There is this experience I have had only two times in my life so far, while reading a book. It is a remarkable experience. The first description that comes to mind is that you can literally feel your mind stretching. It is where you can feel that what you are reading was written by someone who understands way more than you. You aren’t even on the same plane of consciousness.
You have to stretch to grasp notions you never even envisioned. You have to think. Your perception is altered and you know you can never go back to that previous state. You now see more of the world. You were looking at it through a key hole and the author has just opened the door for you. You are sucked into the book. It’s a different world. Utterly engrossing, fascinating and at the same time terrifying. You are in a heightened state of awareness. You feel your understanding growing. A sort of cognitive ecstasy, what Jason Silva defines as “an exhilarating neurostorm of intense intellectual pleasure.”
This is when you can’t put down the book and just have to finish it. The ideas that swirl around in your head are amazing. For a while after leaving the book, you can sense your mind buzzing and thinking but you can’t see those thoughts. You have an unfocused gaze. A sense of wonder. You have this feeling that you could come back to this book any time and you would still find something new every time.
The first time I experienced this was while reading Alamut
The second time was while reading The Power of Myth
I cannot say you will experience this feeling if you read these books. Though, you might. I think it depends a lot on your own previous experiences and interests. It is not something you feel everyday and thus is quite precious.
I would love to know whether you have had similar experiences.
Hi Adrien, I felt this experience when I read Fahrenheit 451 by Ray B. This book let me understand the fact that our best weapon is knowledge that is to say books …
J.A
I haven’t read that book yet but I understand what you mean.
I understand that a question for you is not an answer to the question you asked us.
Even so, I was wondering if you had you ever experienced what I like to call the ‘EXACTLY!’ moment.
That moment when reading a book, when you come across something – a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things – that you’d thought special, particular to you. And here it is, set down by someone else, a person you’ve never met, maybe even someone long dead. And it’s as if a hand has come out, and taken yours.
These moments remind me that I’m not alone with my strange and crazy questions, that yes, other human beings have asked themselves the same questions.
However, sometimes it quite nice to pretend your thoughts are unique.
Have you ?
Yes I have. Those “Exactly!” moments are great.