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I am relieved that Tenko can confirm my story that there actually was a funeral undertaker who traded under the name of Box Brothers.

I have told the tale of Box Brothers all over the world and nobody believes me. They think I am spinning a tall tale. I used to go past them every day on the bus and marvel at their big sign proclaiming BOX BROTHERS- funeral undertakers. I couldn't believe that even in tacky Blackpool an undertaker would have the nerve to go by that name.

I mentioned it to someone in Blackpool once and they replied "oh yes, Box Brothers. They give a very good service, I believe"

All this reminds me of a boring job I had when I was 17 years old. It was in a warehouse and every night when we would put on our coats to go home a middle aged lady would sigh and say "oh well, another day nearer the coffin!" She used to say this every night and it has haunted me for years. She is probably in her coffin now come to think of it.

I think from what I glimpsed this may have already been mentioned and if it has, hopefully this will help anyway.

At university, I studied psychology for 1 and a half years before giving up on the grounds that I dont much like books. I remember one lecturer standing on front of a lecture theatre of students trying to convince us that telepathy was real! His point was that, if a message could be communicated without actually saying anything (and pressumably ruling out writing things down or drawing them) then surely, *almost* by definiton, something telepathic has happened.
Perhaps this can be used in an answer to the "are you psychic" question which says "In some ways, yes" which you could chose to elaborate or not.
I think if I were ever to be asked I'd sort of dodge the question with the story that "I was born on Halloween (which is true) and I've been told that I should therefore have "the gift of foresight" (which is also true..but by a lady who I think has dementia...), and if that gift is something I've always known, if it was the norm for me, how could I ever know I had something special and almost unique? Maybe everyones the same?"
This way, they take from it what they will and michaels everybodies dad (which was a bad way of saying everyones a winner. Booooooo me!)

Some sources say we have up to 21 senses. They're not pseudoscientific ones, however. They're are the standard five, then 16 derived ones that are based on the standard ones and combinations, such as a sense of balance, of temperature, etc.

We also know that most infromation streaming into our heads never makes it to the conscious mind. Now, supposing your subconscious is noticing something very slight in a situation or someone's expression that "you're" not.

If this is part of a test of your psychic powers and you're doing it for real, you'd wait for an answer to form in your conscious mind. Neurologists say the source of this this answer is the subconscious, which has, you'll remember, been noticing things you've not consciously been aware of. The chances of it suggesting something that it's seen but you haven't would seem to be rather high.

So, I suppose in a way, non-verbal communication is a form of telepathy - or at least it's possible to quite reasonably experience it consciously as such. After all, the answer just popped into your head. Where the problems start, I think, is when people know all this but prefer to believe the process (as opposed to geniune mind-to-mind contact) is actually the "real" thing. That's just annoying.

I know I'm getting on in years and my mind isn't what it used to be, but I cannot make hide nor hair of SpineyNorman's post up there... am I alone in this?


Ironically TELEPATHY is one of the few Psi abilities Science does halfway support the essence of via the auspices of ideomotor and other correspondences. As Tomo has pointed out we do have a plethora of "senses" that go far beyond the traditional 5 we are taught of in school. Science for that matter, is still trying to define and locate both, the human mind and consciousness (according to a recent episode on The Science Channel). The tests that they are running on this issue, revealing a serious sense of support of precognitive ability as well... but no one wants to know that subtle little "proofs" are coming about, no do they?

I just find it amusing, how hard folks work in finding plausible deniability when it comes to such things vs. taking on the Zen-master's way of doing things... just accept it as it is...

I see that Tomo has half an idea what psychic ability is all about. I am glad to see that he is making progress and improving himself.

Hehe, sorry for the confusion Mr Browning! Please bare in mind that my post was neither a hide nor was it a hair so perhaps you looked at it in slightly the wrong way?
I'm joking, of course, and the real reason for your confusion is that I am, in fact, an almond.

Anyway, I was basically trying to say what tomo said, though he said it better than I did. One point though is the definition of telepathy. According to wikipedia this would be:

"the claimed ability of humans and other creatures to communicate information from one mind to another, without the use of extra tools such as speech or body language."

Many other definitons are similar so by definition, any use of body language etc. as an explanation for telepathy would be, quite clearly, wrong. Thats not to say it would be wrong to use these explanations when asked if you are telepathic or not, you just wouldn't be correct in doing so. Never mind.
It's now pretty well accepted that you're not telepathic and that the events which are happening are happening by natural means. Perhaps it's an idea to add a sort of disclaimer to your performance to avoid the question "are you psychic" altogether. This way anyone who asks looks a bit silly and you can laugh at them behind their backs later.

Supposing you dont want to add the disclaimer though.
The original post mentioned something about robbing people of an experience if we tell them we are not psychic. I thought it was a good point. In what way is "nah, I tricked you" a satisfactory explanation?
Equally, "Yes, I'm psychic" is something alot of people have a problem with (myself included). Surely there must be some middle ground? Thats where the "its all about body language" descriptions come into play.
Again, however, I have a problem with this because it may be seen to be an imitation of a certain well known performer and I'd rather be known for my own reputation rather than his success (though I'm still a major fan!).
Part of my point, which I suppose I should have specified, was that I think it's important to "do your own thing" instead of imitating a style. This was the reason for my added spiel about halloween etc. This response doesn't say "yes I am psychic" but equally doesn't say "no I'm not". It's really quite open and allows a person to interpret it in a way which will enhance the performance the most for them. I'm quite comfortable with this because I never make any claims.

Well, this dichotomy is exactly why so few stick it out when it comes to doing the more advanced aspects of Mentalism vs. Mental Magic; the performer cannot reconcile such issues and, as Richard Webster said long ago, if you can't deal with the fact that people are going to view you as being Psychic, go back to your sponge balls and card tricks.

The "Criminal" side of this coin that becomes the "moral delema" so to speak, is our confusion over the whole "boogus psychic" issue and the LIE... here, I'll say that a bit more clear for you... THE LIE certain people put out there about "all" psychics being con artists and predators.

Sure, there are Readers out there that will size you up in order to take you for a ride, I can't say that's not true. But I can also point out that this is not the case most of the time; such predators are a minority in the business. Assuming that "all" people that do this kind of work are crooks is about as truthfull as saying all magicians are out to do three card monte or lift wallets... that was a truth about magicians and sidewalk performers for centuries but is it true today?

Only in a very small sense of the minority. But, there are magicians that do it and I can almost lay money on the fact that more of magic buffs are guilty of cheating and swindling than any of the Psychics I know... it's a part of who and what we are.

So, as I said previously, so long as you know where your morals and ethics lay and you don't cross that line into the ways of things questionable, there is no wrong or fowl.

The "middle ground" to this would be to simply shrug things off and allow folks to make up their own mind... "I don't know what you might call it, I've done it, it's fun and I don' think Casper the ghost is working throgh me when I do it..."

There! I think Craig has given me the perfect answer!

"Are you psychic?"

"Well I don't know what you'd call it, but it's just what I do and have done for years!"

That works for me!

themagicwand wrote:"Are you psychic?"

"Well I don't know what you'd call it, but it's just what I do and have done for years!"

That reminds me of the party I performed at a few weeks ago:

"Can you play the guitar, Tomo?"
"I don't know, I've never tried."