Could these experiences be related to self-remembering?
Hi everyone,
I would like to ask those who have experienced self-remembering for some clarification about my situation.
Until a few days ago, I had never heard of Gurdjieff. Then, by chance, during a conversation with an acquaintance about "unusual" topics, I described a few experiences I've had over the years—things I generally never share because I don't want to be thought of as crazy. After hearing about them, he recommended that I read In Search of the Miraculous (which I have already finished) and The Fourth Way by P. D. Ouspensky (which I am currently reading).
Reading them left me rather puzzled, and I noticed some similarities that might be related to what happens to me. My most recent episode was a few weeks ago, while the first occurred about 30 years ago, when I was still a boy.
To describe these episodes—keeping in mind that I have never intentionally done anything to bring them about—all of a sudden, I feel a shift in everything around me. During that brief moment, everything feels muffled, and the passage of time feels different.
I see people moving around me, but I no longer perceive them as I did a moment before; they seem more distant, almost as if I were in an unreal world. Shortly afterward, the effect subsides, and I return to my normal routine.
I always assumed this was some kind of physical problem, perhaps related to blood pressure or something similar (and maybe it really is). Over time, I simply learned to accept it and live with it. I never tried to prolong the experience. On the contrary, since I perceived it as a potential "problem" and worried that others might notice, I always tried to make it go away as quickly as possible. In any case, when everything returns to normal, no one ever seems to have noticed anything, so I simply resume the interaction as if nothing had happened.
Now, I know almost nothing about this subject beyond the little reading I am doing. However, in those moments, it never occurred to me to think "I am," but rather: "Is this real? Is this actually happening?" Out of curiosity, I tried a few small experiments recommended in the books and here on Reddit, and naturally, nothing happened. Keeping in mind that this might be a completely different phenomenon, that state feels so distant from everyday reality that I find it hard to imagine that it could be "replicated" voluntarily by focusing on the pressure of one's foot, the feeling of being present in the moment, the double arrow of attention, or other deliberate efforts.
That being said, I would really appreciate hearing the thoughts of those who have direct experience with this, and perhaps receiving some advice or guidance.
Thank you all for your time and attention.
(Note: English is not my native language, so I used a translation tool to help me write this post. I hope everything comes across clearly.)