Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Sarpedon · 01-31-2004, 10:03 AM

Ooooh! I forgot to mention my "super-dupernatural" ability to turn streetlights on or off. This is not a concious ability, but when I am around, streetlights that are off wink on, or wink off if they are on. No other person I have met has this effect.

(or maybe no one else notices when it happens to them)

Rational BAC · 01-31-2004, 10:09 AM

That is rather strange Sarpedon.

The only thing I have ever noticed about streetlights is that they seem to magically go on at night and off during the daytime. (Of course it could be the light sensor doing that.)

You are definitely special.

braces_for_impact · 01-31-2004, 10:43 AM

I used to delve into Ouija boards, tarot cards, that sort of thing. It is amazing how some of that stuff seems to be so spot on - until you examine it closely and realize just what is going on.

I also used to swear that I could dream the future. I would be somewhere at sometime and events around me would unfold. As they did so I was convinced it was the same exact sequence of events in the same place that I had dreamt. A kind of deja vu if you will. As I look back at it now, I realize that is exactly what it was, deja vu, and nothing to do with my dreaming. The eerie quality of a deja vu experience allowed me to "logically" connect the experience with dreaming, since I seemed to have been there before, yet I knew I had not. Another case of the mind filling in the blanks.

There are times I really believed these things, and times still where I would like to. People seem to think regular life is boring and would be so much more exciting with paranatural phenomena involved. As for me, I gradually replaced my boredom with the discovery and awe of the natural world, and it is no less amazing.

AJ the greek · 01-31-2004, 10:47 AM

deja vu/s here too.

happens a couple times a year. explaining it with a god really does not answer anything though, unfortunately, since the matters are so trivial.

at least the dream interpretation in the bible led to some useful reactions. mine are just useless, but perplexing nonetheless, bothers.

of course I have never come out as an atheist either, but I wont deny it around here.

Viti · 01-31-2004, 10:49 AM

I have had unexplained experiences. I usually shrug, say "That was weird" and go on about my day. There are mysteries of this Universe we have not learned about, and therefore, everything that happens is natural, IMO...even if it has no explanation or is unusual.

Gawdawful · 01-31-2004, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sarpedon
Ooooh! I forgot to mention my "super-dupernatural" ability to turn streetlights on or off. This is not a concious ability, but when I am around, streetlights that are off wink on, or wink off if they are on. No other person I have met has this effect.

(or maybe no one else notices when it happens to them)

I've noticed that happens to me as well. But, here is Uncle Cecil's take on us streetlight phenoms:

Quote:

...from a top high pressure sodium engineer at General Electric: "It is a combination of coincidence and wishful thinking.... Cycling [on and off] occurs because the [lamp] ballast is only able to sustain an arc with a certain maximum voltage. As high pressure sodium lamps age, their voltage increases as sodium is lost by various chemical processes. [The lamp starts at a low voltage, which climbs to a steady-state value as the lamp warms up.] It is the steady-state voltage that slowly increases with burning hours due to sodium loss. Eventually, the ballast will only be able to start a cold lamp and warm it up to the dropout voltage." Then it goes out until the lamp is cool enough to restart. The GE guy preceded these comments with the note: "Here's one explanation. Space aliens is another."

Oops, I didn't mean to burst your supernatural bubble.

Me? I've never experienced anything remotely supernatural that I wasn't pretty sure was manufactured by my own brain.

Warren, the Okie

Secular Elation · 01-31-2004, 10:56 AM

Nothing supernatural has ever occurred to me. I think the closest I could approximate such a situation, is experiencing supernatural phenomena in dreams. That is all.

Sarpedon · 01-31-2004, 11:30 AM

That is exactly my point, warrenly. I was doing a bit of subtle mockery. The fact is, it happens to everyone, I'm just one of the few who notice it, so it seems magical when I point it out to others.

jafosei · 01-31-2004, 03:07 PM

When I was in grade 5 or 6, I had a very strange experience one night. I woke up in the wee hours (3 or 4 a.m., probably), I was completely awake mentally, but I was entirely unable to move my body. It was quite distressing. It felt like I was trapped within my own body, unable to open my eyes, move my arms, or do anything other than breathe, but I was definitely not asleep. This occurred just after a really bizarre dream which seemed to involve lightning and the cartoon character Andy Capp.

After several minutes of effort, I was able to open my eyes and my limbs, and I got up to use the bathroom. My body felt very heavy, like it was made of lead. After several more minutes, I felt okay again.

At the time, I had no idea what had happened to me, but it was scary. I had no explanations that I can recall, neither natural nor supernatural.

Years later, I read about similar occurances. Apparently, when you are in REM sleep, your mind uses a particular chemical to paralyze your body so that you don't thrash around or react to your dream, as a form of self-protection. Sometimes when you wake up right in the middle of REM sleep, you will still be affected by this paralysis. It's harmless, but it's frightening. Conversely, sleepwalking is often the result of this paralysis failing to occur properly.

I read that the term 'nightmare' apparently originated because of this paralysis. People waking up in this state sometimes thought that a hag (also known as a 'mare' at the time) was sitting on their chest, sucking the life out of them. Having experienced it, I understand why people would feel that way.

I don't think I ever considered the occurance supernatural (not that I can remember exactly what I thought back then), but this particular type of occurance has, in the past, been interpreted as supernatural by others.

Viti · 01-31-2004, 03:29 PM

Sleep Paralysis and Associated Hypnagogic and Hypnopompic Experiences can explain many many seemingly supernatural occurances.

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01-31-2004, 10:03 AM	#31
Sarpedon Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Minnesota, the least controversial state in the le Posts: 8,446	Ooooh! I forgot to mention my "super-dupernatural" ability to turn streetlights on or off. This is not a concious ability, but when I am around, streetlights that are off wink on, or wink off if they are on. No other person I have met has this effect. (or maybe no one else notices when it happens to them)

01-31-2004, 10:09 AM	#32
Rational BAC Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Tampa Bay area Posts: 3,471	That is rather strange Sarpedon. The only thing I have ever noticed about streetlights is that they seem to magically go on at night and off during the daytime. (Of course it could be the light sensor doing that.) You are definitely special.

01-31-2004, 10:43 AM	#33
braces_for_impact Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: In a nondescript, black helicopter. Posts: 6,637	I used to delve into Ouija boards, tarot cards, that sort of thing. It is amazing how some of that stuff seems to be so spot on - until you examine it closely and realize just what is going on. I also used to swear that I could dream the future. I would be somewhere at sometime and events around me would unfold. As they did so I was convinced it was the same exact sequence of events in the same place that I had dreamt. A kind of deja vu if you will. As I look back at it now, I realize that is exactly what it was, deja vu, and nothing to do with my dreaming. The eerie quality of a deja vu experience allowed me to "logically" connect the experience with dreaming, since I seemed to have been there before, yet I knew I had not. Another case of the mind filling in the blanks. There are times I really believed these things, and times still where I would like to. People seem to think regular life is boring and would be so much more exciting with paranatural phenomena involved. As for me, I gradually replaced my boredom with the discovery and awe of the natural world, and it is no less amazing.

01-31-2004, 10:47 AM	#34
AJ the greek Regular Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: out there Posts: 140	deja vu/s here too. happens a couple times a year. explaining it with a god really does not answer anything though, unfortunately, since the matters are so trivial. at least the dream interpretation in the bible led to some useful reactions. mine are just useless, but perplexing nonetheless, bothers. of course I have never come out as an atheist either, but I wont deny it around here.

01-31-2004, 10:49 AM	#35
Viti Contributor Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Down South Posts: 12,879	I have had unexplained experiences. I usually shrug, say "That was weird" and go on about my day. There are mysteries of this Universe we have not learned about, and therefore, everything that happens is natural, IMO...even if it has no explanation or is unusual.

01-31-2004, 10:56 AM	#37
Secular Elation Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: California Posts: 6,196	Nothing supernatural has ever occurred to me. I think the closest I could approximate such a situation, is experiencing supernatural phenomena in dreams. That is all.

01-31-2004, 11:30 AM	#38
Sarpedon Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Minnesota, the least controversial state in the le Posts: 8,446	That is exactly my point, warrenly. I was doing a bit of subtle mockery. The fact is, it happens to everyone, I'm just one of the few who notice it, so it seems magical when I point it out to others.

01-31-2004, 03:07 PM	#39
jafosei Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Winnipeg, Canada Posts: 587	When I was in grade 5 or 6, I had a very strange experience one night. I woke up in the wee hours (3 or 4 a.m., probably), I was completely awake mentally, but I was entirely unable to move my body. It was quite distressing. It felt like I was trapped within my own body, unable to open my eyes, move my arms, or do anything other than breathe, but I was definitely not asleep. This occurred just after a really bizarre dream which seemed to involve lightning and the cartoon character Andy Capp. After several minutes of effort, I was able to open my eyes and my limbs, and I got up to use the bathroom. My body felt very heavy, like it was made of lead. After several more minutes, I felt okay again. At the time, I had no idea what had happened to me, but it was scary. I had no explanations that I can recall, neither natural nor supernatural. Years later, I read about similar occurances. Apparently, when you are in REM sleep, your mind uses a particular chemical to paralyze your body so that you don't thrash around or react to your dream, as a form of self-protection. Sometimes when you wake up right in the middle of REM sleep, you will still be affected by this paralysis. It's harmless, but it's frightening. Conversely, sleepwalking is often the result of this paralysis failing to occur properly. I read that the term 'nightmare' apparently originated because of this paralysis. People waking up in this state sometimes thought that a hag (also known as a 'mare' at the time) was sitting on their chest, sucking the life out of them. Having experienced it, I understand why people would feel that way. I don't think I ever considered the occurance supernatural (not that I can remember exactly what I thought back then), but this particular type of occurance has, in the past, been interpreted as supernatural by others.

01-31-2004, 03:29 PM	#40
Viti Contributor Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Down South Posts: 12,879	Sleep Paralysis and Associated Hypnagogic and Hypnopompic Experiences can explain many many seemingly supernatural occurances.

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