Why Do We Have Psychic Powers?

In the attempt to understand the nature of mind, I’ve traveled all over the map of human experience. Inevitably, I was drawn to the outer limits of mental experience, abnormal and supernormal.  For example, I found all sorts of evidence suggesting the reality of a “next” world. Up until modern scientific times, belief in an afterlife was common and widespread. However, modern science is supposed to have proven the afterlife is a fairy tale.

But that is complete nonsense.  Modern science has never investigated the question because it has focused on physics, chemistry, biology, and other physical sciences. The investigation of psychic powers has been conducted by individuals, groups, and special societies such as the English and American Societies for Psychical Research. A minority of mavericks has always had to battle the physicalist establishment that ignored or dismissed their findings. This unscientific attitude continues to poison the 21^sst century, easily proven by reading accounts of anything paranormal in Wikipedia.

Are Miracles For Real?

 

Are Miracles For Real?

According to Skeats’ Etymological Dictionary, the word miracle is rooted in the smi of Sanskrit, related to our smile.  In this sense of the word, a miracle is something that makes us smile with awe and wonder.  It’s not often that we can do that; but it doesn’t seem like a bad thing.  And yet, nothing irritates some materialists more than talk of ‘miracles.’ Why is that? Materialists are atheists, but miracle suggests the idea of a God who can suspend the laws of nature and thus perform miracles.

Now that sounds spooky and potentially full of unnerving surprises.  Materialists seem to prefer an orderly universe that can be predicted and of course controlled. Sorry, but the universe is not only spooky, it’s top-heavy with mysteries and enigmas larded with puzzles and conundrums.

The Pill of Perfect Happiness

I was inspired by Michael Pollan’s new book, How to Change Your Mind, which explores  the outer limits of psychedelic consciousness.  We know it’s possible, by means of psychoactive chemicals, to change our minds in wonderful and fascinating ways.  The question is, how far are people willing to go?  How many of us are ready for transformation?  And would society be willing to support our efforts?

It might help to try a thought experiment. Imagine what would be an event of world significance: a group of neuroscientists announce the discovery of a drug that transforms consciousness, offering permanent benefit to the individual and to human society at large. One treatment is all that is required, and there are no ill side-effects.

Braking for Armageddon

Driving us toward a climax nobody wants to think about are three global trends: the  mounting risk of nuclear war; faster than expected approaching climate catastrophe; and the ever-growing gap between the rich power elites and everybody else.

Each trend, each dynamic, by itself, left unchecked, points toward civilization crashing. The three trends, chugging away at the same time, can only amplify each other exponentially.  And at the moment all three are gaining momentum. As the world appears to be evolving today, things may have to play themselves out before any real possibility of improvement.