[Acting Like Godot]

Originally Posted by Tim Brownson

The one area where I would take major issue is this. If somebody genuinely could do the stepping off a building thing it would end the debate period.

It wouldn't.

A press release and a demonstration would end that argument.

Again it wouldn't. I'll give you a specific example - it's not about stepping off a building, but it is about levitation, which I think it's close enough.

Now suppose I tell everyone that I will demonstrate levitation is possible. I set a date and venue in advance, and invite 150 witnesses, including journalists from the press. The chosen venue is not on stage, but in an open outdoor area, in broad daylight, with good visibility.

On the actual day, I meditate intensely and enter into a trance, while the 150 witnesses watch me. And then, as promised, I begin to rise into the air, several feet high. This happens not for just a few seconds, but for five full minutes. Photographers walk all around me, and take as many photos as they like. The next day, the newspapers print the full story, complete with photographs.

Well, would the world be convinced that the powers of the mind can create such extraordinary effects?

According to you, yes.

But this turns out to be incorrect. You see, the levitation demonstration I mentioned above has actually happened, in front of 150 witnesses, with press invited, photos taken, in an open outdoor area etc etc.

It happened in 1936, in India.

Click here for more details. Here's a photo:



Note: this photo was one of many, taken at the time of the demonstration, which was in 1936, long before Adobe Photoshop was invented.

But if you ask people today - is levitation possible? Well, you know what answer you'll get.

As I said, people can only perceive what their belief systems permit them to perceive. If something is totally outside your belief system, then either it will happen when you are not around to perceive it; or if it happens in your presence, you will not be able to perceive it anyway; or if you do perceive it, you will interpret it to be a fraud, or an illusion, or a big mistake etc.

And it is not merely that the effect of history & time passing, that makes people disbelieve. I am sure that even in 1936, when this levitation incident was huge news, there would have been many people who would have said that this was just some kind of illusion, some kind of trick, some kind of fraud - the man just cannot be really levitating. That's just not possible - according to their belief system.

So even today, if someone did a "step off the building and survive very well" feat, equally there would be some people who are convinced, and some people who remain unsure, and some people who scoff and say, "This is utter fraud" or "This is just a clever Hollywood special effect".

In the end, you see, your reality is just what you believe. And if you utterly disbelieve it, it just won't be there, even if it is.