'Reality Shifts...' Ever Have One? A Humble Investigation.

Originally Posted by Lulu

I agree that this topic is a difficult one to talk about - Not just difficult in the sense that by talking about it you are essentially admitting it to yourself, therefore you'll have to eventually 'face' it (not to mention, the gawks you'll get from others for being a little too 'out there'), but because the experience is literally difficult to describe. It's hard to find words to accurately describe what (might have) happened to you. All of the theories I presented (as well as the numerous other ones I wrote in my first draft that didn't make the final cut) - that was beyond simple. I whipped those up in about two minutes. But describing my experience... I mulled over it for quite some time. Those nanoseconds of the 'shift' are so hard to describe... nanoseconds of an event are hard to describe! Crazy, right? It sounds crazy, but I still don't think I did those nanoseconds any justice by putting them into words. I don't think I ever will be able to.

That's why I was so glad to find others that had experienced such a thing. After it happened, I went over it in my head again and again... I kind of-sort of mentioned it to my mom, who, naturally, accused me of having a 'wild imagination.' So, I kept it inside for a while. By sheer luck, I came across a story eerily similar to mine - it was only after that that I felt 'compelled' to push on with it. Like you said, it's good to hear/share experiences such as these - it's good to know that you're not alone in this. That allows for dialogue and maybe, some day, an understanding of the whats, whys, and hows.

I would love to know why you experienced the time in between the 'shift...' maybe you were meant to see it... a sort of 'all-access pass' to the 'behind the scenes' of these occurrences? I can't say I'd like to experience dying again (especially not in such a horrible, horrible manner), but it would be neat to see what you have seen, for sure!

I'm so glad you found this thread! This thread is actually starting to remind me of that 'other' thread... which I dare not mention... because I can't talk about that stuff right now. You are so much better with words than I am, and you painted a much better picture of the actual experience than I ever could of!

Who knows... maybe some other people out there will, by sheer luck, happen upon this thread and be compelled to share their own experiences. One can hope, right?

So freaking true! Describing this thing is really really hard. I tried my best but I felt like I was repeating myself over and over or I might as well have just opened up a thesaurus for synonyms to words like "dream-like" or "warped" lol. I could probably spend an entire chapter's worth just trying (and likely failing) to describe the time-less time-between-time...before I stood on the beach calling out for my boyfriend. I actually paced around, aimless, like I didn't know where I was going for an indeterminate amount of time. It was a very erratic, swaying, meandering walk to get there - all surrounded by just...chaos. But see? I look at those words and think it still doesn't do any justice. LOL

All my shifts have haunted me too. There was once that 2-3 similar events (not all shifts but all similar in nature) had happened within several months and I have to be honest - it really threatened my sanity for a while. It's hard to explain why or how - it just is utterly MADDENING. The event leaves ripples in the mind... I don't think I'll ever be able to be completely unaffected by those events.

I don't really know why I experienced it. I have to be honest, after having undergone the events I have, my perception of time is permanently skewed now. The only time I think of time in a truly linear fashion is when a clock is ticking - and I'm reminded how everyone around me sees it. My former perceptions of time-space are shattered permanently. It's gotten to the point that walls do not look solid, nothing does really, and it sometimes takes effort to think of it as a solid object...time does not seem to 'flow' so much as 'exist' singularly (that's really hard for me to describe too)...and I often see momentary tiny 'holes' through matter that open for an instant and close back up immediately; or miniscule, almost imperceptible 'skips' in time (like a fraction of a blink of an eye, skipped, or something).

I do not know why I see these things. I don't know whether I'm the only one, and although it took me a long time to adjust to the changes in my perception, I no longer care whether anyone would believe my claims or not (although this is the first time I've ever mentioned them other than to my fiance in confidence) - I know it's real. I know by observation sort of how it works (but probably not well enough to satisfy a scientist, sadly)...I just don't know why I can see it. I don't know if my mind re-trained itself after having experienced enough 'shifts'...to observe what most human beings are trained to tune out as background? I mean I know there's a host of information that gets disregarded by most people's brains...I truly, truly feel like maybe this is one of those things. The skips in time become background, unnoticed and not worth noticing to the human brain, maybe. And maybe I'm a flaw in that system - or my brain stopped being able to filter it out, or something.

It really is a very out-there thing. I'm always nervous, waiting to hear a bunch of people descend on me to say "You are insane", "You must be schizophrenic", or "Yeah right, prove it!" or worse. Like I should be on the defensive immediately and be ready to clam up and never speak of it again.

Finding your thread is basically the only reason I'm saying anything. This is one of those things, for me. Feels like nobody would want to hear it or be ready to hear it, nobody would believe me, nobody would be able to comprehend, nobody would accept it. I just keep it to myself.

So freaking true! Describing this thing is really really hard. I tried my best but I felt like I was repeating myself over and over or I might as well have just opened up a thesaurus for synonyms to words like "dream-like" or "warped" lol. I could probably spend an entire chapter's worth just trying (and likely failing) to describe the time-less time-between-time...before I stood on the beach calling out for my boyfriend. I actually paced around, aimless, like I didn't know where I was going for an indeterminate amount of time. It was a very erratic, swaying, meandering walk to get there - all surrounded by just...chaos. But see? I look at those words and think it still doesn't do any justice. LOL

For real, I have used up the quotation mark quota for our entire species for several years to come in trying my best to describe some of the experiences I have had. But I am so glad to have found others who have had similar experiences that allow us to almost non-verbally communicate with each other... you just sort of know what the other person is trying their best to describe... you can fill in the gaps and read between the lines. It might sound a tad cliched to say, but it's almost as if you can't understand unless you have experienced it for yourself. Maybe our current languages are just too limiting and they too need to evolve before we can begin to accurately describe such things. To me, this is where mathematics comes into play, however, I don't think a lot of the world agrees with me. Why is that? Math is such a beautiful language.

As someone who comes across the concept of time a heck of a lot in her studies, I hope you can understand why I am just so fascinated with your experience of the time-between-times... I hope I'm not being too invasive, or anything like that! It's just my curious nature. My parents told me I was born asking questions. I have a need (not just want) to find as many answers to anything and everything in this Universe, as well as to absorb as much information as I can. It's the driving force in my life. I guess that's why I chose to study science.

The last time I opened up and shared some 'negative' experiences (that are apparently 'all my fault'), I was genuinely searching for answers. After opening up a dialogue on the subject, I was subjected to a pretty brutal experience that not only stopped my search for answers in its tracks, but really left me feeling quite hopeless/helpless. I became reluctant to share any other experiences I have had. But I'm glad I decided to post this - I feel a new sense of hope, maybe even purpose - I want to pursue this.

"Our clocks do not measure time... Time is defined to be what our clocks measure."
-Unnamed person at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Boulder, U.S.A

Maybe we've been given a 'sneak peek' of how things actually work. Maybe. Again, one can hope, right?

Originally Posted by Lulu

For real, I have used up the quotation mark quota for our entire species for several years to come in trying my best to describe some of the experiences I have had. But I am so glad to have found others who have had similar experiences that allow us to almost non-verbally communicate with each other... you just sort of know what the other person is trying their best to describe... you can fill in the gaps and read between the lines. It might sound a tad cliched to say, but it's almost as if you can't understand unless you have experienced it for yourself. Maybe our current languages are just too limiting and they too need to evolve before we can begin to accurately describe such things. To me, this is where mathematics comes into play, however, I don't think a lot of the world agrees with me. Why is that? Math is such a beautiful language.

As someone who comes across the concept of time a heck of a lot in her studies, I hope you can understand why I am just so fascinated with your experience of the time-between-times... I hope I'm not being too invasive, or anything like that! It's just my curious nature. My parents told me I was born asking questions. I have a need (not just want) to find as many answers to anything and everything in this Universe, as well as to absorb as much information as I can. It's the driving force in my life. I guess that's why I chose to study science.

The last time I opened up and shared some 'negative' experiences (that are apparently 'all my fault'), I was genuinely searching for answers. After opening up a dialogue on the subject, I was subjected to a pretty brutal experience that not only stopped my search for answers in its tracks, but really left me feeling quite hopeless/helpless. I became reluctant to share any other experiences I have had. But I'm glad I decided to post this - I feel a new sense of hope, maybe even purpose - I want to pursue this.

"Our clocks do not measure time... Time is defined to be what our clocks measure."
-Unnamed person at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Boulder, U.S.A

Maybe we've been given a 'sneak peek' of how things actually work. Maybe. Again, one can hope, right?

Oh no, I'm very relieved at the curiosity! It's nice to be able to talk about it. I agree with everything you said...and I'm the same way. I spend a lot of time trying to hunt down scientific theories that talk about this stuff. Anything to find answers and attempt to better understand. I'd LOVE be a scientist, but I can't really afford the insane amounts of college education I'd need to formally get into that whole thing, sadly. And it's really just one of several things I've had strong interest in - I wouldn't know which to pick first, and I wonder if I'd ever want to stop taking classes at all, LOL

So I'm really just stuck as an amateur trying to find information when and where I can.

That quote is amazing! That's how it is to me...clocks are arbitrary, days on the calendar mean nothing to me (other than, oh I'm supposed to do this at this or that time and date). That person put it beautifully.

Originally Posted by Nebulous

Oh no, I'm very relieved at the curiosity! It's nice to be able to talk about it. I agree with everything you said...and I'm the same way. I spend a lot of time trying to hunt down scientific theories that talk about this stuff. Anything to find answers and attempt to better understand. I'd LOVE be a scientist, but I can't really afford the insane amounts of college education I'd need to formally get into that whole thing, sadly. And it's really just one of several things I've had strong interest in - I wouldn't know which to pick first, and I wonder if I'd ever want to stop taking classes at all, LOL

So I'm really just stuck as an amateur trying to find information when and where I can.

That quote is amazing! That's how it is to me...clocks are arbitrary, days on the calendar mean nothing to me (other than, oh I'm supposed to do this at this or that time and date). That person put it beautifully.

You don't even want to know how all over the place I have been in University. I am like you... I want/need to know everything. It was so difficult to focus on a single program. At my school, you have the option of a specialist program, two majors, or one major and two minors. I opted for the specialist program, thinking it would be the best preparation for grad school. As I completed more and more physics courses (physics is not even my specialist program!) I really began to fall in love with it and worried I had made a mistake. After some really good advice from, well, an advisor, I found out I could do a specialist program and a major! I was so happy.

I'd stay in school forever, if I could afford it - but I can barely afford it as it is lol.

All of the information is out there... even MIT offers free 'courses' online... obviously they do not equate to a credit, but who cares, knowledge is the credit. A lot of my friends who opted out of formal schooling do exactly what you're doing... and a lot of them have become quite knowledgeable on particular subjects of interest to them. I wish everyone had equal access to an education (if that is the route they would like to choose... school isn't for everyone), but, politics, right? It's all about the money anyways, as with most things these days. I often buy used textbooks that have nothing to do with anything that I study, just to learn some new things on my own. If I wasn't in school, I would be doing the exact same thing you're doing! Heck, I pretty much am lol.

I know this point of view/perspective is often met with cricket sounds around these boards - but I think these two sides of one coin have the ability to compliment each other quite nicely.

Originally Posted by Lulu

You don't even want to know how all over the place I have been in University. I am like you... I want/need to know everything. It was so difficult to focus on a single program. At my school, you have the option of a specialist program, two majors, or one major and two minors. I opted for the specialist program, thinking it would be the best preparation for grad school. As I completed more and more physics courses (physics is not even my specialist program!) I really began to fall in love with it and worried I had made a mistake. After some really good advice from, well, an advisor, I found out I could do a specialist program and a major! I was so happy.

I'd stay in school forever, if I could afford it - but I can barely afford it as it is lol.

All of the information is out there... even MIT offers free 'courses' online... obviously they do not equate to a credit, but who cares, knowledge is the credit. A lot of my friends who opted out of formal schooling do exactly what you're doing... and a lot of them have become quite knowledgeable on particular subjects of interest to them. I wish everyone had equal access to an education (if that is the route they would like to choose... school isn't for everyone), but, politics, right? It's all about the money anyways, as with most things these days. I often buy used textbooks that have nothing to do with anything that I study, just to learn some new things on my own. If I wasn't in school, I would be doing the exact same thing you're doing! Heck, I pretty much am lol.

I know this point of view/perspective is often met with cricket sounds around these boards - but I think these two sides of one coin have the ability to compliment each other quite nicely.

Stole the words out of my mouth, LOL - sounds like we think alike

Yeah - I don't necessarily need a professor to explain things to me and how to interpret them (although I'd LOVE to just sit there and absorb science and physics lectures day in day out, seriously)...I'd like to try and get a hold of textbooks and other materials if I can. I'm looking into the MIT thing right away, I'm glad you mentioned it! I was of the understanding that colleges guarded their resources and only allowed students access for courses or something - I hope it's not that bad and I can try and swipe up some text books or something.

I have a whole folder on my computer full of weird obscure books that were made into PDF's - one of my other favorite topics is ancient cultures, and symbology and mythos from all over the world in many time periods. My culture folder is part of my gigantic stack of things I try to read when nobody's looking or when I get a little spare time. I feel like there's so much info, so little time!

I think you're absolutely right. I suppose in a sense I have a more alchemical perspective toward spirituality - where magic and science are no different. Magic/metaphysics/spirituality, to me, is something to be studied very seriously, verified and tested...and if something hasn't been widely accepted yet, it's only because the scientific community as a whole just isn't there yet.

In many cases, the lunatics of today are the brilliant minds of the next century. But I feel that, like famous artwork or brilliant musicians, a good scientist's work likely won't be appreciated until after they're gone. A good scientist shakes things up, challenges accepted theory, and is just a socially-unacceptable madman with a penchant for logic, deduction and numbers.

I feel like there's so much info, so little time!

Exactly! I love this place so much... I'll be sad to leave it one day. I want to take in as much as possible while I'm here... or somehow extend my life a bit longer, just for some extra time (I expressed my view on this in a thread on cloning, somewhere around these boards lol).

The open courses are from years past, and the different 'courses' have varying degrees of material (lecture notes, exams, videos, etc.) but they are a really great starting point in learning about a subject of interest. You can accompany them with a textbook, but it's not absolutely necessary. Just find a subject you like, download the course materials, and start learning.

Here's the link to the MIT open courses site, that is, if you haven't already found it (which I suspect you just might have lol),

MIT OpenCourseWare

I think a lot of the lectures (videos, etc.) are also available on iTunes U.

There are a lot of other schools that do this too, but MIT is a good starting place.

Happy learnin'

[Solace733]

First off, fascinating stories all! I loved reading these. It is interesting the timing of this, as i have been wondering what i used to experience as a child, and once as a teen. Warped reality was mentioned here, and i can relate to that. As a small child, when i was experiencing paranormal events, there were times that the room would seem distorted. It is really hard to explain. If you have ever stared at a camp fire and looked slightly above the flames to see the air looking wavy/warped/distorted, that would be sort of what i would experience. It used to really scare me. The moments would be brief, but i have never forgotten them and i was not dreaming. I was awake in every experience. This only happened when i was very little(3&4) years old and stopped completely until i was around 15. My mom used to work late shifts, and i remember getting settled in for the night, alone as usual, and it started to happen. The room looked distorted, my heart was racing,etc. I called my mom and said,"it's happening again!" I was grateful she drove home to be with me that night. I was scared to death and really didn't feel ok alone. Anyway, it only happened once as a teen and never happened again. I still do not know what it was or what it could mean, but i felt to post this in your thread.
p.s.(i had my eyes checked and medically, i was fine.)

Originally Posted by Solace733

First off, fascinating stories all! I loved reading these. It is interesting the timing of this, as i have been wondering what i used to experience as a child, and once as a teen. Warped reality was mentioned here, and i can relate to that. As a small child, when i was experiencing paranormal events, there were times that the room would seem distorted. It is really hard to explain. If you have ever stared at a camp fire and looked slightly above the flames to see the air looking wavy/warped/distorted, that would be sort of what i would experience. It used to really scare me. The moments would be brief, but i have never forgotten them and i was not dreaming. I was awake in every experience. This only happened when i was very little(3&4) years old and stopped completely until i was around 15. My mom used to work late shifts, and i remember getting settled in for the night, alone as usual, and it started to happen. The room looked distorted, my heart was racing,etc. I called my mom and said,"it's happening again!" I was grateful she drove home to be with me that night. I was scared to death and really didn't feel ok alone. Anyway, it only happened once as a teen and never happened again. I still do not know what it was or what it could mean, but i felt to post this in your thread.
p.s.(i had my eyes checked and medically, i was fine.)

Hey, Solace... it almost sounds as if you were 'seeing' our dimension and another at the same time... pretty awesome! I'm glad you got your eyes checked though... it's good to rule out anything 'malfunctioning' with your body first, instead of just automatically assuming something is 'paranormal...' you need to take care of you first, and then, if given the 'all clear,' go ahead with other explanations. I'm also glad you referenced the camp fire 'illusion...' optical phenomenon, such as mirages, happen to us all of the time. One of the most common is the highway mirage, where it looks as if there is a pool of water on the road ahead. It's a light refraction. Another example would be a straw in a glass of clear liquid that 'appears' to be bent or broken.

Thanks so much for sharing your experiences!

Here are a couple of the more 'famous' stories of 'reality shifts' that are floating around the internet. I make no claims regarding their accuracy... they both have problems/'holes' in their stories (especially the first), and there are many proposed 'explanations' of these stories out there, as well. Hoaxes, or not, they are interesting reads, obviously relating to what we have been discussing, that is, when we're not derailing lol.

The odd tale of the man from Taured

It’s July 1954; a hot day. A man arrives at Tokyo airport in Japan. He’s of Caucasian appearance and conventional-looking. But the officials are suspicious.
On checking his passport, they see that he hails from a country called Taured. The passport looked genuine, except for the fact that there is no such country as Taured – well, at least in our dimension.
The man is interrogated, and asked to point out where his country supposedly exists on a map.
He immediately points his finger towards the Principality of Andorra, but becomes angry and confused. He’s never heard of Andorra, and can’t understand why his homeland of Taured isn’t there.
According to him it should have been, for it had existed for more than 1,000 years!

Terrified Woman From Another Universe Wakes Up Here

What started as an ordinary day—waking in bed one morning—evolved into a series of fearful shocks and haunting horror for a desperate woman lost in an alien world: our world.

As she later wrote on the Internet seeking someone to offer an explanation for her nightmarish dilemma and maybe offering help:
"One day I woke up and found that everything was different—nothing spectacular or having to do with time travel and such things. I simply woke up in the same year and day on which I went to bed, but many things were different. They were small things, but sufficiently important to know that there was a point at which everything was different."

Again, take these stories with a grain of salt!

[Solace733]

Originally Posted by Lulu

Hey, Solace... it almost sounds as if you were 'seeing' our dimension and another at the same time... pretty awesome! I'm glad you got your eyes checked though... it's good to rule out anything 'malfunctioning' with your body first, instead of just automatically assuming something is 'paranormal...' you need to take care of you first, and then, if given the 'all clear,' go ahead with other explanations. I'm also glad you referenced the camp fire 'illusion...' optical phenomenon, such as mirages, happen to us all of the time. One of the most common is the highway mirage, where it looks as if there is a pool of water on the road ahead. It's a light refraction. Another example would be a straw in a glass of clear liquid that 'appears' to be bent or broken.

Thanks so much for sharing your experiences!

Thanks for your input on mine Lulu, much appreciated!