Are humans predisposed to believe in magic?

A pure heart create for me, O God,
put a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
nor deprive me of your holy spirit.
Psalm 51

 

I really do regret that I was the cause of IO losing a valuable member. I did apologise and in exchange of PMs requested, almost begged him to stay. It seems to me he had already decided to leave, really. My comments seemed just to tip the balance with him. However @CobblersApprentice if you are reading as a guest please do return to IO. You were a valuable member, and I do apologise again.

 

I would also say that RJM was simply the catalyst, it seemed like it was a nomad nature in Cobblers. I also miss him.

 

I wonder whether he misses me?

 

People come and people go, DA/CA who knows what he will be next eh?

Some us IO to test their thoughts in other waters, some to hear.tjeir own thoughts, others in lieu of email, we all have our notions, our foibles, peoole who set us right and others that rub us wrong and make mistakes occasionally pissing folks off willy nilly...

Still.the most calm, most accepting, most.contemplative, informative, inspirational forum I have found.

My kinda misfits!

 

DA? You're kidding. Was that him?
As in:
https://www.interfaith.org/community/members/18770/

 

Wasn't that what he told us?

 

Lol, I could be mistaken, funny getting used to knew brain

 

Unfortunately not. He told us he used to be @Tariki. I do miss @Devils' Advocate.

You have a lot to do with how it is here ...

 

..you got me there.
As RJM points out, you've been around a long time, so you should know.

 

Late to the party, but this goes to the heart of my own spiritual pursuits.

Why indeed?

Lots of good answers here, most based in philosophies and religions of the last 2000-2500 years or so, but we have evidence of humanity reaching out to the Divine 100,000 years ago, so there's a solid 97,500 years of human history unaccounted for.

I haven't been brave enough yet to try, but this is the time of year for it: anyone hear of the Pyschomanteum?

https://www.near-death.com/psychology/triggers/psychomanteum.html

Dr Raymond Moody is/was (I believe he has passed on now) a world renowned investigator and authority on near death experiences, and he developed a modern twist on the old Greek Necromanteion

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Necromanteion_of_Acheron

It involves being in pitch black, a sensory depriving state comparable to that of the painted caves of Europe and elsewhere. It also involves a very low wattage light source, about 3 watts by the old American standard as I recall, and a gazing mirror.

I am given to understand the success rate is quite high, but not 100%, which also indicates a person must be willing and open to receipt.

 

Interesting, thanks @juantoo3!

I have never performed this technique, but it look similar enough to other "scrying" methods which I have used that I'd say it would yield similar results.

One factor that is never explicitly stated in the procedure but which is strongly implied by the context, is why the impressions thus gathered should be interpreted as communications from the next world.

The hypnagogic state aimed for will certainly yield rich and surprising imagery, auditory impressions, maybe even tactile feelings or proprioception (our "body position sensors"), but I've seen such relaxed gazing techniques applied to all kinds of spirit communication, not restricted to our departed. One example would be Crowley's experimental records in "The vision and the Voice".

So I believe the intention to receive communication from the ancestors plays a decisive part in Moody's technique.

Anyway, fascinating stuff! I have no ancestors I want to meet at this point, but how about you? Whom would you like to pat on the back?

 

No idea if it is true, but the family story is that my great x8 uncle was an usher at Ford’s Theater and seated Lincoln in his box there. Would be interesting to talk with that man.

 

The reason why we have many religions has little to do with their creeds.