Category: Let's talk
So who, if anyone, has seriously studied the divinatory arts? If so, which kinds? I know blind people can do tarot and/or cartomancy, so I'd be interested in hearing about that, but really I'd like to know what other things we could do. I'm interested in arithmomancy (numerology), dominoes, dream intrepretation, astrology, palmistry and several others. I'm also very interested in parapsychology, the unexplained in general, ufology and cryptozoology but those are entirely different subjects. Since I brought those up, have any of you taken courses at Flamel College, the College of Psychic Studies or any other such educational institution? If so, where did you go and how did they treat you as far as academic accomodations etc? While I'm sure I'll gain alot of insight into myself in the process of learning, I'm really more into these as practical sciences rather than religious or mystical studies so I'm looking for courses that stress that.
Okay, I was gonna post on that psychic thread but there's way too much drama over there and I'd like us to stay on topic. Aside from the above questions, I came up with a few new ones. Do you believe in any kinds of psychic abilities? Have you personally experienced or witnessed such abilities? Do you think that as blind/visually-impaired peopl we have an easier time of tapping into our sixth sense? can psychic ability, and divination for that matter, be taught/learned or is it inate?
As for myself, I obviously believe in various forms of divination, what some might call fortune-telling, though the two differ slightly. as for psychic ability, I'm really mixed. there's no doubt in my mind that it exists but I'm really not sure if you have to be born with it or if it can be learned. Some things seem easier to pick up on than others and then again, there are people who's ability far outdoes most people's.
I know there are courses that say they can teach it, but really everyone's born with it, just depends whether individual people choose to develop it or just leave it alone and look for any other solution possible. I could say a load more on the subject, but won't on here. You can private message me or something though if you like.
It is going to be difficult for you to find a balanced perspective on the paranormal. If what you want is to study things in a more academic type of setting, I would suggest taking some religion courses at your local college. I don’t mean classes in Christianity, but something like world religion, religion and nature, science and religion, psychology and religion……
In terms of psychic ability, if there is such a thing, it must be innate, or at least, we must all have some capacity for it. Not all of us have legs, but we pretty much as a species are able to be mobile.
Have you tried lucid dreaming? That’s something that you can begin to experiment with and probably get immediate results, and a look at the possibilities of the human mind.
For cards, cup reading, these types of practices, I would just google all I can. You will find very interesting ansers and some very silly ones as well. unfortunatly, this is the type of journey which requires a little guidance and much self awareness.
I want to practise these arts and learn them from the point of view of a science i.e. this is how to do x, not mysticism. there will be, as I said, points at which I'll learn about myself, but I'm more interested in the practical uses of these sciences rather than the historical or religious, though it's good to have a general outline for knowledge's sake. that i could study as a separate topic. I actually did take a course on the occult in college but was very disappointed, since it focussed more on the history of how these things were perceived through the ages.
Here is the thing, there is no science in these practices, and there is belief, faith, application, and realization. If you are looking for science, or a place which wants to show you these things in a scientific learning environment, you will find twisted research, and pseudoscientific explanations.
When I speak of religion courses, I don’t mean historical perspectives of religion. I am referring to getting a basic understanding of religious/spiritual belief systems and how they utilize mysticism, magic, divination.
In short, be careful of places which promise science where there is no science to be found.
What we consider mysticism and the paranormal, work on perspective and belief. There might be a scientific explanation behind it, but if you cast a spell to protect you against the common cold, and you don’t get the common cold, it shouldn’t matter why it worked. Whether it was cast in a basement, a jungle, or a lab, it worked.
Understand things first as a science think of them as natural effects and attempt to find a reasonable explanation. Then, move on to the paranormal, not as an alternative, but as an equally valid perspective.
I've never been a hard-core science person and have never delved into the mainstream sciences. My love is the so-called pseudosciences, though not all of them of course. My goal is to separate these things from religion and to get to the hart of their application. If I'm studying astrology, numerology, cartomancy etc, it might be good to know where and how they originated but ultimately, I'm interested in how to actually do them. If I study the paranormal, ufology or cryptozoology, it may help to learn different beliefs on the spiritual realm, aliens and unknown creatures. But my main purpose would be to go and gather evidence about paranormal activity, aliens and monsters and to interview people about their experiences.