What I'm getting at is the difference between subjective experience ("chills") and any theory describing it. ("Qualia", "no amount of simulating water will make anything wet", etc.)

Although personally I prefer scientific theories to describe reality (they are still the best/most useful), our experience is never "based" on theories.

Well then we agree. I'm just not a fan of using the term "spiritual" for a physical event. No need to ascribe "chills" in a hand-wavy manner.