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TELEKINESIS the spontaneous movement of objects and people through the air without physical intervention. These objects are either moved through paranormal means, like levitation by spirits or a poltergeist, or by thought or will power alone. If the movement is intentional, it is known as psychokeinesis. Perhaps the most famous demonstration of deliberate telekinesis occurred in the 1970s when a young Israeli psychic called Uri Geller came to public attention for his ability to bend spoons and other metal objects using mind power alone.

One theory put forward to explain telekinesis is that the concentration of energy from a persons mind somehow alters the energy structure of the object they are focusing on. When the minds stream of energy is released, the object reforms itself according to the energy patterns that have been sent. If the person has sent 'bending' the spoon bends, but if he or she sent 'floating' the spoon floats.

An alternative term used for telekinesis is teleportation, although the latter tends to imply the paranormal movement or materialization of objects across a distance whereas telekinesis tends to refer to the bending, reshaping and vibrating of objects through deliberate use of psi.

TELEPATHY the mind-to-mind communication of thoughts, feelings and ideas trough psychic means, especially ESP. Telepathy is described in folklore all over the world. In some tribal societies it is accepted as a natural ability everyone posses but in other societies it is considered an ability that only psychics possess.
The word telepathy derives from the Greek terms 'tele' [distant] and 'pathe' [feeling] and was coined by psychical researcher Frederick Myers in 1882. Research into telepathy began with mesmerism in the late eighteenth century when practitioners discovered apparent ability of some of their subjects to read their minds and carry out unspoken commands. This phenomenon was observed later by psychologists and psychiatrists such as Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung and William James.

Studies have shown that when telepathy occurs it frequently happens spontaneously in times of crisis, for example, when one person becomes aware of another person being in danger from a distance. Telepathic information may come in the form of a dream, a mental image, through clairaudience, through thoughts that pop into the mind or through vague feelings of dread or anxiety. The person who is receiving the information may change their plans or attempt to warn or contact the other person.

It appears that telepathy is closely to emotion and it is no coincidence that most receivers tend to be women because women are often [but certainly not always] thought to be more in tune with their emotions and intuition than men. It also seems that telepathy has some biological connection as experiments show that recipient's brain waves change to match those of the sender. Telepathy is adversely affected by drugs but positively affected by caffeine. It also improves, as a person gets older. Studies on geriatric telepathy seem to indicate that when the physical senses become impaired telepathy becomes stronger.

According to twenty first century scientists, because empathy is intrinsic to human nature we are all naturally telepathic, without being aware of it. Every time we place ourselves in another persons 'mental shoes', and wonder what it must be like to be them, or feel like them, we are using our own mind as a model for theirs and by doing so are 'reading' another persons mind.

Sharpening your telepathic skills

Here is an exercise you can do with a friend to practise and sharpen your telepathic skills.
Agree on a time when you and your friend, in separate locations, both can sit down to meditate for approximately 10 minutes. Use the first five minutes of this time to send and the other five to receive a message, and make sure your times are opposite so that one of you receives when the other sends.

At the agreed on time begin your mediation. Start with three deep breaths and concentrate on sending a message to your friend. Perceive the message in whatever way you wish but stick to a single representation. When the sending time is up take three deep breaths and shift to receiving mode. Concentrate on opening your mind to the message your friend is sending when the meditation is finished bring yourself back to physical reality.
Write down everything you can remember about the experience, both the message you were trying to send and the messages you think you received from your friend. Phone or visit each other to compare experiences. How often were you right? How often were you wrong?

Generally speaking if you are more on target than not, you've exceeded the odds of chance. Don't be discouraged if at first results are poor; most people improve with practice.

THERAPEUTIC TOUCH a type of energy medicine whereby the therapist moves his or her hands over the patient's energy field, allegedly directing the flow of universal life force so the patient can heal.

Therapeutic touch was developed by Dora van Gelder Kunz, a clairvoyant and meditation teacher, and Dolores Krieger, Professor of Nursing at New York University, in the early 1970s. The hands are used to identify and balance out disturbances in the energy field, or aura, of patients. It is said that this can help alleviate pain and encourage the healing process.