I ALREADY KNEW

     The call from my cousin came in the late evening.  He reported the death of his son, Russ.  The second of their sons—near the age of our own adult children—to die early in life.

     Next morning we told our daughter, Linda, that her cousin Russ had died.  Her reply was, “I already knew.  I was thinking, ‘I need to add Russ’s name to Ron’s song.’”

     When Ron died several summers ago, Linda had written a song as a tribute and memorial.  Then, about the time of Russ’s death, without knowledge of his very serious condition, she thought of him. She already “knew.”

     Off and on through the years Linda has had various “sympathetic feelings.”  It’s not easily explained.  Others make the same kinds of claims.  Modern psychology and science have tried to explain away such events as coincidence or superstition.  Such anecdotes are dismissed by science, but embraced by masses who tend to keep their experiences quiet in order to avoid ridicule.

     It happens that I have been reading a book by Dean Radin, The Conscious Universe. For those who would like some science to support their experience, this is the book.  Radin’s book is both scientific and interesting, even fascinating.

     I’m not much of a psychic, but all through my ministry I have tried to follow “hunches,” or uninvited thoughts about people.  My reason is pragmatic.  When I made a call, or dropped in on someone for no reason other than a feeling, there was often a good reason.  When I had the hunch and didn’t respond, it often turned out that I should have.  I have never seriously questioned how such things work.  I’ve tended to call it coincidence with a big “C,” but suspect something else is going on that I don’t understand.  The main thing I have to remind myself is to trust my “hunches” more.

     For more than 25 years, friend and musician colleague, Paul Pritchard and I have had some kind of “connection.”  I’ll think of him, then the phone rings.  Guess who?  In church I would think of a song, look at him, and he would begin singing it.  Scary.

     We have known these phenomenon as ESP, or psi (for psychic).  Experiments have confirmed that thought “energy” can be transmitted through space, even through walls that don’t allow electric waves to pass.  Prayer is a most common form of transmission.  A Life report in 1994 said that nine out of ten Americans pray frequently and earnestly.  A similar story in Time in 1996 reported that 82% believed that prayers could heal.

     This belief in the potential transfer of healing energy seems independent of belief in God.  Atheists and agnostics pray.  Apparently the prayers, though addressed to God, are not thought of as routed through God.  They are direct “zaps” of concern aimed directly at the subject.  People believe in it, religious or not.  In other words, one can believe in praying without believing in a God who hears or answers.

     Rabin quotes William James, the great psychologist, “No mental modification ever occurs which is not accompanied by a bodily change.”  Norman Cousins said it more succinctly, “Belief becomes biology.” (p. 148)

     Just the other day I received a call as part of a Prayer chain.  Eight names to add to my list.  I don’t know any of them or what they need.  My theological self says, “If there is a God, God already knows the need.  And if God is a decent sort, the matter is all attended to.”  My less theological self says, “These folks need an extra ‘zap,’ so I’ll add my energy in their direction.”  I don’t know if it works, or how.  Interestingly, the folks who organize this international chain are called the “Energy Team.”

     The bottom line is that there’s a great deal of room out there for wonder and mystery in the field called “psi.”  As much as we value conscious thought and reason, the truth is that most of our being—to our very cells—functions at a level beyond consciousness.  Traditional religious people who think church has a monopoly on this have their heads in the sand.  Spirituality, the meeting of mind, spirit, body and life, is widespread.  I suspect you didn’t need me writing this.  You were saying,  “I already knew.”

- Art Morgan