Does the church really teach that the Beatific Vision is only in heaven and that you cant be given it in this life?

The fullness of the Vision is in heaven, that's right.

Phil,
Then what is this vision called?

"Instead of seeing with my eyes of flesh, I was seeing with the eye of my soul. This spiritual center that was in me was the same spiritual center that was in all people, plants, and animals. I saw that all living things flowed from the same source.

Looking at the trees didn�t reveal leaves and bark. I saw an explosion of light. It began where the seed sprouted originally. The explosions then flowed upwards and downwards, forming the trunk and the roots.

I saw into the earth. It was a golden-hued transparency. The trees were like flowing golden fountains of living light continually being born anew every moment. It seemed purely accidental that water, air, heat from the sun and earth were carried with the light making a sort of shell for it. It didn�t diminish the glory of it in any way though.

I thought modern science was absurd because it studied the accidental shadow and not the actual substance of what things are. I knew everything from the beginning of time. I saw it all. At the same time I was so peace filled that I didn�t desire to know anything in particular. For the first time in my life I felt complete.

With this expanded perspective human �understanding� seemed worthless. All the mystical books I had read paled miserably in comparison to this. It was like I woke up and was experiencing reality for the first time. My realization was that most people are blind to true reality and are just sleepwalking their way through life just like I had been, unaware that we are slaves to our own feelings, passions, and desires. Blind to reality as it truly is, like I was seeing it now. It eventually faded but I have never been the same since."

Hi Phil. What was written in quotes is truly amazing. Is that from personal experience or from someone you know? Thanks!