The Sense of Being Stared At: And Other Unexplained Powers of the Human Mind

Most of us know it well--the almost physical sensation that we are the object of someone’s attention. Is the feeling all in our heads? What about related phenomena, such as telepathy and premonitions? Are they merely subjective beliefs? In The Sense of Being Stared At, renowned biologist Rupert Sheldrake explores the intricacies of the mind and discovers that our perceptive abilities are stronger than most of us could have imagined. Sheldrake argues persuasively in this compelling book that such phenomena are, in fact, real. He rejects the label of "paranormal" and shows how these psychic occurrences are in fact a normal part of human nature. Combining the tradition of pragmatic experimentation with a refusal to accept the conventional answers to explain such phenomena, Sheldrake pioneers an intriguing new inquiry into the mysteries of our deepest nature. Rigorously researched yet completely accessible, this groundbreaking book provides a refreshing new way of thinking about ourselves and our relationships with other people, animals, and the world around us. There are 4 parts: Part 1: Telepathy Part 2: The Power of Attention Part 3: Remote Viewing and Foreshadowings of the Future Part 4: How does the 7th Sense Work? The book begins by explaining how the "Sixth Sense" has already been claimed by biologists working on the electrical and magnetic senses of animals. Eels use electrical fields to sense objects around them, sharks and rays use similar fields to hunt, migratory birds and fish have a magnetic senses (biological compass), snakes have heat-sensing abilities, spiders detect web vibrations, etc. Mr. Sheldrake explains how the 7th sense is biological, not supernatural. It extends beyond the body, though how is not exactly known. "To brush aside what people have experienced is not to be scientific, but unscientific. Science is founded on empirical method..." (experience and observation). "But despite an impresssive accumulation of evidence, psychic research has never been accepted within institutional sciences. It has been kept on the margins as a result of powerful taboos against the "paranormal." "In the background lurks the archaic fear of witchcraft."