What is the Paranormal?

[Jeffykins]

Ghosts. How can we live for thousands of years as societal beings without definitive proof? We’ve come to agree that one never believes in such a thing unless something ‘paranormal’ has happened to you. And even in those instances, there may always be some sort of logical explanation for it. Someone was standing somewhere, casting a shadow, or a freakish strong gust of wind causes the house to creak. However, there are a portion of lucky people out there who do experience something that cannot be explained by the laws of physics. Something that may make your hairs stand on end, or overcome you with a feeling of an other-worldly presence. And I am lucky to be one of those people.

I do believe you are more susceptible to ‘picking up’ unnatural happenings in times of clarity; where there is minimal distraction from the stresses of life. And what better time to be free of burden than childhood.

My childhood was quite a happy one. My family Hungarian, our regular individual or group experiences were always palmed off as being linked to our ‘gypsy blood’. A hereditary gift that I have learned to love and feel lucky to have. And while I don’t claim clichés, like speaking with loved ones who have passed’ or psychic abilities, I have come to strongly believe in the value of natural energy. No, I’m not talking about wind turbines collecting wind energy, or electricity, or mechanical energy, but rather energy that you feel around you. A sort of violation to your external feng-shui that kicks in whenever something is hovering around that is kind of unsettling.

Anyway. Let me tell you a story.

My family have always seen, heard and felt things. Beings hiding around corners. Sounds in the night that just beg for you to seek the source, but to no avail. Typical cliché crap. And there are those moments that truly stick with you – that you have no explanation for. There are a lot which are personal, and will always stay with myself and the people I were with at the time. But one of which has stuck with me through the years, and which I like to share to people.

It was 1995. I was four. My brother, aged 8, and I slept at my grandmother’s home one Saturday night, while my parents were out at the movies and doing their own adult thing. My brother and I slept in the same room, located at the very back of the house. It was approximately 4:30AM-5AM. It was a summer morning, and Melbourne daylight savings meant the sun was beginning to creep up from the horizon and present a very dull light from behind the curtains. I remember this very vividly. I awoke. My brother was already awake. We could hear my grandfather snore, and suspected our grandmother was also asleep. My brother and I, unable to sleep anymore, decided to leave the room and slowly creep down the hallway toward the lounge room. Our goal was to close our grandparents’ bedroom door (which is situated just across from the lounge room), while we hop across to the lounge room to watch some early morning TV without waking them. As we approached the lounge room on the way to my grandparents’ room, we noticed a dark figure in the shape of my grandmother sitting in one of the lounge chairs, overlooking the hallway and my grandparents’ room, however their head was facing toward the rising sun behind the curtains. My grandmother had a very distinctive haircut, you see, quite like Judge Judy Sheindlin. We froze. At first, I laughed quietly and questioned my brother as to why our grandmother was sitting alone in the dark. He immediately whispered to me to shut-up, and didn’t move. At this point, we were just outside my grandparents’ room, overlooking the lounge room and this shadowy figure, when I noticed that the figure was remarkably slimmer in shape than my grandmother’s physique. It was still very much a shadow, as if someone stood in front of a bright light when you take a picture of them, however there was no bright light; only the very dull light of the rising sun behind the thick curtains. I looked into my grandmother’s bedroom and saw my grandfather sleeping. And then the adrenaline kicked in. I looked over, and saw my grandmother sleeping, right next to my grandfather. I looked back at the lounge room to find the shadowy figure still sitting there. After a few more seconds, it turned its’ head to face myself and my brother. I remember feeling as though it was looking directly at me. I felt fear creep in. My brother and I simultaneously turned and ran for our bedroom, grabbing at each other as we went, as if to get ahead of the other. We stayed in that room for an hour discussing what we had just seen, however we couldn’t explain it. I don’t know if it was the restriction due to our lack of complex language, or the sheer peculiarity of the situation. We like to reminisce about this experience sometimes, usually after experiencing further unexplainable events.

Yes, it does extend into adulthood, but they’re not quite like they were when I was a child. Strangely enough, there are certain events and ‘feelings’ that I get when only with my family or with specific people, and they feel it too. Such as having a dream of a location I’ve never been before, and two years later, going to the middle of a country town in New Zealand whilst on holiday and knowing exactly where you are, reciting the buildings and cars you pass while you drive as they happen to my partner, as if you were reading from a script. Or that feeling you get when you wake in the midst of the night, feeling as if something negative is coming, entering the room through your closed door, seeing the room darken just a bit more in the night, and hearing your partner suddenly become unsettled in their sleep. Feeling that negative energy building, with your partner becoming even more unsettled, before becoming so unsettled that they awake upsettingly.

I’m not a medium. I’m not a psychic. I live a very happy, healthy life and these experiences don’t hinder my existence. But when they do happen, I’ve come to acknowledge these ‘paranormal’ experiences as something that’s meant to be. And I feel lucky to experience them, and to share them.

Will you share yours?

[Revi]

What is more likely; the laws of nature being suspended before your eyes for you to witness something something you've heard stories about that no one in human history has managed to produce a shred of evidence for - or that you were mistaken about what you saw?

My bet would be on the latter.

[thilicen]

I've got my 2 cents on light brain damage.

Some of the best TV out there is of people who spend their time busting these mediums and whatnot.

[Puupi]

"Those are not your grandparents"

[Jeffykins]

I must say it's a very personal experience for the people involved, Revi, and when it happens, right there, in the moment, you definitely just know.

[zorkuus]

Once I fell over, I'm convinced it was aliens from the 9th dimension fucking with me.

[Rafoel]

Well, I got one.

It happened a few months after my grandfather died, in his house. I was around 12 years old. I was doing something in my grandmother's bedroom, while my mother and my grandmother were the kitchen. I went out of the bedroom and on my way to the kitchen, I passed by a table at which my grandfather used to sit (in the dining room). I clearly saw a person sitting there with a crossword. I saw it only for around a second as I quickly passed by, and assumed it was my grandmother as the person had short hair (yes, my gradmother had short hair, and my mother had long). I was still hearing the noises from the kitchen. When I entered the kitchen though, I saw only my grandmother. (it turns out my mother went outside earlier and I did not hear it). For a moment I was like "what the fuck? I just saw you filling a crossword at the table! I turned back immediately. The crossword was on table. The chair was slightly moved, so there was enough space for sb to sit there. But there was nobody there.

It might be possible that it was some illusion, but I never witnessed anything similar. To this day I remember this person at the table, with his back turned towards me. I was at true shock when I saw my grandmother at the kitchen, it was like seeing a person enter the room, closing the door, and the suddenly coming out of another room behind you.

Many people can recall similar stories from their life. Whatever the cause, even if its purely mental, you can't argue these things really happen. People believe in them, not make them up. That's why "paranormal" concept survived for so long.

[zorkuus]

People believe in them, not make them up. That's why "paranormal" concept survived for so long.

Just like religon eh?

[Rafoel]

Just like religon eh?

Religion is inherently connected to the very human nature. It is as old as humans themselves.

[Merkava]

Ghosts...Will you share yours?

The James Randi foundation has a One Million dollar prize for anyone that can prove any paranormal claims. Here's what they say...

"The Foundation is committed to providing reliable information about paranormal claims. It both supports and conducts original research into such claims. At JREF, we offer a one-million-dollar prize to anyone who can show, under proper observing conditions, evidence of any paranormal, supernatural, or occult power or event. The JREF does not involve itself in the testing procedure, other than helping to design the protocol and approving the conditions under which a test will take place. All tests are designed with the participation and approval of the applicant. In most cases, the applicant will be asked to perform a relatively simple preliminary test of the claim, which if successful, will be followed by the formal test. Preliminary tests are usually conducted by associates of the JREF at the site where the applicant lives. Upon success in the preliminary testing process, the "applicant" becomes a "claimant."

To date, no one has passed the preliminary tests.

Think about it, if you were a ghost, and you had eerie powers, wouldn't you want to help someone you loved make a million bucks?

I think that's a better topic for discussion; Assuming Ghosts do exist, then why are they such selfish assholes?

[Rafoel]

The James Randi foundation has a One Million dollar prize for anyone that can prove any paranormal claims. Here's what they say...



To date, no one has passed the preliminary tests.

Think about it, if you were a ghost, and you had eerie powers, wouldn't you want to help someone you loved make a million bucks?

I think that's a better topic for discussion; Assuming Ghosts do exist, then why are they such selfish assholes?

I rarely see such bullshit as the one I saw while reading Wikipedia's page about "if aliens exist, why they don't contact us".

If such bullshit is considered "scientific", then a lot of "good" reasons of the behaviour you described surely can be found.

[Jeffykins]

Assuming Ghosts do exist, then why are they such selfish assholes?

I love this! Are we sure they're 'ghosts' though?

[zorkuus]

Religion is inherently connected to the very human nature. It is as old as humans themselves.

Doesn't make its claims any more real. It's an appeal to tradition fallacy. "Something has existed a long time, therefore it must have truth in it."

[Deleted]

You die. Everything ends. There are no ghosts. Period.

[Thes]

Religion is inherently connected to the very human nature. It is as old as humans themselves.

Yes, us humans try to explain everything, even if it's fallacy.

[Ghostpanther]

Doesn't make its claims any more real. It's an appeal to tradition fallacy. "Something has existed a long time, therefore it must have truth in it."

For those who believe, they have all the proof they need. You just happen to be one of those who need proof for yourself. Nothing wrong with the way you feel. It is very common and understandable.

Science can not prove or disprove something they cannot examine or test which does not fit the known physical laws. Belief in it, is still common because many believe there is more to this known universe than what our eyes and bodies tell us. Some do because of personal experiences or trust in someone they feel is not lying about their experiences. For others it is the hope there is more to this world than our short physical lives.

[BuckSparkles]

Personally, while I have never encountered them myself, I do believe there are things in this world that we cannot explain. It's hard to describe, really.

But I don't expect that to count on here, where hard science is the only thing that matters and personal experience doesn't mean anything.

[Reeve]

What does the prefix "para-" even mean? How is a paratrooper different from a normal trooper? A paramedic different from a normal medic? A parameter different from a normal meter? A paralegal different from a normal legal? Mysteries to astound.

[nextormento]

What does the prefix "para-" even mean? How is a paratrooper different from a normal trooper? A paramedic different from a normal medic? A parameter different from a normal meter? A paralegal different from a normal legal? Mysteries to astound.

Not sure if poking fun or legit. After all, "para-" appears in very diverse meanings. But here goes anyway.
Originally "beside", "alongside" or "next to" (parallel).
In the same vein, also "auxiliary" (paraprofession), "derivative" or "similar to" (parody).
But, along with "beside" it can also mean "beyond", which gives rise to "opposite", "outside", "to the margin" or even "against" (paradox, paranoia).

Paratrooper derives from parachute. "Para", in that word doesn't come from the Greek root for "beside", but the Latin verb parare (to guard; notice the English derivative "prepare").
Paramedic is a paraprofession: a job to assist professionals in one field while not having themselves the professional license. Paramedics are not medics themselves but work closely related to them; usually in emergency assistance. They resemble and are auxiliary to medics.
Parameter differs from meter (measure) in assisting the measure rather than being the measure itself. Originally in geometry, parameters were side data for reference (specifically in second grade curves).
Paralegal: I didn't know this was a thing.

[Simulacrum]

I must say it's a very personal experience for the people involved, Revi, and when it happens, right there, in the moment, you definitely just know.

And this, my friends, is why eyewitness testimony puts so many innocent people away for crimes they didn't commit.