The psyche’s attachment to the brain, i.e., its space-time limitation,
is no longer as self-evident and incontrovertible as we have hitherto
been led to believe.… It is not only permissible to doubt the absolute
validity of space-time perception; it is, in view of the available
facts, even imperative to do so. – Carl Jung, Psychology and the Occult
In science, the acceptance of new ideas follows a predictable,
four-stage sequence. In Stage 1, skeptics confidently proclaim that the
idea is impossible because it violates the Laws of Science. This stage
can last from years to centuries, depending on how much the idea
challenges conventional wisdom. In Stage 2, skeptics reluctantly concede
that the idea is possible, but it is not very interesting and the
claimed effects are extremely weak. Stage 3 begins when the mainstream
realizes that the idea is not only important, but its effects are much
stronger and more pervasive than previously imagined. Stage 4 is
achieved when the same critics who used to disavow any interest in the
idea begin to proclaim that they thought of it first. Eventually, no one
remembers that the idea was once considered a dangerous heresy.
The idea discussed in this discussion is in the midst of the
most important and the most difficult of the four transitions – from
Stage 1 into Stage 2. While the idea itself is ancient, it has taken
more than a century to conclusively demonstrate it in accordance with
rigorous, scientific standards. This demonstration has accelerated Stage
2 acceptance, and Stage 3 can already be glimpsed on the horizon.
The idea
The idea is that those compelling, perplexing and sometimes profound
human experiences known as "psychic phenomena" are real. This will come
as no surprise to most of the world’s population, because the majority
already believes in psychic phenomena. But over the past few years,
something new has propelled us beyond old debates over personal beliefs.
The reality of psychic phenomena is now no longer based solely upon
faith, or wishful thinking, or absorbing anecdotes. It is not even based
upon the results of a few scientific experiments. Instead, we know that
these phenomena exist because of new ways of evaluating massive amounts
of scientific evidence collected over a century by scores of
researchers.
Psychic, or "psi" phenomena fall into two general categories. The first
is perception of objects or events beyond the range of the ordinary
senses. The second is mentally causing action at a distance.
In both categories, it seems that intention, the mind’s will, can do
things that – according to prevailing scientific theories – it isn’t
supposed to be able to do. We wish to know what is happening to loved
ones, and somehow, sometimes, that information is available even over
large distances. We wish to speed the recovery of a loved one’s illness,
and somehow they get better quicker, even at a distance. Mind willing,
many interesting things appear to be possible.
Understanding such experiences requires an expanded view of human
consciousness. Is the mind merely a mechanistic, information-processing
bundle of neurons? Is it a "computer made of meat" as some cognitive
scientists and neuroscientists believe? Or is it something more? The
evidence suggests that while many aspects of mental functioning are
undoubtedly related to brain structure and electrochemical activity,
there is also something else happening, something very interesting.
This is for real?
When discussing the reality of psi phenomena, especially from the
scientific perspective, one question always hovers in the background:
You mean this is for real? In the midst of all the nonsense and
excessive silliness proclaimed in the name of psychic phenomena, the
misinformed use of the term parapsychology by self-proclaimed
"paranormal investigators," the perennial laughing stock of magicians
and conjurers … this is for real?
The short answer is, Yes.
A more elaborate answer is, psi has been shown to exist in
thousands of experiments. There are disagreements over to how to
interpret the evidence, but the fact is that virtually all scientists
who have studied the evidence, including the hard-nosed skeptics, now
agree that there is something interesting going on that merits serious
scientific attention. Later we’ll discuss the reasons why very few
scientists and science journalists are aware of this dramatic shift in
informed opinion.
For further reading to expand this discussion please refer to the
following links...
Parapsychology Assoc.
http://www.parapsych.org/
The RetroPsychokenisis Project
http://www.fourmilab.ch/rpkp/
Americian Society for Psychical Research
http://www.aspr.com/index.htm
London Society for Psychical Research
http://moebius.psy.ed.ac.uk/~spr/
INternational Society for Near Death Studies
http://www.iands.org/
The Human Energy Systems Laboratory
http://livingenergyuniverse.com/lab/default.htm
Research Labs of Subtle Energy and Energy Medicine
http://www.issseem.org/
Standford Metaphysics research Lab
http://mally.stanford.edu/index.html
Subtle Energies and Spiritual Technologies
http://www.subtle-energy.com/
U.S Psychotronics Assoc.
http://www.psychotronics.org/
Rhine Research Labs
http://www.rhine.org/index.html
Near Death Experience Studies
http://www.near-death.com/
Association for Past Life Studies
http://www.aprt.org/
Survival of Bodily Death
http://psychology.ucdavis.edu/tart/survival/default.html
Childrens Past Live Stories - Bowman
http://www.childpastlives.org/library.htm
More Links on NDE's
http://www.mindspring.com/~scottr/end.html
Care of MindTribe,
http://www.mindtribes.net
Lets Get Talking!
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