danbroussard

It may be desirable to linger for a moment on the word "exotic," one of whose definitions is "strikingly unusual." Curiously enough, it is not the magnitude and ability of a power which excites admiration and surprise in us, it is the "strikingly unusual" aspect. The ability of a pigeon to "home" is a major example of spatial visualization, not possessed by a majority of humans, yet it is not considered "exotic" because it is a common phylogenic ability of homing pigeons.

One may turn this point around, and note that abilities which are now considered exotic and occult, may someday be considered commonplace and ordinary. The derivation of the word "to read" for example, is cognate to a kind of divination, because when reading first was introduced, the common folk who could not read felt it was an occult power. . .

For "occult" let us substitute "latent, subconscious cognitive ability," and stipulate that such ability is the product of right hemisphere functioning, in contradistinction to most "accepted" talents, which are the product of left hemisphere functioning, - verbal ability being a prime example.

While it does not write or speak, the right hemisphere seems to have enormous advantages over the left in its ability to contact an impersonal universal source of knowledge which we have elsewhere (Gowan 1975:3) called "the collective preconscious" or the "numinous." This giant computer memory (outside of time and space) is the source of all creativity, all paranormal knowing, all of the hidden (occult) faculties. Hence it represents an enormous expansions of man's powers, and forms the central explanation of this chapter.

posted by Daniel Webster Broussard  # 3:59 PM