Mind Control

My mother was a firm believer in the powers of the mind. The human brain fascinated her and she read all she could about it. She was particularly interested in the large area of the brain that no-one has yet fathomed a function for. Her theory was that it is the source of our so-called paranormal powers – telepathy, instinct, clairvoyance, déjà vu, things our ancestors would have used in days before modern forms of communication, powers that people like the Australian Aborigines used to thread their paths through the desert and that sometimes let us know when someone close is ill, or in danger.

When my sister and I were young, our mother played a telepathy game with us. She would be the ‘sender’ and say, “I’m thinking of an animal” and project an image of that animal into our heads. With practise, we got good at it and took it in turns to be a ‘sender’ or a ‘receiver’.

Mum was blessed with excellent health. She was only ill once in her life, when she got appendicitis and, because she had never suffered an ordinary stomach ache, didn’t know the difference. By the time the doctor was called, it had turned into peritonitis. Two hours later, they said, and she would have been dead. But, true to form, three weeks after having her appendix out at the age of 56, she was swimming in the freezing Welsh sea.

Whenever she felt the start of a cold coming on, she would use her mental powers to beat it, by concentrating on the sore throat or tickly nose and telling herself firmly, “I have not got a cold.” It always worked. She could also use her powers to stop interference on the television screen. She even claimed to be able to close doors without leaving her chair.

At the age of 87, she went to bed one night and never woke up again. I wish I had inherited her health (I got my father’s instead) and I hope for a swift, peaceful end like hers, though not for many years yet, please! But in the meantime I have decided to see if I, too, can use mind over matter to combat my ailments. Last night in bed, lying awake at, I don’t know, around two, I’d guess, I concentrated on each pain in turn and told myself I hadn’t got it. Blow me if every ache didn’t cease immediately. Then I told myself to go to sleep – and awoke at 7am. I shall continue to report my progress and in the meantime, thanks, Mum!