Observations placeholder
Whiteman, J H M relives being a street urchin
Identifier
007981
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
There is something very sad about this recall. Whiteman appears to have had little idea that he was recalling a sad occasion, and put lots of extraneous and rather pompous explanations in of a 'mystical' nature - because that is what he believed he was, but this experience was a recall of a little badly clothed sleepy and probably hungry boy, whose curiosity got the better of him, who enters a village hall but probably collapses from weariness and hunger.
The little girl may have been his sister.
It has just the feeling of being around Christmas time.
A description of the experience
The Mystical Life – J H M Whiteman
I was passing through a town, and a companion, who was sensed alongside me, asked, 'Would you like to see the shops?' I replied, 'It's people I have difficulty in seeing.'
As I said this, my eyes were opened to a clearer light, and I saw the 'guide' as a girl of about 16, with golden-brown hair, but …. I could not discern her features otherwise than very generally. The view of her face was at first in profile, but by a voluntary-free directing of the mind and steadying of it in an obedient way, I managed to see her better, part of the time full-face, and then the hair again in profile. Shops were significantly represented on the left, but not actually seen, while the girl and I, the same height and (I felt) similar in character, were as if on the pavement.
My ears now became open suddenly, … [and I heard] a very beautiful sound of singing, recognized as that of a harmonious choir. The song, in this case, was spontaneously named within me as 'Praise, my soul, the King of Heaven'.
After a few moments I saw to the right a low wide building like a hall, with an entrance in the middle, the doors open, and moving figures in the light within. ….Level ground lay between me and the hall, … turning right I passed over it and entered the hall. The girl, by this time, seemed no longer with me.
The interior was like a well-appointed school hall, a stage being supplied with curtains, but the floor flat and not as in a theatre. As I entered, some rehearsal had evidently just been concluded. On the stage were some articles of furniture, but the people on it moved to the sides as I looked, and the curtain was drawn quickly across. The sound as of curtain rings sliding along a metal rod was clearly audible. I then became conscious of my clothes being awkward on me.
Looking down, I saw the upper half of my body without clothes, my chest being small and undeveloped, like that of a child of about 7 or 8 years. Below the waist was the strong suggestion, from the irrupting of another light, of a man's mackintosh, bundled up and on the point of slipping down; and hastily I seemed to pull it up to my shoulders. This part of the experience, however, is clouded over through a kind of panic, and it is impossible for me to say what was fantasy and what it may be supposed that I really did.
Groups of children were standing about the hall, near the stage, and several now came near and gathered round me as I stood about thirty feet away from it. Their ages seemed to be mostly about 14 or 15. Considerable interest showed in their faces, a girl on the right being seen especially clearly. Her face showed sudden amusement as she looked down, and, as I supposed, saw what I was wearing (I was still in a rather confused state of mind).
I then realised that I felt tired and sleepy. The conviction arose that I must return, and I wondered if they had understood that. Mental contact with them seemed insecure, and the attempt to control or prevent the return seemed unwise.
Sleepiness caused my head to drop forward on my chest, while there was an impression that the children tried to support me, and I awoke in the physical world.