---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <turquoiseb@...> wrote:
Remember the talk of "omens" when a couple of birds attacked the Pope's "peace
doves?" Remember when Maharishi mistook an icicle on his balcony for Shiva?
New research suggests that the brains of many people are naturally susceptible
to projecting meaning onto meaningless events and considering them omens.
Unless their brains are working more efficiently, that is, and exercising
cognitive inhibition.
http://www.fastcodesign.com/3025750/evidence/the-neuroscience-of-superstition
http://www.fastcodesign.com/3025750/evidence/the-neuroscience-of-superstition
I believe imagination to be a sign of a healthy and vibrant brain. Can you
imagine going through life as a literalist? Can you imagine if there was not an
embracing of this thing we call "imagination" - what books would there be to
read? "Projection" onto "meaningless events" meaning is what I would call
imagination and sometimes even recognition of something true. Super -stition
has a lot going for it including being rather interesting, rich and mysterious.
I love mysterious and I love the idea that most of our world exists beyond what
we can taste, touch, smell, hear or feel viscerally. Omens, meanings, signs - I
love it. Do I believe them all? Nah, but they are certainly fun to consider.
And why ridicule those who allow the possibility for such alternate theories
about events and what these events might mean? How does this threaten you to
such an extent you find the need to belittle those with more imagination than
you, Bawwy?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzs_yxCqJE4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzs_yxCqJE4
