The 6th Sense

By Anonymous -
The sixth sense is a difficult sense for a biologist to make sense of because it is incapable of being proven. The five other senses display a cause and effect relationship with wavelengths and receptors. There usually is some sort of physicality to our ability to sense the world around us. The sixth sense lacks this physicality; we cannot prove the presence of a ghost, we cannot prove that God is present in the Eucharist, and we cannot fully express certain realizations and new beginnings brought upon by mystical experiences.  






When I come to think about the sixth sense I think of it a couple different ways. I understand how some believe that the sixth sense is the sense that manifests our subconscious and  I also understand how others believe it to be glimpses of a supernatural dimension. I can even see how others just view it as coincidence. While I believe each opinion has valid points, I believe that one of the most sound explanations of the sixths sense is the fusion of the two human dimensions (mental or material). 




I experienced an odd feeling four years ago when I was still back home. My friend has been sick for a very long time and as a result as had to move away for short periods of time. I was driving down a main road in Miami when a strong feeling came over me and I felt like I had to see my friend. I changed direction and headed to my friend's house. My friend's mom opened the door and told me that my friend had arrived in Tennessee just a few days before. From a religious point of view, I interpret the sixth sense as a message from God. Haven't you heard the saying, "God works in mysterious ways?" Whether it be that tingle in your stomach, or sudden flashback, or random thought, these sensations make you aware of things you would not otherwise think about. 

Another anecdote that I thought was interesting had to do with native american scouts for the Vietnam War.  These men were scouted for their good tracking and survival skills. Upon being enlisted, the native americans had to shave their heads and along with their long hair followed their keen abilities. For instance, a native with long hair could sense attack before it even happened. If the same man were to be put in the same situation, this time after a hair cut, he would not be able to sense an attack before it occurred. Here, hair serves as an extension of the nervous system. 



http://www.sott.net/article/234783-The-Truth-About-Hair-and-Why-Indians-Would-Keep-Their-Hair-Long


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