# Do you believe in special powers you can't control?



## Dikkie (Jul 9, 2021)

I believe in weird coincidences or synchronicities...
e.g. you wake up in the morning lying in your bed, with a funny song in your head that you haven't heard for over 20 years or so, bringing back nostalgic feelings.
You get up to prepare your breakfast and put on the radio.... suddenly that exact same song is played on the radio. How is that happening? What are the odds?
Later that same day, you go to the city and walk by a pub and you hear music playing loudly and it happens to be exact that same song, again! What are the odds?

I have experienced lots of these situations already before, it gives me goosebumps.

You're in a car talking to your wife about this guy you haven't spoken to for more than 10 years. Suddenly, 15 minutes later, your phone rings... who do you think this is? Exactly thát guy.
Such things....

Just can't explain why that happens, maybe someone can tell me more 

Also, it seems there is some 'force' that stops me from doing certain things, or that alters the storyline of my life so that I can't color outside these lines.

For example, you intentionally decide to do something wrong, like going to buy and use drugs. You plan your moment wisely to enjoy your 'trip' without getting interrupted so you can enjoy the most, and do it on an empty weekend day.
You try to contact a dealer you know, but he doesn't pick up his phone. You try another one, but he's on holiday, abroad.
You go downtown looking for someone you know but he doesn't open the door. Finally you find someone who knows someone else, you need to get a bus to get there but the bus doesn't show up, cancelled... and you walk and walk around for hours and get in touch with a dealer, but he just ran out of stock and can't deliver.
You see, every attempt is aborted by some coincidence, 'something', or some 'force' out there is stopping or preventing you from buying those drugs.
Imagine you finally bought some, and get to the point to use them, just that moment your phone rings, your mom just calls because your dad fell off a ladder and you need to get there quickly to help. There goes your moment 

Such things also seem to happen to me, when I'm trying to do things that I shouldn't.
And mostly, if I persevere, I will succeed doing this bad stuff, however with many detours.
(not that I'm using drugs, it's just an example)

It's reminds me of Murphy's Law, when something can go wrong, it will go wrong, you have such days. But here's the way around, when you want to do wrong, it goes right ... _sigh_


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## Space Face (Jul 9, 2021)

No.


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## Soocom1 (Jul 9, 2021)

Creativity. 

it's a sign that not only are you losing your marbles...  

jc
 




 but that you are highly creative.   Use it.


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## Rickbb (Jul 9, 2021)

Yes, gravity often baffles me. Be nice to get control of  that power once in awhile.


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## Geenphoto (Jul 9, 2021)

Dogs (and cats) like me.


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## AlanKlein (Jul 9, 2021)

When it comes to that drug thing, yes, you ought to listen to God.  He's telling you something and you ought to pay attention.  

Speaking of coincidences like that reminds me of this:

This is a story of a man, who was a firm believer of god.

One day it began to rain very heavily. It kept raining and a big flood came.
The man climbed up on the roof of his house, and knew that he would be ok. God would protect him.

It kept raining and now the water had reached his waist. A boat came by and a guy in the boat said: “Hey, jump in. We will take you with us”.
“No thanks”, said the man. “I’m a firm believer in God. He will rescue me”. He sent the boat away.

It kept on raining and now the water had reached his neck. Another boat came by and a guy in the boat said: “You look like you could need some help. Jump in and we will take you with us”.
“No”, said the man. “I’m a firm believer in God. He will rescue me. Don’t worry about me”. The boat sailed away.

It still rained and the water now reached his mouth. A helicopter came by and a guy in the helicopter threw down a rope and said: “Hi there my friend. Climb up. We will rescue you”.
“No”, said the man. “I’m a firm believer in God. He will rescue me. I know he will”. The helicopter flew away.

It kept on raining, and finally the man drowned.

When the man died, he went to heaven. When entering Heaven, he had an interview with God.
After giving a polite greeting and sitting down, the man asked: “Where were you. I waited and waited. I was sure you would rescue me, as I have been a firm believer all my life, and have only done good to others. So where were you when I needed you?”
God scratched his confused looking face and answered: “I don’t get it either. I sent you two boats and a helicopter”.

Many who believe in God or in Karma etc. somehow believes that signs of help and guidance comes as a big event of some kind, when actually it would probably come as small signs of help here and there along the way.

Listen to the world around you. You might just find the answer there.


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## limr (Jul 9, 2021)

It's called the frequency illusion, or the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon.

Basically, it's not that all of a sudden that song plays again after years of not being played. It's that your brain ignored all the other times you heard it. But because it popped into your head, your brain is now primed to pay attention to it, and you start hearing everywhere. Even though it seems like it's out of nowhere, it really isn't.

Meanwhile, because you're already inclined to believe in "powers you can't control," you take this all to mean that there's something bigger going on and you use it as evidence to confirm what you already believe.


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## Mike Drone (Jul 10, 2021)

Physics and elements.


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## smoke665 (Jul 10, 2021)

As in @AlanKlein  post above I also believe that the signs or guidance are there throughout our life,  if we are receptive to receive and as in the story they aren't always big events. As I've  aged it has  become more evident when viewed over a long time frame.  I also believe that while God is all powerful, there is an element of "Chance" beyond his control.


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## AlanKlein (Jul 10, 2021)

smoke665 said:


> As in @AlanKlein  post above I also believe that the signs or guidance are there throughout our life,  if we are receptive to receive and as in the story they aren't always big events. As I've  aged it has  become more evident when viewed over a long time frame.  I also believe that while God is all powerful, there is an element of "Chance" beyond his control.


It was Einstein who said, "God doesn't play dice."


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## Space Face (Jul 10, 2021)

Depends on what God/Gods you follow.  If any.


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## smoke665 (Jul 10, 2021)

AlanKlein said:


> was Einstein who said, "God doesn't play dice."


Knowing the outcome and influencing the outcome are two different things. Then there's the whole "free will" thing. 

Since I fear the direction this thread is going might be approaching the line on forum rules, it's probably best for me to back out now. Have a good one all.


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## Dikkie (Jul 10, 2021)

limr said:


> It's called the frequency illusion, or the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon.


That's only when it appears frequently and the frequency gets higher because you start giving it more attention.

I know when I start looking to shoot a series of photos of watertowers, I go 'hunt' watertowers and suddenly spot them everywhere. Even in my subconsciousness.
That's exactly that frequency illusion. 

However, that wasn't what I meant. Maybe my example was not so good, as I mentioned the appearance of that specific event twice, like it has a frequency, it could be classified as that frequency....  but that was just to show another example.
What I actually meant was that this event appears only just once, as a coincidence. And no matter how much attention you give, it's not happening again anymore for a long time.



limr said:


> Basically, it's not that all of a sudden that song plays again after years of not being played. It's that your brain ignored all the other times you heard it. But because it popped into your head, your brain is now primed to pay attention to it, and you start hearing everywhere. Even though it seems like it's out of nowhere, it really isn't.


That song example was pretty bad example for what I tried to say ...it seems
As a musician, when I hear music, even on the background, I can't resist to listen actively. It's very seldom that I listen passively.
That's why I turn the music off when I'm busy with a job where I need my head and think. Because otherwise I start paying too much attention to the background music and stop working productively, I just can't ignore it.
There's some music out there that's emotionally very close attached to my heart, when I hear it my brain would certainly not ignore it.

I want to point back to the word 'coincidence'. 
For example, you're sitting with a couple of friends in a bar drinking a beer, no one else is out there. You start talking about holidays and about a journey you once did years ago in Finland. A brand of beer you once drunk there comes up in your mind, 'Karhu'. You haven't seen that beer or logo for years because in your country it doesn't exist. 
Than, out of a sudden, some dude walks into the bar, you turn your head to check him out and see he's wearing a shirt of Karhu beer.
Total coincidence, what are the odds? 
It's not happening anymore in the next couple of years, it's not a frequency of that you start seeing people with that shirt anymore, or find that beer out of a sudden in your supermarket, no, just once... It's just coincidence.

And on a day when such coincidence happens, more other coincidences seem to happen (all different and non related), very weird. 
On such moments I think: 'maybe some force tries to warn me for something by giving these signs'.


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## Dikkie (Jul 10, 2021)

smoke665 said:


> Since I fear the direction this thread is going might be approaching the line on forum rules, it's probably best for me to back out now. Have a good one all.


Please stay. You're welcome.

This topic wasn't meant about discussing religions or pro/contra.

I'm more the type of agnostic one myself, but I don't mind other people to passionately talk about their beliefs or religions, in a way that I can learn something more about them. But we're not here to convince one another from some belief.  

But this topic idea was more about other stuff:  paranormal activity, ufo's, ghosts, mediums, clairvoyance, astrology, fortune telling, telepathy, voodoo, precognitive dreams, déjà vu, spiritual healing, and so on... 

Does anyone have some cool experiences or testimonials? Please share them!


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## terri (Jul 10, 2021)

Folks, this is the Off Topic forum, so this thread is in the appropriate place.    

That said, TPF has pretty strict rules regarding discussions of certain topics, and religion is among them.    We're all different, and have our own personal beliefs, to which we are entitled.    

Please keep things respectful and civil, or expect to see your posts deleted and the thread locked.    Let's be different from the typical internet forum and respect each other here, how about that?     We don't have to agree.    We only have to be polite.    Thanks!


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## smoke665 (Jul 10, 2021)

Dikkie said:


> Please stay. You're welcome.
> 
> This topic wasn't meant about discussing religions or pro/contra.
> 
> I'm more the type of agnostic one myself, but I don't mind other people to passionately talk about their beliefs or religions, in a way that I can learn something more about them.



The reason this and other forums have rules against religious or political discussions is that they can draw strong responses either way, that quickly go out of control. The problem as I see it with your thread, is that any discussion on paranormal activity, dreams, unexplained occurrences etc., will eventually include religion in the discussion. Respectfully I'm decling again.


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## Space Face (Jul 10, 2021)

smoke665 said:


> The reason this and other forums have rules against religious or political discussions is that they can draw strong responses either way, that quickly go out of control. The problem as I see it with your thread, is that any discussion on paranormal activity, dreams, unexplained occurrences etc., will eventually include religion in the discussion. Respectfully I'm decling again.


Isn't religion just a paranormal activity dream of unexplained occurrences?😁


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## CherylL (Jul 10, 2021)

Deja vu happens.  I've had several occurrences where I am talking to someone and have the feeling that I am watching a rerun.  Like watching a movie that I have already seen.  I know what the other person is going to say.  Like living the moment and reliving it at the same time.
There are times that a person pops into my head and a short time later they call me.  Recently my husband was playing a game for a prize, just for fun.  The person said to pick a number between 2 and 18.  Immediately 12 popped in my head.  My husband then said 12.  He rolled the 3 dice and got 12 for a match.  Wish that worked for picking Lotto numbers!


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## vintagesnaps (Jul 10, 2021)

I've had that happen too Cheryl, it's sure a strange phenomenen when it happens. What Leo said seems vaguely familiar somewhere in the deep recessses of my mind (I seem to remember dumb ridiculous stuff more than what I learned in school!).

It is somewhat concerning Dikkie that you're talking about doing what you know is probably the wrong thing to do unless something happens that prevents you from doing it. Not sure what that all means but sounds like it might be something you need to figure out how to deal with it. 

I usually just have dumb dreams too. The other night my best friend and I were somewhere doing something, by the time I was awake I don't know what we were doing, which is about normal anyway trying to remember when we did what. Luckily we've been friends since high school and she has a better memory than me for dates etc. so if I don't know what I did when I can just ask her!!


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## limr (Jul 10, 2021)

Dikkie said:


> That's only when it appears frequently and the frequency gets higher because you start giving it more attention.
> 
> I know when I start looking to shoot a series of photos of watertowers, I go 'hunt' watertowers and suddenly spot them everywhere. Even in my subconsciousness.
> That's exactly that frequency illusion.



No, actually it's not. You misunderstood. The brain being 'primed' does not mean that you start actively seeking out examples. It means that your brain is just now more likely to pay attention to a word, song, flower, beer, whatever once it is fresh in your mind whereas previously, it was there but you just weren't paying attention, or didn't have the radio on or walked by the store or bar 5 minutes before or after it was playing.

It was originally applied to when a person learns a new word and suddenly starts seeing the new word everywhere. If it was so common, why not notice it before? Because you've just learned the word - or talked about a subject, or thought about a song - it's fresh in your mind. You don't then start looking for more examples of that word, but your brain is just now more attuned to that word and so it notices more easily when examples come up. Then after a while, your brain is used to the word, or has moved onto something else, and you stop noticing that word. Did the word disappear? No. You're just not hyper aware of it anymore.



Dikkie said:


> I want to point back to the word 'coincidence'.
> For example, you're sitting with a couple of friends in a bar drinking a beer, no one else is out there. You start talking about holidays and about a journey you once did years ago in Finland. A brand of beer you once drunk there comes up in your mind, 'Karhu'. You haven't seen that beer or logo for years because in your country it doesn't exist.
> Than, out of a sudden, some dude walks into the bar, you turn your head to check him out and see he's wearing a shirt of Karhu beer.
> Total coincidence, what are the odds?



A lot lower than you'd think. If it hadn't been for the conversation, you probably never would have even noticed yet one more person in a bar holding a beer.



Dikkie said:


> It's not happening anymore in the next couple of years, it's not a frequency of that you start seeing people with that shirt anymore, or find that beer out of a sudden in your supermarket, no, just once... It's just coincidence.
> 
> And on a day when such coincidence happens, more other coincidences seem to happen (all different and non related), very weird.
> On such moments I think: 'maybe some force tries to warn me for something by giving these signs'.



And here's the second part of the frequency illusion: because you are already inclined to believe in higher or supernatural powers and signs rather than random chance or behavorial/psychological phenomenon, then these coincidences confirm what you already believe. Just as I am much more likely to believe a psychological explanation because I already believe that random chance or the weirdness of the human brain is a more likely explanation than a higher power manipulating the minutae of 7 billion lives. It's just how our brains work. Confirmation bias is a hell of a thing.


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## AlanKlein (Jul 11, 2021)

There are millions of things happening as we go through life.  Most of them are independent and not related to other events, at least not occurring at the same time.  However, just like double sixes in dice come up every once in a while, related events will also happen occasionally, especially when you realize the millions of events occurring all the time.


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## weepete (Jul 11, 2021)

It's a mistaken belief that 1,000,000:1 happen rarely....in fact they happen all the time. But the odds have to be exactly 1,000,000:1


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## TanBrae (Jul 14, 2021)

AlanKlein said:


> When it comes to that drug thing, yes, you ought to listen to God.  He's telling you something and you ought to pay attention.
> 
> Speaking of coincidences like that reminds me of this:
> 
> ...


THIS answer!


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## TanBrae (Jul 14, 2021)

And, NO to drugs! They don't help.


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## Braineack (Jul 14, 2021)

Magic, no.
Gravity, yes.


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## johngpt (Jul 14, 2021)

When I first went off to college in '69, I was exposed to quite a few of the drugs that were prevalent in those days.
I had gone to Ohio U. in Athens, OH, from Long Island in NY from where I'd graduated high school.
I had experimented with LSD among other things. 
As a freshman, I was forced to live in a dormitory.
I was in a friend's dorm room, around the corner from my room.
Stoned and just getting off on some acid.
I was sitting in a chair next to the friend's phone (remember land lines?).
The phone rang.
Being right under the phone, I answered.
It was my mom.
She had misdialed and gotten the friend's room.


Not long after Kim and I were married, Kim was driving and was beginning to press on the accelerator 
now that she'd gotten the green light.
Her grandmother loudly said, "Stop!"
Kim jammed the brake pedal to the floor boards and a huge truck zoomed through the intersection.
Her grandmother had passed two months before.

A few years after moving into our house, proud owners of a mortgage,
I was awakened around 3:30am by the sound of our garage door going up and down,
up and down, up and down.
I had to unplug the opener to get it to stop. Went back to bed.
Later that morning we received word our friend Greg had died.
When we were told at what time he passed, it was about 15 minutes before our garage door went nuts.
****in' Greg.
Just like that asshole.


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## Dikkie (Jul 15, 2021)

limr said:


> And here's the second part of the frequency illusion: because you are already inclined to believe in higher or supernatural powers and signs rather than random chance or behavorial/psychological phenomenon, then these coincidences confirm what you already believe. Just as I am much more likely to believe a psychological explanation because I already believe that random chance or the weirdness of the human brain is a more likely explanation than a higher power manipulating the minutae of 7 billion lives. It's just how our brains work. Confirmation bias is a hell of a thing.


Why can't some things just be 'coincidences'? 
Why do they have to be psychologically explained? 
Not everything that happens externally, in the outside world, should be explained as an internal thing that is only happening in your brain.

For example, together with a friend you're heading to a metal concert of Slayer. 
For some reason, on your way to the venue, your friend puts on music from Abba, just to tease you and to ruin your night.
In the midst of the Slayer concert, out of the blue... Kerry King stops playing his guitar and gestures to the sound engineer at the mixing table and suddenly Abba is being played through the speakers. ... than the concert continues.
Something that never ever happens. What are the odds? 

That's not something that frequently happens and you suddenly notices this because now your brain is giving attention to it.
It's just a 'coincidence'. 
Can it just be a coincidence, can it?.... without the need to point out some mental disorder, or some logical psychological explanation.


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## limr (Jul 15, 2021)

Dikkie said:


> Why can't some things just be 'coincidences'?
> Why do they have to be psychologically explained?
> Not everything that happens externally, in the outside world, should be explained as an internal thing that is only happening in your brain.
> 
> ...



Of course there can be coincidences and if you read what I wrote, I didn't say that there couldn't be. I said several times that the examples you provide *could* be down to the frequency illusion, OR it could be due to just random chance. And for the record, *you* are the one trying to claim that things that seem like coincidences are actually the result of some kind of "special powers that you can't control."

"Something that never happens." Except it does, doesn't it? Or are you just making up an example that didn't happen? If it never happened, it's not a coincidence but a theoretical example and doesn't prove anything about either of our theories.


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## petrochemist (Jul 15, 2021)

I've had extreme deja-vu on a couple of occasions, and have given a strange simultaneous quote once. Other than that the only uncontrollable super powers seem to be in the hands of elected officials!


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