u/nainu13

I grew up Muslim, but somewhere along the way, religion stopped making sense to me. Not God — just religion.

Lately I’ve been drawn to the idea that God isn’t separate from us, but something within us — a universal consciousness we connect to through self-awareness, love, and inner reflection.

But there are still things I can’t wrap my head around.

What was the Big Bang then? Was it just a random accident? If there is a divine intelligence behind existence, why create a universe at all? Why Earth? Why consciousness? Why suffering?

Has anyone else gone through this shift from religion to spirituality? How do you reconcile belief in a divine force with science and cosmology?

My grandfather passed away some time ago, and last night I had one of the most intense dreams I’ve ever experienced. It didn’t feel like a normal dream at all.

In the dream, he came to our house in a wheelchair with my aunt. Apparently he had been living in another country, and everyone in the family had gathered to meet him. But before anyone else could even get close to him, I ran and jumped to hug him. I kept kissing him, crying, holding him so tightly because it felt like I finally had him back for a moment.

The part that’s messing with me is how real it felt. I could literally feel myself touching him. His presence felt warm and familiar, not blurry or dream-like. Then after a while, he gently told me, “Let others meet too.” And that’s when I woke up.

I woke up emotional and honestly kind of shaken because it felt less like a dream and more like a visit.

Part of me thinks maybe it was just my mind missing him deeply. But another part of me can’t stop wondering if loved ones really do visit us somehow after they’re gone.

Has anyone else experienced dreams this vivid about someone they lost? Did it feel spiritual to you or more psychological?