tell me when you figure that one out.

It's a subjective experience, thus personal and individual, just like your imagination. The only way to distinguish is if it imparts knowledge to you that is objective and verifiable, that is not just a part of your subconscious.

From Christian perspective, I would start with announcement, addressing God and tell Him your concern. Start reading the Bible, go to Church, join your self to Bible studies or home groups and pray. You will quickly see if there is a change in your assessment of Spiritual development in you. Just like you body needs food; your Spirit is being nourished while engaged in Spiritual events and activities. Good luck..

I don't think that open-mindedness just happens full force. For me, if I am going to truly be open to something different than I've ever known, then I have to push myself, despite myself. If there is something that seems worth pursuing and I can see the benefits from the outside of it, then first, I will 'act as if', second I will practice, third I will be honest with myself and explore the experience whole-heartedly even when I doubt the outcome (that's only fair). I still consider myself a seeker, however these things have worked for me to some degree. I feel that I have had some very real spiritual experiences in my life. While religion itself has taken a seat in the very back corner, I still believe that there are indeed answers to our existence and the human condition. Open-mindedness is key to this adventure! I hope that you can make some sense of this :)

I've read that we only use about 10% of our brains. I believe that when we open ourselves spiritually, we tap into consciousness, which is different than brain, but perhaps resides in all that unused space?

Excellent question. As I have started getting into metaphysics and spirituality I have started to learn to take my logical mind out of it. Instead of constantly thinking where is this comming from I just let myself experience and enjoy the ride.

.. by first keeping an open mind ;)

You can videotape it. I watched a movie on Sci-Fi, the other night, about the paranormal. At the house where the investigators worked out of, they video taped every room so they can have everything documented.

The Bible says "Test the spirits". If the experience does not line up with Biblical teaching (which you, of Jewish background, will know), then you question what "spirit" is in the spirituality.

Do you feel and experience ever-increasing joy and goodness and love in your life? Do you not judge others, but bless them and see them as beautiful children of God / Allness? This takes a lot of practice, and a lot of "other stuff" unlike this that you (and everybody else!) might have squashed down over your whole life, just in the process of living, might come up. This is pretty common - just be aware of it and let it go.

Well in my view, true spirituality isn't about having dramatic experiences that cause you to question your grip on reality, it's about letting go your grip on ego -- "self clinging" we call it in Buddhism. In the course of doing so, one does begin to have radical experiences of unity, etc., but there's no need to attach metaphysical or supernatural *explanations* to those experiences, which removes concerns that one might be simply dissociating from reality. The truth is that unity IS the underlying nature of reality: this is an entirely science-and-objective-reality compatible perspective. It's the notion that we're separate "units of being" which is delusion, and dissolving that delusion restores our grip on reality, rather than disrupting it. You could say that enlightenment is discovering that Carl Sagan was just as right as Einstein, and Buddha was just as right as Gandhi, and you are just as right as they: it is one.

Well, in my case it's just about having faith. I just know things are true, I don't need proof.

Don't think about the emotions and the experience if you think about what you are feeling and what you are going through then you will read too much into the spiritual experience then you will "trick yourself" so to speak... or maybe just overthink it. What I do when I am in a period of adoration is I just let myself go. I praise God with everything I have and let the emotions that I feel... the things that I feel... just take its course. When you just let it happen and don't think about it. You know its God. For me its just this feeling in the pit of my stomach, like a warm glowy feeling and I just know.

Highly interesting question! It was possible for me to have some spiritual experiences and I felt that they had some reality. Such as it is real for you when you are watching TV or even eating you bowl of rice. But are we sure that all of these things are not illusions, including the bowl of rice? As for opening yourself, it just happens if you can relax, I think. But beware, relaxing can also lead to self deception. I think it is possible to develop your intuition to make the difference between self deception and a real spiritual experience: http://skepdic.com/selfdeception.html

Our savior promised us the comforter and the spirit of truth. Be extremely serious when asking him anything. Have faith (things hoped for but yet unseen)that he is guiding you. And ask for the knowledge with an understanding and for the wisdom to know the difference.

Good Question, intresting answers. as for what i have to say... you dont have to try to "be" spiritual, because thats like a frog trying to be a frog. you are already a spiritual being. so the really challenge then is to form your spirit, which it is continual prosses, into that of love. you must see the deceptive, destructive teaching of society, putting yourself first in everything, and start seeing yourself, and how you ought to relate to the world and the people around you, in a new way. in my own life the way ive done this is by learning from great "spiritual" thinkers, such as dallas willard, thomas merton, brian mclaren and so on. spritaul practices are necessary in my opinion. they are a venue in which we interact with the living spirit thats with in ever person, the source of all living thins, and truly start to alow him to form our spirit into his own, love. there are plenty of good books on spiritual practces, one by dallas willard and by r.j. foster, to name　2。

soryy comp craped out. as for the second part, mind playin tricks on you. if the out come of what ever you do to form your spirit has good fruit then say with it, even when you dont want to.

I think our mind plays tricks on us every day, after all isn't all of our emotions a matter of perspective. What I have found is that the best thing to attempt to achieve is the opposite of self centered. I use to worry about being right and arguing my point and trying to achieve stuff. I now have come to a place, (most of the time anyway,) where I understand that this life is really about doing the best that I can to be kind and to love. To get past the junk and forgive. To be the most God centered I can be I have to get past the pettiness. Trying to live this way makes me feel better. I suppose some would say that's just your mind playing tricks on you. But as I said all emotion, and spirituallity is certainly that, is in the mind isn't it?

There was a Russian Orthodox Bishop named Ignatius who warned against a state he called "prelest." Unfortunately, the word is very difficult to translate into English. It's sort of a spiritual pride that leads a person into thinking that their transcendental experience is of greater validity than other peoples', or even the holy books themselves. Ignatius' advice to his acolytes was this: If, while you are praying, the angels descend from Heaven to pray with you, you are should ignore them. If they are demons masquerading as angels, then to engage with them will spell your doom, but if they really are angels, then God is forgiving; he will understand. In other words, if you have some kind of supernatural encounter, be cautious with it. Measure it against what you know to be true based on whatever scriptures you trust. If at any time you find yourself placing more trust in your experience, or even in someone else's experience, than you do in God (or what-have-you), then you should take a step back and reevaluate your beliefs. I think we Pentecostals tend to fall most readily into this trap, as our tradition teaches us to expect supernatural events. The evidence that we have fallen into prelest is when we start reading more "Purpose Driven Life" or Max Lucado books than we do the Bible. I'll not share my personal experience at this time, but I will say that I've fallen into the trap myself at least twice.

i would really like to know :)

"Attempting to be spiritual?" You have heard many explanations of spirituality, and none of those explanations are spirituality. Do not be "open" to definitions of spirituality. You made an ego, I made one, all God's children who have seperated from Him, have. And so to become unspritual beings. But We were created Perfect, and then made an ego. And ego is many. To become spiritual is to become what you are, What we all Are. The ego can't see this but You will. You must be Willing a tranformation into God Consciousness, anything else is a bribe. Do not listen to the voice of the ego, Listen Quietly to what Is. Concentrate single pointed at the spiritual center of consciousness located in the medulla oblingota, between the eybrows, and just above in the forehead. Meditate. Yearn with all your heart to know your Spiritual Maker. He is Everywhere you'll find Him. Can you hear His footsteps, They are silenty coming, closer, and closer, listen do you hear Him? Pace Yourself With Gods Peace. His Consciousness is what You Truly Are. Be Conscious of Him through His Voice the Holy Cosmic Vibration, That, Is the Holy Spirit. It is in You. Christ is in You. God is in You. Listen. Are You Aware? Be. Love

I just know things exists, I don't need proof. That's how strong my faith is.

your alreadly open to it...thats why your aware of it...now realize it...its your thang...let it do what it do...

You can do so by "stilling" your mind and understanding the origin of your thoughts. The best spirituality is your own because it shows you exactly what you need and what you don't need. Being spiritual is merely being aware of your own life and how you fit into this world. Enjoy your life: you can do anything you'd like as long as you don't harm anybody, and that includes yourself. Now that's freedom!

If you are seeking to attain a goal or something out of spirituality then you are in for a loopy ride. spirituality is a movement that has no head or tail, no beginning or end. it is purposeless but yet so fulfilling

Spirit is so much more powerful than matter. When you finish a good meal no one has to tell you how you feel, you know from direct experience. So when you connect with something higher than matter, something spiritual you will know. All the best.