In the last twenty years, much has been written about near-death experiences (NDEs) and the effect they have had on the affected individuals. Spontaneous mystical experiences have similar life-changing properties on the subjects and happen to generally healthy individuals rather than to those on the brink of death.

I was a forty-two-year-old man, vacationing in the Caribbean, when I decided to relax for a few minutes alone on the beach, but instead experienced a series of events that meet the description of “cosmic consciousness.” The extraordinary circumstances that occurred, triggered by the planet Venus, never recurred, but instantaneously changed the mind-set of this former agnostic and cynic who had no prior interest in nor knowledge of spiritual or psychic phenomena.

It was twilight; I was alone and sitting on the beach in front of the hotel while waiting to go to the communal dinner. The sky was misty and I aimlessly looked up from the chaise lounge I was seated on, when I spied a light above the horizon. Knowing nothing of astronomy, I wondered whether the light was a bright star, planet, man-made satellite or even a beacon on top of a mast on a faraway ship that could not be seen because of its distance from the shore.

It was brighter than the stars that were beginning to appear as my eyes grew accustomed to the darkening sky. Unaccountably, the light began to change shape and color, further mystifying me. I closed my eyes, rubbed them for a few seconds and then reopened them.

When I opened my eyes, I found myself in the presence of a Divine Power in the form of a Force that was emanating from the Light in the sky and found myself transfixed on that same Light. I felt as if I had just been abruptly awakened from an incredibly realistic dream that had been my former lifetime up to that moment. I instantaneously realized that life really is nothing more than another dream after all.

I discovered that for the first time in my life, my rational mind was now separate from the body sitting in the chair and I was able to witness the events that occurred subsequently as an interested observer.

The Force did not feel threatening to me in any way but was immeasurably powerful and commanding in nature and although totally alien to any feeling I had ever known before, seemed somehow familiar. I can remember thinking also in those first few moments that the miracle stories I had read and scoffed at in the Bible long ago were true after all. I felt totally awakened realizing that my entire past life had only been an illlusion. The hairs on my body were standing up in the way that they would during those rare times when I had known intense fear. But, I was not frightened and instead was expectant and calm while surrendering to the Force that had taken over my body.

To my amazement, I watched myself stand up from the chaise lounge and noted that my brain was not the conductor of this motor act but the Force was obviously “running the show.” I was still transfixed by the Light and yet could “watch” myself walk purposefully down the beach for several hundred yards. I was now in total seclusion and saw myself taking off my T-shirt, shorts and underwear. I remember thinking how appropriate it was to be nude in the presence of this Force.

I observed myself squatting down on the sandy beach and then, for the first time since the encounter began felt myself released from the Light and able to look around. It was miraculous! Everything else was “awake” also. How could I not have realized that the waves in the sea were just another form of motion different from walking or running but essentially the same energy manifesting in it’s own distinct way. Whatever I gazed at-the stars that were now shining between the clouds, the moving clouds themselves or the water in front of me, we were all interconnected in a perfectly orderly way.

And then, an impending sense of death entered my consciousness but rather than feeling fear, I was overcome by a sense of relief. Relief that there was never any reason to be afraid of the “afterlife” although the act of dying might be painful. I felt a sense of anticipation for where my soul was to travel next.

I realized that we will all come to understand that death would not be the end of our existence, but for some reason, I was being given this gift of having my own death extended in this way while others may only have a split second of recognition before their bodily demise.

This thought felt absolutely valid while I now appreciated that much of the information I had gathered in my previous existence seemed somehow irrelevant and misleading giving me unnecessary worry I never needed to concern myself with. My memories of the past, including the family I loved so dearly seemed now like a dream compared to the reality I was now experiencing.

But, there was not to be death for me on this night. Instead, I found myself standing up and walking into the water up to my waist. Now, the “life” of the water was close and intimate and I found myself becoming aroused as if I was with a lover. I was allowed to remain for a few moments more and then turned to walk out of the sea and on to a chaise lounge that was seemingly waiting for me on the beach.

I laid supine and felt realizations pouring into my mind that had now returned to my body. I felt that I could have answered any questions posed to me and never felt so aware before.

It began to drizzle and the drops of rain landing on my naked body seemed no less alive as anything else. I was in a state of bliss and laid there until the rain ended. In my super conscious state, I could hear the insects coming and remained motionless as mosquitoes landed on my skin and drank their fill. They left eventually and looking up, I no longer could see the Light and my previous normal consciousness returned.

The next morning, I ran on the local roads of the island and sought cover at a small roadside shrine as it began to rain. There was a small statue of the Virgin Mary and several lit candles. It occurred to me that maybe I had seen the Star of Bethlehem. The wise men must have been affected by the same Force that had revealed itself to me the previous night and had led them to the baby Jesus. If that was the case, then shouldn’t I be telling everyone about this incredible news. There really is a God! I felt as if I had been touched by It. The Divine Madness had entered my soul and I became a carrier. I had been hoping that my early morning run would have cleared my mind as it had so many times in the past. Instead, I was even more confused.

The day went by with me anxiously waiting for the evening to come. I sensed my anticipation and compulsion to return to the beach if ever I was to understand what had happened to me on the previous night. I wanted to know if I had had a hallucination or a revelation. I know now that I never really had a choice.

I arrived at the beach front at approximately the same time as the evening before and went immediately to the same place where it had all began. There was the chair from the night before but there was now also a speaker about ten feet from the chaise lounge obviously connected to the sound system of the hotel and quiet classical music was playing. This was the rainy season and it was lightly drizzling.

I sat and got wet and after about ten minutes started looking for some inner or outer signal to let me know that the waiting period was over. The music ended, I put my arms on the chair, when suddenly, as if an overture had ended and the curtain was rising, two clouds moved aside and the Light appeared.

I felt the Force and began to cry. I was so ashamed that I had so little faith. I watched myself stand and with eyes fixed unblinkingly on the Light walked down to the same isolated part of the beach. I felt as if I was going home but to a place that was locked somewhere deep in my memory banks.

It was magical. The air was alive and where ever I looked, It was perfect. I felt that I possessed all of the knowledge that I would ever need in this lifetime. I, along with everyone else was safe. Behind our personalities and humanity, we are all rays or sparks of the Force that I was now feeling. I saw the Light!

The sand, alive and under my feet beckoned me and so I took handfuls and rubbed it all over my body. I made a hole in the sand beneath me, and, lying prone began to make love. I rose up unsatisfied after a few moments and walked into the water. The warm water became seductive and It was soon over.

I can’t remember what happened for the rest of that night or the next morning after I found my clothes and walked off the beach. getting ready to check out of the hotel the next morning. I had been asking random people since the first night whether they had noticed any unusual lights in the sky and had never received anything other than odd looks. The cashier however answered my, by now, unenthusiastic question by telling me that she had noticed the light. She was in Tahiti for several months and observed that the natives would periodically go down to the beach and wash their hair when that light appeared.

I began to write about my experience on the aircraft ride home trying to be as exact as I could in my remembrance of those amazing times. I was afraid that the plane would land, and I would become amnesiac to the events that had happened. I needn’t have worried. I never forgot, and am still trying to express the reality that was mine if only for a few short moments.

It only took a few days for me to contact an astronomy teacher at a local private school. It was Venus that I had seen and the changes in color and shape were due to the refraction of the planet through the water droplets of the misty evenings. I told him nothing of how important it was for me to be able to connect the light I had seen with a verifiable celestial object. It was obvious also that he would not be able to explain to me anything else that had happened to me on that trip.

The years since then have been predictable as I look back from the perspective of the present. I became intensely interested in astronomy and still seek pleasure from the night skies, paying special homage to Venus when she appears. Through my interest in astronomy came a study of mythology. Mystical writings have educated me while giving me insight and understanding of divine beliefs.

My life has become enriched in all the positive ways described by individuals who have had near-death or other transcendent experiences. I feel mostly as if I’m the luckiest man alive and suspect that what happened to me was as random or purposeful an event as being struck by lightening. I believe it was an act of God, consider myself a carrier of this divine madness and know by now that it is not contagious. I wish it were, however.