Clairvoyance

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Clairvoyance from late 17th century French [clair (clear) & voyant (seeing)] - is a form of extra-sensory perception wherein a person acquires psychic knowledge primarily by visual means. A clairvoyant may perceive distant objects, persons, or events, including viewing targets hidden behind opaque objects. Clairvoyants may also perceive types of energy not normally perceptible to humans, such as discarnate spirits and auras.

The term Clairvoyance is often used to refer to impressions gained by clairaudience and clairsentience as well as other psychic senses (see extra-sensory perception). As the etymology of the word suggests however, when properly used clairvoyance refers mainly to visual psychic impressions. But because psychic impressions often come as ideas or "vibes" mixed with visual images, the term clairvoyance may not always refer to purely visual information. Clairvoyance is also known as remote viewing

As with all psi phenomena, there is wide disagreement and controversy within the sciences as to the existence of clairvoyance and the validity and interpretation of clairvoyance-related experiments (see Parapsychology).

1 Clairvoyance through history
2 Developing clairvoyant abilities
3 See also
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Clairvoyance through history

There have been anecdotal reports of clairvoyance and claims of clairvoyant abilities throughout history in most cultures. Most of these episodes are experienced during young adulthood ^{[citation needed]}. Often clairvoyance has been associated with religious or shamanic figures, offices, and practices. For example, ancient Hindu religious texts list clairvoyance as one of the siddhis, skills that can be acquired through appropriate meditation and personal discipline. But a large number of anecdotal accounts of clairvoyance are of the spontaneous variety among the general populace. For example, many people report seeing a loved one who has recently died before they have learned by other means that their loved one is deceased. While anecdotal accounts do not provide scientific proof of clairvoyance, such common experiences continue to motivate research into such phenomenon.

Clairvoyance was one of the phenomena reportedly observed in the behavior of somnambulists, people who were mesmerized and in a trance state (nowadays equated with hypnosis by most people) in the time of Franz Anton Mesmer. The earliest record of somnambulistic clairvoyance is credited to the Marquis de Puységur, a follower of Mesmer, who in 1784 was treating a local dull-witted peasant named Victor Race. During treatment, Race reportedly would go into trance and undergo a personality change, becoming fluent and articulate, and giving diagnosis and prescription for his own disease as well as those of others. When he came out of the trance state he would be unaware of anything he had said or done. This behavior is somewhat reminiscent of the reported behaviors of the 20th century medical clairvoyant and psychic Edgar Cayce. It is reported that although Puységur used the term 'clairvoyance', he did not think of these phenomena as "paranormal," since he accepted mesmerism as one of the natural sciences.

Clairvoyance was a reported ability of some mediums during the spiritualist period of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and was one of the phenomena studied by members of the Society for Psychical Research (SPR). Psychics of many descriptions have claimed clairvoyant ability up to the present day.

While experimental research into clairvoyance began with SPR researchers, experimental studies became more systematic with the efforts of J. B. Rhine and his associates at Duke University, and such research efforts continue to the present day. Perhaps the best-known study of clairvoyance in recent times was the US government-funded remote viewing project at SRI/SAIC during the 1970s through the mid-1990s.

Some parapsychologists have proposed that our different functional labels (clairvoyance, telepathy, precognition etc.) all refer to one basic underlying mechanism, although there is not yet any satisfactory theory for what that mechanism would be.

[edit] Developing clairvoyant abilities

Current thinking among proponents of clairvoyance posits that most people are born with clairvoyant abilities but then start to subliminate them as their childhood training compels them to adhere to acceptable social norms. Numerous institutes offer training courses that attempt to revive the clairvoyant abilities present in those early years.

Another school of thought claims that our "sixth sense" grows when we do spiritual practice. With regular spiritual practice done according to basic spiritual principles we increase our "spiritual level" and are able to perceive and experience the "subtle world" to greater degrees. [1] Clairvoyance is one of the abilities which may be gained by such discipline.

According to many Taoist and Buddhist related practises, abilities such as Clairvoyance and many other 'supernormal' abilities are by-products of spiritual awakening and the elevation of human consciousness. Integral to spiritual and mind expansion is breathing meditation. The vast majority of people only normally use one third of their brains and one third of their lungs. In Taoist and Buddhist thought this is not a coincidence! By expanding our lung capacity and learning to use the lungs as a 'bellows' to push qi around the body and open the energy channels we also naturally expand the mind and elevate consciousness. This is how these seemingly miraculous powers develop, though they are not miraculous. They are believed to be latent abilities that everyone posesses that need 'waking' up. Such abilities in some schools of thought are considered distracions from the true path of Enlightenment however and open to abuse. The re-discovery of these energetic abilities relies on the activation of the 'Dan Tien' which is the central energy reservoir just below the belly button. When the practitioner learns to 'turn' it and move it as if it were a 5th limb then qi can begin to be pushed around the body. The Dan Tien is strong as a baby but quickly slows to a crawl as one ages. A major part of Taoist and Buddhist practise is learning to activate the Dan Tien once again. This may also explain why such abilities are a bit stronger as a child and quickly disappear as one ages but can be awakened again at any time by the proper practise of arts such as Nei Gong and Qi Gong to expand the mind and spirit. There are many abilities that can be developed in this way - Telepathy, Prediction, Astral Travelling, Pyrokinesis, Telekinesis, Levitation, Energetic Healing and Empty Force.