sounds like a fascinating person. I have friends that speak in those ways, too. I like how you describe, you have to know what they're talking about to know what they're talking it. I have no idea what I am talking about, but I know how it feels in me, and so I write that down. xoxo
Such a beautiful essay. You capture the essence of the numinous superbly.
I'm not sure I do! But it's how I feel it :) xo
Wonderful musings on this word and your experiences. I think you may have the beginnings of a book here ❤️. I’ve only encountered this word through you and I love it.
Oh you think so? I want to hear more about that. xoxo Thank you. And this is a word that follows you around, I know this.
Thank you for this word, and your words. How it came to you and what you learned. Then your ability to share with us, the understanding & experience of the word’s meanings.
I know this feeling, this kind of glowing energy. It is, I believe, very human.❤️
I agree with you. Very human. Thank you, Judy. Feels like a word for you, too. ❤️
As it's often the case with your writing, I'm touched and uplifted and moved to tears by it.
I first encountered "numinous" as a word about 10 yrs ago, English being my second language I've always assumed I was the only person in my study group not to have met it before.
What you say about it not being supernatural strikes a deep chord within me, as does your reflection on sex.
There is something so familiar and yet so otherworldly in that special shade of awe we call numinous. Like the voice from a Mother that, for the fleeting instant of our life on earth, we forgot to be related to. And then we hear it again, in the sound of the waves on a deserted beach. In the breathing of our lover, that dances in unison with ours while we lay, spent, in each other's arms. In the specs of gold in my godson's irises, when he looks at me so trusting and innocent and his immaculate soul shines through his gaze. When my clients reach a breakthrough in therapy session and I fall in love, yet again, with my jobation*, knowing that what happened is not "me doing something" rather "me making space for it to happen". The numinous is not just out there for us to reconnect with, it also runs through, a spiritual current for us to gift, freely and generously, to the collective soul.
So beautiful….
🙏🏻
So beautifully put! You and Kateri are surely kindred spirits in both temperament and expression. It was wonderful to read your words this morning. Thank you for taking the time to write.
💕
*neither job nor vocation sound right, but something in between the two feels appropriate:D
Gosh, Stefania, yes. Thank you for this. "knowing that what happened is not "me doing something" rather "me making space for it to happen"."i I feel this about so so many things in life. Making the space. Showing up. Presence. Having the antennae ready. Yes. thank you!
🙏🏻🌸
In awe!
❤️
i need to see that wall with the words... omg... the whiff of difference in the color...
So often I wish I had taken a photo. Makes me want to try it in a room in my house. ✨
Oh, Kateri, this is such a beautiful essay! You have way of explaining which takes an obscure concept and makes it immediately understandable. I wonder if we all have these moments...I certainly have and am grateful for such an apt word to use to describe it. Numinous, hmmm, it even feels delicious to say.
Thank you for the smile you just helped to appear on my face :) I do think we all have these moments. Very human moments xoxo
Beautiful...
🥰