We use words such as premonition and precognition with certain belief systems attached. These belief systems come in two forms. First, that they imply foreseeing the future; and second, that they are a specific type of phenomena.
I dislike these approaches. Rather, I feel that often an answer can be found in the present; and they do, infact, cover a multidude of possible causes. In this essay I will explore just one of many possible explanations, found in the present.
ABERFAN
On 21 October 1966 a slag heap slithered down a hillside and buried a school at Aberfan, South Wales. Over a hundred children and adults were killed. However, following the tragedy, John Barker recorded over seventy premonitions in the two weeks prior to the event, leading him to set up the British Premonitions Bureau.
One girl who lived in Aberfan dreamt of ’something black’ falling on the school. Another dreamt that on arriving at the school all she found was a big black hole. Further afield from the village a woman from Sidcup in Kent dreamt of coal rushing down a hillside onto a mining village. Whilst two days before the disaster a woman from Aylesbury had a dream in which she was smothered in blackness.
STATISTICAL PROBABILITY
When looking at such premonitions, 1 feel we make a mistake by considering the events in terms of individuality. If we look, instead, at a species level, statistics make it very clear that premonitions are bound to happen.
For instance, often there is a subtle subject abroad in the media. This may not be fully appreciated by a person if they are not interested in the subject, but it will still filter into the mind at some level.
Hence, a person is more predisposed to experience a nightmare taking this factor into account. Agreed, this is not a full survey of this area of premonition - it is a subject I will return to in a later essay. However, there are other factors we can bring into the debate.
A COUPLE OF CASES
Vaunda Johnson from Arkansas woke up one night, got out of bed, went into her two daughters’ bedroom and removed one from the bottom bunk, taking her to her own bed. Moments later, the other daughter screamed. The bunk beds had collapsed. If she hadn’t removed the one daughter she would have been crushed.
Helen Tillotson from Philadelphia woke up one night to answer the door, being shocked to discover her mother, asking why Helen had been knocking at HER door. This was impossible. Helen had been asleep. Moments later, the mother’s flat exploded due to a gas leak.
UNCONSCIOUS PERCEPTION
The above species explanation falls down in these cases.
Similarly, it is not feasible for many premonitions in Aberfan itself to be answered by chance. There were simply too many. So how do we explain such incidences? A hint is given with the fact that much of the information we receive is received unconsciously.
The unconscious mind seems to survey the world about us just as much, if not more, than the conscious mind. The fact that we can receive subliminal messages is testimony to this fact.
The usual term we use for evidence of this ability is ‘cryptomnesia’, where facts we didn’t know we had can rise from the unconscious. Often used to explain information during reincarnation, information has been traced back to books, films, etc, that the person had forgotten - in some cases, didn’t even realise - they had seen.
Bearing this in mind, we must ask, is it feasible for the unconscious mind to continue gathering information from the outside world whilst the person is asleep? This is almost definite, as a loud noise still wakes us up.
THE INNER MESSAGE
Which prompts the asking of a couple of simple questions. For instance, could a slag heap have simply fallen down a hill without prior movement over the previous days, no matter how slight? Could bunk beds simply collapse without prior creaks and strains? Could gas ignite without the prior smell of a gas leak?
The logical answer to these questions is no. It is almost certain that prior subliminal signals would have been given in the form of tiny movements and almost inaudible noises and smells. Inaudible, that is, to the conscious mind. But, as with subliminal messages, could the unconscious have perceived them?
Almost certainly yes - and as dreaming is in the realm of the unconscious, it is equally feasible to argue that the unconscious could communicate this fact through dream, prompting the person to wake up and act accordingly.
In the above we have a speculative answer to many cases of premonition without having to involve a definite future. Rather, information received in the present can answer them adequately.
By Anthony North, January 2008
