While the uncanny human ability to sense certain things was first called the 'sixth sense' around 1837, this strange phenomenon was only recognized, never really explained. Beyond the scope of science and unaddressed by religions, we can only defer to the spiritual-minded. Only this free-wheeling empirical mindset seems able to see beyond entrenched positions.

While this phenomenon is real enough, what the sixth sense entails and what it all means is where lies the bones of contention... of differing beliefs. Yet, arguments exist about all things metaphysical, whether it is the human soul  or our subconscious mind . Even so, since the dawn of time, man has wanted to give them names. Probably the first to be named was the Creator. Later, when people began to believe that guardian angels, spirits, the muse, hell, demons and heaven must exist, they were also given names. After all, right or wrong, these concepts needed to be referenced in some manner. In the nineteenth century, when it seemed the brain had two differing functions, it was decided they should be called the "conscious" and "subconscious" minds. The concept was a masterstoke and leads to explaining the sixth sense.

Even though 'sixth' seems to suggest is is lacking a name, and perhaps an open invitation for someone to name it, it's too late for that. That name is already too deeply entrenched.

The sixth sense phenomenon was one of the most recent to be labeled and, like the others, needed to be... although with a caveat soon explained. While we don’t know yet how it operates, that doesn’t matter as much that it does... and seemingly most often when it should. Of course, overriding in importance is what it all means. Understanding what the sixth sense represents would be the ultimate in Rosetta stones. It is more than merely a 'sense'.

However - although it isn't limited to just this ability - we can recall a few times it failed to warn us of danger. Or maybe we didn’t listen. Sometimes, regardless of our fear or anxiety, we went ahead and did something anyway… sometimes we have to. Maybe we felt it worth the risk. Making a move on some guy’s girlfriend might seem worth the risk or for the thrill of skydiving, riding a bull.

While the sixth sense is more-so associated with alerting us to real danger, like a stranger lurking in the shadows, sometimes it is associated with one’s ‘gut-instinct’ when trying to choose the right course of action. More incredibly, it might be telling us not to go somewhere that day as if, somehow, it can foretell events. This phenomenal array of abilities - surely to include more - ought to be a clue that understanding the sixth sense will lead to answers concerning life itself... perhaps being at the heart of the matter.

Since the sixth sense isn't associated with any physical apparatus such as eyeballs, eardrums, olfactory nerves or taste buds, the ability to sense things beyond the ability of the other five senses is effectively "supernatural". The sixth sense seems not to belong in the same category as a 'sense'... as if 'above it all'.

The sixth sense is not always reliable

We should consider that false alarms and misguided information may be due to misinterpretations. In other words, if it represented divine guidance - which the subconscious mind effectively is - we would expect perfection. There must be some "human involvement". After all, the other senses operate flawlessly and are not 'mistake prone'.

That should tell us that, unlike the five senses, we have some control over the sixth sense. While our sixth sense resides in our subconsciousness, we manage it by maintaining a healthy spiritual "connection". Clearly there is a "telephone wire" between our conscious and subconscious minds and we alone are in charge of this connection. A poor or faulty connection is what causes uncertainties and misinformation. More on this below.

Extrasensory perception instead?

Ever since the term 'sixth sense' was first coined there has been uncertainty over what abilities it has and how they should be categorized. In 1870, Sir Richard Burton thought the sixth sense should be called 'extrasensory perception' instead... but that would just confuse matters. Today, it seems the majority consider the sixth sense and extrasensory perception (ESP) as being two separate things... the former being about the ability to sense danger whereas the latter being about mental telepathy.

The reason is largely because there is no other term, scientific or otherwise, representing this ability to sense danger. But couldn't the ability to sense danger still be considered extrasensory perception? Well, it could, but then it would be harder to distinguish it from mental telepathy in our conversations. In this respect, labeling is good even if we don't know enough yet about our phenomenal (mysterious) capabilities. However, there is a downside to labeling and categorizing prematurely in that "models" so quickly get chiseled into stone. Concepts are hard to change. The current model however - being just a disjointed array of suspected senses of no given structure - poses no real problem. It has no framework yet.

While it is said we may have as many as nine (9) senses - which the Buddhists claim - any 'senses' that aren't organ-relate should still be considered a single phenomenon. There is a reason.

So, for these purposes we'll set aside the five senses and consider all else a single phenomenon.

The negative influence of science and religion

So, should the foretelling of events be considered a feature of this phenomenon since it is well documented that some people have this ability? Well, again, while some may be tempted to call it another sense - and rightly so - but because all our sensing abilities seems to have greater connotations, we shouldn't leave it at just that. Once categorized, things have a way of losing our attention.

The likelihood we would fail to properly categorize something metaphysical is because perceptions is all there is to work with. Thus, a name for a phenomenon is based solely on a perception. For this reason the common view of the spirit world - being metaphysics in effect - has undoubtedly been wrong for the past 2,500 years. The alleged 'existents' floating around today have assuredly thrown mankind off track. And, if religious concepts or scientific models aren’t in the ballpark, it has the effect of distancing us even further from the truth. And, since institutions don't like backtracking either, it makes errant tangents a one-way street.

For more than two millennia, science hasn't taken us anywhere concerning metaphysics and religions have stopped short. To get anywhere, it is better to know nothing at all of current concepts.

For the empirical mindset to rationalize the sixth sense it must first forget it has a name. A name has a way of boxing in a concept… in this case; the sixth sense may be a greater phenomenon than merely a ‘sense’. We must understand that these names, as apropos as they may seem, are only representations… nothing more. We can’t assume names, like ‘angels’, represent a ‘thing’ or ‘entity’ because such distinctions may not really exist. At least not in the manner humans understand distinctions. So far, ethereal distinctions have escaped us because we don't know yet how to dissect a fogbank. We'd be more accurate if we considered everything metaphysical as actions (verbs), not nouns.

While each of the five senses have an identifiable range of capabilities, which we would call 'seeing', 'tasting', 'feeling', 'smelling' and, in the case of eardrums which can hear different sounds; we'd call it ‘hearing’. Yet, correctly we don’t let any particular musical tone influence our concept of ‘hearing’. In other words, we shouldn't prematurely extrapolate. So, in trying to paint this picture, it's best to leave the unknowns blurry. After all, patience wouldn't force clarity to show itself half-dressed.

Of course, while everyone knows we have the ability to ‘sense’ things, just knowing that alone isn't enough for those who believe there is far more to this so-called "sixth sense". We should open the door wider to give our imagination a chance to work.

The sixth sense, metaphysics and semantics

As to how the sixth sense might figure-in overall, one should first understand it is difficult to explain even if one had a ballpark idea. The difficulty of course is with semantics, the lack of terms to adequately convey metaphysical concepts. After all, it is even beyond our ability to convey sensory feelings such as the smell of a baking cake or the sound of a saxophone. If only we could explain some things (in words) to ourselves. Yet, some creative footwork with words can get close. This is such an attempt.

Of course, the other major problem is with our distinctions… humans assume they can always make distinctions. Except, one cannot be specific about the ethereal (spirit world). It is not one of black and white. It is a world of vagueness where distinctions, if they do exist, exist in ways humans cannot yet comprehend. It's been largely religions who have made these distinctions however, and not science. When science spins out a theory at least they'll call it a theory (not fact).

Being that no distinction can be made between the subconscious mind and the sixth sense - unlike the five senses which are reliant on physical organs and thus distinguishable - we should consider the sixth sense more as simply 'us'. This different outlook would spell a lot of things differently which our differing frames of mind  always do. For one, that our subconscious mind is indivisible and thus entirely spiritual (godly).

In summary - although many suspect this - humans are a greater phenomenon than what's commonly believed. However, with the truth being held hostage by institutionalism, both academic and religious, we are forced to discover ourselves for ourselves. A good beginning is to quit the dissecting. When we label a feature it has the same effect as "filing it away" and thus has a diluting effect on the whole.

An engine, for example, could be thought of as a magnificent machine more-so if you didn't dwell on the working parts. We shouldn't let labels, categories and scientific explanations distract us. In looking at the sixth sense more as simple 'us' allows us to focus more on the dynamics of life (so far unexplained). It would wipe the slate clean and give us a fresh start.

For the greatest of all accessible information sources, try divine intelligence.

By: A.O. Kime

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© A.O. Kime (2003)
A.O. Kime is the author of two books plus 70+ articles on ancient history,
spiritual phenomena, political issues, social issues and agriculture which
can be seen at http://www.matrixbookstore.biz

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