I’m getting scared. Not really but I am struggling with something and it’s to do with psychics and Visualisation. I use positive thinking and visualisation for healing during meditation. I’m sorry. I know this might make some of you cringe. But what are the chances that instead of predicting disasters psychics are actually causing them?
How do you envisage CAUSING an event? Do you mean you do something which just happens to set off a chain of quite natural events leading to a disaster? Or are you saying that visualisation can actually cause and event to occur in itself?Originally Posted by Rose
I can't think of any mechanism which would allow positive thinking and visualisation to affect real world events without you physically taking action as a result of them. That's why praying to a God for divine intervention doesn't work.
I think it is possible that visualisation CAN affect perception. This could lead the visualiser to mistake what they are seeing and so do something they might not otherwise have done.
That's what I meant, Harry. I took it that Rose was asking if positive thinking and visualisation alone could influence the physical universe. Highly unlikely. (We'll be back to that damned cat in a box soon, I know it!)
I think looking into the placebo effect might help put your mind at ease. I find it takes the "mystical" out of the power of positive thinking.
Sure, but that's not what Rose was asking about, is it?
I suppose that if a psychic makes a prediction of disaster and enough people believe them, that may have an impact, but I don't think that's what Rose is on about..But what are the chances that instead of predicting disasters psychics are actually causing them?
Last edited by asthmatic camel; 19th July 2010 at 04:03 PM.
I could be picking Rose up wrong, but how I read it was that she had noticed some benefits from mediation and visualization, and then noticed similarities to psychics, lending them some credibility, leading to some frightening thoughts.
I would cut the link between positive thinking and psychics credibility.
Apologies if I am reading it completely arseways
Well, I think it's been shown that the placebo effect also works with psychic healing etc., so maybe it isn't that clear cut. As for psychics causing disasters by dreaming up predictions. Nah, not having that one.
I'd put it at around zero.
The idea that thoughts or intentions have a causal relationship to effects is one of the defining features of superstition or magical thinking.
NOTE: this is different from positive thinking as in having a positive mental attitude which results in positive action.
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There is also the possibility that banning negative though (as a side effect of "positive thinking") may prevent planning for worst case scenarios which increases the magnitude of tragedies when they eventually arrive.
What about The Self Fulfilling Prophesy? If a financial guru says the stock market's going to take a dive - it does.
Maybe if a psychic says that so-and-so will happen, the recipient takes (possibly unconscious) steps to facilitate it?
Perhaps Rose could clarify what she means by disaster? Natural disasters such as earthquakes, famines and tsunamis or humanity- based disasters such as wars and market crashes? I took her question as referring to the former but may well be wrong.
Good point. I don't think many here would give much time to the idea that a psychic could cause an earthquake!
But "you're going to marry a tall dark stranger" - maybe.
Yes earthquakes are caused by ladies showing their bbies, we all know that
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