Transcendence occurs when we have an experience which gives us a glimpse beyond our mundane physical world. Sometimes this happens when we experience God in the stillness of prayer or solitude. Other times this happens when we confront the power or vastness of nature. The starry sky can overwhelm one with the sense of eternity, just as the power and size of the ocean can make us aware of God because we feel so small by comparison. Transcendent experiences where we feel the presence of God can’t be forced, but we can make ourselves ready for them, and put ourselves in situations where they are more likely to happen. Nature and solitude are two of the more common ways to foster transcendent experiences, but many people also get them through being in sacred places, such as churches or temples. Some find the experience through works of art or music, and it can also come via our contact with holy men or women. Truly holy people often radiate God’s love so strongly that one feels God’s presence through that person. One problem with transcendent experiences is that they don’t last forever. Despite glimpsing eternity in the experience, we inevitably fall back into the humdrum monotony of everyday life, and that return can be a letdown. We should seek these experiences, but realize that they are but a glimpse of our ultimate origin and destination. – Christopher Simon
