Experimental TK 26 Feb

I did some experimental TK today, with the straw again (awwww :P)
Basically it involved testing for the effects of static, and the 'switch' test (control test of when I do not attempt TK, and when I do)

As usual, it isn't proof. It's an experiment.
The subtitles more or less explain what I'm doing

Here we go: Experimental TK Vid for 26 Feb 2005

Update

I've been doing some developmental TK with the foil, but haven't had as much time as I'd like. Partly because I'm finding it really hard to get out of bed early (lately), and partly due to guests in the evenings (fun anyway)

I have a video snippet from the practice I did get, but I feel it doesn't warrant sticking online. It's not much better, if any, than the last one. Maybe if I get some spare time soon :P (unlikely)

Today was another TK-less day, and I'm fairly tipsy from some wine and rum. So excuse any irrational language :P

What was interesting about yesterday (or day before? *scratches head*) - I sat in front of the TV with a small cake fork and experimented with a bit of spoonbending (No, I don't necessarily have an opinion on it's authenticity. I was just playing :) )
In any event, I rested the fork in my left hand, and tried to bend it in a similar way that I do TK, using my right hand (+usual head sensations)

I didn't bend it at all, but when doing TK on it I could FEEL the fork moving in my left hand. That left me quite excited. Of course, that doesn't mean much to everyone else, since it's not demonstrable, but it had me quite excited all the same :)

Other than that - I've been looking around the Randi forums. Interesting bunch :)
After looking over the attitude to the challenge, I don't think I'm close to being verifiable just yet. At least not well enough to chance the expense of travel, disruption of job, etc etc
So I fall in the box of 'believer' and unable to prove it yet :P

Developmental TK for 21 Feb

Alright. I've decided that there are two distinct types of exercises I will do.
Developmental and Experimental TK
I know they sound similar, but it's just semantics

Experimental = Controlled and analysed tests of my existing skills. E.g. yesterday. I'm not a scientist, so this is not exactly 'evidence', but it is an attempt to understand and document my TK.
Developmental = Attempting to exceed my existing abilities. Exercising and growing my skills. Obviously displays smaller results until it becomes more fluent. Obviously is not much use at all to a sceptic as 'evidence' since it is so casually practiced.

I'm open to ideas for better names :P
Anyway today was a developmental TK day, and I worked on spinning foil on a CD cover
I have a vid of what I managed : Dev TK 21 Feb 2005
It's not half bad, and is not the first time I have moved it. Simply the first time I have recorded it.

At the moment I have a problem in maintaining my pages on my blog - my dreamviews FTP has gone sour after the site had that hacking :(
So I cannot change my explanation page or my media links for the moment

First Chart

This morning I got an hour or so to practice. So after some warmups I established a test.
I constructed a HTML page that alternated red/green every 60 seconds. Green meant go, and red, well, stop.
I then document the absolute amount of movement made in those cycles
And produce a graph of the results
I'll call this test Absolute Movement Switching Test for lack of a better name at this point
AMST? :P

Anyway, I did a AMST with 60 seconds switching on a balanced straw.
Thankfully I could keep the straw from becoming 'stuck' on the bottle it was balanced upon, so that wasn't a problem.

--------------------------------------------------------------
Setting:
Weather: Wet, without lightning
Position: My keyboard + hands kept under the desk. Straw balanced on top of desk and bottle. No body movement allowed except to record data on the keyboard.
Environment: Room closed, mouth covered, no creatures or humans in the room.
Static: Tests were ineffective in moving the straw with static.

Results:
Score Rating: 1.7 (loose James Conrad level index)
Comments: It was fairly difficult to switch on and off :P. Lately my TK abilities have not been optimal, but I feel this is a reasonable result - if not entirely consistent and impressive.
Chart:

(Click to enlarge - blue like is 'TK-On' and purple is 'TK-Off')
-------------------------------------------------------

I still have to change my explanation page :)

Non Visual

I got a tiny bit of time to practice today, and used the balanced straw for a quick + simple 'workout' :)
I was trying to spin the straw with my hands about 20 cm below the table, under the straw. I realise this might cause thermals on the edge of the straw, but considering that I had no success for some time - it seems unlikely.

At first, my TK was almost unnoticeable. Very disappointing :I realised somewhere in the middle of it that I had my mind racing through thoughts of theories and criticism. So without stopping the flow, I tried to clear my mind - this time by closing my eyes and visualising a simple dot. In the back of my mind, I was still letting things flow, with the idea to make it rotate anticlockwise (much as you would effortlessly think of running while concentrating on catching a ball :P - call it consciousness splitting if you will)
Keep in mind that I'm fairly good at controlling my thoughts when I put a bit of effort into it - due to my self hypnosis and lucid dreaming hobbies :)

In any event, when I opened my eyes: I had not moved but the straw was moving anticlockwise.
Of course, it doesn't mean a lot considering that it can be explained with thermals, but I find it interesting due to the delay of success in that case.

I continued to keep my mind free of distractions and had a bit more success, but nothing particularly noteworthy - I give today a score of 1.1 on Conrad's scale. Poor.
Considering that I had previous claims of reproducibly rotating the straw in a direction of my choice - it is actually quite dismal.
That said, I also didn't get a lot of time to get into it and I had difficulty concentrating in the heat and with a cloth wrapped around my face :P

Tomorrow seems to be a potentially free day for me, and will be able to get a decent amount of time to practice. Goody :)

James Conrad
I've finally got around to reading James Conrad's site, thanks to a link from Keith Mayes
He has some interesting ideas. Some I find interesting, others I question.
One thing that stuck out to me was his tenuous belief in blood iron content
After talking with my wife... she let me onto a little hidden piece of information that she tends to cook food with high iron content during her menstruation.

Perhaps the trend will be evident in my TK, since I would be increasing my iron levels slowly during that time?
It's only a theory, and everyone seems to have them these days. But it's worth a look :)

I would also like to ask Keith of his opinions on James Conrad ...

Practice Method
As I indicated, I think I need to tighten up with the way I do my practice. I'm way to casual about it, and lately that seems to be a bad thing (tm)

One move I'd like to make... I will decide on an exercise to attempt PRIOR to the practice
That way I can put more thought into it, and perhaps record data about my progress or lack thereof (at times)

Two: I would like to rate my TK on a scale for each practice. I may as well base it loosely on Conrad's levels of ability - loosely because it isn't that clearly defined. I'll fill in a rough chart for myself as I go along.

Another thing I'd like to do, is to change my 'explanation' page a bit more. My attitude to things has changed recently and I feel the explanation page needs amending.

Idle

I have been getting so little time for TK - secular work, administration issues (buying a property, selling a property, speaking to a myriad of banks) and in between this I became sick
I'm also finding all the forums to take a lot of my time
The bit of practice I have managed showed no real progress

I've also decided to change my explanation page a little, and organise+document my TK a bit better. That way it can be looked at a bit more objectively to form a few conclusions and get an idea of the nature of whatever it is that I'm doing

Bump

No interesting news, apart from having a good practice on foil the night before last.
I moved it significantly 3 times in succession

Whats interesting is that I had to relax my muscles before anything would happen ...

Practice last night was broken into two sessions, because of supper
Turned out to be a bad idea :/
I need one slightly longer practice, I think

{TEST BLOG}

Struggling for time

AAarg.. shit... I edited this post instead of posting a new one *grrr*
Okay, sorry, this post was originally about a strange experience I had with foil
That may or may not have been me

That said - we can all assume it wasn't me and I can continue practice anyway
The link was : http://www.light-in-darkness.de/vids/Placebo_TK_7_Feb_2005_WIERD.avi

I also had a post or two about a Dr Shen Hongxun - doctor of both western and chinese medicine and tai chi grandmaster. He claims to have abilities that are quite something. Here's his life story : http://www.buqi.net/gb/index.html

News
I've really had so little time for anything lately :(
Too much work, too little play (Not that TK doesn't feel like work sometimes... )
So no news, no change. Everything is about the same still.

Here's an interesting link though : http://www.nexusmagazine.com/articles/polter.html
Of course, the guy is an parapsychological anomalies investigator, so he is a tad biassed perhaps
But he could be right about some of it

Status

I didn't get a lot of time for TK this weekend, but lately I've decided to go 'cold turkey' on the balanced straw. I spend too much time on it, and not enough time trying to progress to the next step.

So for the next few weeks, I'll be attempting to move onto other TK exercises - like sheets of foil (knocking over, or spinning, or rolling)
Thus far, I can get it to budge slightly, but it's certainly nothing worth making a video of yet

In the meantime, Keith is being an arse. I honestly don't know why I bothered reading his reply.
He continues to ignore my previous comments - and decided to attack the ice cube I rotated
I don't see why... I'm also not impressed enough to post a video thus far anyway.
But of course, Keith gets a kick out of making us out to all be 'unobjective'
Of course - since he has no clue what it looked like - it seems that he is the one being 'unobjective'

Poor sad old man. I look forward to his reaction one day when TK is acknowledged by scientists.

Ups & Downs

I haven't had a lot of time to TK the last few days. Busy busy busy :(
And 2 days ago I suddenly found myself unable to do any TK whatsoever o.O

Obviously that left me quite concerned - but it became evident that I was becoming sick. Particular sicknesses may have a negative impact on it. Obviously this is just an assumption - it could have also been the bad mood I was in, the bad practice, etc etc (who knows :?)

Anyway, yesterday evening I was almost on par again - and this morning my damn alarm didn't go off so I missed TK practice again.
But based on yesterday evening, I'm quite confident that it was just a temporary glitch

Someone requested a vid of the ice cube. I can try arrange it, but I usually do it on the kitchen counter. And I use a webcam ...
I'll see what I come up with, but don't hold your breath
The ice cube doesn't move that fast - I just like the fact that it rotates at all :P

Oh, another thing - I think my previous observations regarding bodily sensations were slightly inaccurate. But then it's a work in progress, so that's to be expected. I might have actually done myself some injustice by trying to use only the observations I mentioned... it's not as simple as that.

Basically my temples and upper areas of my head are more important than I thought, and only using those 2 spots on my eyes doesn't work by itself (or even with hands)
It's a confusing thing, so I'm still trying to work out what things are necessary and which are optional :P

Like I said - work in progress...

PS: About the ice cube - I'm not talking about an ice cube sliding on the desk - that could easily be a slight slope on the surface. I was spinning it slowly. Very slowly.