Psychokinesis and telekinesis are both abilities to move objects or change their properties using the power of one’s conscious mind. True psychokinesis and telekinesis are extremely rare. So, can people have telekinetic powers? And what is the difference between telekinesis and psychokinesis? Let’s find out.
What is psychokinesis?
Psychokinesis is an ability to control matter with the mind, when the objects move or change because of a person’s intention. “Psi” signifies the mind, as in the word “psyche.” At the same time, “kinesis” stands for movement. As per the dictionary Merriam-Webster, psychokinesis is defined as “the movement of physical objects by the mind without the use of physical means.” So, we can say that the concept of psychokinesis describes the ability of some people to consciously influence physical objects with the power of only their mind.
Nobody can say for certain how psychokinetic abilities work. However, many believe that it is a result of the person’s powerful thoughts reflected in the physical world. Our thoughts are a very strong force which can manifest in different ways. One of these ways is in moving the matter or physical objects. The power of thoughts can trigger a lot of physical energy to be released into the world. And because everything in the universe is connected, this physical energy can influence surrounding things.
There are several theories about how exactly conscious intention can influence the physical world. Here is what some people believe:
- psychokinesis can happen on a subatomic level
- psychokinesis results from manipulation of the person’s energy field
- psychokinesis follows heat or sound waves in a closed space
The word psychokinesis first appeared in Henry Holt’s book “On the Cosmic Relations” in 1914. After different experiments in the 20th century, the term psychokinesis again appeared in 1934 to describe influencing objects with the force of mental energy, without physical intervention. In the beginning, the experiments to prove the existence of psychokinetic abilities consisted of manipulation of the falling dice with the intention of the mind.
And this is what psychokinesis is in a nutshell. But you may be aware that an ability such as telekinesis also involves moving objects with the power of your mind. Then, are they the same? To understand better what is the difference between telekinesis and psychokinesis, let’s look at telekinesis in more detail.
What is telekinesis?
Telekinesis is also an ability to move objects with the power of your mind, just like psychokinesis. The word “telekinesis” consists of two parts: “tele,” which means distance, and “kinesis,” or movement. Going back to Merriam-Webster’s definition, telekinesis is “the production of motion in objects (as by a spiritualistic medium) without contact or other physical means.” Thus, being able to interact with an object without moving it with your physical powers is known as telekinesis.
The term appeared first in 1890 and was used by a Russian researcher Alexander Aksakov. Telekinesis is a sub-level within psychokinesis because it only involves moving physical objects with the mind, while psychokinetic abilities are much broader. You might have seen many examples of superheroes with telekinetic abilities, but in real life such examples are hard to find and even harder to prove to be real.
Many scientists believe that telekinesis is not real. That is because reports about people with telekinetic abilities usually have little evidence to support the claims of people involved. But those who believe in the innate telekinetic powers also think there are ways to practice and strengthen these abilities, such as meditation, patience, concentration, and a firm belief in your powers.
If you see someone moving objects in the air, bending metallic objects, or putting out a candle without blowing on it, you can assume such a person has telekinetic powers. It is said that telekinesis places mental and physical stress on the person and could pose danger to his or her health. When moving objects with the mind, people’s mental abilities become sharper, their heart rate speeds up, and their blood pressure rises. They can remain in this state for some time after using their ability.
So, now that you know about the two abilities better, let’s figure out what is the difference between telekinesis and psychokinesis.
Difference between telekinesis and psychokinesis
Telekinesis is a narrower term because it is an application of psychokinesis. Unlike psychokinesis, which is through to be the power of the mind over matter, telekinesis is only about controlling solid physical objects. At the same time, psychokinesis can also involve healing, changing shapes of objects, teleporting, and projecting intentions onto different substances.
There are two levels of psychokinesis: macro and micro. On a macro level, people with psychokinetic abilities can move large objects with their mind, and such a manipulation is pretty obvious. On the other hand, on a micro level they move much smaller objects which results in subtler effects. Telekinesis is a branch of psychokinesis, but it also can be performed on a macro or micro level.
It is believed that people can develop telekinetic abilities as a result of the following factors:
- after physical or emotional trauma
- after experiencing an electric shock
- when the telekinetic ability runs in the family
- after years of study and practice
Abilities such as psychokinesis and telekinesis interest many people. Being able to manipulate objects using just the power of your mind is fascinating, and it stands near such mystic abilities as telepathy and clairvoyance. Both abilities are so rare that they are difficult to study, especially because people with abilities often cannot explain how they do it themselves.
Many people believe that if a person genuinely thinks he or she can move matter or objects with their mind, they can achieve it, but there is no scientific evidence to support such a claim. Those who believe in psychokinetic ability think that every person has it, but it gets lost in the hectic lifestyles we live today. Do you believe in supernatural powers? Who knows, maybe your psychokinetic abilities are lying in a dormant state waiting for you to uncover them or you need the help of a psychic reader to help you unleash them. Whatever may be the case, here’s hoping you got a greater understanding of the difference between telekinesis and psychokinesis through this article.