There’s a reason you’re attracted to the unknown. The desire to seek the supernatural and paranormal are part of our nature. Why does our culture place such an emphasis on discounting and ignoring the paranormal? Shouldn’t we learn to love this aspect of our nature?
If you Deny or ignore something, it doesn’t go away. Pretending something doesn’t exist doesn’t make it go away, either. You can’t pretend something is in or out of existence. Denying and pretending is a waste of time. Sadly, denial is a strategy a lot of people use.
Guess what? Our culture is dominated by Western religious beliefs, and they want to pretend along with them. They want you to accept what they tell you. Similarly, they tell you who and what to hate and to fear. They want you to stay within their boundaries. When you buy into the mythology, you are much easier to control. They make everything outside of their established boundaries taboo. But is ignoring it or pretending it doesn’t exist a good strategy? We don’t think so.
What is the Supernatural?
The supernatural includes everything that doesn’t fit nicely in the definition of normal. (1) That leaves a lot of room for abnormal experiences. If we see something unusual, we try to place it within the normal frame of reference. We each have a unique worldview. So if two people view the same event, they interpret it in different ways. One person sees an alien spacecraft the other sees an angel. Our dominant cultural narrative teaches us what to classify as acceptable.
What is a Supernatural Experience?
If we take the opportunity to explore the unknown, we might find concrete answers for the event, but we might not. It depends upon the health of the instruments we use. The process of investigation may lead to a breakthrough in perception. But often, the mind misclassifies what we perceive because of our expectations. So, we must find a way to see through our expectations because expectations distort reality.
“Harmonizing religion and science makes you seem like an open-minded and reasonable person, while asserting their incompatibility makes enemies and brands you as militant. The reason is clear: religion occupies a privileged place in our society. Attacking it is off-limits, although going after other supernatural or paranormal beliefs like ESP, homeopathy, or political worldviews is not. Accommodationism is not meant to defend science, which can stand on its own, but to show that in some way religion can still make credible claims about the world.” — Jerry A. Coyne
Mass Hallucination?
What happens when several people have similar recollections of the event? Is this a breakthrough in perception? Perhaps those who see aliens or ghosts are glimpsing something beyond the veil of ordinary reality. One thing is for sure. People have supernatural and paranormal experiences, but these are only acceptable within specific social groups, like religious services. People hear from God, Saints, or Spirits at Church, but if you tell people you hear voices when you walk in the wilderness, they send you for psychiatric evaluation. This also happens when you tell people you hear voices. Acceptance of experience is conditional.
Playing with Emotional Triggers
So, should you explore the unknown? Yes, but be aware of with whom you share. What is a supernatural experience for this person? One person might see it as an exciting encounter, while another might see it as grounds for psychological evaluation. It is common for us to either ignore or misclassify the paranormal experience. Our culture programming is behind the mis-programming of data. Religion uses this programming to trigger our fight, flight or freeze reaction because when we are afraid or angry, we are easier to manipulate. They honed the techniques of groupthink manipulation, which today’s propaganda outlets like Fox News use to sway public opinion. Have you been a victim? (2)
The main strategy of Western theology is to ignore the supernatural and paranormal. If something happens that doesn’t fit into their paradigm, they say it didn’t happen or, if it did, it was caused by some evil. Things like aliens, Bigfoot, or the Loch Ness Monster are difficult to fit into theology.
Their holy books contain accounts of supernatural creatures and events, but they claim these are things of the past. There are miracles, but these differ from the major supernatural occurrences found in their holy books. So, they ignore most of the unexplained events happening today. All of this is just theological camouflage. We should not ignore all the unexplained things happening around us. It is in our nature to explore all things unknown.
Explore the Unknown and Expand Perception
Science is about finding answers to things we don’t understand, and it’s also the driving force behind our need to explore new territory. When we face and challenge our fears, we are, in effect, challenging our beliefs and our worldview. (3)
If there are things we believe that do not align with reality, this presents an opportunity to expand our perception. If we take this opportunity, we will grow. If we shrink back because we are afraid, we will not grow.
“Ignoring the supernatural and paranormal is a mistake. When we explore the unknown, it can lead us to an Eureka event, a breakthrough in perception. We glimpse something that doesn’t fit our worldview. Normally, our worldview filters out much of what is actually here to perceive. So, we must learn how to investigate this phenomenon.” — Guru Tua
We don’t have to wait for these events to present themselves; we can seek them out directly. Our consciousness provides us with ample resources to delve into the world of otherworldly experiences.
“The practice of meditation and the Shamanic Journey expand our awareness. It is not uncommon to encounter things outside of our normal experience when we use them. Severe trauma can shock someone into phases of perception, but most of the time, they are not ready for such experiences. Guides, or shamans to assist people in understanding these breakthroughs.” — Guru Tua
Swimming Lessons
Joseph Campbell has a quote that relates to this phenomenon. He tells us the psychotic drowns in the same waters in which the mystic swims with much delight. The key is not jumping into the deep end until you have learned how to swim. The Shamanic Journey is a process that provides the full range of depth.
It’s important for us to pay attention to these glimpses into the other realms. The Mystics and Shamans have long understood that there are other planes of existence. They are ready for our exploration if we accept the challenge. As you undertake your spiritual journey, you might encounter spirits or spirit guides. These things don’t fit into our modern worldview. You’ll need to create room in your worldview to accommodate them.
A simple journal can be the doorway to the subconscious mind and help us understand how the culture frames non-ordinary reality. Often, these brief observations begin to form a pattern. This could be a message of great importance to the traveler. It may be as simple as glimpsing a shadow form in your peripheral vision, or you may have a Déjà vu experience that causes you to stop and pay attention.
Encounters with The Unknown
When you encounter something outside the normal realm of reality, stop and ask yourself some questions.
- What is a supernatural experience? What does it mean to me?
- Why am I having this experience? What is the context? Why now? Why this place?
- Is this encounter similar to other meetings, or is it something new?
- Does this experience fit into any pattern?
- What emotions does this event bring up (fear, awe, curiosity)?
- Ignoring the paranormal isn’t an option for me? If so, why?
Another critical point to remember is we are mystical beings. It is our nature to explore and push the boundaries of reality. These types of events are occurrences beyond the limits of everyday reality, but what is normal? Who gets to define the boundaries of normal? Who decides that paranormal experiences need to be avoided or ignored?
We have the power to define the world by our own parameters. Do you do it?
These encounters can be breakthroughs in perception or signs of mental illness. It is sometimes difficult to tell them apart. In either case, we should explore them, examine their source, and understand why we fear them. Ignoring these experiences is a mistake. They are opportunities to see what’s behind the veil.
The Cost of Ignoring the Paranormal
Ignoring something doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist. Our expectations taint our perception. So, enhancing our powers of observation is vital. Another thing we need to do is remove the roadblocks of belief that create our expectations, which takes us to the next logical question.
If we do not explore the unknown, we miss an opportunity for potential discoveries. These events offer clues that could change our perception of reality. This is why it is important to take up the challenge and investigate the paranormal realms.
Learning to Love the Supernatural and Paranormal
If you encounter something unusual, stop and observe. Ask yourself some questions about it. Take advantage of any opportunities to explore. Push back against fear and superstition. Learn to make friends and love the paranormal and supernatural instead of being afraid of it. You’ll be glad you did.
References
(1) Supernatural. Wikipedia
(2) Free will and paranormal beliefs. Frontiers in Science.
(3) Paranormal Belief, Thinking Style, and Delusion Formation. The National Library of Medicine.