Paranormal, Or Perinormal?

Most of us hear the word “paranormal” and a whole host of concepts might come to mind: ghosts, extra-sensory perception (ESP), creatures like Sasquatch or the Loch Ness monster. A good many of us might even have experienced a paranormal phenomenon or two in our lives. But what exactly is paranormal? The answer might surprise you, as will its related cousin, the term “perinormal.”

“Paranormal” comes from the Greek word meaning “outside.” Thus, “outside of what is normal.” On the other hand, “perinormal” takes its root from the word meaning “close to.” So, the term “perinormal” might apply to almost every living person today.

There are three classes of people: those who see. Those who see when they are shown. Those who do not see ~ Leonardo da Vinci

Let’s take a closer look. True paranormal activity might best be describes as that which cannot be measured, seen, or recorded. For example, there have been a number of so-called ghost sightings around the world, yet very few photographs, video recordings, or other evidence of these sightings exist. Why is this? Many psychics believe it is because ghosts or spirits cannot be perceived by human eyes or equipment, because they exist on other planes.

Now, to contrast this, what is perinormal might be the electromagnetic fields we perceive. Because our bodies and spirits are so sensitive to the natural phenomena all around us, we may experience a strange feeling without knowing why, such as the hairs raising on the backs of our necks. This has a rational explanation, whereas the sighting of a ghost may not.

Another way to explain the difference between the two might be the famous US Supreme Court definition of “obscenity” in a case. “I know it when I see it,” Justice Stewart memorably said in his opinion. In many cases we simply know when we’ve experienced the paranormal, yet how do we prove it? Often we can’t and the phenomena stay with us.

Dreams are another good example of this. We know, scientifically, that most people dream, since we can measure brain waves, sleep cycles, and the like. Is there any way to prove that people have prophetic dreams or out of body experiences? No, though there are cases recorded that seem to all but prove that these do indeed take place. We might say that the paranormal is experienced through the heart and the perinormal through the head.

The day somebody comes in to a major university and throws a sasquatch carcass on the dissecting table it’s all over. It’s no longer fringe science. It’s no longer pseudo science or any of the other words that are sometimes used to describe this ~ Brian Regal

Other times, what may seem paranormal has a logical explanation. For example, family members have reported getting gut feelings about their loved ones across time and place, even across oceans. We do know that a kind of empathy exists at the genetic level. If we want a less scientific explanation, people travel in the spirit realms all the time without even knowing it, via their dreams.

Sometimes we just “know” things because of our divinely given sixth sense. Nothing paranormal about that. Skeptics will be sure to say that for every paranormal occurrence, whether an alien landing, a creature sighting, or a dream predicting the future, there is a scientific explanation that refutes it. Or maybe it’s pure coincidence. Perhaps they are right. Yet, others might say that coincidence is simply the universe and the divine’s sense of humor at work!