visions

[MoNiCa4316]

:wave:I don't really know how to put this, but I have a question about visions... does anyone know, do they always involve a 'visual' or can it be more like something in your mind that you 'feel' very strongly; like for example if someone knows that Jesus or an angel or the Virgin Mary is right there with them but can't actually describe what they look like?

just curious !!! :)

thanks!

[Springrain]

According to St. Teresa

"We see nothing, either interiorly or exteriorly. . . But without seeing anything the soul conceives the object and feels whence it is more clearly than if it saw it, save that nothing in particular is shown to it. It is like feeling someone near one in a dark place" (first letter to Father Rodrigo Alvarez).

[MoNiCa4316]

thanks! :) that really helps!

based on this quote it sort of sounds like all visions are like that :confused: but isn't there also the type when people actually visually see the person/etc.... ? (I don't mean apparitions) for example, do you think that St. Faustina actually saw Jesus and Mary or was it more like what St. Teresa describes? (I don't know if anyone knows the answer to this but maybe there's a quote I missed somewhere ;))

btw I believe it could be either way...

[Peaceful Dove]

No, not all visions.
Sometimes you actually see things.
It is very hard to describe, in fact it is almost impossible.
You do see spiritually, however.
I could send you one or two pages of my journal if that would help.

[MoNiCa4316]

No, not all visions.
Sometimes you actually see things.
It is very hard to describe, in fact it is almost impossible.
You do see spiritually, however.
I could send you one or two pages of my journal if that would help.

:wave: If you feel comfortable sharing that and it's no trouble, that might really help me :)

[Peaceful Dove]

I will need you to send me your email address.
I feel quite comfortable. I do send them when asked.
By the way, the "experiences" I had, were given to the Bishop by my Pastor and Spiritual director. They were under scrutiny for almost 10 years before I was finally told that they were not in any way opposed to Catholic Doctrine, Tradition or to Scripture and could be accepted as private revelation.
What a comfort!!!!!!!

[Springrain]

I am really glad this question has come up. The same questions were in my mind yesterday at mass. I took the clip I posted from St Teresa from the following link....and of course your correct that there are different types. This article I am posting the link for this website that indicates that there are three catagories. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15477a.htm

I can't say it really answered my questions. My own question is more like this? If I am daydreaming at Mass and my imagination is running along the lines of thinking what it would be like if Jesus was standing beside the alter and I imagine he is there dressed in white robes. Is that just imagination?

[isabella1]

Can you share them openly Peaceful?

Monica, yes there are sometimes things you can see, sometimes you feel them, sometimes you smell, and sometimes you just know that you know (the gut reaction). I believe that is the most common. Because God gave us a gut reaction for a reason. It is the very first feeling you get and it is right in your gut, and ALWAYS right. It is when we second guess and start to analyze that we get in trouble, and then make the wrong choice.

At times you may be able to see both good and evil as well. It all depends how the Holy Spirit is working in you, and our Lord knows where each one of are at and what we are able to handle. My opinion of course.

[SharonL]

I will need you to send me your email address.
I feel quite comfortable. I do send them when asked.
By the way, the "experiences" I had, were given to the Bishop by my Pastor and Spiritual director. They were under scrutiny for almost 10 years before I was finally told that they were not in any way opposed to Catholic Doctrine, Tradition or to Scripture and could be accepted as private revelation.
What a comfort!!!!!!!

Peaceful Dove - would you feel comfortable sharing it here - I think it would be a huge Blessing to everyone. I would love to read it.

[JoabAnias]

I know that LOCUTION (http://www.catholicreference.net/index.cfm?id=34640)s (which many get) are different than a vision.

[Springrain]

Locutions are described as types of messages, an inner knowing inspired from Heaven, neither a voice nor a vision. An example is Father Gobbi, who believes he is receiving messages from the Blessed Mother in the form of interior locutions.

[JoabAnias]

Ah, the good ole cenacles of the Marian Movement of Priests. I went to their hq once. Unfortunately I think Fr. Gobbi got a bit carried away with himself. Last I heard he was sheltered in Rome. I hope he is still there.

[Peaceful Dove]

Peaceful Dove - would you feel comfortable sharing it here - I think it would be a huge Blessing to everyone. I would love to read it.

Hi Sharon,
My journals describe several experiences during contemplative prayer.
They were extremely hard to put into words.
I always share when asked and the Spirit seems to urge me to but I don't do it publically. I do not think the Lord wants that and I have been advised not to do it that way.
I know that the expriences I went through were meant to share with the Body but I think I should be prudent about it.

If you want to read them, just pm me your email and I will send them to you.

I will pray about posting an event or maybe a prayer.
Let's see how the Holy Spirit moves.

Blessings

[MoNiCa4316]

I am really glad this question has come up. The same questions were in my mind yesterday at mass. I took the clip I posted from St Teresa from the following link....and of course your correct that there are different types. This article I am posting the link for this website that indicates that there are three catagories. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15477a.htm

thanks! :)

I can't say it really answered my questions. My own question is more like this? If I am daydreaming at Mass and my imagination is running along the lines of thinking what it would be like if Jesus was standing beside the alter and I imagine he is there dressed in white robes. Is that just imagination?

hmm I've had a similar question once... I think when you have a 'vision', you feel a lot of certainty and you don't have to try to 'see' anything it just comes to you. Well that's just my idea lol ;)

Can you share them openly Peaceful?

Monica, yes there are sometimes things you can see, sometimes you feel them, sometimes you smell, and sometimes you just know that you know (the gut reaction). I believe that is the most common. Because God gave us a gut reaction for a reason. It is the very first feeling you get and it is right in your gut, and ALWAYS right. It is when we second guess and start to analyze that we get in trouble, and then make the wrong choice.

At times you may be able to see both good and evil as well. It all depends how the Holy Spirit is working in you, and our Lord knows where each one of are at and what we are able to handle. My opinion of course.

thanks for sharing Isabella :)

I know that LOCUTION (http://www.catholicreference.net/index.cfm?id=34640)s (which many get) are different than a vision.

those are interesting! yea they're different than visions..

thanks for all the replies!

God bless

monica

[MoNiCa4316]

I will need you to send me your email address.
I feel quite comfortable. I do send them when asked.
By the way, the "experiences" I had, were given to the Bishop by my Pastor and Spiritual director. They were under scrutiny for almost 10 years before I was finally told that they were not in any way opposed to Catholic Doctrine, Tradition or to Scripture and could be accepted as private revelation.
What a comfort!!!!!!!

that's great! :) thank you Peaceful! I'll send you my email over PM.

God bless

monica

[Father Rick]

Well... let me jump in here as well.

IMO, there are actually 3 types of visions.

For my own personal understanding, I have categorized them as open visions, closed visions, and intuitive visions. (Note: this is just the labels I've stuck on them for ease in discussing them-- not "official" labels).

An open vision is just that. You see something "openly" or just as if it were real/material. If you are standing in your living room and an angel were to appear to you and you could see it just as clearly as you could see the couch-- that would be an "open" vision. In my experience, while this is the most dramatic it is the least common of the three.

A closed vision is when you see something-- not like it's right there in front of you, but more like you're watching something on a movie screen. Many times, this may happen when one's eyes are actually closed (as in, while praying)... which is why I call it a closed vision. You see it exactly-- but it is clearly a specific "scene" that you see and you are aware that it is something "other" than your physical, material surroundings.

The third type of vision, is what I refer to as an "intuitive" vision. I say intuitive-- not in the sense of someone have "intuition" the way intuition is often spoken of but rather in the sense that it is an inner knowing. The best way I've found to describe it is this: In your mind picture your bedroom. You're not actually seeing it, but you can "see" it. What color is the bedspread? What color are the walls? How many windows? What is sitting on top of the dresser? Even though you're not seeing any of these items, as you focus on them you can describe exactly what each looks like. This is not a case of mere imagination-- you know what they look like and you can tell someone (even in great detail).

While God can (and does) speak to different people in different ways, my experience has been that the third category of vision is the most common.


I want to reiterate here that scripture is clear that ALL visions or any other form of prophetic revelation should be judged. We are all human and we all make mistakes. Therefore, when we do have such we should submit them to the leaders of the church. Depending on the nature/gravity of the revelation this may mean submitting it to the prayer group leader... or the parish priest... or if need be to the bishop. The main thing is to remember that just because one believes one has received some form of prophetic revelation that you can't just go running off and become a maverick. Rather, we are to be accountable to one another, submitting ourselves to one another, so that as His Body we can all grow together into maturity in Him.

[isabella1]

Hi Fr. Rick I just posted a link to your response in the OBOB on a thread. Here is the OBOB thread http://christianforums.com/showthread.php?p=47188315#post47188315

[Peaceful Dove]

I can completely agree with Fr Rick.
I have personally experienced all three.
My first one is what Fr Rick calls an "open" vision. I was actually in my living room and could see everything around me and even mention this in my journal. I experienced another one similar to this, while a Priest was consecrating the Eucharist. I saw a bright light around the Priest, he acually glowed brightly and saw what appeared to be smoke or steam (that is how it looked but surely not what it ways) surrounding the Holy Eucharist. However the first one was seeing the Holy Trinity and very different.

Other visions I recored were more like the "closed" vision.

I want to mention again that I had a Spiritual Director who was very close to me and these "experiences" were given to the Bishop and were under close scrutiny. Nearly 10 years later my Spiritual Director told me the Bishop told him that there was nothing in Scripture or Doctrine that would condemn what I saw. It was ok to accept them.
Apparantly, that is how "visions" are scrutinized in the Church. This is not fully discernment but also actually testing them against many areas but scripture and doctrine is first.

[Davidnic]

There are three types of Vision in Catholic theological anthropology. Corporeal, Imaginative and intellectual.

St. Teresa of Avila describes intellectual visions:

"We see nothing, either interiorly or exteriorly. . . But without seeing anything the soul conceives the object and feels whence it is more clearly than if it saw it, save that nothing in particular is shown to it. It is like feeling someone near one in a dark place"

There is a good, but a bit thick entry on it in the old Catholic Encyclopedia: link (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15477a.htm)

As always discernment of spirits is an issue and Fr. Hardon has an excellent article on that based on the Ignatian model: link (http://www.therealpresence.org/archives/Christian_Spirituality/Christian_Spirituality_030.htm)

[isabella1]

Some good reading there as always David. Thanks.

[isabella1]

I found this real helpful. http://www.catholicdoors.com/isit/isitfore.htm (http://www.catholicdoors.com/isit/isitfore.htm)

[krstlros]

I don't know if this would constitute a vision or not:

I was serving at the altar one Sunday (we were at the Presentation Of The Gifts), when suddenly, I smelled an overabundance of roses. I looked around me thinking one of the ladies in the assembly had gone overboard with the perfume bottle, but no one was within 5 feet of me. I am not a fan of strang perfumie scents, but this was the sweetest smell ever, and I felt my entire being swell with wonder, awe and love.

I went back to my seat, and during the Eucharistic prayer, I started crying. It was the most wonderful undescribable feeling ever.

[Father Rick]

I don't know if this would constitute a vision or not:

I was serving at the altar one Sunday (we were at the Presentation Of The Gifts), when suddenly, I smelled an overabundance of roses. I looked around me thinking one of the ladies in the assembly had gone overboard with the perfume bottle, but no one was within 5 feet of me. I am not a fan of strang perfumie scents, but this was the sweetest smell ever, and I felt my entire being swell with wonder, awe and love.

I went back to my seat, and during the Eucharistic prayer, I started crying. It was the most wonderful undescribable feeling ever.While I wouldn't classify your experience as a vision, such experiences have long been recognized as valid. The smell of roses is usually associated with Mary.

[Peaceful Dove]

I have also smelled roses during the Consecration of the Eucharist and I was also in tears.

I don't know if that is a vision or not either or a sign.
I have also experienced a Eucharistic Miracle.

[JoabAnias]

We as a group smelled Roses on the walk from the bus to the infant of Prague Shrine in Prague and I have a couple other times as well. Once inside a church without any flowers in it during ordinary time which eliminated the possibility of them just being on the breeze.

I have a rose petal Rosary that I got on my trip to Medjugorje that the metal links are all tarnished brass looking and still smells like roses 11 years later as well as two others in which the links were brass looking all of a sudden like. Don't know how long that rose smell is supposed to last though in rose petal rosaries. I wouldn't have thought this long though but I could be wrong about that but its really doesn't matter but I am glad it still does smell good.

Tonight, while on the road and listening to the audio book by Anne Emmerich I could have swore I smelled a fruity wine briefly during the part describing the institution of the Eucharist which surprised me a little.

I am a natural skeptic about smells though its still interesting to notice them.

Never had anything worthy or solid enough to consult a priest with it though I should write these things down maybe. Seen a few other things too and heard even more but also no way to verify them. I don't need proof though and don't need to look for signs either.

If I feel that need I pray for an increase in faith instead. I think its spritually hazardous to look for signs or be in a state of confusion making one feel they need confirmation all the time. Jesus said:
Mat 16:4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign: and a sign shall not be given it,

Sometimes life brings confusion on aside from my control though and I think thats different and in those trying times I do sometimes ask for understanding but only if its His will.

[hawko]

Visions can be internal or external. It is something that we can see with our eyes or something that we can see in our minds. For example; many times the Lord allows me to see (with my eyes), visions in the Communion Host. These are external visions. At other times, (when I am praying), the Lord will show me something that just pops into my mind; such as someone that the Lord wants me to pray for. These are internal visions. Many times there are words that come with the visions (for the purpose of clarification). This has been my own personal experience.

[MoNiCa4316]

I found this real helpful. http://www.catholicdoors.com/isit/isitfore.htm (http://www.catholicdoors.com/isit/isitfore.htm)

that is a great article, Isabella! :thumbsup:

[MoNiCa4316]

thanks for the replies everyone, that's very interesting :) especially about the roses, wow! :D

Joab, I agree with what you said about wanting to increase in faith, not just seek confirmations and signs :thumbsup:

God bless!

[isabella1]

Yes I agree with Joab too, but when we do receive the signs, visions or other, don't you just get blown away. I know I do, every time.

[krstlros]

I'm always in wonder and awe.