I have had many good discussions about this kind of thing with various folks: behavouralists, biologists, theologians, teachers, patients and colleagues. Some seem to totally agree that such a phenomena exists while others totally deny it. It is a facinating subject by ways it is agreed or denied.

My own ideas are hardly 'stable', as I cannot tie it down to a single answer, but I think it may be a combination of a number of things. For the record I am often aware of being stared at. It's a kind of radar and I have no idea where it comes from or what it is. I am certainly not clairvoyant in any way that I know of.

I am not a great believer in ESP but that means nothing. Because I do not believe totally does not mean it cannot exist so I have an open mind on that. There is much we still do not know or have an explanation for.

I believe we are all connected in some way and that a collective kind of memory /awareness could exist as every atom in the universe is in touch with the next one along. I cannot explain it more than that. I am not clever enough. But I do think that maybe we should never discount a kind of 'atomic connectivity' an a very base level. If we consider that our own minds and memories may be no more than chemical interactions then why can the universe, which is made of the same things we are, not have a 'memory' of sorts?

I listened to a programme a couple of weeks ago in which someone was described as "Emotionally spiritual but iintellectually skepitical". That's me to a tee!

Behaviourally and instinctually, of course, we are just plain animals. Evolutionarily we would have needed to know when something was looking at us and to be able to assess the threat level and intention of whatever it was that was staring. Maybe it is THAT which now allows us to KNOW when someone is staring at us. But quite what it could be that we pick up on, non-visually, to know someone is staring is way beyond our known sense of sight, touch, hearing and smell. That many people do it all the time - some much better than others - is definintely worthy of more investigation as I really do think that something is being 'picked up on'. But what?

There is much anecdotal evidence for this, 'women's intuition' and 'trusting instincts', which I think could be connected somewhere in our make-up. I believe some answers will be found in the study of other animal's behaviours and innate actions. Maybe fear is also connected to some very subtle 'lost sense'.

What the heck do I know? I do know you have been staring at what I have written for a couple of minutes ;-) At least I have a sneaky suspicion you may have been lol

mp