Do you believe in psychic abilities and/or magic/k?

I think this is relevant to your pyramid discussion. In a way.
(Some obscene lyrics.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbyzgeee2mg

Gisteron wrote: There are infinite numbers greater than five. Three is not one of them.

I assume by discredit you really mean dismiss, because there is nothing fallacious about discrediting anything nor did anybody do that.
What I did comment on is that it is fallacious to assert things on the grounds that "Those over there don't know it, so my pet theory is just as believable as any." You are free to believe in magic or superior intelligence with good or with bad reasons regardless, I'm just saying that "you don't know any better" is a bad argument.
Oh, and you don't get to call things possibilities until you can show that they are indeed possible. Likewise, I don't get to call them impossible, but then I never did do any such thing, or did I? You are saying that you cannot imagine how they could have done it without either alien help or wizardry (not directly, but you did say that with the ignorance of the opposing side you are left to "deduce" sorcery). Of course, your incredulity does nothing to demonstrate that they did and that is all I was pointing out. But on the other hand, I can just as easily say that I cannot imagine how they could have done it with said things and we are back at the beginning, except that now you have inflated your burden of proof to also include the "possibilities" as well.

"How cute".

Well, you articulate it better than I can, but yes, you are correct. Though if and when they do develop a time machine, we should take a trip and see what actually happened. I never said I actually believe in the alien theory, that one is out there even for me, the Magick Teacher. Since you said everything in a more understandable way, there is really not much else I can say... :laugh:

In regards to magic, if it's the ability to make changes in ourselves or our environment by employing our will, I'd offer a definite yes. We do it every day! For instance - whip some egg whites, blend in the yolks, sprinkle with some scallions and shredded cheese, and bake for a time and voila! It's an omelette.

I'm actually not being sarcastic. Yes, an accomplishment like making an omelet uses familiar means, but still - it's a bit miraculous that we can employ a defined process and turn a mix of unrelated ingredients into a delicious meal.

I'm familiar with a few people that appear to be able to make changes, at least sometimes, at a distance, without the use of their own hands. I don't know of anyone though that can do it reliably, without exception. Maybe there's someone like that out there, but at best that sort of magic, at our current state of evolution, seems to usually be beyond our gifts.

I do think psychic abilities exist. Again, I don't know of anyone who can employ them with consistent success, but I do know of people whose lives have been altered, or even saved, by the voice of an invisible presence or just an intuitive prod.

Perhaps we are on the threshhold of learning to use such gifts, or perhaps they were once more common and we forgot them after the trauma of some ancient tragedy. But, while there's so much fakery that skeptics find it easy to debunk the whole possibility, I'm convinced there is more to what we can do than just physics and chemistry.

I'm also fond of Tim Robbins' saying: "If you don't believe in magic, you have to believe in business and government."

Adder wrote:

OB1Shinobi wrote: ever feel someone staring at you?

Yep, I think our subconscious can detect the electrical fields of other people, including their brain activity perhaps!! Which we can perhaps 'feel' within ourselves. So then maybe when people focus on similar things, the people involved might experience some subtle entrainment of various systems which drive that inner sensation.

Entrainment (biomusicology), the synchronization of organisms to an external rhythm.

I think perception of electrical fields is as good an explanation as any I have ever encountered

I had not heard of this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entrainment_(biomusicology) until you mentioned it, so thanks for the reference

and what it makes me wonder about more than anything, is what cognitive abilities we DONT have that we CANNOT "dance" to a music that surrounds us even now

as Herbert said

"Think you of the fact that a deaf person cannot hear. Then, what deafness may we not all possess? What senses do we lack that we cannot see and cannot hear another world all around us?"

CryojenX wrote:

OB1Shinobi wrote: ever feel someone staring at you?

Oh yeah, bigtime, but I was always told I was being paranoid. Being transgender can make one more than a little bit self-conscious, and hyper-aware of the possibility that others may be staring at you. Now whether that was down to an actual phenomenon, or simply my own fears of standing out like a sore thumb is completely up for debate. :laugh:

sometimes it is just paranoia or self consciousness

sometimes its not

the more you can allow yourself to simply experience the feeling when it happens, without over thinking it or fixating too much, the better you will get at knowing the difference

meditation in public places and inner stillness/silence are the key

Omhu Cuspor wrote: In regards to magic, if it's the ability to make changes in ourselves or our environment by employing our will, I'd offer a definite yes. We do it every day! For instance - whip some egg whites, blend in the yolks, sprinkle with some scallions and shredded cheese, and bake for a time and voila! It's an omelette.

I'm actually not being sarcastic. Yes, an accomplishment like making an omelet uses familiar means, but still - it's a bit miraculous that we can employ a defined process and turn a mix of unrelated ingredients into a delicious meal.

I'm familiar with a few people that appear to be able to make changes, at least sometimes, at a distance, without the use of their own hands. I don't know of anyone though that can do it reliably, without exception. Maybe there's someone like that out there, but at best that sort of magic, at our current state of evolution, seems to usually be beyond our gifts.

I do think psychic abilities exist. Again, I don't know of anyone who can employ them with consistent success, but I do know of people whose lives have been altered, or even saved, by the voice of an invisible presence or just an intuitive prod.

Perhaps we are on the threshhold of learning to use such gifts, or perhaps they were once more common and we forgot them after the trauma of some ancient tragedy. But, while there's so much fakery that skeptics find it easy to debunk the whole possibility, I'm convinced there is more to what we can do than just physics and chemistry.

I'm also fond of Tim Robbins' saying: "If you don't believe in magic, you have to believe in business and government."

just wanted to say I think this is also a fantastic post, and thank you for sharing that

Omhu Cuspor wrote: In regards to magic, if it's the ability to make changes in ourselves or our environment by employing our will, I'd offer a definite yes. We do it every day! For instance - whip some egg whites, blend in the yolks, sprinkle with some scallions and shredded cheese, and bake for a time and voila! It's an omelette.

Hahah you know, I watched a Curious George episode recently where George had watched a few chefs turning ingredients into meals. He decided at the end of the episode that chefs must be magic.

You can take those same egg whites, add a little flour, vanilla, sugar, salt, cream of tartar, whip the snot out of 'em, bake them, and you have Angel Food Cake!

But this is why I'm so utterly fascinated with cooking/baking and crafting of any kind. There's something amazing about taking a few simple materials and turning them into something useful and/or beautiful.

Yes. As I am Wiccan.

I am personaly a sceptic when people claim to have preformed/experienced supernatural phenomen, but I do not doubt that there are forces (no pun intended) and phenomena that science and humanity as a whole have yet to understand.

Short answer: yes

Long answer:

I believe in evolution and hard work through millions of years can make it happen. There is also progress which can boost it.

I am contempt with just sensing the Force - the Living and the Unifying. Energy work has great self-hypnosis capabilities and is of great psychological help - both in internal work and in socialization.

Controlling or altering the Force like in franchise - there is little need for that now other than for the lulz.