The gift of nothingness: seeing the everyday miracle 

The common definition of a miracle is an event that shouldn't be possible given our understanding of physical reality. As such, the standard of comparison is the "normal" functioning of reality, which is considered "non-miraculous" by definition. However, if the standard of comparison were shifted to the no-thingness of pre-creation, then everything -- down to the most insignificant and commonplace details of life -- becomes miraculous. This is because there is nothing in nothing that could presume the existence of anything. Pre-order my book: amzn.to/3UlsTsY Book a paid consultation: oriontarabanpsyd.com/consultations Subscribe to my newsletter: oriontarabanpsyd.com Social Media Facebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090053889622 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/orion-taraban-070b45168/ Instagram: instagram.com/psyc.hacks Twitter: twitter.com/oriontaraban Website: oriontarabanpsyd.com Orion's Theme: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-WrXBzQ2HDEQ.html Thinking of going to grad school? Check out STELLAR, my top-rated GRE self-study program based on the world's only empirically-validated test prep system. Use the code "PSYCH" for 10% off all membership plans: stellargre.com. Become a Stellar affiliate and earn a 10% commission for every membership purchased by a new student you conduct into the program: stellargre.tapfiliate.com. GRE Bites: www.youtube.com/@grebites4993 Become a Psychonaut and join PsycHack's member community: ru-vid.com/show-UCSduXBjCHkLoo_y9ss2xzXwjoin Sound mixing/editing by: valntinomusic.com Presented by Orion Taraban, Psy.D. PsycHacks provides viewers with a brief, thought-provoking video several days a week on a variety of psychological topics, inspired by his clinical practice. The intention is for the core idea contained within each video to inspire viewers to see something about themselves or their world in a slightly different light. The ultimate mission of the channel is to reduce the amount of unnecessary suffering in the world. #psychology #meditation #spirituality

I’ve had a similar experience a couple years ago. It was like the ground disappeared from beneath my feet, my eyes teared up and for once in my life I saw the beauty of existence. I’ve never felt a deeper sense of gratitude for being alive.

I had a similar experience. No meditation and no sense of nothingness, but just an abrupt realization that EVERYTHING is a miracle.

You touched the Absolute. I have transcended twice; once when I drowned when I was 11, and once when I flat-lined on the battlefield. Profound and enlightening, but also causes revulsion at the shallow, material, bitter state of humanity. Thank you for sharing your experience.

"Relative to the possibility of total non existence, then all of the universe is a cathedral.." 🔥🔥🔥

Just because you can explain it doesn't mean it's not still a miracle - Sir Terry Pratchett

I had a similar experience a year ago while recovering from the flu. I was a janitor at the time cleaning a glass sculpture gallery. I was looking out the window and for some short amount of time my mind stopped. I was at one with the universe and could see life as an amazing gift. This was the first time I felt true gratitude after suffering lifelong depression. I also no longer feel lonely. Thank you for sharing this!

Orion has managed to reach enlightenment by avoiding the well trodden path of marriage, divorce, losing his house, losing his kids, being on child support for 18 years, etc. By avoiding the classic traps and traumas of life, and maximizing on the right areas like health, wealth, meditation, education he's heading towards nirvana.

I had a spiritual awakening 3 years ago that was transformative. It changed my life.

After spending days in the ICU from pulmonary embolisms in both lungs I woke up in the hospital bed with a deep sense of the miracle of life, like a baby discovering my fingers and toes, I wiggled them and it was as though I was an observer who was so happy to wake up with a body. A feeling I'll never forget.

Doc. Hands down, this is my favorite video of yours. This reset my materialistic self-absorbed mind. Thank you.

Your spiritual talks are a treat! Probably my favorite topics you discuss

If there's such a thing as a modern renaissance man, you sir are it. That was delightful.

you are I and I am you!

From nothingness to phychacks to spiritual guide or vice versa ♾️ miracles! Thank you for sharing. 🙏

A post filled with so much truth as always. When the weather warms I go hiking every day to a nearby park, just a beautiful large park and sanctuary. Because it’s so big I can hike to a corner, find a bench and just sit in silence and marvel at nature, the only sounds being birds. I’ve become so addicted to that nothingness, and I also feel really cared for by the universe. I’m so grateful for this. Thank you again Dr. Taraban. I will always love “nothingness”.

Most people are just going through the motions. You only have about 4000 weekends of existence, and for 1000 of those you are under the control of your guardians. Live with intention. Contemplate what you want to accomplish in your life, and create goalposts to reach, so you will reach them.

While watching your video and listening to you, my mind started to go back in time and see that in my life how so many times this happened Something came out of nothing when I wasn't expecting when there was no way that anything like that could happen And miraculously, those miracles have added so much joy, happiness love and contentment to my life always ❤🙏

I had an experience in 2003 where I saw the room I was in from a different vantage point. From that point on, my life has not been the same. Additionally, your thoughts remind me of the movie Stigmata when it’s said: “The Kingdom of God is inside you, and all around you, not in mansions of wood and stone. Split a piece of wood and I am there, lift a stone and you will find me.” I needed this channel more than you can understand. It’s helped me in ways the world couldn’t. It validates my spiritual thinking and supports my psychology background. Regarding the nothingness, I’m reminded of a comment you made a while back: “Before enlightenment, chop wood and carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood and carry water.” I’ve tried to incorporate the red pill more but, to me, it still falls short in recognizing the amazing spiritual part of our existence. Can’t wait to read your book and to learn more from you!

I had a a very similar experience, no backpacking or meditation. Panaeolus Tropicalis was my gatekeeper and guide that day, much was revealed and learned, much was retained and my life is better for it. Nothingness can be miraculous

Dr. Orion "Zen" Taraban

Thank you Dr. Orion for sharing this. I feel like I first stumbled upon this lesson in life when I was studying the works of John Cage in Music College. I realized that everything I have ever heard has always been music. I’ll be eternally grateful to Cage for putting that idea into the public.

This short talk I found deeply enlightening. You have been blessed with quite a mind, Dr. May your understanding keep forever growing. Nothing but respect for your work and path.

I learn the terms nothingness from Prof. Sam Vaknin channel. However this is beautiful concept make us feeling grateful of our life more. Awareness is ascend .

What a beautiful message and indeed much needed in the psychological professions.

Amazing! Never felt such void, but many years ago(in moment of suffering), while looking at sunrays, for short moment i've felt the same admiration for the wonder of existence. Thank You Orion for reminding me of this feeling.

Great video thank you Orion. Would love to see the two other topics you hinted at, being covered in future videos.

This is so beautiful, thank you for sharing your story! I experienced this in a yoga class for the first time some years ago, I looked out the window and a man was walking down the street and I understood, it was all perfect, dependent arising. 🙏

The relationship content, I can argue with - but this is the stuff I am really here for. Keep on keeping on, and bringing this to the masses, Orion!

I’m so glad for this episode! For a couple years now I’ve been asking this exact thing! Why is there existence? Why isn’t there just nothing? The fact that there is even something instead of nothing is complete bonkers. I’m just grateful I get to experience something instead of nothing. Thank you Dr. Orion

Yesssss, this is the content we need Orion ❤

He's amazing this guy

I relate Orion!! I’ve been meditating every day twice a day for over 16 years and before I do that, I write out a piece of paper out my fears and I also write I am resentful because I have fear in the 10th step before I meditate in the 11th because I’ve been sober 21 years. Your videos are awesome. You absolutely changed my life with the question, “what is my intent- with any woman” that was my moment in the woods. Take care. Jim

Wow 👌🏽 this is such a profound episode with high density content, thank you Orion.

i have been there..through meditation,no mind,no thoughts,no feelings,total darkness ,total silence,is the best experience i’ve had in my life. i wish everyone could reach that point❤

So true! The fact that anything exists at all, let alone we being here observing it, is the biggest, starring us in the face, miracle 🙂

Thank you for sharing your deeply personal experience! Really glad you shared that. I dont feel at liberty to go in depth here about a lot of it, & have only told a few close confidants, but i was translated twice. I saw things i later read about in the Bible & had other confirmation, not that i needed any, but its worth noting. I experienced the timelessness you did. That was one of the things that really struck me. Time only exists here. I believed you had a similar profound experience from a couple things you've said in the past & its also something you can recognize in others when they even hint at it. Its life changing & while i dont truly know why i got to experience what i did besides Grace, i've thought to myself many times, i dont know if i would have made it through the worst moments in life ive gone through since if i hadnt seen beyond it all already. Thanks again. Looking forward to any upcoming episodes relating to this.

It has happened. Gurion Guruban 💫🧘‍♂️🌟

Wow, man. I basically experience my own life this: everything is a miracle and beautiful and I get to witness a bit of it every waking hour. I don’t know HOW I came to what I feel is the same viewpoint as you are sharing; I think it was a few things combined. Consciousness is a gift. Life is a struggle for sure but if you stay off autopilot and OBSERVE AND LIVE, you’ll have moments of such satisfaction over…..nothing so to speak.

Bro, I have felt this! I was just telling my friend about an experience I had JUST as you had described. It was the most peace and joy that I have ever felt. My life has never been the same and I can't go back. I will never forget it. I so appreciate you sharing that moment of stillness you had.

I had a similar experience too. It was the briefest moment of absolute freedom yet like you were emcompassing all things. This formlessness is so holy and wholesome. You cant really describe it tbh.

I have been in that special space once or twice and totally follow your point. Paramahansa yogananda is worth your time people.

That’s why life itself is a gift. Within reason: Joy, pain, excitement., nervousness, good memories, bad memories are all part of the gift of being AWARE, which in itself is a miracle if being SOMETHING as opposed to never have been born in the 1st place

I LOVE this concept... First came across it in a poweful seminar series and it was an eye-opener. Fast forward a few years later and I took a 5 day silent meditation retreat on the Tibetan Plateau (near Ladakh) and had an even more life altering experience. Embracing the 'nothingness' of life allows you to be a creator of your own destiny, which is empowering.

Through mediation and paradoxically through ‘non-searching’ I have also experienced a unitive loss of separate self, and it does touch your life and perceptions thereafter in what ‘feels’ like a positive way… the really tricky thing to resist is in wanting to ‘get back’ to that vista again rather than being satisfied with the less dramatic ‘now’! 😊

Orion, the force is strong in you!

Oriion, I’m from France, for me you’re a Genius of the mind. I have an admiration for your intelligence. You have to come in France. That’s a special a place and time of psychology right now. France now is living a war of mind. Come to experience the battle. You’re kind of Aragorn that we are waiting for. Learn French man

This was my experience. I close my eyes and lay still and relaxed on the floor, focusing only on my breathe, feeling the electricity flow through my nerves and amplify throughout my spine...my senses began to fade away and my body felt like it melted into nothingness. "Mushin no Shin"...i was just an observer at peace... with a body that felt like it was flowing in water that couldn't be perceived. After this state of zen nothingness. My physical senses and conciousness heightened. Responding to the mind, the Universe and observer are one, creating "magic and wonder" from the void.

Reminds me of “This is It” by Alan Watts!

Dimethyltryptamine showed me, although briefly, both the endless void and the entirety of creation simultaneously. That is the one thing that makes me uncertain that all that we perceive can only come from our own minds. That aside, your channel and talks are great and I appreciate them enormously. Better living through psychology indeed. Cheers Orion.

God has blessed you with an amazing gift, Doc. And I believe He would love that you'd mix more of Bible insights with your videos/work.

This experience is called "cessation" in Buddhism and typically indicates stream entry has occurred (the first "attainment" on the path to enlightenment). Great description!

Loving this newly exposed spiritual side of you 😊

Hi ! Good day to all 🙌😊 Miracles Yes! I agree miracles happens everyday. How brain works, the different kinds of flowers different scents and colours, different taste and colours of fruits especially how come there's water inside coconut 😊. Also one of the amazing things is the water falls 😊. Another miracle for me is life from hopeless to breakthroughs. Thanks for sharing your experiences. Yes there's beauty in everything including sufferings if we can turn into learnings, wisdom and makes us better version of ourselves. On my experience is the power of visualization then it manifest. There's what we call God's Omnipresence that's why some people never feel alone .

"Fullness is all that exists. If you remove Fullness from Fullness, only Fullness remains" - Ishavasya Upanishad The ancient Rishis proclaimed "He who knows cannot describe how he got there. He who describes how to get there does not know" .

every day is a gift there is something beautiful about the simple common ordinary everyday life of an average person, they say the meek shall inherit the earth some people think it is nothing, some people take it for granted but just to be able to wake up everyday is a miracle, a simple life is not nothing even though some people might think it is

I had a similar experience walking my usual walking path while micro dosing. I looked at tree and thought that tree is perfect, for that tree to be perfect that means everything around it must be perfect. Perfect as it is to exist right now. Then I realised i am prefect, and my wife is perfect and my kids and the universe. Prior to this i had glimpses of non- duality, read about it but there is a difference between intellectualising that and knowing it as a profound experience. I too felt my world change that day, change towards acceptance and peace.

I call that state the "Quiet Society", it happened to me at 10,000 feet during a white out. A quiet that reset my soul. As I was experiencing a new state of beingness

First one to receive the words of wisdom today 💪🏾....thank you always

One of the things “Nothingness” told me or showed me is that it wanted to fall asleep and half of itself became the bed(material existence) and the other half fell asleep on it dreaming our lives. Although my experience to Nothingness was a shortcut, which was LSD

I think a better word for “nothingness” could be “formlessness” or “un-manifested”. I’ve had a near death experience 10 years ago. I also meditate and get to what you described. I am immersed in white light that gives me indescribable peace and joy.

I took lsd and had this feeling on the come down at an ice cream shop. My consciousness was empty. No thoughts, just quiet. It was almost frightening, as I never felt that before

You are the most profound man that I’ve ever witnessed

You disassociated Orion. Buddhism often teaches disassociating with one self

"The body of practice is concentration, the function of practice is insight. Pay attention and wisdom naturally results." Learning meditation while doing traditional Japanese martial arts, learning to perform cognitive reframing from reading Buddhist doctrine and studying natural science had taught me how malleable human experience is. Pain of legs in a Japanese sit stops hurting when bathed in awareness, falling in love with a street curb or an electron micrograph is possible if we stare intently enough, caffeine or alcohol withdrawal turns to boundless serenity after one's brain absorbs enough insight from feeling sad, social anxiety turns to generosity practice when identity and self is reexamined. Japanese moonspeak one could not understand before can be imbued with meaning when we work our concentration and imagination. Awe of existence, love of creation and joy are there for everyone willing to put their mind to practice.

prayer LORD please bless orion in his journey and help him arrive to the good place in Jesus name amen

What a wonderful message. Thank you for this!

I needed to hear this today, thank you 😊 🙏

Nice post. I am happy to see Christianity becoming popular again, with posts like these and also of course Peterson et alia. There is a reason why St Francis and other Christian mystics have always been popular, but not only them of course, the core narrative as well. Thank you.

I love that you are really near the path of the Tao or Advaita. much love much love and peas 🤘😺

Love your channel, amazing content. Greetings from Rome, Italy 🇮🇹

"you're never alone"

I love all of your videos! You are brilliant. Thank you so much! I can't wait for your book to come out. 🎉😊❤

thank you for sharing your personal experience. greetings from Brazil

Excellent video, would love to see more of this!

This experience is the death of the ego... or in other words, letting go... no longer clinging to life... living in the now/moment. Every experience is like the first time cuz there is no past and no future. Watts calls this the mystical experience. I call it 'walking thru a door'

Paradigm shifting. Great post.

I’ve realized this conscious reference point many times in my life. truer and deeper each time

Orion, thanks again. What a beautiful analysis. I am with you.

I had a similar experience. But to me the peaceful, still place outside of space and time was Love. Infinite, eternal, unconditional Love. Why do some people experience Nothingness while others do experience Love? Maybe those who haven't been loved early in their life can't recognize Love? Maybe there are different places out there? Fascinating topic! Thank you so much for sharing, Orion.

You’re crushing it, dude. Special. Thank you

I had a few visits from reality and boy it was scary

Best channel on youtube

Well done using this lens everday is an amazing day!

Orion meets Eckhart Tolle Very nice episode .

This fkn guy, you’re awesome man, this reminds me of a conversation I had at house party in Pacific Heights 15 years ago

Congratulations on your new book!!!!!!!

He is right, guys. The state will reveal how miraculous it is to be simply alive. Every stimulus becomes 4k definition of quality.

Looking forward to both of the videos

An excellent and deeply insightful episode

I have something similar happen to me. After that, it really puts this state of consciousness as the purpose of life.

"Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying." Arthur C. Clarke

I meditated and reached an altered state of consciousness, I felt a bit of that sense of viewing the viewer. But also, a renewed control of my thoughts and emotions. I put a stop sign in my head, and I have to allow each emotion to pass in order to reach my conscious experience. This is so valuable, not to me as much because I'm already pretty in control of my emotions...But to others, but it feels helpless; other people don't care. They see themselves as perfectly fine. It's ok to explode on a loved one because someone cut you off yesterday. Or to throw away someone's lunch at work, because your tire was flat when you went to start your car that morning. That is not ok, and people do not understand the ramifications of their actions, and the fact that they allow an animal to act for themselves. Pure emotional instinct. It's not acceptable.

Psalms 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

this video will by my Christmas gift to everyone this year

Orion leave those shrommies alone!! 😂😂 just kiddin! Ive always felt this way and its so releaving to hear you say it, thanks for sharing all your work!

From philosophy, the "first springs of motion" used to be the "hard problem". Now we consider it to be consciousness..

The nothingness part isn't relatable, but I did have an experience one day that I just suddenly started to appreciate everything in life and in this universe few years ago. I also have no idea how I got there. I just did, and my depression has been miraculously cured since then. Personally I don't remember I did anything particular to earn that other than reading some religious books at the time.

I took today off in order to get some stuff done at the DMV in my new state. It was not a pleasant experience at all, lol. As I was driving beck home, I mentally complained to God and kvetched about how meaningless, unhappy and pointless my life has been. Right as I was feeling sorry for myself I saw a young woman with an AMAZING lower body clad in tight pink leggings walking her dog. It's truly impressive that I didn't crash my car after that specific sight caught my eye. I mean she was REALLY wearing those leggings, if you know what I mean! I ceased my negative thoughts immediately and laughed--we must take the good and bad of Life without complaints and just keep going until we STOP forever. Look for the joy, friends!

Thanks!