Ironically enough, we have a dead language to thank for the rather lovely word, precognition. Along with the origins of language, looking at the past, shows us many things. Analysing the past can help us understand the present. There is power in this if we want to change the future. If we want to break patterns of behaviour, for example, we analyse the past, in order to see the original cause, or causes, to disruptive behaviour. This knowledge empowers us to change. Through the recognition, of how behaviour is learned, we’re empowered to unlearn it. Human behaviour is very changeable in this respect.

Further to analysing the past, in order to alter the present, what can we gain from looking into the future through foresight? Or, as with the origin of the word precognition would suggest, what can we ‘know’ about the future?

In logical terms we can guess at future events through basing these guesses on the past

Logic tells us we can never actually know the future without it being based on this kind of guesswork. For example, if I were to get drunk and then pick a fight outside a club, there’s a strong likelihood I’d get punched in the gob. As such, if I actually go ahead with such a plan, it becomes easy to guess what might happen, if I repeated such behaviour in the future. If I do it again more fool me. Does this make me clairvoyant? No, not really, it just means I’m aware of cause and effect and able to act on this kind of foresight.  

As an older man, my skill at predicting likely outcomes has improved with age, but what of a teenager? Is a teenager, who carries a ten inch blade in his pocket, also considering the simple principles that save me from getting repeatedly punched? Obviously not and in this respect, it could be said we become wiser, through experience. Our experiences award us greater awareness of potential consequences. And yes, I did once get drunk, pick a fight and get punched in the gob. I only needed to do this once. It could of course been a little more serious if I’d decided to carry a knife. When I was a child that simply wouldn’t have come to mind. The reason it does now has a lot to do with events in our recent past. Events that would of been unheard of forty years ago. We can clearly see from this, the past, will always have a bearing, on the choices we make, in the present.

Future events are also decided by your actions in the present

Sportsmen and women are predicting the future all the time. Consider snooker or chess. A snooker player is predicting in his mind what will happen when the cue ball hits the object ball. Not only this, he’s also predicting in his mind where the cue ball will end up, after its connected with the object ball, and even bounced of several cushions. There are many variables that need to be considered. With snooker the player is seeking to ‘know’ what will happen next. The skill is in the present when he actually hits the cue ball. His knowledge is based on previous experience. With practice, knowing how snooker balls react when struck, is fairly predictable and constant. Chess is a little different, in that the players are seeking to predict what their human opponents are likely to do, in response to certain moves. Predicting human behaviour is certainly more challenging.

Whether we’re aware of it or not, just like snooker and chess players, we all spend a fair amount of time, either thinking about imagined futures, or trying to predict the ‘what ifs’ of life. Cause and effect is very important if we’re to win the game of life and avoid any nasty punches.

And so how would it be, if we were able to predict events we had no direct connection to? Is this possible? Logic would say not. Even though this is the case, the human mind often displays extraordinary talents, that defy logic.

An open mind, that’s free of conflict, is able to see significance in the mundane

The vast majority of us, don’t have the time or inclination to see much significance, in everyday events and patterns. We have busy lives, with so much going on, that most things just pass us by. We’re not really all that aware, and who can blame us, we’re busy! Lot’s to do, people to see, places to go. It’s only those who have still, empty minds, with little conflict, that are likely to be the most open.

What is it these open minds can show us and how can we benefit from it?

It’s so often assumed that the universe really doesn’t give two hoots about the fate of the individual. I recently read about the mother and daughter who used the flip of a coin to make a decision. The decision concerned who should go on a certain flight from London to New York. As it turned out, on 21 December 1988, the flip of that coin decided who should live and who should die.

As far as the future was concerned, once the plane took off, the only people who really knew what was going to happen next, were the people responsible for planting the bomb, that blasted it out of the sky. So what if we had the ability to see these events before they happened? Quite obviously, the flight wouldn’t have taken off in the first place, and many lives would have been lengthened.

For the majority of us, seeing future events, will remain restricted to our ability to apply the principles of cause and effect

If I do this, what might happen next? Teaching each other and in particular our children, all about the rules of cause and effect, is invaluable. I think we should all get on with that. It is possible mind you, that through displaying precognitive ability – and as such opening up some interesting questions about the nature of the universe – we might just seize human attention enough, to lengthen some lives. What do you think? Have you had any precognitive experiences?

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