An Experiment in thought…

As odd as it sounds, we are often focused on finding evidence that supports the paranormal, but in doing so we may breeze passed the ideas that help comprehend the mechanics of the subject. Sometimes great advancements are born of imagination though and that is indeed evident throughout history.

Perhaps some of the most famous uses of pure imagination that have helped to solve problems are those of thought experiments. Some of which Einstein used to help explain his concepts of relativity if memory serves me.

These curiously strange minds of ours are capable of so much that it often feels they’re just not doing all they could. However we are equally quick to blame them for our misunderstanding or the world around us too.

The weird thing is that our minds could be as much a hindrance to our investigations as they could be an explanation. After all determining the reality of a situation, especially within a paranormal investigation may not be quite as simple as we would like it to be.

Could science have an explanation…

More recently the likes of quantum mechanics has given us some interesting explanations for the weirdness of our world. One such possible explanation suggests the possibility of multiple worlds or dimensions of existence. This states in some cases that with each decision made reality splits off into all possible outcomes and plays it out, thus creating multiple realities with the number continuing to grow. This means that if this is true then almost any possibility could present itself at any point.

The writers realities…

This understanding of there being other realities beyond our own isn’t something that only exists within the field of science. Over the years we have seen various pieces fiction from some brilliant writers that help us to see a world beyond our own. I remember as I was growing up I read quite a few different fiction books and of course was aware of many others. Two such authors that produced some classics in this very area were Lewis Carroll and C. S. Lewis; Carroll giving us Wonderland where Alice took a very interesting adventure, and Lewis gave us Narnia where a group of siblings discovered a land beyond belief of talking animals. In relation to our own reality both of these fantasy worlds seem beyond belief, but if there are multiple worlds where all possibilities could be true, then the worlds of Carroll and Lewis could equally be out there.

Often I feel that imagination can play a very important part in a paranormal investigation. Don’t get me wrong I’m a huge fan of facts and data, but sometimes in order to get beyond that and find the answers a little imagination can help us to make those all important links. Especially as that which we can prove, the facts are generally known and understood to be well normal rather than paranormal. These days this often formulates the part of your investigation defined as being debunked. It’s often debunked on the basis that we feel there to be a normal reasonable explanation rather than a spooky paranormal one.

Just because it’s logical doesn’t make it right…

However we must also ensure that we don’t sell ourselves short in jumping to that logical explanation. It can be very easy to attribute a logical explanation to something paranormal, even more so when you’re in the throws of an overnight investigation. Hence why I often ask those that investigate with me to prove their hypothesis, whether it’s paranormal or normal in nature. Either way it’s going to take a little imagination to put it all together.

When you research and investigate the paranormal I believe that critical thinking, theorising on your feet is imperative to moving your investigation and your overall understanding forwards. This is what a good friend of mine called para-theory, which in reality is what the whole field is, theory. At least until we score some solid facts to support our ideas. However once we prove something within the paranormal as fact, then doesn’t it just become normal?

Spend time with your imagination…

So, don’t be afraid to visit your imagination from time to time whilst you’re investigating the paranormal or at anytime to be fair. You may find that it might just have you questioning a little more than the normal, it may have you wondering a little more about the paranormal too.