Clairvoyance, also known as the Sight, is the power to gain information about an object, person, location, or event through sight beyond ordinary human perception.
Overview[]
Clairvoyance takes the form of visions projected into the user's mind, allowing them to see persons and events that are distant in time or space. The users of clairvoyance usually display the ability to perceive future events, the ability to perceive past events, or the ability to perceive of occurrences happening outside of the normal range of knowledge—sometimes exhibiting a combination of these. It has been shown that these visions might be displayed as a full event or as small glimpses into various events. Foresight, the ability to foresee events, is the most commonly possessed singular clairvoyant ability.
This is the secondary power of Charmed One, Maggie Vera. In 2019, after her currently possessed empathic powers were rendered dormant, she subsequently developed the power of foresight through exposure to black amber. Over a year afterward, her power expanded to include the ability to see events of the past as well.
Receiving Visions[]
The most commonly shown method by which users receive their visions is through physical contact with objects or individuals connected to the vision, making them a form of psychometry. An encounter with their father, Ray Vera, helped Maggie and Mel Vera conclude that Maggie's power could be triggered and enhanced via psychometry, specifically by being in close proximity to or touching personal items belonging to the target of her visions.[1] However, it was shown that other users of this power, like Inara, are capable of receiving visions spontaneously without any physical contact or triggering object.[2] Maggie herself has been shown to receive visions without the need for touch, although when she needs to focus her power to summon a vision on command, she typically resorts to touching an object to help direct her abilities.
Additionally, it has been demonstrated that certain users might access the foresight aspect of clairvoyance while they are asleep, receiving precognitive visions presumably in the form of dreams, further broadening the range of how this ability can manifest.[3]
Branches of Clairvoyance[]
Foresight[]
Foresight (also known as Premonition or The Gift of Prophecy) is the power to perceive events of the future before they have happened. This has been shown to be a very helpful ability, as the users are sometimes forewarned of oncoming attacks and thus are able to prevent tragedies from occurring. This was the primary power of Elder Marisol Vera. In "Deconstructing Harry", Maggie developed the power of foresight after her currently possessed active powers were rendered dormant. This ability first manifested after she had come in direct contact with black amber, and several subsequent attempts to use this ability required Maggie to do so again. For instance, Maggie initially received her first few psychic visions through contact with Jordan Chase's family ring before later channeling the power through the Black Amber Tree in the Command Center. However, as of "Guess Who's Coming to SafeSpace Seattle", Maggie is able to access this ability free of using black amber, apparently acquiring the power through repeated exposure to the substance.
Nowsight[]
Nowsight (also referred to as Present Sight or Remote Viewing)[4] is the power to perceive current events and observe what is happening elsewhere, even if the user is not physically present at the location. Inara, one of the original Charmed Ones, possessed this power, allowing her to see glimpses of things happening in the present outside of her range of knowledge. It is known that Inara had spent millennia watching as numerous trios of the Charmed Ones rose and fell. During the time of her Utopia in "Be Kind. Rewind.", she was able to see glimpses of Harry Greenwood in the kitchen of Vera Manor getting Kaela Danso's teapot and starting it on the oven while she was at SafeSpace, Seattle herself, though she was unable to see his face. Harry, aware that Inara could find him through her ability, rarely stayed on the physical plane for longer than a few minutes and escaped back to Infinite Home Video before she can catch him. In "The End Is Never The End", she was also able to sense the changes in the present caused by the Vera-Danso Charmed Ones sending the tape back in time. Inara remained fully aware of their actions and adapted her strategy accordingly, ordering the Unseen troll to bury the stolen Book of Shadows and the recreated Unity Bowl in the forest. However, Mel, Maggie, and Kaela Danso managed to recover both items despite her efforts. Inara also sensed the sisters' actions and expressed her outrage in real-time.
Hindsight[]
Hindsight[4] is the power to perceive events of the past. Maggie first demonstrated this aspect of clairvoyance a little over a year after developing her power. She utilized hindsight for the first time in "Yew Do You" while she was looking for Julie Hoffman, a victim of Omon, whom had been hypnotized to run over her boyfriend, Jason. Maggie touched the broken glass from Jason's car and saw that Julie was in the forest. As with other branches of clairvoyance, these visions may display as a singular event or provide a look into multiple events. For example, when grabbing Jordan Chase's hand in "What to Expect When You're Expecting the Apocalypse", Maggie was able to see that he was the one that had been taken over by the Whispering Evil by glimpsing at him infecting several people, displaying how hindsight can offer broader insight into connected events.
The Evil Sight[]
The Evil Sight could be considered a demonic counterpart of clairvoyance. Those with this ability are able to see through the eyes of evil and even remotely perceive evil events, including those that have occurred in the past. It also allows the user to feel what the evildoer was feeling at the time. In "Switches & Stones", Macy Vaughn temporarily tapped into this power after having her demonic side augmented by accidentally touching a rune in the Vortex Viribus that had appeared beneath Vera Manor. She was later able to actively access the power through the use of Elder Bari's needle, but when she began to experience frequent demonic blackouts, she broke the needle and put her use of the Evil Sight to rest.
Claircognizance[]
Claircognizance[4] could be considered an alternative form or variant of clairvoyance. Like clairvoyance, users of this power are able to gain insight into a person, object, place, or event. However, rather than receiving information through visions or mental images, claircognizance manifests as intrinsic knowledge or intuitive understanding that simply appears in the user's mind. This power allows users to perceive details from past and future events or distant locations without relying on sensory input. The psychic, Mama Roz, seemingly possessed this power. Although, she referred to her ability as "the sight", but later described it as "to hear what a person needs to know". However, her power didn't necessarily seem to rely on auditory input or visions. Instead, Mama Roz was able to know things about people that she couldn't have seen or known otherwise. For instance, in "Kappa Spirit", she sensed Macy's dark side and that she was different than her sisters. She also cryptically notified Macy that "the pillar of your path holds the key to your darkness". Later, Macy recalled this statement and found a hidden box containing a key inside one of the pillars at Vera Manor. In "The Replacement", Mama Roz encountered Galvin Burdette, who had been possessed by an Abiku Demon. Although she quickly perceived the presence of the demon within him and warned him to stay away from Macy, she was ultimately attacked and killed by Galvin in his possessed state.
Similarly, the Graiai are a powerful, magical trio of sisters who, despite being physically blind, have been blessed with the ability "to see and know everything." If someone has a question, they can provide the answer. However, as payment, they will demand truth from those who seek favors from them. Once the trade is given, the Graiai are bound by magical law to tell only the truth. Like Mama Roz, the sisterly trio's abilities do not seem to rely on visual perception, as they just seem to know things that they couldn't have known otherwise. For instance, in "Truth or Cares", the Graiai immediately sensed what Harry and Jordan wanted from them when the two men approached them at The Blue Camellia with offerings. The sisters agreed to give them the information they wished regarding the Unity Bowl in exchange for the truth about Jordan's feelings for Maggie. He told them he thought they may have a shot at reconciliation, but the Graiai sensed the untruth in his words and lied in return. When Jordan returned to find them, Pam helped him realize his true feelings and then gave him the information he asked for.
Insight Sharing[]
Certain powerful users of cognitive abilities might possess the unique power to share their insight with others, allowing them to confront the truths that reside deep within themselves. For instance, the Graiai, or at least Pam, are able to show other beings the truth that is in their hearts. In "Truth or Cares", as punishment for Jordan not revealing what was truly in his heart, the Graiai tricked Jordan and Harry into making an explosive potion that knocked them both back. This time, Pam used her power of insight sharing to help Jordan uncover the truth within his heart. She guided him to realize that he didn't actually want to rekindle his relationship with Maggie if it meant they would wind up back in a toxic relationship. After Jordan came to terms with his true feelings, Pam honored the deal they had made earlier and revealed to him how the Unity Bowl was connected to the Lost One. This showcases how insight sharing can be used not only to reveal personal truths but also to help others reach self-awareness and growth through cognitive power.
Known Users[]
Trivia[]
- The word clairvoyance means "clear vision," as it comes from the French words clair 'clear' and voyance 'vision.' In reality, it is a purported ability to see persons and events that are distant in time or space.
- This might be in reference to the idea of the "third eye," which is associated with cognition-related abilities. Clairvoyance is also commonly associated with extrasensory perception, which regards the reception of information not gained through the recognized physical senses.
- A being with these sort of abilities might be labeled as a "psychic." For example, Mama Roz was considered a psychic.
- Additionally, those with the power to foresee future events might be occasionally referred to as "prophets". For instance, Marisol Vera was called a prophet.
- In the original Charmed series, Phoebe Halliwell, one of the Charmed Ones, possessed this power, which was referred to solely as "Premonition," even after her ability extended to more than merely foreseeing the future.
- In the reboot, the only power tied to clairvoyance to be directly addressed was the ability to foresee the future, which was addressed using several terms.
- In the original series, users of the power of "premonition" could develop the ability to look into the future, past and present, acting as a form of clairvoyance.
- Similarly, in the reboot, Maggie eventually grew to be able to see events from the past by the time of Yew Do You. However, she was never shown developing the ability to see glimpses of current events. It could be presumed that true clairvoyance acts as a mixture, allowing one to see the past, present and future. As such, it is a possibility that, had the series continued, Maggie's power could have eventually grown to allow her to perceive the present and current events as well.
- There is some uncertainty surrounding the exact nature of Mama Roz's psychic abilities. It seems Mama Roz's ability defies clear categorization based on traditional descriptions of psychic powers. While she referred to her power as "the sight," it doesn't align with the typical definition, which usually involves visions of the past, present, or future. Her claim that she can "hear what a person needs to know" could be interpreted more metaphorically, suggesting an intuitive ability rather than literal hearing. Mama Roz's power appears to be a form of claircognizance, meaning "clear knowledge," which is the ability to know things without direct input through other senses. This would explain how she seemed to instinctively understand or "know" critical information, like the warning about the darkness inside Macy or recognizing the presence of the Abiku Demon in Galvin. While her description was inconsistent, the underlying ability seems to focus on deep intuitive knowledge rather than visions or auditory input.
- Additionally, the Graiai are said to possess the ability "to see and know everything," despite their lack of physical sight. Unlike traditional clairvoyance, which typically involves receiving mental visions of events or people, the Graiai's powers seem to transcend visual perception. Similarly to Mama Roz, their ability seems to be more aligned with a form of claircognizance, as they appear to just know truths without needing to visually perceive them. At least one of the sisters, Pam, also demonstrated the ability to reveal the truth within another's heart, suggesting a unique form of insight that goes beyond typical psychic sight, making their power more about revealing and understanding truth than merely seeing it.
References[]
- ↑ Guess Who's Coming to SafeSpace Seattle
- ↑ Be Kind. Rewind.
- ↑ Breaking the Cycle
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 These are not the terms that were used in-universe but rather by the fans.