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There have been two times in my life, many years ago, in which I have experienced extremely blissful moments. It seemed like moments, although each lasted minutes. These two experiences were NOT just emotionally-induced waves of happiness. I have also experienced these feelings, which seem to result from an event or gathering like a child birth or wedding. These blissful moments, or as others have called them, 'peak experiences', seem to come from nowhere, and I doubt that they can be induced.
The first blissful moment that I experienced was when I was about 20 yrs. old, serving a one-year tour in Thailand with the USAF. I had been there about 6 months and had fallen into a nice routine. I was working graveyard shift and met a good friend at the gym one morning before heading home. We lifted weights for a little while, then for some aerobic exercise, we played 2-on-2 basketball with a couple of other guys.
After the workout, he went back to his barracks while I showered at the gym. I then left to catch the bus downtown where I lived. I stepped outside and started walking, and I was overcome with an intensely euphoric 'all-is-right-with-the-world' feeling. As I continued to walk, I noticed that people that I passed were smiling at me. Then I realized that I was smiling like an idiot; they were apparently reflecting my inner glow. I eventually stepped onto the bus, paid my fare, and sat on an almost empty bus. The feeling quickly faded, and I was left wondering what the hell was that?
The second time this happened was about a year later. I lived in Las Vegas and I had rode my motorcycle to LA to be in a good friend's wedding. Everything went according to plan. I had a great time with his family and friends and, on a pleasant Sunday afternoon, started my 4-hour ride back through the desert to Nellis AFB. I rode the final two hours non-stop on my 1970 Yamaha 650cc. The bike was not especially comfortable, the motor was a loud, and being a 2-cylinder, it had a fair amount of vibration. I'm not saying that this caused the blissful minutes that followed, but I would not discount it either. As I rode near the base and stopped for traffic lights, I felt like I was floating! I was immediately reminded of my first blissful moment. I pulled into the parking lot, grabbed my bag, and went to my room. On the way, I stuck my head in a room where some friends were playing pinocle. They asked if I wanted to get high, and I said something like, "I am on a natural high, much better than I have ever experienced in my life." They all looked up, and although I have no idea why, one guy acknowledged that I looked different. I may have been smiling like an idiot.
Within minutes, we all climbed in someone's car and headed to a bar downtown to listen to music. We talked about the weekend and the feeling quickly faded. It lasted about 30 minutes.
In the following 40 years, I have thought often of these two moments. Again, I have had similar 'highs'. Some drug induced. But NONE like the intensity and mystery of these apparently random experiences. The above link suggests this may come to 'self-actualized' individuals. At this station in my life, the only brush with spirituality I had was surviving 12 years of Catholic school.
I think that there are a couple of things these two situations had in common. These observations just seem to ring true with the feeling I had at the time:
I think the anxiety of living with responsibilities takes a toll on our well-being. But most of the time, they are unavoidable. Which I think is why I am writing this now after over 40 years has passed. I am now retired and again, find myself with few responsibilities. When I get together with Mac, my good friend and also retired, we both share what a wonderful time this is in our lives. I do still have anxieties from time to time, but I am going to take time to address each of them as they arise. I don't have to feel Blissful Moments anymore, as I think I might just tip over with the overwhelming jubilation.
Life is just too short now to worry about anything.