this post was submitted on 04 Oct 2023
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[–] Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Someone asked a similar question not long ago, I'll copy my story from that post here:

A relative of mine is into supernatural stuff. Like, ALL of it. Always offering crystals and essential oils to fix pretty much anything. I'm skeptical, but I listen, and when I think something is bullshit (which is almost every time), I politely say so.

This same relative teaches classes on how to communicate with spirits from beyond, and offered to do an automatic writing class just for the family. I'm curious, so myself and about 4 others agree to try. I'm expecting absolutely nothing out of this, but I will go in open-minded and see what happens.

If you don't know, automatic writing consists of a bit of meditation and you hold a pen to paper. You think your questions, and the "spirits" move your hand to write the answers.

I'm thinking about questions and my hand kind of drifts into random squiggles. I assume it's just natural fatigue, or fidgeting. After half an hour or so of pretty much nothing, I think "ok, let's reset, clear my mind, relax, and focus on one simple question." Most importantly, a question I can verify right here, right now.

How many pieces of fruit are in the fruit bowl?

I know there's a fruit bowl in the kitchen. I didn't buy the fruit, I haven't eaten the fruit, I have no possible way of already knowing the answer to the question, but I can find out very easily. Perfect.

How many pieces of fruit are in the fruit bowl?

I focus on this question and my hand moves a bit faster than it had up until this point. It slides to the right about 2 inches, and then down. It's a 7. I'm thinking pretty simple number to draw, could be coincidence that my hand just moved that way.

I stand up, walk over the bowl, and I count the fruit. And wouldn't you know... 7 pieces of fruit.

I'm skeptical, but I asked for something very specific and I got it, so I can't call it debunked.

After this experience, I attended another one of her classes, and actually got two more impressive answers. One being another "how many x are in y?" And when I asked if I would get a promotion that I thought was a sure thing, I got "no". So, I asked if I even wanted the promotion and I got "nononononono" I called bullshit at the time because, of course I want a promotion, and I thought I was the clear choice. But sure enough, I did not get that position, and a month later, somebody quit unexpectedly at an office that's 30 miles closer to where I lived and because I DIDN'T get the first promotion, I was eligible for this one, which I did get.

I don't know.

If you tell me you saw a ghost or an alien, I'm going to find 100 logical reasons why you probably didn't. Im not going to say that I channeled my dead grandpa to uncover secrets from the future, but something happened there and I don't know how or why, but it did.

[–] nieceandtows@programming.dev 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Have you done any more 'writing' since then?

[–] Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

No. I think I might have unsuccessfully tried a few times after that on my own, but I don't sit still well, and I think being able to focus on a guided meditation helped it happen.

I have asked that relative a few pressing questions, and I usually got vague or confusing answers. I'm pretty sure some of her writing is her writing. But who knows?