Can Psychic Abilities be Taught?

Last week England's Daily Mail published an article, Learn what the future holds at psychic school ... but if you have the gift you'd already know about it by Tanya Gold describing the author's experiences at a £95 a day psychic school.
 
"Psych School" is run by "celebrity" medium and author Mia Dolan, who features in the TV show "Haunted Homes" and gives demonstrations of clairvoyance to packed theaters. On the day described 10 participants were led through a series of exercises such as psychometry, seeing auras and guided meditation intended to lead to "the zone". Gold is unsurprisingly highly scathing of the "Psych School" experience, and indeed it's unlikely anyone could develop psychism by
merely attending a course such as this. But can we really learn to develop telepathy, precognition and the like? (more…)

Science, Decision Making and Precognition

The BBC recently broadcast an edition of its popular science documentary Horizon entitled How to make better decisions. The show featured a number of approaches to decision-making.

It was suggested (confirming what most of us instinctively know) that emotions play a large part in the way we make choices. A mathematician employed a mathematical model supposedly to take the emotion out of decisions. The model was applied to a group of men's chances of getting a date, and the purchase of a pair of shoes. The problem is that the model doesn't entirely remove emotion from the process, as it requires us to place subjective ratings to question such as the attractiveness of ourselves and others. (more…)

Remote Viewing and White Coats

Today's English Daily Mail carried the story "Could there be proof to the theory that we're ALL psychic?" by Danny Penman.

Penman describes remote viewing research being carried out at the UK's Northampton University by Dr Chris Roe using the Ganzfeld technique. Ganzfeld uses mild sensory deprivation (participants have their vision and hearing blocked) to invoke a light meditative state in which they supposedly become more sensitive to psychic impressions. Roe reports promising results and is about to embark on a series of more rigorous tests, including those in which participants will attempt to see across time as well as space. See University of Northampton’s Centre for the Study of Anomalous Psychological Processes.

Penman's article further describes how psychic abilities have long been studied by the military with a view to establishing whether such abilities can be taught to "ordinary" people.

Support for the existence of such abilities comes from no less than eminent a source as Cambridge Nobel Laureate physicist Brian Josephson, quoted as saying "The experiments have been designed to rule out luck and chance. I consider the evidence for remote viewing to be pretty clear-cut."

Another academic, Professor Jessica Utts of the University of California says, "Using the standards applied to any other area of science, you have to conclude that certain psychic phenomena, such as remote viewing, have been well established."

So alongside the mountains of anecdotal evidence, science is now beginning to accept the reality of psychic functioning. This capacity appears to be stronger in some people than others, like some have a natural flair for sport, math, art... But it's also likely that we all have some psychic potential; some means of tapping into this greater, unseen, world of which the physical forms but a fraction. Shouldn't then part of our life purpose be trying to develop this ability, for if we could, wouldn't its potential for our personal development be enormous?

And why does much of conventional science continue to reject the overwhelming evidence that now exists for the reality of such abilities? Perhaps it is because these abilities operate within a reality infinitely greater than the physical realm understood extremely well by the white coats? And perhaps any acknowledgement of a greater reality over which their knowledge would pale into insignificance would threaten their own sense of purpose and self worth?

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Proof of Life After Death?

Throughout history man has pondered whether individual consciousness survives the death of the physical body, amassing along the way countless pieces of evidence suggesting that it does. Though much of this evidence is anecdotal, modern science is also lending the power of its tools and methodology to the investigation of the eternal question.

The Forever Family Foundation is bringing together the finest scientific researchers on this topic for a two-day conference entitled "Investigations of Consciousness and The Unseen World - Proof of an Afterlife?” The conference will run over January 19-20, 2008 at the Cowell Theater, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco, California.

Speakers include:

• Parapsychologist Dean Radin, PhD, Senior scientist with the Institute of Noetic Sciences and world authority on psi phenomena and consciousness.
• Psychologist Gary E. Schwartz, PhD, Director of the VERITAS Research Program at the University of Arizona, dedicated to discovering the truth about the consciousness and the continuity of life. Professor Schwartz is a leading researcher into mediumship.
• Quantum physicist Fred Alan Wolf, PhD on quantum physics and consciousness - does this hold the key to how Spirit interacts with incarnate beings?
• Medical doctor Bruce Greyson, MD on his decades of research on NDEs.

For more information and to book tickets ($225) visit the conference Web site at http://www.foreverfamilyfoundation.org/SanFrancisco.htm

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Freakin' with nature - embryo research

The Human Tissue and Embryos Bill, currently on it way to becoming English law, could pose a serious threat to the concept of sanctity of life. Among other things it allows babies to be created that have the right characteristics to serve as donors in order to aid sick siblings. It may also permit the creation of human-animal hybrid embryos. All in the name of "research".

Of course anyone who has seen a loved one endure pain and suffering would welcome any efforts to cure disease or alleviate its effects. But is there some limit that should apply to such research?

Scientists naturally wish to push the frontiers of knowledge ever further. But scientists do not always consider the moral implications of their work, eg it was scientists that created nuclear weapons.

From a Spiritual perspective it could be argued that anything we do is part of God's will, else we wouldn't be able to do it. We possess free will, and if we have developed sufficient knowledge and skill to pursue a particular pathway then who can say such pathway is "wrong"?

But in possessing free will we also possess the capacity for error. And some errors are less reversible and more catastrophic than others.

Alongside our free will we are also blessed with a sense of morality, the ability to consider the potential benefits and costs, opportunities and risks, of a proposed action.

We must engage this moral capacity carefully lest we embark upon a slippery slope towards a Hitleresque future where only the physically and mentally perfect have the right to live. And who would decide what was perfect. Would they be the blue-eyed Aryan blonds, or would they have some other characteristic?

Stephen Hawking and Helen Keller would have been denied the right to life to name but two. And anyone who has cared for the disabled will know how much they can still enjoy life and give pleasure to those around them. What right has one living being to deny the existence of another?

A further nightmarish scenario is where a "lower" form of being is bred to carry out the drudgery of manual labor leaving the "superior" master race to enjoy a life of luxury.

Too many countries already de-value life with their overly liberal attitude to abortion in which countless viable babies are legally and routinely slaughtered.

The bottom line must be the absolute recognition of the rights of the potential life forms being proposed for experiment.

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Are Orbs of Light Manifestations of Spirit?

Yesterday the English Daily Mail continued to enhance its reputation as one of the more open-minded newspapers by publishing "Is this the proof that spirits DO exist?" an article on the mysterious orbs of light that have been appearing inexplicably on increasing numbers of photographs.

The phenomena has been investigated by NASA scientist Klaus Heinemann, PhD after he noticed the phenomena on a number of his wife's pictures. At first Heinemann applied his considerable scientific knowledge in an attempt to find a physical explanation. However after failing to do so he began to consider non-material causes.

Heinemann presented his theories at the ORBS: What Is Going On? Prophets Conference, Sedona, AZ, May 2007, stating "The implications of a realization that we are 'surrounded by a cloud of witnesses' are enormous – and, I might add, incredibly hopeful at large."

Spiritual mediums have long held that rather than being in a distinct place/time the Spirit world is actually all around us, only vibrating at a higher rate than physical matter. Communication takes place when a medium is able to raise their vibrations and Spirit lowers theirs. Natural “sensitives” are those with naturally higher vibrations.

Might it be that Spirit have found a way to lower their vibrations to the extent they are able to affect modern gadgetry, or that they particularly feel the need to remind us of their presence in these troubled times for the world?

Heinemann has co-authored a book on orbs with Miceal Ledwith (a former theology professor who was President of National University of Ireland Maynooth College at the  for ten years). The Orb Project will be published in November 2007.

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Live Earth - Planetary Crisis or Global Con

Yesterday's Live Earth concerts aimed at raising awareness of the impending environmental crisis were seen by some 2 billion people around the planet.

There is near unanimity amongst leading scientists that the future of the world hangs in the balance unless mankind starts to take action now. There has recently been major and growing publicity over the issue and few of the people that matter can plead ignorance after yesterday's concerts.

And yet still cynicism / doubts remain:

• Is there really a crisis or is it being exaggerated. If we don nothing it'll just go away / come to nothing - a bit like the millennium bug that was supposed to crash the worlds computers at midnight on Jan 31st 1999...
• It's simply a bandwagon for power-hungry politicos to jump on, let's not fuel their ego trips...
• Maybe there's a crisis, but I'll be long dead and gone by the time the sh!t hits the fan...
• Maybe there's a crisis, but it's the megacorporations causing it, recycling my garbage ain't gonna make much difference...
• Live Earth is just a gimmick - the music was good but how much pollution did it cost shipping in all those artists & fans and powering all the sound systems, lighting...

All valid arguments of course. But the facts are:

• Planet earth is a marvellous creation - perhaps not the only life supporting planet in the cosmos, but the only one we've so far found despite all our high-powered technology...
• The way everything all fits together to support life is little short of miraculous. Isn't that worth making some sacrifice to keep...
• Maybe we can't save the planet on our own, bt if we each do our bit, that's a lot of individuals contributing to one gynormous group effort...
• Through lobbying and simply in the choices we make in spending our money even the little people (or enough of them together) can influence the megacorporations...

At a time when we seem more at conflict than ever, doesn't it give us a chance to show the benefits of working together for a common purpose.

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07/07/07 - a lucky day?

In England, and probably around the globe, people are preparing to celebrate the particularly lucky date of 07/07/07 - many by getting married.

Seven has long been considered a lucky number across cultures, and the last similarly lucky date goes back 30 years to July 7th 1977. But let us not forget the London public transport bombings on 7/7 just two years ago.

So can a date, or a number be lucky? It can certainly carry certain vibrations, which then combine with the specific vibrations of the participants and where there is a fortuitous match then it is likely to be lucky.

But probably far more important is the degree to which those doing something special on this date believe it to be lucky, for what we believe carries far more potency than isolated numbers.

So tomorrow, some people will have a good day, others not so good, and for a few it will be bloody awful, but by staying positive you can make it as good for you as it possibly can be.

The bottom line: be aware of lucky numbers, omens etc, but be also aware that our own beliefs and actions carry far more power than merely indicative symbols.

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Roswell 60 years on - the mystery deepens

This month sees the 60th anniversary of the most famous unresolved UFO mystery of them all, ie Roswell. It is said that a UFO crashed near the city of Roswell, New Mexico, USA, and that debris of the craft as well as bodies of aliens were recovered by the US military. The US government has repeatedly denied this version of events, claiming instead that what crashed was a research balloon.

A recent interesting twist comes from a sworn affidavit from Walter G Haut, public information officer at Roswell base during the Roswell incident, to be released only after his death. Haut passed away in 2005 and the affidavit, now public, reveals a military cover-up and that he witnessed first hand both the alien craft and the bodies of its crew.

The universe is certainly a big place, and though intelligent life may be sparse it is highly arrogant to consider it limited to earth. It is also highly arrogant to assume that no life more intelligent than ourselves exists elsewhere. Given the likelihood it does. isn't there a possibility that it happens to be aware of us and has an interest in our development?

Alternatively, isn't it strange how reports of UFOs increased dramatically during the military expansionism of the cold war and development of faster, more efficient flying machines on earth?

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Men and the Moon

The BBC reported recently that extra police officers are to be deployed in Brighton at full moon. A police spokesperson is reported as saying "Research carried out by us has shown a correlation between violent incidents and full moons."

This story gives scientific credibility to the ancient belief that we are influenced by heavenly bodies in general and the moon in particular, most notably expressed in the legend of the werewolf.

The lesson is that we should be open minded about a whole range of things that affect us that we can't yet explain. Human beings are complex things as is the environment we exist in. By being a bit more humble about our understanding we will be better able to progress scientifically and Spiritually.

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