Defination of Paranormal

Whispered

Ok, so I know that literally it means "not normal" or similar but what meaning has the word paranormal got for you?

For example, before, when speaking about Reiki, I posted in the spiritual forum because for me it is a spiritual thing. However it gets much more response here. - Yet I have never considered healing as being paranormal!

I have changed a bit lately in that up until a while ago tarot cards, to me, would have been what I consider paranormal. However as I am learing to read them, and learing how they work (for want of a beter word) I am slowly changing my opinion on them. I think they are not paranormal, just another way for us to communicate with our guides and higher self. Which, far from being paranormal, should be one of the most natural things in the world for us to do.

So what I'm saying is that for me the word paranormal evokes feelings of something to be wary of, like communicating with the dead is new to me, yet for a clairvoyant/audient etc this becomes "normal". I am droning on here trying to explain what I mean and not making much sense! Does anbody understand what I am trying to get at?

6th

helena.ryan wrote: »

Ok, so I know that literally it means "not normal" or similar but what meaning has the word paranormal got for you?

Well for me The Paranormal would cover many topics but I sometimes think that its the approach to the subjects which decides where they sit. Its the asking of questions regarding the how & why and the search for a greater understanding of what is going on.

For me, to be able to discuss and analyse the Paranormal you must be able to step back from personal beliefs and faith. With many topics with these come into play it can often become more Spiritual and bias.

helena.ryan wrote: »

For example, before, when speaking about Reiki, I posted in the spiritual forum because for me it is a spiritual thing. However it gets much more response here. - Yet I have never considered healing as being paranormal!

You see Boards.ie has this problem in Forums such as After Hours where people post there simply to get a better response - I see this as an abuse of the forum.

Reiki is a spiritual practice and most would agree I'm sure that its natural home would be the Spirituality forum .... but more people use here. To take a Paranormal to Reiki would mean to ask questions about the mechanics of it, to study what is actually happening when someone undergoes the process and to look at the "results" of what has happened.

helena.ryan wrote: »

I have changed a bit lately in that up until a while ago tarot cards, to me, would have been what I consider paranormal. However as I am learing to read them, and learing how they work (for want of a beter word) I am slowly changing my opinion on them. I think they are not paranormal, just another way for us to communicate with our guides and higher self. Which, far from being paranormal, should be one of the most natural things in the world for us to do.

See as something becomes part of your way of thinking and becomes intergrated with how you live your life the actually mechanics of it become unimportant - for you it works and you believe it .... it is part of your faith, your spirituality. It isn't actually any less paranormal, your approach has simply changed.

helena.ryan wrote: »

So what I'm saying is that for me the word paranormal evokes feelings of something to be wary of, like communicating with the dead is new to me, yet for a clairvoyant/audient etc this becomes "normal". I am droning on here trying to explain what I mean and not making much sense! Does anbody understand what I am trying to get at?

Maybe its because its something I have had to ask myself that it makes sense. I look back at how my own approach has changed over the last while on here and see myself beginning to make the distinction more and more. I even see myself being treated as a non-believer in threads such as the Afterlife thread though for anyone who's dealt with me or read my older posts & website that is far from the case.

Great thread Helena, there was one like this a while back which really got heated!

6th

Whispered

Oh no, I had a huge answer written for this and I somehow lost it! ffs, well I'll try again.

"For me, to be able to discuss and analyse the Paranormal you must be able to step back from personal beliefs and faith. With many topics with these come into play it can often become more Spiritual and bias." - - - - I agree, I think to be able to discuss anything rationally you need to be able to take a step back, sometimes strong beliefs can make you unwilling to learn as it would mean questioning your beliefs.

"You see Boards.ie has this problem in Forums such as After Hours where people post there simply to get a better response - I see this as an abuse of the forum." - - - - but the problem is that with topics as vague and interconnected as the paranormal and spirituality there is going to be some overlap.

"Reiki is a spiritual practice " - - - - yes for me it is and for people familiar with it it is but for people not familiar with it it is paranormal. The same with me and the Tarot cards, until something is absorbed or accepted into your beliefs it is paranormal. Thats what I mean by overlap. People see things differently depending on their experiences.

"To take a Paranormal to Reiki would mean to ask questions about the mechanics of it, to study what is actually happening when someone undergoes the process and to look at the "results" of what has happened." - - - - There is a scientific side to Reiki, I'm not well versed on it TBH but it has something to do with the fact we are all composed of atoms, energy is created by atoms and the vibration of atoms differ depending on their energy. So if we can manipulate their energy we can manipulate their behaviour. Sort of. HAHA if my Reiki Master was to see that she'd be disgusted with me .

"See as something becomes part of your way of thinking and becomes intergrated with how you live your life the actually mechanics of it become unimportant - for you it works and you believe it .... it is part of your faith, your spirituality. It isn't actually any less paranormal, your approach has simply changed." - - - - Yes when something is new you get caught up in the "how?" eventually you begin to understand how and it becomes less important. It's the same for everything really. I am very open-minded, but I do question things. I cannot accept anything in "blind faith" and I pick certain aspects from different spiritual practises and beliefs as suits me. My faith is pretty unshakeable as nearly everything I believe i have already questioned again and again and will continue to do so. My work with reiki has been pretty slow as I question EVERYTHING as I go along learning, so I end up nearly learning twice!!