You: What else could purify the body and mind in this way?

Aaron: Anything that turns the mind away from the mundane and opens the soul to the word of God.

You: Would this include self flagellation and the sacrifice of virgins?

Aaron: No, not at all. Those are acts of deluded and misguided individuals. I was thinking more along the lines of intense, heartfelt prayer.

You: Fasting and extended praying or chanting are things that numb the mind. Perhaps it is the weakened state of the mind that makes people have delusions of God?

Aaron: These are not delusions but real experiences.

You: How can I tell them from imaginary experience? There is no way.

Aaron: When you have such an experience, you know its truth.

You: When I have such an experience, I will reassess my beliefs — but not before.