Beyond Coincidence

[usantic]

Ever had a brush with the supernatural? Something that went beyond coincidence?

[Amaurote]

Yes. To begin with, let me preface this by stating that I'm a rationalist, and that I prefer to call this a preternatural experience, i.e. one that can be best explained by psychological dynamics.

When I was about five years old, I was playing with some friends near the window to our classroom at primary school. There were three of us. The day was sunny, and essentially unremarkable; however, there'd been a delivery of some new toys that same week, including a large, lifesize stuffed Red Indian doll, which came complete with a Teepee, as I remember it.

When playtime came, we were looking through the window of a closet, whose door was open, overlooking the empty classroom. I could see the doll, the Teepee, some books, the carpet and a Wendy House. As I watched - and as my friends watched - I saw the Red Indian doll stand up and walk from one side of the room to the other...my reaction - as I remember it - was one of amazement and wonder, rather than fear, and this reaction was mirrored by that experienced by my friends. When we returned to our class after playtime, everything was normal and in its place - including the Red Indian doll.

I remember most of the details, though I can no longer visualize the episode - I know it happened. My friends could recall it for about ten years, but now express disbelief that it ever occurred. My explanation? It was the result of a childhood flight of fancy, in which our trinity created a solipsistic reality of its own - someone probably said, "What if the doll was alive?" and the conversation took on a magical life of its own. It happened, but not on a supernatural level.

The same can't be said for my grandfather's experience, though: he saw the ghost of a woman in Victorian costume pass into the wall of a valley while he was engaged in military training during World War II; and he's not remotely superstitious, mendacious or credulous in any other respect. Make of it what you will. I suspend judgement.

[usantic]

Thats very interesting Amaurote. A sort of group hysteria. Did you and your friends ever act out cowboy and native american (P.C.)
incidents? That may have played a role in the vision. Or perhaps
the three of you came across some peyote. In which case the indian probably would have done a song and dance routine.
Your grandfather's tale sounds quite interesting. I wonder if the
disruption of the natural setting of the area had something to do with it. I myself have never seen any haints, but I have had a number of times when circumstances went beyond a simple coincidence. I'll elaborate when I get a bit more time to relate the story.

[Amaurote]

I've heard the word "haints" on this subject before, Usantic - I'm taking it that it's some kind of fetch, or doppelganger phenomenon?

Cowboys and Indians - no, we played Battle of the Planets. It's hard to explain unless you've seen the 1980s cartoon series, but it involved removing your arms from your coat and wearing it like a cloak around your shoulders. The spaceship was cleverly represented by an empty flagpole in the playground, which had its own control - i.e. pully, which the fortunate "pilot" rotated to simulate propulsion. We were simple children with simple recreational pursuits in those days. I stopped playing it about 2 months ago when the police started taking an interest.

http://www.akdreamer.com/botp/picts/miscgrabs/teamphsm.jpg

Peyote - I've read about it in Aldous Huxley's Doors of Perception, but it's a foul concoction by all accounts. The synthesized product is probably a more attractive option.

[usantic]

O.K. This is one incident of many that my family has had in relation
to my brother's untimely death. We have always felt that he has been our protector in many regards.
Years ago, I had gone down to the Gulf of Mexico with my roomate and his girlfriend for a weekend getaway. We had taken her car as both my roomate and I had two seaters.
We enjoyed the first day and got a room with two double beds
(drat!). The next morning I awoke early and decided to go and buy a boogie board that we had seen at a surf shop down the coast a little way. Karen had no problem with me taking her car to do so.
As I was driving back from the store, I looked out over the gulf and noticed a rainbow. I smiled to myself and thought of my brother. (My family had always related seeing a rainbow to my brother watching over us). I returned to the room and woke my to fellow travelers to try out the board.
We enjoyed yet another day and decided to go have cocktails
and talk over the days events. At one point when Karen left to go powder her nose, Brian told me that she had had a strange dream the night before. As she returned, I asked what she had dreamt. She laughed and said it was nothing. I pressed her on it and this is what she said.
She had been jogging through our neighbourhood and a young boy jumped out from behind a tree and startled her. She was scared and ran back to our house finding Brian and myself in the drive. Brian had asked her why she was so upset and she told us of the young boy. She then said I told her to calm herself that it was only my brother and that he had a "problem". She said after I told her that her apprehensions disappeared.
Coincidence? Maybe, but I and my family have had other incidents that went beyond mere coincidence.
I had thought this thread would bring out more tales of this sort.
Perhaps we are merely walking chemical reactions and I have this romance with the thought of an afterlife or something beyond this one.