"Psi" is the term that is used by parapsychologists for the range of ostensibly paranormal phenomena that we study. It includes extrasensory perception, precognition, telepathy, clairvoyance, psychokinesis - and even phenomena associated with the possible survival of human personality traits after death. The reason that an umbrella term like "psi" has become necessary is that it is often virtually impossible to distinguish one type of psychic event from another.
We can say with a great deal of confidence - after more than 120 years of research - that these phenomena do indeed occur; and, at rates far greater than one would expect from random chance events. However, there exists enormous confusion and disagreement concerning possible explanations for such phenomena.
In ancient times, psychic phenomena were attributed to the activities of animistic forces, demigods and spirits. This is a view that has survived into the twenty-first century - although it has virtually no support from within academia or the scientific community. Throughout the centuries and decades, other explanations have been put forward. Many forces have been postulated, ranging from animal magnetism, orgone energy, odic force, Baraka, etheric energy and astral force.
But, we are now living in an exciting era in which science and psychology, spirituality and philosophy are coming together. The possibility of a real understanding no longer seems as elusive to me as it did even fifteen years ago. Here's how I see things:
What were once called "spirits" or "demigods" can be viewed today in the light of the dynamic psychological principles espoused by the great Swiss psychiatrist, Carl G. Jung. We can think of these intelligent energy complexes as "archetypes". They are autonomous entities that exist within the collective unconscious of humanity. They can take many different shapes and forms. In some cultures, they are thought of as deities. And, we can say that they grow and develop through their interaction with humanity. Jungian psychology has much to say about the role of archetypes in our lives. They connect us to the mythic dimension.
As for the energies or physical forces that are required to account for the phenomena attributed to the paranormal, we need look no further than mainstream theoretical physics and the important notions of nonlocality and quantum entanglement. Theoretical practitioners of this most bedrock of sciences understand full-well that the universe possesses qualities that once provoked Albert Einstein to characterize them as "ghostly".
Carl Jung contributed another important concept that is essential in our understanding of what we used to think of as "paranormal". That is "synchronicity", which he described as an "acausal connecting principle." Jung's synchronicity works in a manner very much parallel to such notions as quantum entanglement and even quantum teleportation.
And, to round out this brief picture of reality, there is a fourth concept that requires introduction here. It is this: our consciousness is not merely the by-product of our brain's neural activity. Logicians have shown, convincingly, that you cannot derive conscious awareness from physical particles and energies that are, themselves, lacking in all consciousness. That would be like trying to squeeze blood from a stone.
Quantum physics now unambiguously points us in another direction: our consciousness is as basic to the universe as is time, space, matter and energy. Our brains do not create consciousness; our brains partake of consciousness and filter it. It is derived from another source. That other source is clearly related to Jung's concept of the collective unconscious, the realm of archetypal energies, to which I referred earlier.
In the context of these and other recent developments in science, psychology and philosophy, Coral Hull's autobiographical account of her experiences with RSPK are very significant. We no longer need think of her subjective reports as too bizarre or weird to seriously consider. In fact, her account is strikingly similar - in many regards - to my own long-term case study of a remarkable psychokinetic individual, published in my book, The PK Man.
Coral Hull is a gifted writer whose facility with the English language offers us a rare glimpse into the archetypal realm; the realm that connects individual human ego to the larger consciousness of which we partake. I applaud her courage, both for expressing her inner truth and for living her life with authenticity and integrity in the face of enormous challenges.
Normally, it is difficult for those of us who do not live with Autism to have any idea of what her life must be like. But, she has graciously opened a window for us. And, when we look through the window - through the safety of the printed page - we can both admire its beauty and tremble at its mysteries.
Jeffrey Mishlove, Ph.D.
President, Intuition Network
http://www.intuition.org/
