What is Parapsychology?

To open this discussion, I’d like to ask a couple of questions:

     * Have you ever had a dream that came true (precognition)?

     * Ever felt that there was a “presence” around you or a certain place?

     * Had an out-of-body experience (an OBE)?

     * Known what someone else was thinking (telepathy)?

     * Felt that you could affect physical objects by thinking (psychokinesis-PK)?

     * Believed that you have known someone in a previous lifetime (reincarnation)?

These are quite common occurrences for some folks, while others may have only had one experience, either of which can cause everything from fascination to terror. Skeptics, of course, say it’s all our imagination and that we shouldn’t buy in to the notion that they are real experiences. As you’ll quickly find, I am certainly NO skeptic, since I have experienced all these many times myself and have counseled countless others who have done the same.

First, let’s deal with some basic terms commonly used in the fields of Parapsychology and Transpersonal Psychology. We’ll also differentiate between these two fields and what I call “Western Psychology”. Not everyone will agree with the latter explanations, but this is my website, so I’ll call ‘em like I see ‘em.

TELEPATHY: the ability to know what is going on in the mind of another, whether animal or human; direct mind-to-mind communication, without any type of language except perhaps visual. For some, this is absolutely the most terrifying possibility–that someone might be able to “read their minds”. But this ability has been proven countless times under the strictest of scientific controls. Only the most closed-minded skeptics will refuse to look at the voluminous evidence from around the world. Later, I’ll even explain to you how to conduct your own experiments in this to prove it to yourself.

CLAIRVOYANCE: “clear seeing”; the ability to see what is occurring at a distance, without recourse to external instruments or another “mind”. This, too, has been proven in no uncertain terms in countless ways. The ability has been well-documented in historical writings all over the world. This type of experiment you can even do by yourself, taking precautions so as not to fool yourself.

PRECOGNITION: “knowing before”; the most common form of psi (psychic phenomena) manifesting as dreams which come true; sometimes just a “hunch” or “feeling” that “something is going to happen” (though usually more specific than that); usually, but not always, very specific in details; knowing what comes next, or “been here done this” is a form of (deja vu-already seen, similar but not the same as precognition).

PSYCHOKINESIS: (archaic term, telekinesis) also known as PK; the classic “mind over matter”; from as “simple” as controlling your own bodily functions to affecting objects by concentrating on them to controlling the weather or people’s actions. (sometimes these categories overlap and even merge). Again proven repeatedly for decades, clearly filmed and extensively documented.

HAUNTING/GHOSTS/SPIRITS: an experience of a non-physical entity with human qualities; several different types I’ll explain later; some hauntings/ghosts are only connected to a place/building/location; sometimes associated with specific persons; different from but similar to poltergeist.

POLTERGEIST: “playful spirit”; usually associated with playful/destructive behavior such as throwing things, turning on/off electrical devices, moving/replacing objects, making sounds; now theorized to be associated with either emotionally disturbed adolescents or adults experiencing temporary seizures when others are not present to observe.

In traditional spiritual teachings, certain powers and abilities (as I call them) will be developed as one advances in their spiritual awakening, but are seen as traps to be avoided. In modern thought, these things are to be sought in and of themselves and are the “cool” thing to be able to do. However, I tend to lean towards the more traditional thinking and feel it is certainly a misuse of one’s powers to simply change traffic lights for one’s convenience or create a parking space with powers of mind. These abilities, in the traditional view, become ego-traps where we become ensnared by the “look at what I can do!” mentality. I’ve often illustrated this preferred way of thinking to this: a man who can walk on water would find it more socially convenient to take a boat.

So….what is YOUR interest and experience with the field of the “paranormal”? Quite often, people have come to me to help them understand some spontaneous experience they have had, such as an OBE/NDE (near-death experience) and have found no one to talk with to help them understand it. (and to reassure them that they are NOT crazy (most of the time).

If you have had events in your life you can not make sense of and want to share them, please post as much as you are comfortable with sharing in a public forum (strictly moderated). State as many facts as best you can recall, leave out personal names, dates and locales as warranted to keep out unwanted notoriety. If you wish to include personal details and such, please email me at spiritualma@gmail.com.

Yes, many times I have found that folks have simply been mis-interpreting events in their lives or are far too eager to be considered “special” because they claim to have “been visited” or “haunted”. Yes, sometimes our own minds have a way of seeing/hearing what we WANT to see/hear, so maybe bouncing our experience off of some knowledgeable, neutral party (me) can help us understand more accurately what we saw/heard. I certainly don’t claim to have all the answers, but I do have many decades of experience and academic study in this field, helping countless folks in the process. Let me know what’s on YOUR mind. (don’t make me come get it) ;-p