Synesthesia May Explain Healers Claims of Seeing People's 'Aura'

Synesthesia May Explain Healers Claims of Seeing People's 'Aura'
www.sciencedaily.com...

ScienceDaily (May 4, 2012) — Researchers in Spain have found that at least some of the individuals claiming to see the so-called aura of people actually have the neuropsychological phenomenon known as "synesthesia" (specifically, "emotional synesthesia"). This might be a scientific explanation of their alleged ability.

Uh oh, did they just destroy some paradigm that these people are actually seeing something of a 'spiritual energy'.

In synesthetes, the brain regions responsible for the processing of each type of sensory stimuli are intensely interconnected. Synesthetes can see or taste a sound, feel a taste, or associate people or letters with a particular color.

The study was conducted by the University of Granada Department of Experimental Psychology Óscar Iborra, Luis Pastor and Emilio Gómez Milán, and has been published in the journal Consciousness and Cognition. This is the first time that a scientific explanation has been provided for the esoteric phenomenon of the aura, a supposed energy field of luminous radiation surrounding a person as a halo, which is imperceptible to most human beings.

In basic neurological terms, synesthesia is thought to be due to cross-wiring in the brain of some people (synesthetes); in other words, synesthetes present more synaptic connections than "normal" people. "These extra connections cause them to automatically establish associations between brain areas that are not normally interconnected," professor Gómez Milán explains. New research suggests that many healers claiming to see the aura of people might have this condition.

Oh man, the brain is AMAZING!

Many local people attribute "paranormal powers" to El Santón, because of his supposed ability to see the aura of people "but, in fact, it is a clear case of synesthesia," the researchers explained. According to the researchers, El Santón has face-color synesthesia (the brain region responsible for face recognition is associated with the color-processing region); touch-mirror synesthesia (when the synesthete observes a person who is being touched or is experiencing pain, s/he experiences the same); high empathy (the ability to feel what other person is feeling), and schizotypy (certain personality traits in healthy people involving slight paranoia and delusions). "These capacities make synesthetes have the ability to make people feel understood, and provide them with special emotion and pain reading skills," the researchers explain.

In the light of the results obtained, the researchers remarked on the significant "placebo effect" that healers have on people, "though some healers really have the ability to see people's 'auras' and feel the pain in others due to synesthesia." Some healers "have abilities and attitudes that make them believe in their ability to heal other people, but it is actually a case of self-deception, as synesthesia is not an extrasensory power, but a subjective and 'adorned' perception of reality," the researchers state.

The true power of the mind is simply amazing, it dictates EVERY SINGLE way that we percieve all sensory inputs.

I know... this may go against some beliefs, and possibly even hurt some feelings as to those who 'See peoples 'aura's'' and thinking they are special, but this is important to understand...

I guess it doesn't take away from the person being 'special', but destroys the notion of 'supernatural', when in fact, it's biological.

Know Thy Self..

reply to post by MESSAGEFROMTHESTARS


aren't peoples aura's supposed to change depending on certain circumstances, such as mood or health?
If this is true then how would synesthesia account for that?

Also given that the brain is natural, and the basic definition of "super, wouldnt the synesthesia still be concidered "supernatural"?

Why do some people feel the need to "demystify" certain aspects of human intellect and faith? (and yes, this happens on both sides of the coin) If a "healer" can help someone to overcome an obstacle in thier lives...then let it happen.

reply to post by MESSAGEFROMTHESTARS


Interesting, and I will be reading the information more thoroughly. Just one quick comment.

ScienceDaily (May 4, 2012) — Researchers in Spain have found that at least some of the individuals claiming to see the so-called aura of people actually have the neuropsychological phenomenon known as "synesthesia" (specifically, "emotional synesthesia"). This might be a scientific explanation of their alleged ability.

You quoted the above in your OP - please note that it says "at least some of the individuals" blah blah. Don't rush to throw everything and everyone into the supposed explanation when even the source doesn't claim that yet.

reply to post by MESSAGEFROMTHESTARS


Interesting indeed...
It is also said that 'exercising' the brain (however this affects it) brings into operation skils/properties/senses that would otherwise not be apparent, or, acknowledged...
...and given that machinery has not been developed that can measure what we call esp...the question as to how, and whether these properties exist to non-experiencers is open...those of us who do experience it find much of these 'it's the brain' guff, a bit puerile...and commentary from the blind...

Respect
A

if anything the source corroborates that certain parts of the brain function in aspect to this phenomenon.

Originally posted by owtFsink
reply to post by MESSAGEFROMTHESTARS

 

aren't peoples aura's supposed to change depending on certain circumstances, such as mood or health?
If this is true then how would synesthesia account for that?

Also given that the brain is natural, and the basic definition of "super, wouldnt the synesthesia still be concidered "supernatural"?

Why do some people feel the need to "demystify" certain aspects of human intellect and faith? (and yes, this happens on both sides of the coin) If a "healer" can help someone to overcome an obstacle in thier lives...then let it happen.

touch-mirror synesthesia (when the synesthete observes a person who is being touched or is experiencing pain, s/he experiences the same); high empathy (the ability to feel what other person is feeling)

So yeah... it's more or less empathy... so the old idea that 'their color changes dependent on their mood' is correct, that is... it is then translated by the person who is percieving them through empathy.

Hold on, I may have to research a bit further as to make that claim.

Originally posted by Open2Truth
reply to post by MESSAGEFROMTHESTARS

 

Interesting, and I will be reading the information more thoroughly. Just one quick comment.

ScienceDaily (May 4, 2012) — Researchers in Spain have found that at least some of the individuals claiming to see the so-called aura of people actually have the neuropsychological phenomenon known as "synesthesia" (specifically, "emotional synesthesia"). This might be a scientific explanation of their alleged ability.

You quoted the above in your OP - please note that it says "at least some of the individuals" blah blah. Don't rush to throw everything and everyone into the supposed explanation when even the source doesn't claim that yet.

If you are infact... 'open2truth', and this type of stuff interests you... I have placed this article... and MANY OTHERS LIKE IT, in the Thread that is linked in my signature. I would love to hear your opinion, or ANYTHING that you can add to it. I believe it just may be the most important theory in regards to humanity and our perception of reality.
With all that I have included in it, I am willing to bet I can scientifically prove the plausibility of Jesus and Buddha... There is a science behind the "awakened one", and it is the science of mind, and our interaction with an electric universe. This is the aim behind the thread.
I have much more research to go, and I can only 'prove' through scientific understanding, in which I need to do a lot more research! That is where ATS comes in... but ATS is failing me...

you can't see something that doesn't exist.

giving a scientific name to an ability and then claiming it's solved is the scientific community's standard operating procedure to something that they have absolutely no clue about.

look at infra-red. you can't see it, but a scope or camera can. if infra-red radiation didn't exist, the scope would pick up nothing.

Originally posted by randomname
you can't see something that doesn't exist.

giving a scientific name to an ability and then claiming it's solved is the scientific community's standard operating procedure to something that they have absolutely no clue about.

look at infra-red. you can't see it, but a scope or camera can. if infra-red radiation didn't exist, the scope would pick up nothing.

That is the most ignorant responce I have ever heard on ATS... ok that's not true... but yeah.

A hallucination, in the broadest sense of the word, is a perception in the absence of a stimulus. In a stricter sense, hallucinations are defined as perceptions in a conscious and awake state in the absence of external stimuli which have qualities of real perception, in that they are vivid, substantial, and located in external objective space. The latter definition distinguishes hallucinations from the related phenomena of dreaming, which does not involve wakefulness; illusion, which involves distorted or misinterpreted real perception; imagery, which does not mimic real perception and is under voluntary control; and pseudohallucination, which does not mimic real perception, but is not under voluntary control.[1] Hallucinations also differ from "delusional perceptions", in which a correctly sensed and interpreted stimulus (i.e. a real perception) is given some additional (and typically bizarre) significance.

Hallucinations can occur in any sensory modality — visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, tactile, proprioceptive, equilibrioceptive, nociceptive, thermoceptive and chronoceptive.

A mild form of hallucination is known as a disturbance, and can occur in any of the senses above. These may be things like seeing movement in peripheral vision, or hearing faint noises and/or voices. Auditory hallucinations are very common in paranoid schizophrenia. They may be benevolent (telling the patient good things about themselves) or malicious, cursing the patient etc. Auditory hallucinations of the malicious type are frequently heard like people talking about the patient behind their back. Like auditory hallucinations, the source of their visual counterpart can also be behind the patient's back. Their visual counterpart is the feeling of being looked-stared at, usually with malicious intent. Frequently, auditory hallucinations and their visual counterpart are experienced by the patient together.

Hypnagogic hallucinations and hypnopompic hallucinations are considered normal phenomena. Hypnagogic hallucinations can occur as one is falling asleep and hypnopompic hallucinations occur when one is waking up.

Hallucinations can be associated with drug use (particularly deliriants), sleep deprivation, psychosis, neurological disorders, and delirium tremens.

en.wikipedia.org...

That is just the tip of this iceberg... if you'd like me to further deny your ignorance.... I can and will, because I think it's important for someone to understand that our perception of reality is much attributed to the chemistry and dispositions with in the faculties of ones brain.

reply to post by MESSAGEFROMTHESTARS


The brain is our bio-computer and sometimes it gets viruses or needs rebooting. So yes this could explain aura like disturbances in the output facility (vision).

However,

We are conscious beings. Our conscious states are not just the result of brain function. Most people think they are their brains because most of our senses reside in that area of the body - the head. I will state right here, as a psychonaught with over 20 years experience exploring non-ordinary states of consciousness, that auras are indeed real. Not just around our physical bodies but around all living energy systems on this planet, including Earth itself - an aura that is simply magnificent. Of course just writing about it here won't convince the sceptical because reading text is just another brain functon. You need to get out of your heads to fully comprehend this - and consistent commited spiritual practice is the best way.

Peace Out

I could be very wrong but i was under the beleif that the color/number association related to synesthesia was a specific and rigid relation, not changing...i could be wrong so if you find more on this i would like to know as i dont have much time for researching things like this and at the moment my spare time is consumed with other research.

On a personal note;
MY faith is the "intuition" in my mind that guides my perception of our reality, when i trust my intuition, it has never failed me, only in the times when i have disrarded that intuition do i find i have conflict with my faith.
There are specific reasons/events in my life that have helped to solidify my faith and why i specifically have faith in "Jesus". oddly enough( to some people) i DO NOT follow the current standards of organized religion and my "faith" is good with that...im gonna have to read up on some of those threads you linked to.

Originally posted by MESSAGEFROMTHESTARS
Originally posted by randomname
"you can't see something that doesn't exist.

giving a scientific name to an ability and then claiming it's solved is the scientific community's standard operating procedure to something that they have absolutely no clue about.

look at infra-red. you can't see it, but a scope or camera can. if infra-red radiation didn't exist, the scope would pick up nothing."

That is the most ignorant responce I have ever heard on ATS... ok that's not true... but yeah.

I have to disagree with that, of the whole of the universe, we humans are only able to visually interperate a very small fraction. To say that a hallucination does not exist, would be to deny that a person saw it at all. It is only the brains limited experiences that interperates the world around us. even you yourself have stated as much in different words.
To limit the relativity of an individuals experiences to outside perception of such experience is ingnorance, that is NOT to say that there are not certain contibuting factors that can cause hallucinations of different types but to outright limit cause/effect is simply absurd given the lack of understanding of the brain its relation to the mind and the incredible universe we live within.

Originally posted by owtFsink
I could be very wrong but i was under the beleif that the color/number association related to synesthesia was a specific and rigid relation, not changing...i could be wrong so if you find more on this i would like to know as i dont have much time for researching things like this and at the moment my spare time is consumed with other research.

On a personal note;
MY faith is the "intuition" in my mind that guides my perception of our reality, when i trust my intuition, it has never failed me, only in the times when i have disrarded that intuition do i find i have conflict with my faith.
There are specific reasons/events in my life that have helped to solidify my faith and why i specifically have faith in "Jesus". oddly enough( to some people) i DO NOT follow the current standards of organized religion and my "faith" is good with that...im gonna have to read up on some of those threads you linked to.

If you only knew as to how much of what you had just said resonates with me.

I do agree that much more research is warranted before throwing a lock on this theory, or findings.

I will be doing research as to providing some answers to questions regarding this topic, most likely to be posted in the thread linked in my signature.

Originally posted by nimbinned
reply to post by MESSAGEFROMTHESTARS

 

The brain is our bio-computer and sometimes it gets viruses or needs rebooting. So yes this could explain aura like disturbances in the output facility (vision).

However,

We are conscious beings. Our conscious states are not just the result of brain function. Most people think they are their brains because most of our senses reside in that area of the body - the head. I will state right here, as a psychonaught with over 20 years experience exploring non-ordinary states of consciousness, that auras are indeed real. Not just around our physical bodies but around all living energy systems on this planet, including Earth itself - an aura that is simply magnificent. Of course just writing about it here won't convince the sceptical because reading text is just another brain functon. You need to get out of your heads to fully comprehend this - and consistent commited spiritual practice is the best way.

Peace Out

Being that you are new(appears to be so by how many comments and such you have made), if you don't know how to check you messages, please ask... if you do indeed know, please reply to a message I will be sending you shortly.

Ummm....Wrong!

The aura is, amongst other things, the subtle energy field of the body via electromagnetics and qi. There are layers corresponding to the 7 chakras. Because color is just the visible portion of vibration (red has a shorter frequency wavelength than blue for instance), those that are able to see the aura, they are simply seeing the visual correlate of that particular frequency.

I don't see auras, but I can feel them. Trained for a number of years to increase my sensitivity and learned to tell the difference between tears in the aura and accumulated thoughtforms creating blockages. I have done this with a high degree of accuracy for many years. This has allowed me not only to act as a conduit for healing others, but also to psychically pick up verified information about their lives, a fact which goes beyond just being placebo.

As a teacher once said, the Truth does not require you to believe in it in order to be true.

reply to post by MESSAGEFROMTHESTARS


i'll just post what i posted here: www.abovetopsecret.com...

tell me something
are you in the habit of taking advice from mental defectives?

no, because their OS is corrupted/damaged.

same deal here with your "scientific study"

these morons are running windows 3.1 [actually it's postivism 1.0 Beta]
and are trying to read a .docx file created by office 2010 on windows 8CP
using notepad

the real reason jung and freud had a parting of ways
was because when freud demanded proof of TK during an argument
jung indulged him with a full blown poltergeist effect
freud angrily insisted it was all a trick.

these pseudo scientists would react the same to any real display

and that's not mentioning all those "scientists" for hire
who'll prove that mercury and flouride are good for you
for the right amount of $$$$

This conclusion reached by this study is not the actual conclusion stated.

First off, in order to get people to test, the researchers doing the study had to "find" people, which meant asking people to volunteer: most likely from local healing classes and such. Then, only people who actually saw the add, and answered the add, and were accepted via a predetermined criteria (probably interviewed by young, eager interns) were accepted. And here is the conclusion based on the actual facts:

People likely to receive our ad, and accept our offer to be tested, and who's reactions to testing may or may not have affected their answers, were...

Why is this important? People who can actually do the things being tested here would never, under no circumstances, answer and add of this kind or be a part of such a thing. What these "researchers" got was not a true sampling of anything but people willing to answer an ad.

This the MAJOR flaw in all research: test subjects are garnered from pools of people who first must see the add, and then are likely to answer the add: the vast majority of people who are confident in their skills would have zero reason to answer the add as to be confident is to be in a place where "proving to others" is seen as remedial.

Conclusions this broad, based on a sampling this useless, should be the exception bit sadly it is the scientific rule. Worse, these sorts of conclusions have people pointing to the headline saying "see, I told you so."

Originally posted by owtFsink
On a personal note;
MY faith is the "intuition" in my mind that guides my perception of our reality, when i trust my intuition, it has never failed me, only in the times when i have disrarded that intuition do i find i have conflict with my faith.
There are specific reasons/events in my life that have helped to solidify my faith and why i specifically have faith in "Jesus". oddly enough( to some people) i DO NOT follow the current standards of organized religion and my "faith" is good with that...im gonna have to read up on some of those threads you linked to.

I have to disagree with that, of the whole of the universe, we humans are only able to visually interperate a very small fraction. ...........

I could have written that myself, but perhaps not so eloquently.
Though I have a very strong sense of empathy, I can't see aura, but I can feel. The strongest of that is my sense of feeling others pain [physical, not so much emotional]. Mine is such an extreme level that I can't even watch AFV because of all those 'accidents' and people falling/getting hurt. I can watch movies where people get hurt & it doesn't affect me at all.

I would be lost w/o my intuition and trusting my insticts has never let me down.

Is this science proving Auras or is this MATERIALISTIC scientists trying to explain it away?

They say: "If you can see spirits or auras than you must be crazy even if the information is right"

This doesn't really make sense. If it was synesthesia, why would they only see the 'aura' when looking at a living being? Why don't they see objects with auras? Like a couch or a book.

I too believe it's all natural and explainable. In nature, being able to perceive or gauge the others emotional or mental state or taking a step further, to be able to translate an individuals truth is an advantage. Not only to manipulate people but also to prevent getting in harms way by trusting those who take advantage of that trust.

Everyone in society becomes exposed to the same values, regardless of what choice is made. All those unspoken rules and behaviors get recorded by parts of the brain like a big book or even computer program through which everything is analyzed. Unless ofcourse people are just too engrossed in their own lives and feelings which happens to the majority and is a good thing. People who are raised in abusive homes, who have hardships since childhood should naturally be more adept at reading others (and taking advantage of their gullibity because they could see life as less valuable) after all it's worthwhile knowing when the parent is in a good or bad mood to prevent more abuse or when people are getting annoyed and start to bully.

It's not that hard to imagine the brain chooses light and colors to translate what is seen, language like a text balloon superimposed on the end result would probably be too difficult or take too long but who knows maybe this is how the brain should evolve.

I'm willing to bet the same explanation goes for those claiming to be clairsentient, their brains translate and mimic the feelings of others around them but lacking the ability to translate this into aura's the person would feel the emotions themselves as the brain recreates them.

There are ofcourse benefits to seeing aura's even if it is all subjective. It's not difficult to accept Nature intended this ability to form in the brain (meaning everyone would know what the other feels) as humans are a social species. In the early days of learning how to deal with all kinds of feelings it might have been useful if humans would know what emotional response their actions had on eachother. But overtime as resources became less and people became lazier they had to fight over them and it turned out a disadvantage as killing the other for it would make the killer feel bad about himself so humans decided they should feel good about themselves afterall the winner should feel good, not bad over having to have killed the other to ensure one's own survival. So that is why this ability grew less among humans until it nearly vanished and why so many are engrossed in their own personal life without interest or care in anothers life unless there are direct, obvious social advantages.