In this episode I explore the mind and whether ghosts are real, and why we believe in them, and whether it matters. Hear me out before you think I believe in nothing; despite me being a skeptic, I do have some beliefs. I find it to be an important one to me personally, as it deals with letting go of those we have lost, and though I could go on all day about Buddhist and Zen philosophies, I will leave the video to speak for itself. :) thanks for listening. I hope you enjoy! it. Transcript Below... For future conversations: discord: https://discord.gg/wpm6aXAbtV Patreon: www.patreon.com/carpo719 15 Minute Free Thinking Podcast: https://15-minute-free-thinking.simplecast.com/episodes/19-finding-the-secrets-facing-life-with-gusto-and-the-psychedelic-shadow PATRONS: Trisha Bell Charles Castaneda Stephen Ryan L. Pure Brew Josh O'Brien Robyn W. Zelda Zonk Tim Smith River Millican Adam Mazonson Matt Hemingway Jake Duggan MJ Pritchett Sean fitzpatrick Rachelle Borth Bill Hunt highway child Seambob J Mc Brodrick Rob Franzen Chris Morales Algirdas Valys Briana Rotten Jake Aalberg Sean Swartzwelder Alexander J Walpole Russell Imam Pia Ewings Riku Ilvonen thehillandmoon Mumps. John Peterson Joshua nicholson Don Starns Debra E Chan William Hall 15 Minute Free Thinking Podcast: https://15-minute-free-thinking.simplecast.com/episodes/19-finding-the-secrets-facing-life-with-gusto-and-the-psychedelic-shadow ---------------------- Welcome to 15 minute free thinking. My name is Carpo, or Joshua Orr, and my podcasts are intended to serve as a learning tool for myself and others, as well as a bridge for communication between a society I see as having more potential than we are allowing ourselves to use. I am fascinated by all things Life, and love sharing them with others. If you are interested in joining the discussion, visit me on Youtube, discord, or patreon, of which I will have more information about at the end of the podcast. I appreciate you taking the time to listen, wherever you may be, and I hope you enjoy. Many of these ideas are merely my own opinion. I try to always stay with the facts where possible, but that is not always easy when we speak of complex matters. (IN THIS CASE,,,) ____________ Subject So with that out of the way, let's get into it. Thanks for listening. This podcast is free for everyone to download and listen to. I do not have any ads or paywalls, it is fully supported by donations through patreon or paypal. Patrons have access to the video versions of many podcasts, as well as various blogs and writings I share. To visit, go to patreon.com/carpo719 For more information, or to join the discussion, please visit my Discord server page called '15 Minute Free thinking', where I have several categories about different subjects. I share thoughts and pictures there, as well as links to my videos and podcasts. We have a nice little community going there, so feel free to join us. I don't have facebook, or instagram, or any other social media besides Youtube, as I find it takes up my time with little return. In the modern day of communicating online, it is hard not to get sucked in. But I am eternally grateful for not only the platform to share my thoughts, but for you, the listener, who makes it all worthwhile. Because let's be honest, it is always better to share with someone else. My intention in making these podcasts is to better understand my world, my fellow man, and myself. Some subjects may be controversial, but I always try to keep a fair balance, being full aware that some bias is inescapable. I feel a passion for sharing knowledge and researching about everything I see and hear, to the point there is nothing that does not interest me, except perhaps some of our modern nonsense. But in time, even that will surely peak my interest. So thank you for coming along, and I hope you will join me for future podcasts, whoever you are, wherever you are, whatever platform you use and what color your socks are. Unless you don't wear socks, in which case, I am right there with you most of the time. So take care of yourself, take care of others, and have yourself a wonderful day. -Carpo
TRANSCRIPT:
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PREAMBLE-
Welcome to 15 minute free thinking. My name is Carpo, or Joshua Orr, and my podcasts are intended to serve as a learning tool for myself and others, as well as a bridge for communication between a society I see as having more potential than we are allowing ourselves to use. I am fascinated by all things Life, and love sharing them with others.
If you are interested in joining the discussion, visit me on Youtube, discord, or patreon, of which I will have more information about at the end of the podcast.
I appreciate you taking the time to listen, wherever you may be, and I hope you enjoy. Many of these ideas are merely my own opinion. I try to always stay with the facts where possible, but that is not always easy when we speak of complex matters.
In this case, Ghosts!
So with that out of the way, let's get into it.
ARE GHOSTS REAL?
Before you decide I am here to belittle believers in Ghosts, or give you a bunch of scientific facts to prove them wrong, hear me out. I give equal footing to the possibility of those unseen forces we have yet to discover. But before I get into that, I have to make one point:
There is no such thing as the supernatural. By it's very definition, supernatural means something that is beyond nature. Considering everything in existence is nature, a better word might be 'supernormal' or something outside of what we might expect to happen in the framework of the laws of physics and matter.
In other words, just because we cannot understand something does not mean that it is not common. We may just be the first to observe it, or it may be the first time WE observe it as individuals.
I suppose some may think I am not 'open to the experience' of seeing ghosts because I do not believe in them, at least not in the way others might. And perhaps this is true, however I never assume I have all the facts. I have always wanted to see something convincing, and I am always open to experiences. Anything is possible.
I do think that there is reason to believe there are unseen forces and energies in the world, that we may be able to perceive through either our external senses, or our inner feelings. But the question arises, how valid are these methods of understanding? Can we trust our senses? How do we know we aren't fooling ourselves?
The power of suggestion is well known in the placebo effect, where if we believe a medicine is working, it has a benefit for the user. Even if what is taken is nothing more than a sugar pill. We have the ability to heal using our minds and intention, though even this field of study is wrought with confusion and inconsistent results. These things are often difficult to study. The same can be said for suggestion of a place beinng haunted, for example. If you go in expecting to see something, you just might.
But there is also the fact that our minds and our senses are designed to try and make sense of the world. If we do not understand something, and there is no reference for it in literature, science or others experiences, we are left to define it however we choose. Some may seek a rational explanation for everything, never even considering something outside our general knowledge. Yet others will call any sound, reflection or flicker of light to be a ghost haunting them.
And the power of the mind can work against us as well. Recent studies have shown that the muman memory is highly faulty. At one time eyewitness testimony was considered the backbone of a good conviction in court, but now we have found that memory is extremely pliable and if a person is told a story about themselves enough times, even if it was a made up story, they will begin to believe it really happened. Even to the point of making up their own details to fill in the gaps.
And that is what we do as humans, how we have survived for so many generations. We fill in the gaps with whatever knowledge we have. And perhaps this is the single best reason to learn about as many different things we can in our lives, to be a worldly person who researches deeply on all subjects. When something strange happens, we are better suited to analyze it from an educated perspective, and get to the bottom of what really happened. The benefit here is we are not wasting time with things that do not matter, or aren't true, so we have more time for those things that DO matter. The downside is that much of the excitement about the mysteries of life are reduced to understanding, and those who believe in ghosts will not want to hear it, and may even criticize you for not believing as they do. Common story with humans I guess.
The other side of this are those who choose consciously NOT to look for any scientific explanations, as they feel it may taint what they WANT to believe. They will often refuse to even look at a study, an article or a rational explanation. You become the 'non-woken' individual to them. They will tell you how you have to open your eyes, to be more receptive, and there is sure to be a hint at their disdain for that evil thing called 'science' which takes all the fun out of what we want to believe. And I get it, I really do. Far too many times something I wanted to believe was easily disputed by the tiniest bit of research into the opposing theory, or the real explanation. We are hard-wired to stick to our guns, and beliefs, which we can attach ourselves to and get trapped by.
The upside of rationality is we do not get caught up in speculation and fear, which can have not just a physical impact on the believers mind, but also on their wallet.
If they believe, for example, that buying a special bracelet, necklace, crystal or wand will help them ward off bad spirits, that is fine. If they spend all their money trying to ward off something that is not there, it can become a problem. If a person believes that an evil spirit is living in their home, how must that reflect on their own psyche? It seems unhealthy and unneccesary, and may even be a way of hiding one's insecurity, or finding as scapegoat for self-imposed bad 'luck'.
On the other hand, some may simply believe that their loved ones are watching over them, which gives them comfort, and in this case, I have to say I see no problem with it. If someone has lost a loved one, and they claim to feel their presence, who are we to say they are wrong? This is one of the few situations where I believe there is no harm done, though that is subjective, and depends on the person and their needs.
Many sightings of physical ghosts or demons can be tied to hallucinations or damage to the visual cortex, and still others can be correlated with sleep paralysis, such as the succubus which keeps people pinned to their beds. As we learn more about the world, we find how many times in history our fears of the unseen translated into things like the Witch trials, or thinking that those having seizures are possessed by demons. In our darkest times, we have blamed evil for all that goes wrong. And often, unfortunately, we project that evil onto a specific group of people to direct our anger. Religions across the world are participants in travesty, often not aware that their actions are directed by one person who claimed to see spirits, or talk to God. We believe another person unconditionally, even if we have never met them, because they promise us the truth.
And that in itself is the danger. Not necessarily how we perceive the natural world, but which other peoples version we fall victim to. Beyond ghosts, for example, we have the world of Orbs. Many people claim to see orbs floating in their homes, outdoors, or basically anywhere one might see a dust particle floating around. And for those who have claimed to film these orbs, quite often there is a common thread in the videos. They are using a camera with a flash, or bright light, focused on a distant wall or object. When this happens at night, the dust particles in the foreground blur and appear much larger. They look quite strange, and depending on the camera and lens type, one might find them anywhere even without a light on. How do I know this for sure? Because I did the experiment myself in my dustry garage several years ago, and it did look quite mystical. But I had to be honest with myself, as I always do. It was just dust.
This does not mean that ALL orbs seen are dust particles, nor that all orbs outdoors are ball lightning. The skeptics, of which I am one by nature, are often so closed minded, and so sure there is nothing supernatural out there, they will sacrifice critical research and assume a person is lying. They might disregard a sighting due to their own bias, rather than lack of information, or credibility. I know all too well how closed mindedness can go both ways.
For my life personally I need to be completely truthful in my heart, which can be a letdown if I really want to believe something is real, such as, say, a spirit realm. I mean, who wouldn't want to think their loved ones are still with them? Who wouldn't want to know for sure that this is not all there is, and there is another reality awaiting us?
I sure would. And I think most others would as well. But the evidence is just not there for me personally, as painful as it may be. That doesn't mean there is no possibility of deep mystery, or even an afterlife. We just don't know.
But isn't that part of what makes life what it is?
We can never be totally sure of anything, we just have to choose what is healthiest for us personally. Not that it is simple to do so, it can be quite difficult. Being a speptic is a learned title, something we have to work at. From the time we can talk we are fed all sorts of ideas about what life is, and what is real. As adults, we decide whether to hone our critical thinking and research skills, or to continue believing things that may not be true. And as I said before, which path to take depends highly on the individual as well as their needs. I leave that decision to the individual, I would never assume everyone should be overly rational. We do what works for us.
Even I myself believe in things I cannot prove or see. I believe the universe is conscious, a form of Pantheism, and that nature is self aware to an extent we cannot, and never could, understand. As we are like the facets of a jewel, so is truth, and one can never see the whole Gem at the same time.
I also believe that there are underlying forces we cannot yet grasp or measure. Just as gravity is invisible, it exists nonetheless, as does radioactivity, which can kill a person by merely being in it's presence, in spite of no visible force. It was not until we developed a device to measure radiation that we could even detect it. It was discovered on accident when a radioactive rock in a desk drawer exposed itself on film over a century ago. And likewise, sometime in the future, some particular lens or filter may be invented which could reveal a whole invisible world of ghosts, energies, spirits and dimensions. We just don't know.
If one had never been to space, gravity may be assumed to be a universal constant, the same everywhere. In the same way, perhaps forces and energies we cannot yet grasp tend to concentrate is specific areas, for reasons unknown. There are places like Sedona Arizona, which a few claim have spiritual properties, yet they usually become nothing more than a tourist destination, and when money is involved, people will say anything that sounds good. This is one of the main points to make here, as the deperation of people to see or feel something out of the ordinary can cause them to spend thousands of dollars in hopes of a glimpse of a ghost, or an orb, a UFO, or to buy a $5k crystal wand made out of a flashlight casing with a few rubies and cool looking metal pieces, claiming to heal the chakras and allow you to commune with the ether.
(And yes, a wand like that really exists, a guy named David Sereda has been selling them online for years)
Truth often becomes a sales pitch, then one has to be supect.
One point I would like to mention about ghosts is that I always ask myself the same question: If there IS some kind of an afterlife, and ether, or realm where the human spirit resides, why would they spend time roaming around hallways and making noises in attics? Why don't they speak? Why have we never actually filmed a ghost in all this time, and why is it that a half of the population still believes in them even if they themselves have never had an experience? It seems absurd. The common explanation is the person had 'unfinished business' on Earth, and cannot 'pass on' until the issue is remedied. I view nature differently however, I do not see it making 'mistakes' that need to be fixed. What happens, happens. That is how spacetime progresses, on it's own accord. Far too vast for us to comprehend, and impossible to fully understand, we are left to our own devices to decide what nature really is, and if there is deeper meaning. But regardless, if someone passes on, it is never before their time. There is no unfinished business that cannot be dome by others, and our refusel to see that is only due to our inadequate grap on what Life really means. To say otherwise will always be speculation.
In the past few decades I have studied this phenomenon deeply, as well as UFOs, Djinn, Orgone energy and a long list of others which I truly hoped would yield some truths about the universe. After all, there is MUCH we cannot see or feel, and we learn about new things every day. Maybe there are indeed spirits roaming the Earth, and we just have yet to figire out the right wavelength to see them in. Or perhaps some people are merely more sensitive to those particular types of energy. But occam's razor says the most likely explanation is probably the right one. This does not always hold true, but it should be considered first before deciding what is real.
Hallucinations are extremely common in human beings, some people have otherwise clear minds and vision, yet may see little towns on their carpet, complete with people working and fishing, entire worlds seen which seem as real as this one, yet they are not. What we think is real will manifest itself into our minds. We have to be wary of what we let in, and how we process it. I have studied hallucinations extensively, and the mystery of the human brain. And let's just say there is a lot we don't know, but we do know that our minds play tricks on us, and our vision is not as clear as we would like to think. Our mind fills in the blanks for much of what we see, but also, and more importantly, what we remember. What we think we remember is often very different fromm what happened.
The belief in Ghosts is common enough to include half the population, so it would do not good to try and label everyone psychotic, deluded or brain damaged. (though one could argue that we are ALL brain damaged) But the number of people who believe something dies not translate into how real something is. We have many different religions, many claiming to be the only and one true religion. Can they all be right? Of course not. In fact, one can argue that they are all wrong, as there are no absolutes in beliefs. We work with what works for us, and so long as our beliefs harm no others, we are welcome to think what we choose. But when this belief causes us to withdraw into our tribal state, and refuse to let in any new information, we stagnate. We become stuck in our ways. This is why you would not likely see many people who believe strongly in ghosts attempt to seek out a scientific explanation for what they see or feel. Anyone who questions their experience is either not woke, or don't have the right senses developed, or even that they are just haters and closed minded. The closed minded argument is fairly common, and fails to address those of us who have always wanted to believe in the supernatural, and sought out all stories and sourcces, yet have not seen enough convincing evidence. And being honest with ourselves, however painful it is, must be the first and foremost consideration when deciding what to believe in our lives. Because nature gives us more than enough mysteries without spirits and ghosts. Look around you, there is a mystery on every leaf, in every dewdrop, and the spirit of all those we have lost right there in the soil we tread upon. We have endless vast heavens above us, no idea where it all started, and not a clue where it is all going.
The real ghosts are in our hearts and minds, the memories and experiences we have had with those we loved. And if there are indeed evil spirits waiting to take over the mind of man, it is only by those very beliefs that we allow ourselves to be infected. We manifest our destiny by our very thoughts and actions, not from a pre-planned path by an unknown force. Letting go of beliefs is a choice, not a requirement. But we must ask ourselves why we believe what we do, and what catalyst caused us to assume that was the Truth. Most of all, what we have to gain from believing it.
Our minds play tricks on us, and for the most part, it can be it would be quite enjoyable. There is always an underlying mystery to seek out, and so long as nobody is trying to sell you healing crystals, expensive jewelry that keeps out bad vibes, or a retreat to the spiritual hub of the World, then go for it. Always question the motivation and mindset of anyone claiming to see spirits of ghosts, or selling you a ticket to see one yourself. Just as the charlatans of the past sold various trinkets and potions to protect you from evil, in the modern day we have an endless list of websites and youtube channels that will tall you all about UFO's, aliens, Orbs, Crystal Powers, Ghosts, Spirits, Demons, Interdimensional Portals and anything else one might imagine; the only difference is that the trinkets they sell are on their Merch page, not sitting on a blanket in a medieval market. And somehow they have a new story to tell every day, regardless of whether it has any validity.
So, in conclusion, whatever you choose to believe, I wish you well. And so long as you get joy from it, and it benefits you, I say more power to you. Just make sure you are realize that others may not agree, and you cannot assume they are the one who is wrong. Evidence is our best asset to avoid getting caught up in fears of the unknown. It is not fair to call others closed minded if they are skeptics, they may have looked into it more than you realize, and just came to a different conclusion, and that is okay. What matters is how our beliefs serve us, or don't.
The Truth that matters is free. And it always has been. We just have to shed our misunderstandings, and realize how much of our reality we create in our minds. We have to look deep, and not be afraid of what we discover. This goes both ways; for the believer, and the skeptic.
Being honest with ourselves is the ONLY way to learn to be honest with others, and we find that when we level with ourselves we lead a richer life. That doesn't mean we have all the facts, we never will. We only need the facts that help us, and those around us, to lead better lives.
We don't need to insult or berate others for their beliefs, or lack thereof, so long as they harm none. But we do need to look out for each other, and realize what we teach our children will continue on. So the best thing we can do is be as accurate and honest in our assessment of what is real, and in this case, it means seeing ghosts for what they are.
Which in my personal opinion, is Folklore.
The real ghosts are the memories we form, and the history we create. The people we meet, and the experiences we have together.
Forever in the past, as we move forward. The human condition.
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Thanks for listening.
This podcast is free for everyone to download and listen to. I do not have any ads or paywalls, it is fully supported by donations through patreon or paypal.
Patrons have access to the video versions of many podcasts, as well as various blogs and writings I share. To visit, go to patreon.com/carpo719
For more information, or to join the discussion, please visit my Discord server page called '15 Minute Free thinking', where I have several categories about different subjects. I share thoughts and pictures there, as well as links to my videos and podcasts. We have a nice little community going there, so feel free to join us.
I don't have facebook, or instagram, or any other social media besides Youtube, as I find it takes up my time with little return. In the modern day of communicating online, it is hard not to get sucked in. But I am eternally grateful for not only the platform to share my thoughts, but for you, the listener, who makes it all worthwhile. Because let's be honest, it is always better to share with someone else.
My intention in making these podcasts is to better understand my world, my fellow man, and myself. Some subjects may be controversial, but I always try to keep a fair balance, being full aware that some bias is inescapable. I feel a passion for sharing knowledge and researching about everything I see and hear, to the point there is nothing that does not interest me, except perhaps some of our modern nonsense. But in time, even that will surely peak my interest.
So thank you for coming along, and I hope you will join me for future podcasts, whoever you are, wherever you are, whatever platform you use and what color your socks are.
Unless you don't wear socks, in which case, I am right there with you most of the time. So take care of yourself, take care of others, and have yourself a wonderful day.
-Carpo