We are cautioned to be wary of paranormal phenomena throughout scripture. The Powers Triolgy by Walter Wink and the People of the Lie by M. Scott Peck give deep insight into these matters. I do not trust phenomena. Magicians and fakirs, mood-altering drugs, and some types of deep meditation can create phenomena that divert us from our divine calling. Things like “speaking in tongues” from the charismatic tradtion, or the use of mediums to speak to the dead in occult practices can feed our ego’s need for attention and create a psuedo-spirituality.

Paranormal activity is NOT evidence of spiritual maturity or even of being a “spiritual” person. We are all, according to the divine image, spiritual beings living in these mortal bodies. This is not to say that paranormal activity isn’t real but it isn’t necessarily of Christ, the Divine Light. Beware of such things.

If you take your spiritual practice seriously, you will need to have a mentor to keep you from going off track. Our egos want to be special, different, and more spiritual than someone else. The path of the Christian mystic is nothing if not humbling. For more on how to find a spiritual director, see Spiritual Directors International