Is Telekinesis Real? and How Can You Try Telekinesis?

Telekinesis or psychokinesis, as it is sometimes called in scientific communities, is the ability of a person to move an object or influence a physical event using only thought. Although it appears in pop culture quite a bit (think of Luke Skywalker's ability to "use the Force" and move objects in the Star Wars universe), whether it is real is a different matter altogether.

Modern understanding of physics contends that an object cannot move without a cause. Therefore, simply thinking about an object's movement is not enough to move it -- you would need to use some form of energy, whether it be kicking the object or blasting pressurized air at it or throwing another object at it -- for something to move.

Despite this seemingly obvious understanding that telekinesis is only possible in science fiction movies and novels, it remains a popular subject, particularly among imaginative children, teenagers, and even college students.

A quick search on YouTube for "telekinesis" will yield hundreds of home experiment where people claim to be moving small objects -- pennies, needles, and the like -- using thought alone. Of course, many of these videos are undoubtedly tricks (a magnet can be used; small objects can also be moved by blowing on them, such as with a pencil or needle).

Entire online communities, such as PsiPog.net, have cropped up dedicated to exploring and discussing the viability of telekinesis as an actual human ability. Many members of such communities claim to have successfully performed telekinesis on a regular basis. Within the "telekinesis community" (if these web sites could be described as such), there are two different kinds of abilities:

Macro-TK or Macro-PK -- These "macro" telekinesis/psychokinesis events include large-scale movement of objects, influence of weather patterns, and so forth. Some members of online TK communities claim to be able to move clouds with their focused thought, move away storms, etc.

Micro-TK or Micro-PK-- These "micro" telekinesis/psychokinesis events include small influences on the physical world, such as the ability to influence how dice are rolled or to boost one's performance at a game of cards, etc. "Retro-TK" is another subset of this field. Retro-telekinesis is supposedly the ability to influence an event that has already occurred and change the outcome, using only focused thought.

It is believed that telekinetic ability, if it does exist, can be improved over time like many other skills in life. Practice improves performance; continued practice may lead to greater ability. While some prefer a relaxed environment when performing TK, others claim that a "stressful" mood or high-intensity atmosphere is the best scenario for experiencing telekinetic ability as it forces the mind to use abilities that normally remain dormant.

Telekinesis enthusiasts will often cite the statistic that humans "use" only ten percent of their brains; such enthusiasts believe telekinesis is indeed possible, and uses other regions of the brain that we are not used to exercising during normal physical and mental activity.