GENIUS FORUMS

Wow, where to begin?
Possible? Yes.
Iv'e heard many ghost stories and I went on a ghost hunt for a while, and have had some very strange experiences, but... your views?

Standard definition of ghost?

I dont think we should apply one here. Whatever you think ghosts are exactly, is fine, and we'll go from there.

There are heat ghosts. :)

:)

Let's try the supernatural. Exactly what do you think it is? I thought it was bull-shit until I had a few experiences of my own.

Why don't you state one of your experiences?

I totally believe in ghosts. I used to be really into reading online ghost stories before I got into discussion forums.

"define ghost?"

:rotflmao:

"define spoon?"

Borommakot wrote:Wow, where to begin?
Possible? Yes.
Iv'e heard many ghost stories and I went on a ghost hunt for a while, and have had some very strange experiences, but... your views?

I used to beleive in ghosts and see them frequently.







Then I was diagnosed with schizophrenia and got put on antipsychotics. Somehow they all left within a week. I guess that answered that question.

Rory wrote:

Borommakot wrote:Wow, where to begin?
Possible? Yes.
Iv'e heard many ghost stories and I went on a ghost hunt for a while, and have had some very strange experiences, but... your views?

I used to beleive in ghosts and see them frequently.







Then I was diagnosed with schizophrenia and got put on antipsychotics. Somehow they all left within a week. I guess that answered that question.

This is the best post regarding ghosts ever written.

Wow...There coming to get me! Save me! :)

Rory wrote: Then I was diagnosed with schizophrenia and got put on antipsychotics. Somehow they all left within a week. I guess that answered that question.

Would the ghosts also disappear when you closed your eyes? ;)

But really many anti-psychotics regulate dopamine, a neurotransmitter linked to pleasure principle, desire and will. With 'schizophrenic symptoms' like visions or voices the cause appears to be, according to some, related to an unusually high dopamine release which basically puts certain brain functions in 'overdrive', like a resonating feedback circuit. A lot of background noise will then turn into perceptions.

The question with visions and voices would be then if this is only noise or if we can pick up also more significant stuff. I believe we also can manifest subconscious content if it's strong enough: project our deepest secrets. And perhaps even perceive stuff that comes from god knows where.

Normally it drowns into noise, mostly our own noise and the 'schizophrenic' is basically fucked by his own mess. There are people who believe that schizophrenic episodes should not be repressed at all, but guided, see for example the research of R.D. Laing.

Mind you, I've never seen ghosts, visions or heard voices or anything like it, not even when tripping my mind out. My deeper point is that suppressing the very mechanism of the perception (the signal) is not very impressive evidence that the ghost was not there in some sort of fashion. You just disabled the possibility to catch a glimpse, not solved any mystery.

millipodium wrote:I totally believe in ghosts. I used to be really into reading online ghost stories before I got into discussion forums.

"define ghost?"

:rotflmao:

"define spoon?"

–noun 1. a utensil for use in eating, stirring, measuring, ladling, etc., consisting of a small, shallow bowl with a handle.
2. any of various implements, objects, or parts resembling or suggesting this.
3. a spoonful.
4. Also called spoon bait. Angling. a lure used in casting or trolling for fish, consisting of a bright spoon-shaped piece of metal or the like, swiveled above one or more fishhooks, and revolving as it is drawn through the water.
5. Also called number three wood. Golf. a club with a wooden head whose face has a greater slope than the brassie or driver, for hitting long, high drives from the fairway.
6. a curved piece projecting from the top of a torpedo tube to guide the torpedo horizontally and prevent it from striking the side of the ship from which it was fired.
–verb (used with object) 7. to eat with, take up, or transfer in or as in a spoon.
8. to hollow out or shape like a spoon.
9. Games. a. to push or shove (a ball) with a lifting motion instead of striking it soundly, as in croquet or golf.
b. to hit (a ball) up in the air, as in cricket.

10. Informal. to show affection or love toward by kissing and caressing, esp. in an openly sentimental manner.
–verb (used without object) 11. Informal. to show affection or love by kissing and caressing, esp. in an openly sentimental manner.
12. Games. to spoon a ball.
13. Angling. to fish with a spoon.
—Idiom14. born with a silver spoon in one's mouth, born into a wealthy family; having an inherited fortune: She was born with a silver spoon in her mouth and never worked a day in her life.


Now, about those antipsychotics... :)

Diebert van Rhijn wrote:Would the ghosts also disappear when you closed your eyes? ;)

I wouldn't see them with my eyes closed, but I would know they were there. I actually traded rooms with my sister at one point because there was a ghost in the corner and absolutely nothing could convince me otherwise.

The question with visions and voices would be then if this is only noise or if we can pick up also more significant stuff. I believe we also can manifest subconscious content if it's strong enough: project our deepest secrets. And perhaps even perceive stuff that comes from god knows where.

Yes but perception of stuff that comes from god knows where is not evidence of supernatural phenomena either. It could simply be a shadow that became real. In fact, another thing that I did (and actually still do) frequently is to 'mistranslate' something. As in I see a physical mailbox sitting on the side of the road, but my brain misinterprets the signal and informs me that there is a serial killer with a suitcase full of body parts standing on the side of the road. Sure, the signal is there, and real enough, but I screw it up beyond recognition.

Very, very interesting!

Rory wrote:

Yes but perception of stuff that comes from god knows where is not evidence of supernatural phenomena either.

Evidence of supernatural phenomena? What does that even mean…

There’s nothing “supernatural” about any phenomena.

.

Leyla Shen wrote: Evidence of supernatural phenomena? What does that even mean…

There’s nothing “supernatural” about any phenomena.
.

paranormal then. Whatever.
That should be obvious enough in a thread titled 'Ghosts'

That should be obvious enough in a thread titled 'Ghosts'

Yeah? Just call me a paranormal ghost, then.

.

Leyla wrote:

There’s nothing “supernatural” about any phenomena.

Yes, there is nothing supernatural or paranormal about ghosts – they’re real, and they’re everywhere. On every continent you find them walking down the street, in the supermarket, on the TV, singing songs on the radio, driving cars, taking the kids to school, on the bus, living in houses, and working at jobs. Soulless and vague – these shadowy figures humorously think they are ‘the living’.

-
Sue

Sue Hindmarsh wrote: Soulless and vague – these shadowy figures humorously think they are ‘the living’.

-
Sue

Wouldn't "soulless" make them anti-ghosts?

Elizabeth,

Yes, I see your point – as the definition of 'ghost' is, “the soul of a dead person”. I suppose I was thinking from the point of view that most people are not alive – for they are not conscious of the existence of Truth.

Maybe it would be more correct to call most people ‘ghouls’ – for I know that they “revel in what is revolting” – and lies are revolting.

-
Sue

Sue Hindmarsh wrote:Elizabeth,

Yes, I see your point – as the definition of 'ghost' is, “the soul of a dead person”. I suppose I was thinking from the point of view that most people are not alive – for they are not conscious of the existence of Truth.

Maybe it would be more correct to call most people ‘ghouls’ – for I know that they “revel in what is revolting” – and lies are revolting.

-
Sue

There are a couple people at my work who appear to me as ghouls. I define that as nothing inside. I happened to tell a friend this and she laughed derisively. She clucked assuredly, "They're people."

But not human. Most people are not human, because of their negative values (they "revel in what is revolting"). A nearly unknown fact is that it takes work to be human. How many are even concerned?

SH: Soulless and vague – these shadowy figures humorously think they are ‘the living’.

EI: Wouldn't "soulless" make them anti-ghosts?

Wow. What the heck is an anti-ghost?

SH: Yes, I see your point – as the definition of 'ghost' is, “the soul of a dead person”.

I don't. Even if a ghost is the soul of a dead person, ghosts don't have souls.

.

Rory wrote:

Diebert van Rhijn wrote:Would the ghosts also disappear when you closed your eyes? ;)

I wouldn't see them with my eyes closed, but I would know they were there. I actually traded rooms with my sister at one point because there was a ghost in the corner and absolutely nothing could convince me otherwise.

Yeah, convictions rule. But that's the mechanism for all our visual perception. If conviction would be 'normal', or less prone to being uprooted by some strong undercurrent, 'normality' is what you end up seeing.

Rory wrote:Yes but perception of stuff that comes from god knows where is not evidence of supernatural phenomena either. It could simply be a shadow that became real.

Perceptions are just perceptions. It's way more important how you deal with them or how you interact with them (the attachment one has toward them, emotional response etc) than it is to prove their realness. Though there are the limits of practicality I suppose and I'm not against medication at all.

Rory wrote:In fact, another thing that I did (and actually still do) frequently is to 'mistranslate' something. As in I see a physical mailbox sitting on the side of the road, but my brain misinterprets the signal and informs me that there is a serial killer with a suitcase full of body parts standing on the side of the road. Sure, the signal is there, and real enough, but I screw it up beyond recognition.

The interesting part of that perception is not that you saw a person instead of the mailbox, but that you saw a serial killer with body parts, and not a young girl carrying flowers. The signal is in the emotion, the color of the conviction. The threat of death and decay is real enough but appears in a way you cannot ignore any longer. So yeah, the message could be real, while our interpretation might be unreal.

Leyla Shen wrote:

EI: Wouldn't "soulless" make them anti-ghosts?

Wow. What the heck is an anti-ghost?

A zombie is a soulless, animated corpse.

Diebert van Rhijn wrote: Yeah, convictions rule. But that's the mechanism for all our visual perception. If conviction would be 'normal', or less prone to being uprooted by some strong undercurrent, 'normality' is what you end up seeing.

No, convictions don't rule when one is convinced of something unreal and threatening. As it has been stated by a few wise people, "if you can get me to believe the bizzare, you can get me to commit attrocities." I believe the original reference was to Christianity, but ghosts and vampires are surely as bizzare as that.

Perceptions are just perceptions. It's way more important how you deal with them or how you interact with them (the attachment one has toward them, emotional response etc) than it is to prove their realness. Though there are the limits of practicality I suppose and I'm not against medication at all.

Indeed. However the problem is that if I don't take my medication I cannot deal with them at all. That is a part of the definition of mental illness. Not all people who hallucinate are mentally ill. They may be sleep deprived, on drugs or having a flashback from drugs, starving, daydreaming, or any number of other things.

The problem with the schizophrenic is that they don't know they are hallucinating. It is quite difficult to detach yourself and watch your reaction if you don't know you're reacting to anything that is not real. It is also difficult to decide how your perceptions of things is effecting you if you don't know which of those perceptions is real. If I never recognize that the mailbox is indeed a mailbox, how do I know to begin to look at why I saw a serial killer?

The interesting part of that perception is not that you saw a person instead of the mailbox, but that you saw a serial killer with body parts, and not a young girl carrying flowers. The signal is in the emotion, the color of the conviction. The threat of death and decay is real enough but appears in a way you cannot ignore any longer. So yeah, the message could be real, while our interpretation might be unreal.

The threat of death and decay exists in a mailbox? I mean, I suppose I could start speeding and run into it, but otherwise I suspect it is harmless. Likewise, my closet contains no ghosts that are going to come eat me, nor holes through which my neighbor peers. I have no more threat of death and decay than any other individual running around, and significantly less than many. The only threat exists in my own mind and takes up a bizzare amount of my time and attention.

There is nothing helpful nor instructive about mental illness at all.