Psi

I was recently interviewed as part of a research study investigating ‘extra-sensory perception’, I’ll share the transcript soon. How many of you out there have experienced ESP? Also commonly known as psi. Psi falls under the para-psychological umbrella that include phenomena as such as telepathy (communicating with thoughts), psychokinesis (the ability to move objects without physical contact), precognition (the ability to predict future events) and psychometry (reading the past from an object). These are typically experienced through claircognizance (inner knowing), clairvoyance (inner-sight), clairaudiance (hearing messages) and clairsentience (emotional awareness within the physical body). The common denominator for all the phenomena in question is that they do not subscribe to the fundamental scientific principles known to date.

Those who tend to rely predominantly on the analytical mind usually don’t believe in such phenomena. Descriptions, I’ve heard personally are ‘airy fairy nonsense’ or even de-marked ‘crazy’. Perhaps this is because people prone to analytical thinking are readier to critically examine culturally accepted beliefs and renounce them. However those that utilize intuitive cognitive styles are more likely to be open to esoteric thinking and beliefs in the unseen world. To me the world of intuition is uncharted territory for exploration and thus, extremely exciting.

It’s nice to know that belief in ESP has not been found to be related to the reasoning ability, we can reason just fine, thanks very much. In fact, research has shown that better-educated individuals are more likely to endorse belief in psi (I had to add in here, put that in your pipe and smoke it! :-p). Intuitive abilities are however, a much more elusive construct, difficult to conceptualize and measure objectively. However it was Freud that reminded us ‘the easiest explanation is not always the right one: the truth is often not terribly simple’ (1940). Science continues to evolve and evidenced hypotheses that make the mainstream academic world feel a little uncomfortable are what drive our evolutionary understanding forward, not rigid scientific dogma.

Basic motivations for paranormal belief can include the need for more meaning in life, overcoming uncertainty, establishing (a feeling of) control or diminishing fear of death. We all certainly needed a little more of that over the last couple of years. Often, such beliefs are primarily motivated by a desire to achieve control or a greater understanding over uncertainty in life. In other words when life doesn’t make sense, we turn to the unseen world for answers. As we continue to tentatively adjust to our new surroundings post 2020/21, most of us are continuing to experience a certain degree of uncertainty, this may be why people are now asking me more questions than before on my esoteric studies.

Further research has shown that rituals in the everyday life of students mostly occur in uncertain situations, providing a way of coping. Most of my own ‘rituals’ or practices are adopted because I know how they benefit my physical and mental function, the only area I can control (to a certain degree) when all else is fluid and in flux, is my own physiological domain. Yet, flexing our intuitive muscle, I feel, takes practice which is why I tune in to other esoteric practices.

Those who have attested that they have encountered paranormal and/or transcendent experiences reported a stronger belief in life after death, belief in a higher power and more of a sense of purpose in life as well as decreased fear of death. Therefore over-all, such experiences are predominantly positive and related to a heightened sense of meaning. I believe such abilities are the next step in uncovering our human potential, and as it stands, we are still in the primitive stages of understanding the complexity of our mental and physical mammalian architecture that facilitate psi. I share my own practices, experiences and personal philosophy on these topics and how we can utilize in our day to day domain to feel the benefits in The Voyage: Embodied, Intuitive (Trans)personal Development Course available via 1-2-1s, retreats and online, pm me for further details or send me a telepathic message. heather@heathergwenbird.com if you're still practicing :-) x