The term ‘Numinous’ was first popularized by the German scholar, Rudolf Otto (1869-1937). It has been a central theme in the writings of Carl Jung, Immanuel Kant, C.S. Lewis, Carlos Castaneda, Walt Whitman, and a legion of others. The concept of the numinous has been extensively explored by artists (both musical and graphic), scientists, theologians, philosophers, physicians, poets, and novelists. These disparate disciplines are frequently at odds with one another on many issues. Occasionally, heatedly so. On the subject of the numinous experience, however, they are generally in accord with the thesis that something pretty nifty is going on. There is, of course, contention as to what that ‘nifty thing’ might be. I have often been amused by the observation that those who argue most heatedly on the subject of numinous experiences have themselves never (frequently by their own admission) had a numinous experience. It is like saying, I know nothing about this, but I nevertheless shall opine. On the other hand, those who have had a numinous experience seem complacently uninterested in debate. I find this illustrative. The term ‘numinous’ is used to describe an innate human longing for perfection or paradise. The numinous experience is, in fact, so innate that abundant illustrations of it can be found in cave paintings all over the world. This has historically been referred to as “nostalgia for paradise”. It has been theorized that this nostalgia creates a basis for experience of the numinous. The numinous experience is variously described as a spiritual, sacred, or mystical experience where an individual reports contact with a transcendent reality or a union with the divine. The contention that the numinous experience is not necessarily a supernatural one has been argued by numerous noted atheists. These include Carl Sagan, Christopher Hitchens, Daniel Dennett, Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris; all of whom have discussed the importance of separating the numinous from the supernatural. Why this should be considered important is, to me, unconvincingly argued. Be that as it may, however, I am perpetually seeking to depict it in art. I have done so many times in various venues. Some of these have been presented in prior Renderosity postings. I shall continue to do so until I get it right. I am not in the least bit discouraged by this; I enjoy the process, which I find to be numinous in its own right. Look at it as my version of cave paintings. Today’s rendering is my latest effort in this regard. I hope you like it. Created in Ultra Fractal