Nikola Tesla's evening visions

Nikola Tesla was easily one of the most legendary figures to ever walk the earth, and he’s earned so much respect over the years. His life story isn't even *that* long ago, so I guess you could say people have already started weaving all these myths and legends around his biography.

Since he was such a famous inventor, even the tiny, mundane details about how he lived really fascinated people. If I recall correctly, he might have even kept a journal at some point. I’ve spent quite a bit of time looking into his life—watching documentaries (like those special feature CDs you’d get with magazines from the Tree of Knowledge, or just random TV specials), reading a book that was part of a high school curriculum back in the old days of the US, listening to lectures from the New Acropolis, and just browsing around online.

There’s a lot of talk about how he barely slept, or how he absolutely hated going to doctors, even when he actually had health issues. He used to obsessively count distances he walked or whatever, and he would basically build his entire inventions in his mind before ever touching a tool. He was also a huge advocate for world peace, never married, and apparently, because his work pace was so intense, he just couldn't find anyone who could actually keep up with him. He’d host a press conference once a year and stuff like that. One thing I found particularly interesting in his biography was how, despite sleeping so little, he mentioned dreaming or visualizing himself traveling all over the place right before drifting off (he was a big reader, too). He’d sometimes wait for these mental images to appear, noting that if they didn't show up, he knew he was in for a long, restless night.

I’m actually really curious about that part from a spiritual perspective. Could anyone weigh in on this based on your own experiences with meditation or anything similar?

Jeremy Alvarez5 said:Nikola Tesla was easily one of the most legendary figures to ever walk the earth, and he’s earned so much respect over the years. His life story isn't even *that* long ago, so I guess you could say people have already started weaving all these myths and legends around his biography.

Since he was such a famous inventor, even the tiny, mundane details about how he lived really fascinated people. If I recall correctly, he might have even kept a journal at some point. I’ve spent quite a bit of time looking into his life—watching documentaries (like those special feature CDs you’d get with magazines from the Tree of Knowledge, or just random TV specials), reading a book that was part of a high school curriculum back in the old days of the US, listening to lectures from the New Acropolis, and just browsing around online.

There’s a lot of talk about how he barely slept, or how he absolutely hated going to doctors, even when he actually had health issues. He used to obsessively count distances he walked or whatever, and he would basically build his entire inventions in his mind before ever touching a tool. He was also a huge advocate for world peace, never married, and apparently, because his work pace was so intense, he just couldn't find anyone who could actually keep up with him. He’d host a press conference once a year and stuff like that. One thing I found particularly interesting in his biography was how, despite sleeping so little, he mentioned dreaming or visualizing himself traveling all over the place right before drifting off (he was a big reader, too). He’d sometimes wait for these mental images to appear, noting that if they didn't show up, he knew he was in for a long, restless night.

I’m actually really curious about that part from a spiritual perspective. Could anyone weigh in on this based on your own experiences with meditation or anything similar?

He wasn't much of a ladies' man, but he definitely had a thing for keeping twenty-eight towels on hand at all times...😁

wearyowl29 said:He wasn't much of a ladies' man, but he definitely had a thing for keeping twenty-eight towels on hand at all times...😁

I mean, I’m not saying he didn't love them, you know? I was chatting with this older lady who works at one of those big public libraries over in Chicago, and she mentioned that some cleaning lady there actually put out a book about him. Apparently, according to her, he was head over heels for his friend's wife. I haven't actually sat down to read that specific book myself to see if it's true, or even if she mentioned anything about his towels. 😉

I guess some ancient cultures used to store human knowledge right in the heart—they even believed that if you had uncomfortable memories, you could push them down into your gut.

It’s kind of wild, but when you read medical journals, there’s actually evidence that the heart and the gut contain cellular matter similar to what we find in the brain.

So, take a normal day, for instance. If someone spends their afternoon gaming, or maybe heads out to a pier to go fishing and ends up sorting the catch, or even just pulls weeds in the yard to feed the rabbits... all those sensory experiences somehow get packed away inside them later on.

It’s the same thing with sound. Certain songs sung by huge crowds—like at a massive cathedral or during a roar at a football stadium—those sounds and words just linger in your subconscious for ages.

It feels like the body takes everything we experience through our senses and tries to dump it all into one single "well" later to make sense of it all. You can actually test this, I think. Like, if you stare at a window with light coming through it, then close your eyes and try to "see" it behind your eyelids, you'll see the outline of the window flickering. Sometimes the image flips or shifts into something else entirely.

Now, I suspect that for people who are constantly going through intense emotional rituals week after week, or those just totally crushed by work stress, they might not be processing information fully. And honestly, most people fall into that category. Add in constant TV watching—where endless images and suggestions flash before your eyes—and you wonder why people have nightmares when they hit the pillow. Then, they use mild stimulants just to get back in gear the next morning. It reminds me a bit of how workers in silver mines might chew coca leaves just to numb their senses.

The whole revolution fought for an eight-hour workday, along with the psychological link to health suggested by the old "pray and work" philosophy, seems to have fallen by the wayside. Humanity is becoming increasingly zombie-like.

Take Nikola Tesla, for example. He managed to give himself true creative freedom because he was so deeply immersed in the present moment. By being mindful of every step, every interaction, and focusing on specific forms, he basically created a way to absorb energy before sleep. He didn't let his conscious and subconscious minds clash, so he probably didn't need long periods of deep sleep to recover. Maybe having that clear mental conviction—that his work would contribute to world peace—helped him too.

I sometimes wonder if most people have just sold their souls, which makes them miserable and unable to truly experience reality. There are exceptions, though—people who start to see things clearly because they understand the deeper nature of humanity and live by a certain ethic. They almost seem to gain these abilities that ancient times called "prophetic," where they could heal others. But even then, their emotions and physical systems fluctuate based on their ethical views. It really makes you think: is consciousness actually the main driver for humans today? Is it the key to escaping that feeling of being totally determined by conditioning—the kind of stuff you see with animals in a circus—and actually living like a human being?

Nikola Tesla was a visionary—truly one of the most spiritual people to ever walk this earth, in my view. That’s what happens when you blend clairvoyance and deep faith with hard science. People forget that the US government seized all his papers from New York City, leaving him in total isolation for ten years; I’m pretty sure they’re still digging through those files today, trying to make sense of the visions he captured. He actually designed his machines based on those flashes of insight—getting the blueprints during moments of pure clarity while just sitting in a waiting room or something. I've read everything available, from library archives to the depths of the internet, and it's clear: he tapped into the secrets of the universe and tried to use them for the good of humanity. When he saw his inventions being weaponized or misused, he simply withdrew from the world—a quiet, tragic end to an incredible life.

Nikola Tesla was the true herald of light, though I suppose we shouldn't be surprised; unfortunately, the world has always seemed to have a preference for the dark.

"They’ll be a child of the storm. No—they'll be a child of light." (A conversation between mother and grandmother, born during a storm)

I truly hope you aren't merely experiencing him in some strictly technical sense, if you catch my drift.

He’s first and foremost a spiritual kind of genius.

It truly brings me a certain sense of relief to find that we are finally on the same page regarding this matter.🙂

It makes perfect sense that he was a spiritual genius and a true philosopher; he possessed a profound sensitivity to everything both visible and invisible offered to humanity. Through discipline and by tapping into renewable sources, he envisioned a world where everyone—whether they’re living in the heart of Manhattan or out in rural Montana—can enjoy life's essentials for free.

.. but let's not get carried away..

Nikola Tesla essentially invented the 20th century.
The very ways we communicate today are built upon his principles.

Bradley Myers63, you wouldn't happen to know what went down on the actual day Nikola Tesla was born—the stuff people usually gloss over? He actually dropped hints about it himself once or twice.
I’ve spent way too much time digging through papers on his life and work. It’s pretty obvious that, just like anyone else, his views on faith shifted as he aged. There was one moment where he mentioned finding a certain peace in the idea that death might not be the absolute end. But then I stumbled onto this bit online:

In that last interview, he said, "Everyone must have ideals. If they do not...." He shook his head in despair, then went on to talk about religion. "Religion," he said, "is simply an ideal.
It is an ideal force that tends to free the human being from material bonds. I do not believe that matter and energy are interchangeable, any more than are the body and soul.
There is just so much matter in the universe and it cannot be destroyed. As I see life on this planet, there is no individuality.
It may sound ridiculous to say so, but I believe each person is but a wave passing through space, ever-changing from minute to minute as it travels along, finally, some day, just becoming dissolved."

So, did our great scientist lose his faith toward the end, or did he just finally wrap his head around how things actually work?
I remember reading that after his white dove passed away, he basically declared his work was done. Maybe that bird dying was his way of signaling that his faith had vanished, too?

Zachary Gonzalez8, those points you brought up about him show such a profound grasp of spirituality (and theology)!

Faith isn't the same thing as religion.

Honestly, his thoughts were just racing through the cosmos at the speed of light.
Imagine if they could suddenly zip off into those deep reaches where time doesn't even exist, only to snap back here to Earth—a whole century would have passed right under our feet.

Lisa Morales4 said:Zachary Gonzalez8, those points you brought up about him show such a profound grasp of spirituality (and theology)!

Faith isn't the same thing as religion.

Honestly, his thoughts were just racing through the cosmos at the speed of light.
Imagine if they could suddenly zip off into those deep reaches where time doesn't even exist, only to snap back here to Earth—a whole century would have passed right under our feet.

I get that. It’s not. But I’m stuck on this whole idea of just becoming dissolved. It sounds to me like we’re all just destined to eventually... poof. Just vanish into nothingness.

Zachary Gonzalez8 said:I get that. It’s not. But I’m stuck on this whole idea of just becoming dissolved. It sounds to me like we’re all just destined to eventually... poof. Just vanish into nothingness.

But you can see how they put it so nicely—that energy can't be destroyed, it just transforms, or breaks down by melting into another "form."

Your ego and your pride will definitely have an expiration date... sorry 😛

Zachary Gonzalez8 said:Bradley Myers63, you wouldn't happen to know what went down on the actual day Nikola Tesla was born—the stuff people usually gloss over? He actually dropped hints about it himself once or twice.
I’ve spent way too much time digging through papers on his life and work. It’s pretty obvious that, just like anyone else, his views on faith shifted as he aged. There was one moment where he mentioned finding a certain peace in the idea that death might not be the absolute end. But then I stumbled onto this bit online:

In that last interview, he said, "Everyone must have ideals. If they do not...." He shook his head in despair, then went on to talk about religion. "Religion," he said, "is simply an ideal.
It is an ideal force that tends to free the human being from material bonds. I do not believe that matter and energy are interchangeable, any more than are the body and soul.
There is just so much matter in the universe and it cannot be destroyed. As I see life on this planet, there is no individuality.
It may sound ridiculous to say so, but I believe each person is but a wave passing through space, ever-changing from minute to minute as it travels along, finally, some day, just becoming dissolved."

So, did our great scientist lose his faith toward the end, or did he just finally wrap his head around how things actually work?
I remember reading that after his white dove passed away, he basically declared his work was done. Maybe that bird dying was his way of signaling that his faith had vanished, too?

All I know is the lightning was hitting everything like crazy—an unprecedented storm—but that's about it.

Zachary Gonzalez8 said:Bradley Myers63, you wouldn't happen to know what went down on the actual day Nikola Tesla was born—the stuff people usually gloss over? He actually dropped hints about it himself once or twice.
I’ve spent way too much time digging through papers on his life and work. It’s pretty obvious that, just like anyone else, his views on faith shifted as he aged. There was one moment where he mentioned finding a certain peace in the idea that death might not be the absolute end. But then I stumbled onto this bit online:

In that last interview, he said, "Everyone must have ideals. If they do not...." He shook his head in despair, then went on to talk about religion. "Religion," he said, "is simply an ideal.
It is an ideal force that tends to free the human being from material bonds. I do not believe that matter and energy are interchangeable, any more than are the body and soul.
There is just so much matter in the universe and it cannot be destroyed. As I see life on this planet, there is no individuality.
It may sound ridiculous to say so, but I believe each person is but a wave passing through space, ever-changing from minute to minute as it travels along, finally, some day, just becoming dissolved."

So, did our great scientist lose his faith toward the end, or did he just finally wrap his head around how things actually work?
I remember reading that after his white dove passed away, he basically declared his work was done. Maybe that bird dying was his way of signaling that his faith had vanished, too?

That’s really the core of spirituality—your ego, your character, your entire persona will eventually vanish; it simply can't "survive." That line about there being no individuality suggests a higher force connecting us all. And the part about becoming dissolved is just logical—it doesn't mean your soul disappears, it just means you transform, since energy can't be destroyed, only changed.

Zachary Gonzalez8 said:Bradley Myers63, you wouldn't happen to know what went down on the actual day Nikola Tesla was born—the stuff people usually gloss over? He actually dropped hints about it himself once or twice.
I’ve spent way too much time digging through papers on his life and work. It’s pretty obvious that, just like anyone else, his views on faith shifted as he aged. There was one moment where he mentioned finding a certain peace in the idea that death might not be the absolute end. But then I stumbled onto this bit online:

In that last interview, he said, "Everyone must have ideals. If they do not...." He shook his head in despair, then went on to talk about religion. "Religion," he said, "is simply an ideal.
It is an ideal force that tends to free the human being from material bonds. I do not believe that matter and energy are interchangeable, any more than are the body and soul.
There is just so much matter in the universe and it cannot be destroyed. As I see life on this planet, there is no individuality.
It may sound ridiculous to say so, but I believe each person is but a wave passing through space, ever-changing from minute to minute as it travels along, finally, some day, just becoming dissolved."

So, did our great scientist lose his faith toward the end, or did he just finally wrap his head around how things actually work?
I remember reading that after his white dove passed away, he basically declared his work was done. Maybe that bird dying was his way of signaling that his faith had vanished, too?

He didn't lose his faith—he was just smart enough not to blindly trust himself, let alone anyone else. That’s where his genius lies; he never let dogma limit him.

Zachary Gonzalez8 said:Bradley Myers63, you wouldn't happen to know what went down on the actual day Nikola Tesla was born—the stuff people usually gloss over? He actually dropped hints about it himself once or twice.
I’ve spent way too much time digging through papers on his life and work. It’s pretty obvious that, just like anyone else, his views on faith shifted as he aged. There was one moment where he mentioned finding a certain peace in the idea that death might not be the absolute end. But then I stumbled onto this bit online:

In that last interview, he said, "Everyone must have ideals. If they do not...." He shook his head in despair, then went on to talk about religion. "Religion," he said, "is simply an ideal.
It is an ideal force that tends to free the human being from material bonds. I do not believe that matter and energy are interchangeable, any more than are the body and soul.
There is just so much matter in the universe and it cannot be destroyed. As I see life on this planet, there is no individuality.
It may sound ridiculous to say so, but I believe each person is but a wave passing through space, ever-changing from minute to minute as it travels along, finally, some day, just becoming dissolved."

So, did our great scientist lose his faith toward the end, or did he just finally wrap his head around how things actually work?
I remember reading that after his white dove passed away, he basically declared his work was done. Maybe that bird dying was his way of signaling that his faith had vanished, too?

I wouldn't call it that. Tesla was in a pretty rough psychological state during his final years—spent time in psychiatric care twice. You could say he spent most of his isolation working and writing while basically having a nervous breakdown—though, then again, anyone would if they were constantly battling such intense visions.

The most lighthearted thing Tesla ever said was that alcohol is the elixir of life, which explains why everyone heads out to drink every Friday and Saturday night. haha

Zachary Gonzalez8 said:Bradley Myers63, you wouldn't happen to know what went down on the actual day Nikola Tesla was born—the stuff people usually gloss over? He actually dropped hints about it himself once or twice.
I’ve spent way too much time digging through papers on his life and work. It’s pretty obvious that, just like anyone else, his views on faith shifted as he aged. There was one moment where he mentioned finding a certain peace in the idea that death might not be the absolute end. But then I stumbled onto this bit online:

In that last interview, he said, "Everyone must have ideals. If they do not...." He shook his head in despair, then went on to talk about religion. "Religion," he said, "is simply an ideal.
It is an ideal force that tends to free the human being from material bonds. I do not believe that matter and energy are interchangeable, any more than are the body and soul.
There is just so much matter in the universe and it cannot be destroyed. As I see life on this planet, there is no individuality.
It may sound ridiculous to say so, but I believe each person is but a wave passing through space, ever-changing from minute to minute as it travels along, finally, some day, just becoming dissolved."

So, did our great scientist lose his faith toward the end, or did he just finally wrap his head around how things actually work?
I remember reading that after his white dove passed away, he basically declared his work was done. Maybe that bird dying was his way of signaling that his faith had vanished, too?

I find this whole idea pretty fascinating, honestly. As for where that thought actually leads—well, I guess we can just leave that part to the religious folks or anyone else who spends their time debating whether there’s a different way things could end up. But if you look at it from a different angle—where a person is constantly shifting, changing by the minute because they're basically riding these waves of other people's energy, physical matter, and whatever spiritual stuff you want to call it (since I don't really see a line between the two)—then the real question becomes more about how to stay grounded. It's about how not to soak up all those negative vibes and stay sane. I mean, it seems like so many people don't even pass on that negativity right away; instead, it's like they just bottle it all up inside. Then, out of nowhere, it all boils over and comes out as this sudden, misplaced aggression in some random situation. It's kind of heavy when you think about it, I guess.

Bradley Myers63 said:All I know is the lightning was hitting everything like crazy—an unprecedented storm—but that's about it.

That’s really the core of spirituality—your ego, your character, your entire persona will eventually vanish; it simply can't "survive." That line about there being no individuality suggests a higher force connecting us all. And the part about becoming dissolved is just logical—it doesn't mean your soul disappears, it just means you transform, since energy can't be destroyed, only changed.

He didn't lose his faith—he was just smart enough not to blindly trust himself, let alone anyone else. That’s where his genius lies; he never let dogma limit him.

I wouldn't call it that. Tesla was in a pretty rough psychological state during his final years—spent time in psychiatric care twice. You could say he spent most of his isolation working and writing while basically having a nervous breakdown—though, then again, anyone would if they were constantly battling such intense visions.

The most lighthearted thing Tesla ever said was that alcohol is the elixir of life, which explains why everyone heads out to drink every Friday and Saturday night. haha

I wonder if there’s any kind of public medical record out there—you know, like an official report listing his actual diagnoses from when he was in the psych ward? I mean, he wasn't exactly a fan of doctors, was he? He always seemed to prefer just treating himself however he saw fit. I heard this rumor that after his car accident, he actually tried to set his own ribs back into place, and then, not long after that, he passed away from pneumonia... it's all pretty heavy stuff, I guess.

Jeremy Alvarez5 said:I find this whole idea pretty fascinating, honestly. As for where that thought actually leads—well, I guess we can just leave that part to the religious folks or anyone else who spends their time debating whether there’s a different way things could end up. But if you look at it from a different angle—where a person is constantly shifting, changing by the minute because they're basically riding these waves of other people's energy, physical matter, and whatever spiritual stuff you want to call it (since I don't really see a line between the two)—then the real question becomes more about how to stay grounded. It's about how not to soak up all those negative vibes and stay sane. I mean, it seems like so many people don't even pass on that negativity right away; instead, it's like they just bottle it all up inside. Then, out of nowhere, it all boils over and comes out as this sudden, misplaced aggression in some random situation. It's kind of heavy when you think about it, I guess.

I wonder if there’s any kind of public medical record out there—you know, like an official report listing his actual diagnoses from when he was in the psych ward? I mean, he wasn't exactly a fan of doctors, was he? He always seemed to prefer just treating himself however he saw fit. I heard this rumor that after his car accident, he actually tried to set his own ribs back into place, and then, not long after that, he passed away from pneumonia... it's all pretty heavy stuff, I guess.

Probably not—but based on what he described seeing, he’d be right in the thick of the schizophrenic crowd... pretty sure they wouldn't just label him with some minor psychosis.

Bradley Myers63 said:Probably not—but based on what he described seeing, he’d be right in the thick of the schizophrenic crowd... pretty sure they wouldn't just label him with some minor psychosis.

It's not even just about him, though—it's more about using this as an example of how tricky it is to diagnose complex personalities. I mean, Carl Jung actually diagnosed schizophrenia just from meeting Rudolf Steiner, and we all know how much weight Steiner's influence carried at the time.

It’s just like Nobel laureate John Nash...

.. there's a razor-thin line separating genius from pure idiocy 🙏