Some experiences do not fit inside ordinary explanations.

I’m Jean Van Zyl, and this project began with an experience of my own.

Over several months in 2025, I went through a mystical experience that I didn’t fully know how to integrate. It began as a sensation of total oneness. That sounds very spiritual—and it was—but for a time, I also lost my ordinary sense of earthly identity. I felt connected to everything, without having the language to explain what was happening to me.

I could describe the 3-D circumstances surrounding the experience in terms of stress. But I also believe there is meaning in what we experience here on Earth, including the things we don’t quite know what to do with.

When I began talking about what had happened to me, something unexpected happened. Friends and neighbors began telling me their stories—the magical moments, strange encounters, impossible coincidences, and brushes with the unexplained that they had carried voicelessly themselves.

That’s why this project exists.

I want to hear about the experiences you’ve had that don’t fit neatly into ordinary explanations.

You can tell me your story with your name attached, or you can remain completely anonymous—even to me. When you submit it, you’ll also have the choice to give me permission to share your story publicly.

And sharing your story doesn’t mean you’re asking to begin a conversation with me. I will only contact you if you specifically ask me to.

Otherwise, there is nothing more you need to do. Your story can simply arrive here, be received with care, and—if you’ve given permission—become part of the stories I share with the world.