WHEN Dr Dianne Cartwright was 17, her father told her about a strange dream involving a deceased neighbour and his friend down the road.
The next morning, the friend passed away – just as her father had dreamt that his former neighbour was waiting for him.
It was this experience that set the Coochiemudlo Island resident on a lifelong path to explore what she believes is humanity’s “lost sense” – telepathy.
“I’ve had these moments throughout my life where you might hear the words in your head before someone says them,” she said.
“These moments are always memorable, remarkable and usually mind blowing.
“It’s in our DNA and I am on a mission to find a way of connecting people through feelings and thoughts.
“I have discovered that this is not just a coincidence but is a way to communicate and empathise.”
She said it could be a powerful tool and a way of sharing information and feelings.
“The more we can be in touch with one another, the better off we are,” she said.
Dr Cartwright, 79, said many people kept telepathic experiences hidden.
“It is something people don’t talk about,” she said.
“These can be weird things – often spectacularly weird and it once got a lot of bad press.
“People would hide it, even from themselves.
“Telepathy is defined as mind-to-mind communication without using normal senses.
“If you look up telepathy on Wikipedia, you are directed to epilepsy and schizophrenia.”
While working as a GP, Dr Cartwright began asking patients about their own experiences.
“I was curious, and what I discovered was that it is very common,” she said.
“It’s more common than the common cold.”
She asked specific questions of patients who visited her clinic on a set day each week over the course of a year.
The results surprised her – about 80 per cent of respondents reported having some form of telepathic experience.
“On the first day, the session ran two hours late,” she said.
“Everyone wanted to share their stories.
“It could be about knowing who is on the other end of the line when you answer the phone.
“It could be someone you were just thinking about. That’s telepathy.”
Dr Cartwright collected 170 usable responses, which – along with her personal stories – form the basis of her new book, Telepathy: Our Lost Sense.
The book also explores the science behind telepathy and various experiments that aim to prove it exists.
She will speak about the book at the upcoming Thriving Possibilities event at The Whitehouse, 312 Colburn Ave, Victoria Point, at 6pm on June 12.
Bookings can be made on 0403 089 810 or at thrivingpossibilities.com.au
