by Editor
on November 17, 2014
Ouija Boards Produce Uncanny Results In Many Languages. Photo: Vetranio
How Do Ouija Boards Work?
Ouija has been studied in scientific laboratories, and scientists are in agreement with spiritualists that these “talking boards” can sometimes produce some uncanny results. Where researchers part company with the true believers is on the explanation. Rather than crediting spirits, the men and women in the white coats attribute the eerie messages, predictions, and other communications emanating from Ouija boards to the subconscious minds of the people who use them.
Specifically, scientists think that—at least in situations where nobody is intentionally moving the Ouija board planchette—a neurological phenomenon called the ideomotor effect, or ideomotor response, is responsible for all those eerie Ouija messages that make otherwise inexplicable sense. First identified in the mid-1800s, the ideomotor effect involves involuntary muscular reactions triggered by any of the unconscious parts of the brain. Examples would include people jumping when startled, talking in their sleep, spontaneously crying during a sad movie, or automatically extending their arms during a fall. According to the ideomotor Ouija board hypothesis, the subconscious mind or minds of one or more of the participants cause nearly imperceptible muscular movements that make the planchette slide about the board, answering questions and spelling out information. [continue reading…]
by Editor
on November 16, 2014
Tongue-In-Cheek Seance From the TV Series, Weird or What? Photo: Sgerbic
What Are Seances?
Quite simply, a seance, or séance, is an attempt to communicate with the dead, something people have been trying for thousands of years. In Homer’s epic Greek poem, the Odyssey, written nearly 3,000 years ago, the hero, Odysseus, spills the blood of a bull near the entrance to Hades in order to lure out the shades of the dead, several of whom he wishes to speak to. And in the Old Testament of the bible (Samuel 28:7-20), King Saul asks the Witch of Endor to summon the spirit of the prophet, Samuel, in order to ask him about the outcome of an upcoming battle.
Throughout most of history the vast majority of people have been afraid of ghosts, and contacting ghosts intentionally was usually the furthest thing from anyone’s mind. However, this attitude changed a bit in the mid-1800s with the rise of the Spiritualist movement. Spiritualists believe that not only is contact with the dead possible, but that it can also be beneficial, with spirits including those of departed friends, loved ones, and historical figures providing comfort and even practical advice. It was during the early days of Spiritualism that that the term “seance”—French for sitting together or gathering—came into popular use in the U.S. and Britain. [continue reading…]
by Editor
on November 15, 2014
This Is James Randi During A Public Appearance. “The Amazing Randi” Will Pay You $1 Million For Proof That Ghosts Exist. Photo: Paolo Attivissimo
The One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge
One million dollars is yours. All you have to do is capture scientifically credible proof that a single ghost exists, or otherwise demonstrate concrete evidence of the paranormal.
James Randi—AKA The Amazing Randi—is a former stage magician and paranormal skeptic who for the last 50 years has offered a hefty cash prize to anyone who could demonstrate the paranormal in a scientifically controlled test. Randi began with a $1,000 offer of his own money in 1964, and currently offers the $1 million award through The James Randi Eductional Foundation, an organization “founded in 1996 to help people defend themselves from paranormal and pseudoscientific claims.” [continue reading…]
by Editor
on November 15, 2014
Winter’s Longing
Dry leaves, a whirlwind
They made the shape of a man
My father, walking —pg
