We live in an astoundingly complex world. I’m not just talking about the convolutions of human society, I’m talking about Nature; how each piece fits together and becomes essential to the workings of the planet, whether we realize it or not. Even though our understanding of the universe is in its infancy, it is enough to fill us with wonder.
For me, a large part of paganism is the openness to the unknown. Exploring the world believing in endless possibilities. Think of what you may learn if you stop saying “That’s impossible!” and start asking “What if?”
The study of the unknown has always been relegated to the fringes of science. In the past, people faced censure by the church, imprisonment and even death. Today those brave enough to delve into this field are regarded as eccentric at best and crackpots at worst. That is until they’re proven right. It takes a lot of courage and conviction to be able to withstand the onslaught of disparagers.
For me, a large part of paganism is the openness to the unknown. Exploring the world believing in endless possibilities. Think of what you may learn if you stop saying “That’s impossible!” and start asking “What if?”
The study of the unknown has always been relegated to the fringes of science. In the past, people faced censure by the church, imprisonment and even death. Today those brave enough to delve into this field are regarded as eccentric at best and crackpots at worst. That is until they’re proven right. It takes a lot of courage and conviction to be able to withstand the onslaught of disparagers.
| "Fifteen hundred years ago everybody knew the Earth was the center of the universe. Five hundred years ago, everybody knew the Earth was flat, and fifteen minutes ago, you knew that humans were alone on this planet. Imagine what you'll know tomorrow.” – Agent K (Men in Black) |
When I say the study of the unknown, well, that can mean a lot of things, since there is a lot of the unknown out there! Though I am interested in the discoveries of mainstream science, I have always been more passionate about the ‘fringe’ sciences. Cryptozoology, ESP and psychic abilities, ghosts and the spirit world, UFOs, and all manner of things that are unexplained. It’s way too much to cover in one little blog post, so I’m going to break it down into a series. For now, just a brief introduction to some of the things that go bump in the night…
Cryptozoology is the search for and study of animals whose very existence are unproven and often scorned by conventional science. Think Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster and the Chupacabras, to name but a few. Known as cryptids, stories of these unknown creatures are found in every corner of the world. Some can be explained as misidentification of known animals and some are outright hoaxes. That still leaves a large number of credible accounts not to mention sound recordings, pictures, video and even physical evidence such as hairs and footprints.
Bigfoot? Nessie? Nonsense! Right? Consider this; in the jungles of Borneo, natives tell of the “people of the forest”. These people are stronger than humans, with long arms that enable them to travel through the forest canopy. They sleep in nests made of branches and leaves and they are covered head to toe in long orange hair. Or how about this description? An animal that aborigines believe is a result of a mating between a duck and a water rat. It has the bill and webbed feet of a duck, the fur and claws of an otter and the tail of a beaver. It lays eggs like a bird but suckles it’s young like a mammal. And it has venomous stingers in its rear feet. Sounds pretty fantastic doesn’t it? Yet these are descriptions of former cryptids who have become well known members of the animal kingdom today. The “person of the forest” is an orangutan, and the offspring of the duck and water rat? The duckbill platypus of Australia.
How about mythological animals? Dragons, unicorns and gryphons – oh my! Some people put them in the cryptid category, some don’t. The main difference seems to be that the reports of these animals are generally much older. Did the ancients find the bones of a dinosaur and come up with a dragon? Did a sighting of a rhinoceros or an antelope with a missing horn generate tales of the fabled unicorn? Or did they see something that no longer exists? Evidence of new species of extinct and modern animals are discovered all the time. Are you really ready to say that something is impossible?
Telepathy, telekinesis, premonitions, remote viewing; poppycock and gobbledygook! Well, maybe not. The human mind is just beginning to be understood. The power of belief can help someone overcome pain or regulate their own body rhythms such as heart beat, temperature and blood pressure. Firewalkers can stroll barefoot through a bed of hot coals without suffering burns. Ordinary people can lift cars in an emergency situation. People suddenly ‘just know’ that a loved one is in trouble or has died. Someone has a gut feeling about getting on a certain flight, or playing a certain set of numbers in the lottery. Maybe you started thinking about someone you haven’t thought of in a long time, and suddenly they call you or come to visit. Many people think that all humans are born with these abilities, then lose them due to conditioning by society. Though not typically accepted by the general populace, there are those that take the existence of such abilities very seriously. In fact, governments and military institutions have run experimental programs designed to produce and harness such talents. This doesn’t mean that everyone who claims to have powers is the real thing. Frauds and hoaxes abound, always willing to take advantage of the vulnerable. But amidst all the snake oil salesmen out there, you will find the occasional genuine article.
Ghosts, spirits and other incorporeal entities have been the subjects of many a campfire tale designed to scare and horrify listeners. But are they just elements of a story or is there some kind of truth behind it all? This has to be one of the more fascinating beliefs to explore because most people want to know what happens to us after death. I’ve had many of my own experiences, which has just intensified my interest in the subject. The popularity of paranormal research shows such as “Ghost Hunters” and “Ghost Adventures” have resulted in soaring interest in the field. There are different types of hauntings, different entities that are encountered and of course, many misunderstandings and counterfeits to be debunked. If you are reading this post and you have your own experience you’d like to share, I’d love to hear it!
Unidentified flying objects, aliens, abductions, cattle mutilations, straight out of science fiction right? Very true! But science fiction has a habit of eventually becoming science fact. If you’re not a Star Trek fan, you’ve probably heard of the show at least. There are at least a dozen gadgets from this science fiction television series that now exist in the real world. While you may not run into any Klingons walking down the street anytime soon, something like that may not be far off. Think about it, the Universe is massive beyond imagination, maybe even infinite. Billions of galaxies containing trillions of stars. If even a fraction of those stars have a planetary system, and a fraction of those systems have a planet suitable for life as we know it, that still leaves countless Earth type worlds. In fact NASA has already discovered rocky planets situated in the so called “Goldilocks” zone, far enough from the star to be cool enough, but close enough that it’s not frozen. Some of the right conditions to find life as we know it.
There is so much of the unexplained to investigate. Time travel, dimensional portals, mass disappearances, anachronisms found in archaeological digs, mysterious people, places and things showing up throughout history. So many questions, so few answers! And it all leads me to one obvious conclusion: the Universe is filled with mystery and magick and that makes it a fascinating place to explore.
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