Investigating Discarnate Intelligence

Paranthropology Vol. 3 No. 1 - Now Available to Download for Free.

2012-01-23T01:35:00.000-08:00

The latest issue of Paranthropology (Vol. 3 No. 1), featuring contributions from Charles D. Laughlin, Patricia 'Iolana, Charles T. Tart, Fabian Graham, Jack Hunter, Greg Taylor, Guy Lyon Playfair, Robert McLuhan, Paul Devereux and William Rowlandson, can now be downloaded for free by following any of the following links:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/79026211/Paranthropology-Vol-3-No-1

http://www.box.com/s/3z7v8cuv0b9hmcmmv4si

http://www.paranthropology.co.uk

I hope you enjoy...

Call for Papers: Paranthropology Vol. 3 No. 1 (January 2012)

2011-10-24T04:35:00.000-07:00

Submissions are now open for the January 2012 issue of "Paranthropology: Journal of Anthropological Approaches to the Paranormal" (Vol. 3 No. 1). Articles can be on any topic relating to:

Paranormal/Supernatural/Spiritual/Religious belief/experience

Magic, Parapsychology, Afterlife Research, etc.

Mediumship, Shamanism, Occultism, etc.

Psychedelic experience

Extraordinary encounters in the field (particularly focussing on the ethnographic interpretation and presentation of extraordinary experiences)

General issues in the anthropology of consciousness and experience... Amongst others...

Although anthropological and ethnographic approaches are central to the journal, we also welcome contributions from other disciplines including folklore, history, sociology, psychology, parapsychology and indeed any discipline which has an interesting contribution to make.

If you have an idea for an article that you think would be suitable for the publication, or have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to get in touch with the editor via discarnates@googlemail.com

Articles should be written in an academic, though accessible style, and should utilise the Harvard referencing system (for information visit http://paranthropologyjournal.weebly.com/submit.html). All articles should be submitted no later than December 15th so that they have enough time to go through the peer-review process.

I hope to hear from some of you soon.

Jack Hunter (editor)

www.paranthropology.co.uk

www.afterliferesearch.co.uk

Paranthropology Vol. 2 No. 4 (October 2011) Now Available to Download

2011-10-18T13:10:00.000-07:00

The October 2011 issue of Paranthropology: Journal of Anthropological Approaches to the Paranormal is now available to download for free from the following addresses:

Direct download: http://www.box.net/shared/go46254prfd1naqrk2tx
Paranthropology website: http://paranthropologyjournal.weebly.com/

The journal should be available to purchase as a print magazine in 2 weeks time, details are available http://www.paranthropology.co.uk

This issue features articles from Dr. Lee Wilson, Prof. David E. Young, Dr. Christel Mattheeuws, Andrew Lang, Dr. Mark A. Schroll, Dr. Henry Dosedla, Dr. William Rowlandson, Dr. David Luke & Eileen J. Garrett.

I hope you enjoy it.

Paranthropology Now Available in Print

2011-07-31T14:37:00.000-07:00

"Paranthropology: Journal of Anthropological Approaches to the Paranormal" Vol. 2 No. 2 is now available to purchase as a physical print copy. Click on the link below to find out more:

http://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/219660

I received my copy in the post and am very happy with the way it has come out.

You can still download the journal for free from www.paranthropology.co.uk

Submissions are also open for the October 2011 issue. Don't hesitate to get in touch via discarnates@googlemail.com if you have an idea for a contribution.

Paranthropology Vol. 2 No. 3 - Now Available to Download

2011-07-25T00:12:00.000-07:00

Visit the journal's new website at www.paranthropology.co.uk to download the July 2011 issue for free.

Nice Article about Paranthropology on Reality Sandwich

2011-04-22T03:26:00.000-07:00

There's a nice article about Paranthropology on the Reality Sandwich website, check it out:

http://www.realitysandwich.com/paranthropology

Paranthropology Vol. 2 No. 2 - "Psi and the Psychedelic Experience"

2011-04-11T00:26:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

I hope you are well. Here is the link to the latest issue of

Paranthropology, which features articles from Andy Roberts, David Luke,

Jean Millay, Mark A. Schroll, Robert M. Schoch and others. It can be

downloaded directly from the link below:

http://www.box.net/shared/50b47tesl4

I hope you enjoy this latest issue.

Comments and suggestions would be more than welcome.

All the best.

Jack Hunter

Parapsychological Association Conference - Call for Papers

2011-01-26T12:21:00.001-08:00

CALL FOR PAPERS

54^th Annual Parapsychological Association Convention

Curitiba, Brazil

August 18-21, 2011

The 54^th Annual Convention of the Parapsychological Association (PA) will be held from Thursday August 18^th, through Sunday August 21^st, 2011, in Curitiba, Brazil.

The deadline for the receipt of all submissions is Monday April 11, 2011. Submissions received after this date will be considered only in exceptional circumstances. Abstracts of all accepted submissions other than workshops will be included in the convention booklet, provided that they are received before the deadline.

All submissions to the 2011 PA convention, except proposed workshops, must be submitted electronically. They should be emailed as attachments, to the chair of the Program Committee, Dr. Marios Kittenis, at m.kittenis@aston.ac.uk. Authors who are not online or who for some other reason cannot meet these requirements should contact Marios prior to submission, either by mail: c/o Dr Marios Kittenis, Psychology, School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, B4 7ET, UK or by phone: +44 121 204 3000 ext. 4318.

For more details, please see: http://www.parapsych.org/breaking-news.html#18

Paranthropology: Journal of Anthropological Approaches to the Paranormal - Vol. 2 No. 1

2011-01-24T15:40:00.000-08:00

The latest issue of Paranthropology is now available to download for free from www.paranthropology.weebly.com/newsletter.html

Spooksfest 2011

2011-01-15T05:09:00.001-08:00

New Article - License Plate Synchronicity

2010-12-04T03:59:00.001-08:00

There is a new article by Elliot Benjamin, PhD. in the articles section of the Paranthropology website. The article has the title of "License Plate Synchronicity: An Experiential Account and Analysis". Check it out:

http://paranthropology.weebly.com/elliot-benjamin.html

Submissions Open for Paranthropology 2:1

2010-11-07T02:30:00.001-08:00

Submissions for articles and reviews are now open for the 3rd issue of the Paranthropology Journal (Vol. 2, No. 1) (www.paranthropology.weebly.com/newsletter.html). This issue will have the general theme of "Mediumship and Spirit Possession", so anything pertaining to these issues, and related phenomena (e.g. spirits, ghosts, hauntings, poltergeists etc.) will be considered for inclusion. Articles can be from social scientific, anthropological, experiential, historical, psychological, parapsychological, and personal perspectives (or any other) and should be in the region of 500-2,000 words. Book/event reviews should be no more than 1,000 words in length.

If you would like to submit an article/review please don't hesitate to get in touch via:

discarnates@googlemail.com

Deadline: 4th January 2011.

Paranthropology: Journal of Anthropological Approaches to the Paranormal (Issue 2)

2010-10-19T15:03:00.000-07:00

Issue 2 of "Paranthropology: Journal of Anthropological Approaches to the Paranormal" is now available to download. It's theme is "Paranormal Encounters in the Field" and it can be downloaded from here:

www.paranthropology.weebly.com/newsletter.html

Eileen J. Garrett Scholarship

2010-09-10T00:25:00.000-07:00

I have been awarded the 2010 Eileen J. Garrett Scholarship by the Parapsychology Foundation. Happily I will be able to commence my PhD research into the Role of paranormal experience in contemporary spiritualism in October.

Thank you Parapsychology Foundation.

Call for Articles - "Paranormal Encounters in the Field"

2010-07-31T03:00:00.000-07:00

Issue two of "Paranthropology: Journal of Anthropological Approaches to the Paranormal" is set to be released in October 2010. The general theme for this issue will be "Paranormal Encounters in the Field". To this end, therefore, we are now open for article and review submissions.

Articles should be in the region of 1,000 words, though this is not a strict word limit.

If you would like to contribute an article, review or letter, or would like any more information, please get in touch via discarnates@googlemail.com

Paranthropology: Journal of Anthropological Approaches to the Paranormal (Issue 1)

2010-07-24T09:39:00.000-07:00

The first issue of "Paranthropology: Journal of Anthropological Approaches to the Paranormal" is now available to download for free. Simply click on either of the following links to be taken to the journal:

Paranthropology: Journal of Anthropological Approaches to the Paranormal (Issue 1)

Newsletter

I would greatly appreciated any feedback or comments that you might have about this issue, and would welcome any contributions for future issues.

I hope you find it interesting.

Rhine Online: Psi News Magazine - Latest Issue Now Available

2010-07-16T03:58:00.000-07:00

The latest issue of "Rhine Online: Psi News Magazine" is now up and available at the following link:

http://www.rhine.org/newsletter.htm

It features an article from myself, entitled "Anthropology and the Ontological Status of the Paranormal", as well as an article on Shamanism by Katherine MacDowell, and article on the healing power of Dolphins by Jennifer Moore and interviews with Joe McMoneagle and Christine Simmons-Moore.

Paranthropology Journal - Coming Very Soon

2010-07-07T02:10:00.000-07:00

The first issue of the Paranthropology newsletter is very nearly ready to be released, hopefully within the next week and a half.

If you would like to sign up to receive the newsletter via e-mail please click on the following link and fill in the form:

http://paranthropology.weebly.com/newsletter.html

53rd Annual Parapsychological Association Convention

2010-06-19T01:12:00.000-07:00

53 rd Annual Convention of the Parapsychological Association
Enclos Rey – Paris, France
July 22-25, 2010
Program Chair: Dr. Nicola Holt
Arrangements Chair: Dr. Mario P. Varvoglis

Local Host: Institut Métapsychique International

General Information

The Annual PA Convention is an multidisciplinary international gathering of scientists and scholars engaged in the study of psi or ('psychic') experiences, such as telepathy, clairvoyance, psychokinesis, psychic healing, and precognition. The convention features three days of papers and posters presenting the latest academic research taking place in laboratories and research centers around the world. PA conventions are open to the public, and provide ample opportunities for attendees to discuss and exchange ideas.

L'Enclos Rey, a convent situated in the Parisian 15th sector, will be the site of the 2010 PA convention. Located just a short walk from the Eiffel Tower, the convent features a 6000 square metre garden within its walls, and can accommodate overnight guests at budget rates. With its urban location, there are many hotels, restaurants, and sight-seeing activities within walking distance of Enclos Rey.

Preceding the convention will be a public-friendly day of lectures hosted by the Institut Métapsychique International. The IMI day will take place at the Enclos Rey on Thursday, July 22 from 09h00 to 19h00. This day, aimed at a general but sophisticated public, will touch on a number of themes, including the history of parapsychology, research, epistemological issues, and applications. A majority of the presentations will be in French. Registration details for the IMI day are available at http://www.metapsychique.org/IMI-Day-of-PA-Convention-2010.html.

The IMI day will be followed by three days of PA convention activities in English. On Saturday evening, the annual banquet will be held at les Pavillons de Bercy, a cultural space and museum that holds three themed venues and outdoor gardens. The banquet speaker, Paul Devereux is managing editor and co-founder of the peer-reviewed publication, Time & Mind - The Journal of Archaeology, Consciousness and Culture. A research associate at the Royal College of Art and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Devereux was a Senior Research Fellow with the International Consciousness Research Laboratories (ICRL) in Princeton for twelve years.

For information on registration visit:

http://www.parapsych.org/convention

New Newsletter

2010-06-14T02:25:00.000-07:00

I have just started work putting together a new newsletter called "Paranthropology: Journal of Anthropological Approaches to the Paranormal". It will feature a range of short articles, news, reviews and so on from a variety of different writers.

If you would like to receive this free newsletter click on the following link and fill in the form:

http://paranthropology.weebly.com/newsletter.html

The Old Rennaissance and the New

2010-06-05T11:28:00.000-07:00

I was just thinking, while reading the amazon blurb for a book on Spiritualism and its role in early feminism ("Radical Spirits: Spiritualism and Women's Rights in Nineteenth Century America" by Ann Braude), about the possibility that mass social change is conduive to paranormal phenomena. A link between the concept of liminality,anti-structure and the paranormal has often been suggested; a major exposition of the issue can be found in George Hansen's "The Trickster and the Paranormal". The rise of spiritualism in the 19th century was coincident with enormous social change: the rise of modern science, the decline of religion, women's rights and so on - by any reckoning an anti-structural scenario. The spiritual phenomena allegedly produced at this time were of an extraordinary variety: full materializations of spirits, levitation, ectoplasmic rods, independent voice, and apports to name just a few. Might it be that these spirit manifestations were so impressive as a result of the seances taking place right in the middle of widespread social flux? If there is a link between intensity of paranormal phenomena and social upheaval, then might the alleged successes of certain mediumship groups (for example the Felix Experimental Group and the Yellow Cloud Circle) in producing materializations be linked to the current state of society? Is our society in a state of change?

Sum: Tales from the Afterlives - David Eagleman

2010-05-26T01:58:00.000-07:00

I have just written a short review of a talk by David Eagleman, author of "Sum: Tales from the Afterlives". The event was part of the Bristol Festival of Ideas and the "review" can be read here:

http://paranthropology.weebly.com/reviews.html

Exploring the Extraordinary

2010-05-25T03:39:00.000-07:00

It looks as though this is going to be a fascinating couple of days. I will be presenting a paper on my fieldwork experience at the Bristol Spirit Lodge.

The Felix Circle

2010-05-18T07:47:00.002-07:00

More of the apparent new rennaissance of physical mediumship.

From what they have been reporting, the Felix circle is one of the most successful physical mediumship circles in operation at the moment.

Do Statues Weep? The Imporance of Scepticism

2010-05-18T02:17:00.000-07:00

I have just written a sort of review of a talk I attended at the Watershed on May 14th. The event was part of the Bristol Festival of Ideas and the "review" can be read here:

http://paranthropology.weebly.com/reviews.html

New Apparent Ectoplasmic Materialization Videos...

2010-05-09T03:51:00.000-07:00

Find more videos like this on Physical Mediumship 4U

Are we seeing a new renaissance of physical mediumship?

Bristol Jack in the Green

2010-05-04T07:06:00.000-07:00

A Supernatural Being Manifests in Bristol on May 1st 2010

Too Many Questions and Too Many Answers: The Paranormal Scene

2010-04-24T15:56:00.000-07:00

The global paranormal scene is a fascinating social phenomenon rife with opposing groups and theoretical standpoints. At the very basic level we see the long standing rift between those that would be classed as “believers” and those that are called “sceptics”, but this is just the simplest distinction. These two categories can be further subdivided revealing an ever bifurcating conceptual root system of different interpretations and conclusions drawn from a variety of ostensibly paranormal phenomena and experiences.

There are investigators who apply scientific, laboratory based, methodologies to the study of so-called psi phenomena (telepathy, clairvoyance, psychokinesis and so on), and those who employ a more direct experiential approach in attempting to develop these abilities for themselves. Some researchers have positive results, others inconclusive results and negative results There are researchers looking into the neurochemistry of paranormal experiences: those who suggest that paranormal experiences can be explained through a detailed study of the functioning, or malfunctioning, of the human brain, and those who argue that this endeavour is futile and overly reductive. Some psychologists consider claims to paranormal experience as evidence of a plethora of pathological disorders, while others see such experiences as entirely natural transformative episodes that benefit the psyche. There are anthropologists studying witchcraft beliefs, spirit possession, mediumship and shamanism in exotic locations around the world. Amongst these are those who essentially “go native” and adopt the beliefs of the peoples they are studying for themselves, and those who go out of their way to explain away any apparently paranormal experiences in rational and reductive terms. There are sociologists who study paranormal belief without commenting on whether these beliefs are valid, and phenomenologists who are interested in the way that the paranormal is experienced.

Within ufology we find those who believe in the existence of UFOs in a purely physical sense (referred to as “nuts and bolts” advocates), and within this subgroup there are those who believe that the UFOs have an extraterrestrial origin and those who believe they have a terrestrial origin (whether human or otherwise). Then there are the proponents of much more transcendent interpretations that see UFOs as non-mechanical inter-dimensional vehicles working on the level of consciousness. There are those who understand the UFO and abduction phenomenon to be a continuation of the historical folkloric traditions of fairy encounters. There are religious interpretations that see these unidentified objects as somehow linked to biblical descriptions of strange angelic vehicles. Certain theorists have proposed that the abduction phenomenon is in someway related to the action of psychoactive chemicals on the human brain, or of the interaction of electromagnetic energies, potentially opening portals of perception to other worlds. There is the time travelling hypothesis, which suggests that the occupants of the UFOs are human beings from the future on a mission to prevent a course of planetary destruction that we are currently in the process of laying out for ourselves. Are crop circles messages from UFOs, inter-dimensional beings, humans from the future with potent messages for mankind or elaborate hoaxes? Who are the men in black? Is there an international conspiracy?

Ghosts provide yet another moot point around which we construct diverse theories and opinions. Some believe that ghosts are the spirits of the dead trapped in the world of the living because they have “unfinished business”. Certain researchers have vouched for the so-called “stone tape theory” which suggests that ghosts are recordings of emotional events captured in the structural material of buildings. Photographic anomalies are interpreted by some as evidence of ghostly intervention and others as nothing more than technological faults. Some mediums believe that they are receiving information from entities claiming to have existed on the earth at some point in history; others believe that their communicators have never been incarnated. Channellers claim to receive communications from a variety of different sources, from distant planets and other dimensions, heavenly beings, ascended masters and higher selves. Spiritualists believe that the spirits of the dead can communicate with the living, but certain groups prefer mental mediumship (that is receiving telepathic messages from the deceased in a symbolic form) while others prefer to communicate with the dead via trance or physical mediumship. Are the successes of mediums down to the survival of human consciousness after death or the super-psi hypothesis (that is information received telepathically from people still alive on the earth or from galactic stores of information – the akashic records)? Some spiritualists believe that these are dangerous practices, as do many fundamentalist Christian groups, while sceptics see nothing but fraud. Are these communicators really who they say they are, or is there something more sinister going on? Are they demons? Is it evil? Some say yes, others say no. What exactly is glossolalia, or talking in tongues, if not another form of channelling? Or is it a related phenomenon at all?

Cryptozoologists argue about whether Bigfoot or the Loch Ness monster are actual animals, perhaps as yet unrecorded species or survivals from prehistory, or much more transcendent supernatural entities. Is the chupacabra an alien or some sort of wild animal? What are hallucinations, and do they have any form of reality beyond the subjective? Is there a secret entrance into the hollow earth at the North Pole? Could there possibly be bases on the moon? If so, are they made by humans or aliens? What is their purpose? There are hundreds of theories. Who were the Atlanteans and Lemurians, if they ever existed at all? Were they simply ancient civilizations, a highly technologically advanced race or supernaturally powerful beings?

What are the mystics experiencing? Can these divine mysteries be described or explained in our limited linguistic vocabulary? Are they reconcilable with a rational, scientific, appreciation of nature?

There are practicing witches who swear by the efficacy of their ritual actions, charms and spells, and those who utterly denounce any such practices as irrational, illogical and ineffective. Some people are very superstitious, some believe in luck, others in synchronicity and astrology, while there are those who claim all such beliefs are outmoded primitive hangovers from a bygone age of ignorance. Some call telephone psychics and tarot readers to tell their fortunes, others wouldn’t dare but would instead be happy to attend a reading in the flesh. Spiritual healers continue to work with mixed results: some claim amazing and immediate cures, others are left disappointed. Mainstream medical science continues to condemn these practitioners, along with other forms of alternative healing, and yet the practices persist, indeed they flourish.

Does God exist? Thousands of people claim to have seen visions of the Virgin Mary, and yet there are those who would suggest that mass sightings like those at Fatima and Lourdes were nothing but illusions. What is enlightenment, and how can it be achieved? Which religion should we follow, if any? Is Richard Dawkins right, is it all delusion and illusion?

There is hardly a more confusing and controversial area of investigation. Just what is going on here? It seems as though there is no way that we can ever come even close to a consensus agreement on any of these issues, there are too many questions and too many answers. Perhaps this is the way it has to be, by the very nature of the beast in question: a trickster of massive proportions.

Paranormal Cultures: An interdisciplinary conference hosted by the Sussex Centre for Cultural Studies at the University of Sussex - Friday 4 June 2010

2010-04-23T10:48:00.000-07:00

Registration is now open for The Sussex Centre for Cultural Studies one-day interdisciplinary conference on Paranormal Cultures, Friday 4 June 2010 at The University of Sussex.

The paranormal has always exerted a particular 'pull', triggering in some an urge to explore and explain and in others a more emotional or even spiritual reaction. Discussions about and enjoyment of a rich mixture of topics and experiences grouped under the umbrella term 'paranormal cultures' are becoming increasingly popular and mainstream. An abundance of media coverage, television and cinema entertainment and an ever growing interest in supernatural phenomena, ghosts, UFOs, psychic powers, astrology and other forms of alternative knowledges on the Internet testifies to a willingness to explore the 'paranormal' and the extraordinary in our everyday lives.

This conference seeks to open up discussions about the anxieties, desires and engagements with the paranormal discourse, in popular culture, literature and visual culture as well as in everyday life, and across historical periods. The recent increase in popularity of all things paranormal across literature, art and popular culture suggests not only a reinvigorated interest in notions of the paranormal but possibly also new functions and pleasures of these fascinations, pursuits that scholars need to engage with, and we hope the conference will be a stimulating starting point for such engagements. Conversations across disciplines, from Anthropology, Cultural Studies, Media Studies, History, to Art History will be addressing questions such as: What is the influence of the paranormal on our personal and social lives? What can researching a society's engagements with the paranormal and alternative knowledges tell us about a culture? How should the recent increase in popularisation of the paranormal be interpreted?

All of these conversations and more will spill over into lunch and coffee breaks and no doubt into the wine reception at the end of the programme. And for the curious and courageous we have also arranged for a Ghost Walk in the Lanes, central Brighton in the evening [limited spaces available].

Keynote Speakers:
Prof John Harvey (Aberystwyth)
Dr Anita Biressi and Prof Heather Nunn (Roehampton)

Speakers from Sussex include: Prof Sally R Munt (Director of the Sussex Centre for Cultural Studies) Dr Alie Bird (Anthropology) Dr Olu Jenzen (English and Cultural Studies) Dr Tatiana Kontou (English) Dr Jon Mitchell (Anthropology) Dr Pam Thurschwell (English)

Conference fee: £40 (£15 unwaged and students)includes lunch and refreshments. Organisers: Prof Sally R. Munt and Dr Olu Jenzen To register please contact: o.l.m.jenzen@sussex.ac.uk Closing date for registrations: 24 May 2010 For programme and further information visit our website: www.sussex.ac.uk/sccs

First Afterlife Research Centre (ARC) Workshop

2010-04-13T01:32:00.001-07:00

The first meeting of the Afterlife Research Centre (ARC) in the Department of Archaeology & Anthropology at the University of Bristol went really well yesterday. We had wide ranging discussions; from spiritualism and physical mediumship, through neo-platonism and creativity to Tibetan healing and the new religious movement Tenrikyo. All fascinating stuff. The first steps were also made in establishing a new peer-reviewed journal for presenting the research interests of members of the ARC, although this is still some way off.

On the whole the workshop was highly constructive and very informative. I look forward immesely to the development of the ARC.
(Left-Right, Yueh-po Huang, Fiona Bowie, Geoffrey Samuel, Angela Voss, Jack Hunter, Alexis Karkotis).

Clinically Dead Boy 'Saw Granny In Heaven'

2010-04-10T04:14:00.000-07:00

Another Near-Death Experience related news-piece has just come to my attention:

It tells the story of a German boy who, while clinically dead, claimed to have been with his grandmother in heaven.

Click here to read the full article: SOURCE

Carbon Dioxide & Near-Death Experiences...

2010-04-07T23:38:00.000-07:00

I just found this news item, from Sky News, detailing new research into the link between CO2 levels in the body and near-death experiences (NDE):

"CO2 May be Cause of 'Near-Death Experiences'"

It is interesting to note that while the headline of the article reads: "Near death experiences could come about by something as mundane as raised levels of carbon dioxide, scientists suggest", clearly an attempt at suggesting a purely physical, and hence reductionist, explanation for the phenomenon, Zalika Klemenc-Ketis, the research leader, when asked if the study would rule out a paranormal component said: "I don't think that, based on our study, we can say that paranormal believers are wrong. We have simply found out that one of the factors that could play a role in provoking the NDE, is carbon dioxide. But a lot still has to be done to totally explain this phenomena."

I wonder why the media is so keen to present such stories as though they were evidence against a supernatural reality?

Pre-Cognitive Dream of Unfortunate Lotto Winner

2010-04-04T02:34:00.001-07:00

I just stumbled across this story about a former Baker who won £9million on the Lottery in 2005. The money he won negatively affected his life, ultimately leading to his death 5 years later. What interested me most about the article was the following passage:

"At the time the couple scooped the jackpot, Mrs Gough, a secretary, said her husband had a dream their numbers would come up. She said: "A few nights ago Keith told me he had dreamt we had won the lottery. I dismissed it and told him that 'everyone has those kind of dreams' and to forget about it. I never believed it would come true."

Looks like a case of pre-cognitive dreaming.

I wonder how many pre-cognitive dreams are simply dismissed? It is a shame as they do appear to perform the function of an early warning system of sorts; signs that, naturally, ought to be heeded.

To read the whole article click here: SOURCE

Rhine Online Magazine

2010-04-02T05:26:00.000-07:00

In addition to numerous other interesting features, there is a great article by Hannah Gilbert on "A Sociological Perspective on Becoming a Spirit Medium in Britain" in the latest issue of the Rhine Online Magazine, an web-based newsletter published by the Rhine Research Centre.

The Anthropologist & the Spiritualists

2010-03-29T08:36:00.001-07:00

An article that I wrote about my dissertation research has been published in Issue 47 (April 2010 edition) of Paranormal Magazine.

Sacramental Plants and Their Role in Undersanding the Possible Neurochemistry of Psi - David Luke

2010-03-26T05:14:00.000-07:00

An article by David Luke entitled "Sacramental plants and their role in understanding the possible neurochemistry of psi" has been added to the "Articles Section" of the Transpersonal Anthropology website.

Take Part in EVP Research

2010-03-21T10:56:00.000-07:00

The Furzey Hill Cirlce is currently investigating the EVP phenomenon. As part of their research they have created an on-line survey. This is what they say about their research:

"As part of the research its important to know that our interpretations of voice clips are as accurate as possible. This can be very difficult, when one person may hear something clearly that the second is unable to hear with repeated playing. The only way to determine a common understanding is by asking as many people as possible, to listen to and interpret a clip. Obviously we can not do this for every clip, but we have isolated 8 that illustrate the diversity of the voices.

When you have listened to the clips below and written down an interpretation for each, please click the following link to enter the online submission of your results. If you are unable to understand one or more of the clips, please enter "unknown" in the free text field. You can remain anonymous if you wish and it should only take a few minutes to complete ; VOICE RECORDING RESEARCH

1st Voice

This is a great opportunity to take part in some interesting research.

First Afterlife Research Centre Workshop - 12th April 2010

2010-03-17T10:05:00.000-07:00

An informal event for members of the Afterlife Research Centre forum and others interested in the ethnographic study of the afterlife. To be held in Lecture Room 2 in the Department of Archaeology & Anthropology, University of Bristol.

The flyer, registration form and time-table can be downloaded here:

Flyer - Registration Form & Timetable

Speakers to be announced.

Information concerning events can now be found on the "Events page" of the Transpersonal Anthropology website.

The Dark Side - Patrick Huyghe

2010-03-14T12:17:00.000-07:00

A great article by Patrick Huyghe, editor of the wonderful Anomalist website, has just been added to the "Articles Section" of the Transpersonal Anthropology website. "The Dark Side" is concerned with scientific, specifically psychological and psychiatric, approaches to the study of anomalous experiences and how to deal with and treat experiencers responsibly.

George Borrow and the Corpse-Candle...

2010-03-14T05:47:00.000-07:00

I recently stumbled across a description in George Borrow's travelogue "Wild Wales" of an encounter with a corpse-candle. The account has been reproduced in the "Supernatural Narratives" section of the Transpersonal Anthropology website. It is interesting to note the similarity between Borrow's description of the corpse-candle and its motives, in 19th century rural Wales, and Evans-Pritchard's account of disembodied witchcraft substance amongst the Azande in 1920s Sudan.

Anthropology & The Paranormal Talk at the SPR

2010-03-08T10:18:00.001-08:00

The audio recording of my lecture at the SPR is now available on the "Audio & Video" page of the Transpersonal Anthropology website.

Anthropology & The Paranormal Talk at the SPR

2010-03-06T09:09:00.001-08:00

My talk at the Society for Psychical Research went really well, and it was wonderful to be able to converse with so many people of a like and supportive mind.

Thanks to everyone who made my visit to London so enjoyable.

The lecture notes and powerpoint presentation for the talk can be found on the "Research" page of the Transpersonal Anthropology website.

Experiencer Accounts & NDEs...

2010-03-01T12:21:00.000-08:00

A new short account of the effect of seance attendence on perception of the world, and a description of a family's experiences living in a haunted house have been added to the "Living With the Anomalous" section of the Transpersonal Anthropology website.

There is also a new article up, entitled "Postcards from the Edge", from Will Storr, author of Will Storr Vs. the Supernatural: One Man's Search for the Truth About Ghosts, on the topic of Near-Death Experiences in the "Articles" section.

Call for Papers - 2nd Exploring the Extraordinary Conference at University of York - 24th-25th Sept. 2010

2010-02-19T07:21:00.001-08:00

EXPLORING THE EXTRAORDINARY
2nd Conference
University of York, UK
Friday, 24th September – Saturday 25th September, 2010

CALL FOR PAPERS

We are delighted to announce a call for papers for our second Exploring the Extraordinary network conference. We would like to invite people to submit papers based on contemporary studies of extraordinary experiences. Some examples of topics may be:

• Individual accounts of extraordinary experiences
• Health, well being and extraordinary experiences
• Belief systems that incorporate extraordinary experiences
• Theoretical discussions of extraordinary experiences, and/or the potential for interdisciplinary perspectives
• Developing suitable methodologies to research extraordinary experiences

This conference will be hosted by the Anomalous Experiences Research Unit (http://www.york.ac.uk/depts/soci/research/aeru.htm), members of which established Exploring the Extraordinary in 2007 at the University of York, with the aim of creating a supportive researcher network that would encourage interdisciplinary links and discussions regarding the study of extraordinary experiences. By ‘extraordinary’ we refer to experiences that are considered by experients to be beyond the mundane, having significant spiritual or life changing connotations. We include experiences that have been called supernatural, paranormal, mystical, transcendental, exceptional, spiritual, and religious, as well as the belief systems such experiences may connect to.

Papers should be intended for an interdisciplinary audience.

Please submit a 300-500 word abstract to Dr Hannah Gilbert (heg104@york.ac.uk) by the 2nd April 2010. Papers should ideally be 20 minutes in length. Please include contact information and a brief biographical note. Accepted papers will be decided upon by a committee, and a decision will be made within one week of the closing date.

Accepted papers will also be invited to submit a full paper for possible publication in a special issue of the Journal for the Society for Psychical Research, which will be guest edited by Dr Madeleine Castro and Dr Hannah Gilbert. If you would like to be considered for inclusion in the special issue of the JSPR then submit a full paper of no more than 6,000 words in APA format (for guidance click here ) including an abstract of 300-500 words, by no later than the 28th May. If you wish to be considered for the conference but not the JSPR special issue then submit just an abstract (no later than the 2nd April) for your presentation. Please note all papers will be subject to anonymous peer review following submission, and acceptance for the conference will not guarantee acceptance for publication.

Timescale:

2nd April 2010: Deadline for abstract submissions
28th May 2010: Deadline for paper submissions
24th -25th September 2010: Exploring the Extraordinary conference

Inquiries can be sent to

Dr Hannah Gilbert,
Anomalous Experiences Research Unit,
Sociology,
University of York,
Heslington, York,
YO10 5DD

heg104@york.ac.uk

Articles...

2010-02-17T18:13:00.000-08:00

A selection of fascinating articles from a variety of writers, including Stanley Krippner, Eric Ouellet, Charles D. Laughlin and David Taylor, are now available in the "Articles" section of the "Transpersonal Anthropology" website.

There are also a number of personal narrative accounts from individuals living with paranormal experiences available in the "Living With the Anomalous" section.

If you would like to submit an article or account of your own anomalous experience then don't hestitate to get in touch via discarnates@googlemail.com.

Transpersonal Anthropology

2010-02-06T08:14:00.000-08:00

I have started work on a new website:

www.paranthropology.weebly.com

It deals with issues relating to transpersonal and paranormal experiences.

Four experiencer accounts…

2009-12-24T10:37:00.000-08:00

The data in this article were gathered via correspondences with individuals claiming to have experienced alien contact or abduction first hand. The following analysis will endeavour to uncover patterns within these reports as a means to explore the phenomenology of the experience as well as the sociology and psychology of the experiencers themselves. It is not my purpose to ascertain the veracity of these experiential claims; rather I am interested primarily in the perceived features of the experience: how the percipient understands his/her experience.

David Yamane writes:

“…when we study religious experience we cannot study “experiencing” – religious experience in real time and it’s physical, mental, and emotional constituents- and therefore must study retrospective accounts – linguistic representations of religious experience.” (Yamane, 2000, 173)

Similarly we cannot gain direct access to the “experience” of UFO witnesses, contactees and abductees. This presents a problem in trying to explore the phenomenology of anomalous experiences – it is simply not possible. The following investigation is, therefore, based upon retrospective narratives which may, or may not, have evolved with the telling over the weeks, months and years following the

ir experiences.

The approach of this exploration, then, might be termed an “as if” approach; one whereby narrative accounts of anomalous experiences are treated “as if” they were real, even in the event that they never occurred (Crabtree, 1988). I trust that the experiences relayed to me are from honest individuals interested only in sharing their stories with a wider audience. No material gain can be achieved through presenting these accounts, and all names have been made anonymous.

The four experiencers live in the United States. I found it particularly difficult to track down abductees willing to talk in the United Kingdom. Whether this is an indication that fewer abductions take place in the UK than in the US is not really answerable with such a small sample size. Each story presents its own peculiarities, and yet each also partakes of similar thematic and narrative characteristics.

1. Encounter on the Mountain

The first experience I will relate occurred on Mount Shasta, California, in 1985 and does not conform to the classic abduction stereotype, indeed it is not an abduction at all, but it does contain many fascinating features including, amongst other psi phenomena; pre-cognition and ESP.

Y’s experience started with a tarot reading given to her husband that suggested he make a journey to Mount Shasta accompanied by a significant female in his life. On the journey Y read a book about UFOs that a friend had given her. In the back of the book she found a telephone number written in pen and an invitation to call it. The number was for Sister Thedra, a resident of Shasta City, and a UFO contactee and channeler of higher intelligence. Despite being complete strangers the couple decided to call Sister Thedra, who invited them to her home. Sister Thedra turned out to be an avid archivist of UFO experiences on the mountain; her home was full of journals and written accounts. The couple told her that they were going to camp out on the mountain that night, to which Thedra responded positively; she had been hoping someone would be up there on that particular evening. She told them to report back to her in the morning, the couple consented, thanked Sister Thedra, and set off for the mountain.

I think you will agree that this sequence of events was a very peculiar prologue to their camping trip; the sheer frequency of meaningful coincidences and synchronicities is most strange, but not as strange as that which followed. Y relates:

“We set up camp in the snow and my husband went to sleep. I was in my sleeping bag with my head outside the tent, watching the stars. A huge round disk appeared that had pastel lights of many colors rotating around a band in the middle. It was very close and hovered over the mountain just above us for over an hour. I tried in every way to wake my husband to no avail.After about an hour, the cone of the mountain began to glow with lights just like the ship and slowly the ship moved toward the cone and eventually went inside. I did not see it come back out and eventually went to sleep. In the morning, I awoke to a very different kind of energy all around us. I woke my husband and as I made breakfast, told him of the experience lastnight. As I was gesturing a bird came and landed in my hand. I told him to put out his hand and another bird did the same. We were both aware of the soft and very different energy. We kept interacting with the birds for an hour or so and the energy didn’t change. We broke camp and went down to see Sister Thedra and told her what I saw and about the energy. She wrote in her journals and thanked us very much. We left and went home.”

Key features of this contact experience include:

Synchronicities preceding the event
Multi-coloured luminous flying disc
Inability to rouse partner from sleep
Illumination and opening of the cone of the mountain
Distinct “change in energy”
Strange animal behaviour

Certain of these aspects are fairly regularly reported by abductees. Naturally, flying discs are the epitome of the UFO phenomenon; they are the most commonly, and historically consistent, reported phenomena. Y stated that the craft she witnessed was definitely a solid, physical, object.

Paralysis is a common feature. In many accounts paralysis is induced by the alien, often utilising a “wand-like” device (numerous references in Vallee, 1988 and Mack, 1994). The paralysis aspect of the abduction phenomenon has been one of the primary reasons for comparison with the sleep paralysis experience (see Hufford, 1982 for a discussion of this experience). In this instance, however, it is not the witness that is paralysed, but rather her husband.

The illumination and opening of the mountain cone is interesting, and fairly unique. Mount Shasta itself has a long mythological history, and in relatively recent years has had an association with the lost land of Lemuria, with stories of the mountain representing the gateway into an underground realm inhabited by displaced Lemurians.

The positive change in energy is also a recurrent theme in some manifestations of the abduction phenomenon. The psychiatrist John Mack (1994), for example, emphasized the transformative power of the abduction phenomenon in his writings on the subject.

The strange behaviour of the birds the morning after the experience may be likened to the animal “screen memories” reported by Budd Hopkins. Hopkins notes that the actual abduction experience is often obscured in the memory of abductees by vivid recollections of encounters with animals: owls and stags are regularly reported. John Mack similarly noticed that “the aliens themselves seem able to change or disguise their form, and…may appear initially to the abductees as various kinds of animals” (Mack, 1994, 396).

2. Visitors in the Home

The next account I will discuss is that of a 40 year old male from Florida, referred to here as X, and amazingly comes complete with a fascinating array of photographic evidence (a couple of which are included herein). There are photographs of purportedly semi-materialized “grey-type” entities, and even a video of a fully formed being peering around a door, as fantastic as that sounds. It is not only greys that are in contact with X; he has also encountered reptilian-type entities in his home, as well as orbs and mists. X claims to have had over 2,000 visits from these entities (2,555 to be exact).

Fig. 1. A still from one of X's videos depicting a small grey-like entity peering around the bedroom door

X also claims that there are “star gates” in his home leading to other worlds, and that he has been through them. On the other side of the “star gates”, X has witnessed numerous “fascinating places” such as subterranean tunnel networks, marine environments, deserts and unusual rooms filled with strange equipment. He has seen excavations being carried out in ancient, or lost, cities, perhaps indicating that the entities are looking for something; treasure or answers.

Fig. 2. A still from one of X’s videos portraying a semi-materialised “grey type” entity

X’s experience can, in the analysis of its primary features and the nature of the contact, be likened to Whitley Strieber’s account in the book Communion (1997 [1987]). In this instance numerous contacts were made within Strieber’s home; the aliens, in other words, would come to him while he slept. Again, such an experience bares striking similarities with the sleep paralysis phenomenon. Key elements of the sleep paralysis phenomenon include:

A sense of presence entering the room (often apparently with malevolent intent)
Bodily paralysis

The presence of photographic evidence in this case, however, differs from cases of sleep paralysis: sleep paralysis does not generally leave physical evidence, and I am unaware of any victims of sleep paralysis who claim to have taken photographs of the intruding entities they have sensed.

3. Visitors and Implants

The following account is from a 52 year old female, Z, from Arkansas:

“I have never had much interest in UFOs, but I did have an experience. One night, I was asleep in bed lying on my back. I was awakened by something standing beside me. It was a small grey being with the typical alien shaped head with large black eyes. Standing behind it was a tall white being in a long cloak. The small grey being put its hand on my arm as if to comfort me. The tall white being turned and walked through the bedroom wall towards the outside yard. I distinctly remember the folds of its cloak swirling and the weight of the fabric. The little grey one mentally told me to turn my head away, which I did. It touched me with something behind my right ear. A sort of electrical feeling, not unpleasant, went through my body and I went back to sleep or lost awareness. The next day, I was pretty creeped out by the whole thing.” (Emphasis mine).

Again, this experience carries all of the hallmarks of the “classic” abduction account: The presence of grey-type entities, and the seemingly superior “tall white being”; telepathic communication between the entities and the experiencer; the surgical implantation of a device behind the ear. Z’s experience did not end here, however:

“I also have experiences of hearing what I call “radio voices”. It is a sort of radio-like transmission that occurs inside my head behind my right ear. It is not the English language, but I understand on some level what is being said.”

Z is apparently being communicated with via the object implanted behind her right ear by the small grey being in her bedroom.

4. Life –long Abduction

W, a 60 year old female from Wichita, has been abducted frequently from around about the age of 4. Her story is long and complex, involving not only herself but also her children and parents. Her account contains many fantastical features, and is interwoven with other paranormal elements, namely telepathy, psychokinesis and pre-cognition. One of her earliest abduction memories reads as follows:

“My abductions started in the early 50's. I was born in 49. … I found myself and my older sister hand in hand with these beings standing in front of a huge black shiney [sic] sphere that looked more like glass. I was very curious about it and was touching it rubbing my hand over it feeling its texture. It felt so smooth and polished and cool to the touch. I could see my refection in it clearly. I did this while these beings were comunicating telepathicly [sic] with each other and then they walked us home. I don't recall being afraid of them at that time as it felt like they were friends and didn't want to hurt us. I remember clearly that my sister and I were in our flannel night gowns my mother had made for us with no shoes on. So I assume this happened some time in the night. I began to miss them when they would leave us.”

W and her sister were placed in a “program of sorts” in which they were taught to communicate telepathically with one another and to manipulate objects with their minds:

“I often found myself placed in a big room that I can only describe as being sterile and lighted brightly by an unknown source. There were always other children my age there. We were given things to play with that didn't look like any known toys I'd ever seen. One I can remember looked like a sphere that was metallic. I can remember I wasn't sure what to do with it and the being in the room told me that I could make it work with my mind… The being had one of the children come over and teach me. All I had to do was to mentally think it to rise off the floor and make it go where I wanted it to go and it would do what I wanted it to. It took a long while and alot of mental energy but eventually I learned to play with those toys quite well to the point that I was asked to teach other children to do the same.”

As W matured, however, the abduction experience became progressively less enjoyable as her children were also being taken:

“It seemed like a few years I struggled with our abductors. I began to fully realize no matter who they were or what they resembled they were in no way good even when they tried to convince me they were. Everything about the abductions were wrong. The God I knew didn’t hide behind the darkness nor was he into taking anyone against their will. So when I was with them I started demanding that they for once start answering some questions for me. That was great with them unless I asked them anything that had to do with God, or Jesus... They first tried to convince me that they were in someway as was I a god all rolled into one.... When I wouldn’t except that as a true answer they stopped answering me. They got pretty exashperated [sic] with me. Hymns would come to mind and I would start singing those. My visits would end pretty fast that way.”

W turned increasingly towards religion as a means to combat the alien intrusion on her family’s life. On one occasion a visiting minister asked to pray over her child, despite being unaware of his abduction experiences. The prayer called for the child to be watched over and protected by angels. Soon the boy was no longer complaining of unpleasant experiences with aliens, but was instead telling of the beautiful angels he was seeing at night.

Overall W’s experiences have been perceived negatively. Her interpretation of religion did not accord with the perspective of the entities she was in contact with.

More to come...

References:

Crabtree, A. 1988. Multiple Man: Explorations in Possession and Multiple Personality Disorder. London: Grafton Books.

Mack, J. 1994. Abduction: Human Encounters with Aliens. London: Simon & Schuster Ltd.

Strieber, W. 1997 [1987]. Communion: Encounters with the Unknown. London: Arrow Books Ltd.

Vallee, J. 1988. Dimensions: A Casebook of Alien Contact. London: Souvenir Press Ltd.

Yamane, D. 2000. Narrative and Religious Experience. Sociology of Religion. Vol. 62, No. 2, pp. 171-189.

Trance Mediumship....

2009-12-07T06:45:00.000-08:00

I have recently come into possession of a new set of audio cassette recordings of spirit communications received through trance mediumship. They are fascinating.

This situation provides me with the perfect opportunity to compare two sets of spirit teachings received through separate mediums and recorded at different times and in different locations by groups unknown to each other.

It will be very interesting to see what sort of correlations and possible divergences show up between the two data sets.

Anthropology and Paranormal Videos...

2009-12-02T07:08:00.000-08:00

I have started to compile a list of lectures, interviews, videos, documentaries and films that deal with issues of anthropology, philosophy, sociology, religion, religious experience, mysticism, the paranormal, altered states of consciousness, mediumship, psychedelics, entity encounters and so on. The list can be found here:

www.anthropologyandtheparanormal.blogspot.com

I am searching for video links that can serve to provide a line of enquiry for those who have an interest in such matters.

Naturally the list is not exhaustive, but I am hoping to keep adding to it as new videos come to my attention.

If you have any links that you think would be suitable please don't hesitate to get in touch via discarnates@googlemail.com

Religious Experience and Paranormal Experience...

2009-11-27T13:27:00.000-08:00

Labels

There are countless different terms used to describe anomalous experiences including but not limited to: paranormal experience, supernatural experience, psychic experience, mystical experience, transcendental experience, religious experience, spirtual experience, numinous experience and so on. Additionally we might also consider Near-Death Experiences (NDE), Out-of-Body Experiences (OBE) and Psychedelic Experiences to be related phenomena, in that such experiences often possess similar characteristics and effects. In order to account for the conceptual biases associated with some of these terms, new un-loaded labels have been developed such as anomalous experience and non-ordinary experience. Such terms are generic and so may be applied to a wide variety of experiences, not all of which are necessarilly supernatural in nature.

Nevertheless there remains a distinction in the literature between the idea of a religious or mystical experience and a paranormal or supernatural experience, but where do we draw the line between them?

Experiences

Definitions of the term "religious experience" often stress the importance of communion with either a divine being or a sense of oneness with nature and wider reality. Richard Swinburne, as an example of a definition of religious experience, has proposed a five point system of classification:

Type 1 - Experience of God or Ultimate reality mediated through a common, public, sensory object; e.g. feeling union with a divine power when observing a sunrise.
Type 2 - Experience of God or Ultimate reality mediated through an unusual, public, sensory object; e.g. seeing the Virgin Mary in an unusual cloud formation.
Type 3 - Experience of God or Ultimate reality mediated through private sensations that can be described in normal sensory language; e.g. seeing God in a dream.
Type 4 - Experience of God or Ultimate reality mediated through private sensations that cannot be described in normal sensory language; e.g. feeling a distinct sense of presence.
Type 5 - Experience of God or Ultimate reality that is not mediated by any sensations; e.g. direct communion (Swinburne in Peterson et al, 2002, 20-22)

It is clear from such taxonomies that religious experience is a multi-faceted phenomenon. There is a wide variety of forms that it might take in manifesting (not to mention a wide array of possible interpretations of these forms). The essential object of experience in religious experiences, according to this system of classification, is referred to as God or Ultimate Reality; these are concepts widely used to express what it is that the religious experience is of. Other terms are also occasionally used including labels such as; divinity, oneness, the all mighty, love, light, nirvana, unity, the void, joy, bliss consciousness and so on (it is perhaps possible to see a distinction between personalised objects of religious experience, such as a sense of loving presence, and impersonal objects, such as oneness or love).

The objects of paranormal experiences are slightly different, and may be separated into two broad categores; Entity Encounters and Psi phenomena.

Interestingly the apprehension of the objects of paranormal experience often occurs in much the same way as the objects of religious experience (God/Ultimate Reality) are experienced. The object of experience may be:

1. Mediated through a common public sensory object
2. Mediated through an unusual public sensory object
3. Mediated through private sensations that can be described in sensory terms
4. Mediated through extrasensory sensations that cannot be described in sensory terms
5. Non-Mediated direct communion

The only difference, therefore, is in the type of object experienced. Swinburne's 5 types, then, can be used to refer to paranormal experiences simply by replacing the notion of God/Ultimate Reality with, for instance, ghost, apparition, spirit, telepathy, clairvoyance, clairaudience and so on. What makes it difficult, however, is that multiple objects can turn up during a single experience, this will be discussed later.

Fruits

William James argued that a claim to religious experience could be considered valid if it was seen that the experience had brought about a moral change in the experient. - that is based upon the "fruits" of the experience (James, 2004, 211; Bridgers, 2005, 14-15). James considered the characteristics of "philosophical reasonableness and moral helpfulness" (2004, 28) to be the fruits that demonstrated the validity of religious experiences. This transformative factor was key to James' interpretation of the religious experience. Paranormal experiences of all types, for instance UFO sightings, alien abductions, ghost/apparitional experiences and so on, are also found to be associated with personality and world-view transformation. In an investigation into the effects of paranormal and spiritual experiences on people's lives Kennedy & Kanthamani (1995) reported that:

"...the experiences resulted in increased belief in life after death, belief that their lives are guided or watched over by a higher force or being, interest in spiritual or religious matters, sense of connection to others, happiness, well-being, confidence, optimism about the future, and meaning in life. They also indicated decreases in fear of death, depression or anxiety, isolation and loneliness, and worry and fears about the future" (1995, 249)

Such transformations are also often described by those who have had psychedelic experiences having consumed consciousness altering drugs (Leary, Metzner & Weil, 1993).

Connections

Out-of-Body Experiences (OBE) and Near-Death Experiences (NDE) seem to exist in a mid-way position between those experiences that are considered to be religious or mystical and those that are understood to be paranormal or psychic. This transition from the paranormal to the religious via OB and NDEs does not occur in discreet steps, but rather is apparently blurred and intermixed. Numerous reports of OBEs, for example, feature encounters with aliens or trips aboard flying saucers. This extract from an interview I conducted, via the internet, with an NDE experiencer called R.A. clearly demonstrates the merging of religious and UFO experiences during his NDE:

"I did not know that heaven in scripture was squarish shaped before my NDE. I tend to think of it now as some type of spaceship"

On this "big rectangular boxy spaceship", R.A. encountered a "wonderful being" manifested as an "Inexpressable Light of Love". This particular case goes to show how easily the experiences more traditionally characterised as religious, i.e. "light of love", and experiences more common to UFO encounters, i.e. heaven as a "spaceship", can become intertwined.

Similarly, Thomas Bullard (1989) has noted, in his schema for the abduction scenario, that many accounts of alien abduction also feature a form of theophany or encounter with a divine being (1989, 153). Bullard writes:

"...abduction reports sound like rewrites of older supernatural encounter traditions with aliens serving the functional roles of divine beings or nature spirits" (Bullard, 1989, 157-158)

For instance Rojcewicz (1986) has noted that the Betty Andreasson abduction case of 1967 provides a fascinating perspective on the blurring of distinctions between religious and abduction experiences. Betty Andreasson interpreted her abduction experiences as visitations from angelic beings:

"We can clearly see here the fusion between experience and belief, description and interpretation. Betty's Christian beliefs color her interpretation of the appearance of her abductors, calling them "angels," despite her verbal and pictorial descriptions to the contrary" (1986, 138)

Rojcewicz sees this as the intersection of "two or more belief traditions...in one experience" (ibid) (we might even consider the possibility that two or more belief traditions developed from a single experience).

Psychedelic experiences induced via the consumption of psychoactive plants and chemicals also seemingly represent a merging point between the religious and the paranormal. Numerous investigators have explored the relationship between psychedelic drugs, paranormal experiences and psi abilities (Luke, 2008) - much of the work pointing out interesting correlations. Certain psychedelic drugs (e.g. DMT, Psilocybin, LSD) are associated entity communications, often akin to abduction scenarios, fairy encounters and so on (e.g. numerous narrative accounts in Strassman, 2001). Other psychoactive drugs (marijuana, ayahuasca) are traditionally considered to be conducive to the development of psi abilities and experiences.

The experiences listed in this diagram are not exhaustive. It is merely meant to demonstrate a possible spectrum of anomalous experiences. Those experiences highlighted in yellow represent experiences of impersonal union with the oneness of reality; those in blue are experiences involving personified entity encounters; those in purple represent impersonal psi experiences. Any of these experiences may occur independently or in tandem during an NDE, OBE or psychedelic experience.

Spectra

Do these experiences, then, occur along a spectrum with one type of experience at one extreme and another at the other, changing only by subtle and varying degrees? Rojcewicz (1986) has suggested that so-called UFO phenomena be considered to exist within a continuum of extraordinary encounters, one which includes encounters with other creatures of folklore and myth; angels, fairies, monsters. Might this same continuum also include encounters with God?

Why is it that the experience of paranormal phenomena, including UFO abduction and contact experiences, are not considered religious in the sense implied by the term religious experience? Is there some form of cultural hierarchy of significance at play that judges the value of an experiene by the type of object experienced?

References

Bridgers, L. 2005. Contemporary Varieties of Religious Experience. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield.

Bullard, T.E. 1989. UFO Abduction Reports: The Supernatural Kidnap Narrative Returns in Technological Guise. The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 102, No. 404, pp. 147-170.

James, W. 2004 [1902]. The Varieties of Religious Experience. New York: Barnes & Noble.

Kennedy, J.E. and Kanthamani, H. 1995. An Exploratory Study of the Effects of Paranormal and Spiritual Experiences on Peoples' Lives and Well-Being. The Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research, Vol. 89, pp.249-265.

Leary, T. Metzner, R. & Weil, G.M. 1993 [1965]. The Subjective After-Effects of Psychedelic Experiences: A Summary of 4 Recent Questionnaire Studies. In T. Leary, R. Metzner & G.M Weil (eds) 1993. The Psychedelic Reader. New York: Citadel Press.

Luke, D.P. 2008. Psychedelic Substances and Paranormal Phenomena: A Review of The Research. Journal of Parapsychology, Vol. 72, 77-107

Rojcewicz, Peter M. 1986. The Extraordinary Encounter Continuum Hypothesis and Its Implications for the Study of Belief Materials. Folklore Forum. 19:131-152.

Strassman, R. 2001. DMT: The Spirit Molecule. Rochester, Vermont: Park Street Press.

Swinburne, R. In Peterson, M. Hasker, W. Reichenbach, B. & Basinger D. 2002. Reason and Religious Belief: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Talking With The Spirits - Interview...

2009-11-23T03:12:00.000-08:00

Here is a short film that I edited together from an interview conducted a week or so ago with Christine Di Nucci, the founder of the Bristol Spirit Lodge; the venue at which I conducted my dissertation fieldwork.

Due to a change of circumstance interviews with mediums and sitters will now likely be in audio format.

More news to come...

Talking With the Spirits: Bristol Spirit Lodge Documentary Film...

2009-11-14T10:16:00.000-08:00

I have just commenced work an an ethnographic/documentary style film about the Bristol Spirit Lodge, a centre for the development and promotion of trance and physical mediumship. The film will feature indepth interviews with members of the lodge, including sitters and mediums, in an attempt to expand upon the fieldwork I conducted there for my dissertation earlier in the year. It's primary focus will be on the way in which seance experiences are interpreted and lived with by those who are witness to them.

More news on the film will be made available as the project develops.

Ontology of Drug Facilitated Entity Encounters...

2009-11-09T12:28:00.000-08:00

The very first time I ate Liberty Caps (Psilocybe semilanceata or Magic Mushrooms) from the moutains of mid-Wales a few years ago, I was amazed to catch a glimpse of a world that had, until that point, remained entirely hidden from me.

As the trip intensified I began to see, in the wood of a partially open drawer, a parade of peculiar looking beings visible in 2D. I was shocked and described them to my friends. For want of a better name I called them "fairies". I didn't interact with them, and they didn't give any indication of seeing me - it was as if they were just going about their business (whatever business that might be) and were suddenly, and unknowingly, made visible to me.

Fig. 1. Although this experience took place a few years ago I can still vividly recall it, but describing it with words proves to be quite difficult. I drew these pictures as a means to translate, to some extent, the essence of what I saw. As they moved I got the sense that they were in the process of "doing something", but I don't know what that was - merely a sense of purpose.

There seemed to be one that was slightly larger than the rest (although all were small) with female characteristics, and they were all moving forward (as if scrolling along the edge of the drawer from right to left), jostling over each other like waves crashing over rocks in slow motion. They seemed to be a part of the wood from which the chest of drawers was made. Their noses and chins were pointed and they were organic and beautiful.

Fig. 2. A more detailed picture of the face, as best as I can recall. At the time they definitely seemed 2-dimensional - almost like shadow puppets.

What were they? Hallucinations or ontologically distinct entities?

Of course many thousands of people have encountered strange entities while under the influence of varied multitudes of psychoactive substances. Some commentators have argued that the apparent inter-personal correlations between accounts of drug entity experients, provide a form of empirical evidence that points towards the existence of an objective phenomenon: encounters may occur independently of others, geographically and temporally, while still maintaining strikingly similar experiential features.

More on this to come...

Photographic Anomaly...

2009-10-31T00:30:00.000-07:00

I took this photograph at a small cave, known colloquially as "Merlin's Cave", near Pistyll Rhaeadr Waterfall in Powys, and was interested to see some peculiar "photographic anomalies" in and above the water in the cave when I looked back at the photo. There would seem to be streaks of light in the cave that do not appear in other photos taken of the cave.

Interesting features:

Site known colloquially as "Merlin's Cave" - connotations with magic
Site of natural beauty
Autumn a couple of days before Hallowe'en

These combined with the photographic anomaly begin to form a supernatural narrative with intimate links to place and folk beliefs.

This sort of photographic anomaly would generally be classified as evidence of "rods" or "skyfish", but might also be interpreted to demonstrate the existence of discarnate spirits, extraterrestrial/dimensional entities, nature energy, fairies, etc.

Of course it is entirely possible that these "anomalies" could in fact be insects, but they remain interesting nevertheless.

Photographic anomalies do occur and they provide ambiguous stimuli for interpretation by the observer. These streaks could be interpreted in any number of ways.

I do not know what they are, but through considering them insights into the structure of supernatural narratives can potentially be gleaned.

Experiencing Drug Induced Altered States of Consciousness...

2009-10-30T15:43:00.000-07:00

The announcement of the sacking of Professor David Nutt from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) has got me thinking about the motives of the government with regard to drugs policy.

Professor Nutt fell out of favour with the government for suggesting that the dangers posed by the ingestion of drugs such as ecstasy and cannabis were comparable to those associated with horse riding - coining the term"Equasy" - and arguing that this practice represents "an over-looked addiction with implications for the current debate on drug harms". Nutt observes that:

"This attitude raises the critical question of why society tolerates - indeed encourages - certain forms of potentially harmful behaviour but not others, such as drug use" (source)

If the government is not basing its policies on the risk factor involved in the ingestion of psychoactive chemicals, then what reason does it have?

Psychoactive plants and chemicals (psychedelic in particular), by definition, produce an alteration of consciousness when ingested. Naturally the huge varieties of psychoactive substances produce an equally large variety of alterations of consciousness, each one providing a different perspective on the world through subtlely, or severely, affecting the way in which we perceive and interact with it - even to the extent of entirely shifting our perspective away from this world altogether.

This is the most immediate consequence of ingesting a psychoactive chemical, and is potentially at the root of government concern over their use.

I have already posted this quote from William James' The Varieties of Religious Experience, but will do so again oweing to its relevance to the issue at hand here:

"... our normal waking consciousness, rational consciousness as we call it, is but one special type of consciousness, whilst all about it, parted from it by the filmiest of screens, there lie potential forms of consciousness entirely different. We may go through life without suspecting their existence; but apply the requisite stimulus, and at a touch they are there in all their completeness, definite types of mentality which probably somewhere have their field of application and adaptation. No account of the universe in its totality can be final which leaves these other forms of consciousness quite disregarded" (James, 2004, 335)

James' realisation of the vast plurality of world-perspectives occurred after an experience with nitrous oxide, commonly referred to as laughing gas and still popularly used recreationally for its consciousness altering effects. James' experience opened his eyes to a potential multiverse of subjective worlds. This potential is an inherent part of what it means to be human and consequently represents a fundamental property of the universe, of which we are a part. When these other worlds are ignored we are missing out on a substantial portion of our freedom to explore existence.

I wonder, therefore, whether the decisions made by the government to ignore evidence, provided by their expert advisers, have anything to do with the fact that they may indirectly result in human beings excersising their innate freedom to perceive the world in alternative ways.

Theorists such as David Icke would support this suggestion. Icke has argued that there has been an agenda in place over hundreds of years to increasingly narrow human access to understanding the true nature of reality:

The actions of the government with regards to the issue of drug consumption would appear to bolster Icke's hypothesis. Efforts are being made to impinge on the potential for human beings to experience reality in all it's beauty, intricasies and infinite permutations.

The issue is very real. These experiences are very real, and our ability to access them is being reduced. Of course the ingestion of psychactive compounds is not the only means to experience altered states of consciousness, but it is a means that we should not be denied.

I have a particular worry about the possible illegalisation of Salvia Divinorum, an incredible plant with the power to enable the experience of alternate realities and communication with their inhabitants. To have this doorway walled up would be a great loss.

It is worrying to note that government policy concerning consciousness altering substances (as well as on other issues) is followings its own agenda, regardless of expert opinion.

The Giant...

2009-10-20T05:51:00.001-07:00

Depicting Discarnate Entities...

2009-10-16T17:39:00.000-07:00

Human beings have been making depictions of "the supernatural realm" since at least as far back as the Palaeolithic (depicting, at least, in such a way as to withstand the ravages of time - we would not, for example, be able to detect drawings made with sticks and sand in the archaeological record). Some of the earliest known depictions of "non-ordinary beings" can be found in the caves of Algeria.

The paintings seem to depict anthropomorphic creatures with animal characteristics - horns, tails, etc. Creatures that are neither human nor animal, but something more than the sum of their parts. Beings such as this are referred to as therianthropes. The inspiration for these enigmatic images may well have come from encounters with beings during altered states of consciousness achieved through any number of techniques (I have spoken a little about rock art and psychedelics in an earlier post).

The spirits depicted in the above image were drawn by the Iglulik Eskimos. "They represent deities which through terrifying and frightening their natural state can be captured and tamed by shamans and thus transformed into benevolent 'helping spirits' or familiars" (Lewis, 1971).

Different cultures, from different time periods and geographic locations have depicted the spirit world for thousands of years.

The psychic photography of the Spiritualist movement represents a more recent attempt at embodying the disincarnate. Cultural Historian Marina Warner has discussed at length the evolution of the western depiction of the supernatural in her book Phatasmagoria (2008). Key elements she has highlighted include the use of metaphors and analogies concerned with light, air, mist, clouds, wings, etc. when describing the denizens of the invisible world. Spiritualist photographs of the late 19th and early 20th centuries clearly partake of a cultural tradition in western art - they are a culmination of motifs and iconography that have developed over centuries of attempts to picture the invisible. At the core of this tradition, however, is the experience of the supernatural - the inability to convey the precise nature of the experience and the necessity to draw analogies with bright, fluid and etherial aspects of the physical world.

I am not suggesting that all Spiritualist photographs are the product of "fraud" or "trickery" but am rather pointing towards a wider frame-work in which to understand and interpret such images. I would even consider the blatantly "fraudulent" (again, a term that I think may need re-evaluating) photographs, which clearly show that the spirit-form is nothing more than a doll, such as those taken of the medium Helen Duncan and the spirit-child Peggy (see below), to be objects worthy of investigation.

Belief in the ability to imbue objects with independent agency is both ancient and widespread. What we are seeing in these photographs is a vestigal practice - a pre-christian survival that shares commonalities with other cultural and beliefs systems, across the world, but shares nothing with the positivistic empirical world-view that evaluates their validity as proof of the existence of spirits and mediumistic ability.

In Ancient Egyptian tombs, archaeologists have uncovered thousands of small humanoid figurines called shabti figures. These figurines were essential companions to the deceased as they journeyed forth into the afterlife. Because it was believed that the afterlife was much the same as the world of the living, deceased individuals would be called up to work in the fields and on the land on their arrival there. The purpose of the shabti was to come to life and carry out the work in place of the deceased, their work was primarily agricultural (Spencer, 1991, 68). These little figurines possess agency - they are more than just models. They were believed to have the power to come to life and to serve (much as the Swedish Tomtar statuettes, discussed in an earlier post, are said to).

Ancient Egyptian belief in the power of representation provides fascinating insights to our understanding of the depictions of supernatural beings:

"The Ancient Egyptians believed that once a word was written down it was inherently magical and could make whatever was written true, especially when spoken aloud, an act which breathed life into the words. Thus the representations on the walls could come alive and make real what they depicted and had to be chosen with care lest some dangerous being came into existence in the tomb" (Dodson & Ikram, 2008, 15)

Representation gives life to abstract concepts - it enables a manifestation to occur - entities that can only be grasped in the mental realm are condensed into the material. Again, in the tombs of the Ancient Egyptians we find this power put into use. Tombs are adorned with depictions of the deceased and engraved with their names - the act of creating a likeness of the deceased allows for that individual to "live on" after death. Indeed the link between the effigy and the soul of the deceased was a strong one, and tombs often house small shrines at which offerings of food and drink would be deposited. These carvings became a point of merging between the world of the living and the invisible world of the dead - a false door to the other world.

It is possible, therefore, that we could be missing the point when we dismiss the photographs of Helen Duncan and her doll Peggy as evidence of fraudulence. Marina Warner writes of Peggy:

"...the photograph shows a ghastly crude mask, with huge white face and heavily daubed mouth wrapped in an old sheet, every inch a Hallowe'en bogey. That these ghosts could ever have persuaded anyone, that these makeshift clumsy apparitions could ever have been recognized as the lost loved child by the child's own mother, reveals the depth of people's need to reach some peace with the dead" (2008, 246)

To my mind it is not so difficult to believe. The doll may act as a conduit, a vessel or a focus point through which a spirit can be channelled. The idea is not a new one, and parallels to it are in evidence throughout the ethnosphere. If spirits are believed to be disincarnate, as they very often are, then there is no reason to assume that a spirit cannot incorporate itself into an inanimate object - like pouring water into a vase - in much the same way as the Egyptians believed the spirit of the deceased could inhabit its likeness carved in stone.

When viewed from the Ancient Egyptian perspective representation and reality are blurred - an image IS what it depicts in a very real sense. A photograph of a materialised spirit is a materialised spirit, a painting on a cave wall of a horned being from another world is just that, and a model of a deceased individual is what it appears to be.

References

Dodson, A & Ikram, S. 2008. The Tomb in Ancient Egypt. Great Britain: Thames & Hudson.

Lewis, I.M. 1971. Ecstatic Religion: An Anthropological Study of Spirit Possession and Shamanism. United Kingdom: Penguin Books Ltd.

Warner, M. 2008. Phantasmagoria: Spirit Visions, Metaphors, and Media into the Twenty-first Century. Great Britain: Oxford University Press.

Spencer, A.J. 1991. Death in Ancient Egypt. Great Britain: Penguin Books Ltd.

Michael Jackson's Ghost (pt. 2)...

2009-10-14T10:42:00.000-07:00

In a PREVIOUS POST I discussed the way in which Michael Jackson, following his death, became associated with the paranormal (in much the same way that many other celebrities have become entwined with the supernatural). I have suggested that this "cult of celebrity" is deeply connected to the realm of mediumship and spirit communication.

This current manifestation of the supernatural-celebrity mediumshp cult has taken another interesting turn: Derek Acorah is set to make contact with Michael Jackson during a live seance to be broadcast on Sky1 (read full article HERE).

Tantalising food for thought regarding the relationship between celebrity and mediumship.

Research - Contemporary Belief in Ghosts...

2009-10-04T15:49:00.000-07:00

Folklorist Paul Cowdell is currently conducting research into contemporary beliefs about ghosts. He is partiularly interested in "questions like: what people mean when they say 'ghost'; how their beliefs or non-beliefs relate to their experiences or lack of them; and how their beliefs fit in with other beliefs they may hold."

To this end Mr. Cowdell has put together a QUESTIONNAIRE with the aim to "get as wide a set of responses as possible". If you would be interested in participating in this research, simply fill in the questionnaire and return to Paul Cowdell.

Read more.

Sweden, Trolls & Tomtar...

2009-09-28T14:07:00.000-07:00

"Life for the trolls in the Great Forest was becoming unpleasant, for men were intruding on them more and more. When Father Troll was young, there had not been a single cottage within thirty miles, but now timber had been cut for one cottage after another, and settler after settler had cleared the forest and the earth..."

(From "When Mother Troll took in the King's Washing" by Elsa Beskow)

***

Swedish folklore is dominated by tales of two different varieties of supernatural being: the troll and the tomte. These two beings possess contradictory personalities; while the troll is an ugly, grumpy, and malevolent being prone to kidnapping young children and replacing them with their own, the tomte is a friendly and bearded chap happy to help with cleaning and other household chores.

Belief in such creatures likely dates way back into pre-christian times. It has been suggested that tales of these supernatural beings are rooted in ancient forms of ancestor worship, surviving through the years in the guise of folk stories and superstitions.

But where are the trolls and tomtar now?

A selection of souvenir tomtar in Stockholm

The mass production of trolls

Today the troll and tomte have become cultural icons in Sweden (very much like the Leprechaun in Ireland and Nessie in Scotland), and perhaps the best place to spot them in the modern world is in the tourist gift shops, far from their traditional woodland and mountain homes. Indeed an industry has grown up around these supernatural beings; manifested through mass-production and lined up on shop shelves. In this respect it might be true to say that the trolls and tomtar are more abundant today, in this secularised and consumer driven society, than ever before, only that they are diminished in their power. Their supernatural agency has been removed, leaving only a plastic shadow of what they once were*.

A shop full of tomtar in Stockholm

The troll as cultural icon and national symbol

In the process of humanisation in which the wild home of the trolls was domesticated (as expressed in the extract from the folk tale "When Mother Troll took in the King's Washing"), these supernatural entities have been pushed to the very brink: right onto the shop-shelf. As when the troll turns to stone in the daylight, now these ancient nature spirits have turned to plastic in the face of consumerism and modern tourism. Their habitat has been greatly reduced, and with it their power.

Their presence is, nevertheless, still very much in evidence.

***

"William never spoke for he stood turned to stone as he stooped; and Bert and Tom were stuck like rocks as they looked at him. And there they stand to this day, all alone, unless the birds perch on them; for trolls, as you probably know, must be underground before dawn, or they go back to the stuff of the mountains they are made of, and never move again. This is what had happened to Bert and Tom and William."

(J.R.R Tolkien, The Hobbit)

* Interestingly the tomtar statuettes often come with slips of paper explaining how "every home should have one" because they bring luck and help with the chores while the the household is asleep. The agency of the tomtar has, to some extent, been sustained. Transformed into a sort of fetish or effigy.

Mushrooms, Hunting, Ritual Performance and Rock art...

2009-09-16T03:25:00.000-07:00

While visiting rock art sites in Sweden (Glösa and Gärdesån) I was interested to find fly-agaric mushrooms (Amanita muscaria) growing in their vicinity. Fly-agaric mushrooms have a long tradition of use for their psychoactive properties.

Fig. 1 Fly-agaric mushroom (Amanita muscaria) from Glösa, Jamtland, Sweden

Numerous writers have suggested a link between rock art and the consumption of psychoactive substances. While much of the iconography at Glösa and Gärdesån deal with naturalistic images of elk and deer, staples for hunter-gatherers in the region (Fig. 3, from Gärdesån, appears to be concerned with tracking), there are also a number of geometric images that appear to defy easy classification.

Fig. 2 Naturalistic imagery at Glösa.

Fig. 3 Tracking at Gärdesån

Fig. 4 Geometric pattern from Glösa, Jamtland, Sweden.

Such images might be considered to fit the description of “endogenous phenomena”, i.e. what Lewis-Williams and Dowson (1993) refer to as “entoptics” - subjective visual phenomena frequently occurring when under the influence of psychoactive substances. Dronfield (1996) distinguishes between two different forms of subjective visual phenomena:

Hallucinations – consisting of “subjective images constructed from details stored in the visual memory”, for example dreams and the type of hallucination experienced through the use of psychedelic drugs.
Endogenous phenomena - consisting of “non-iconic visual experiences which are generated by structures in the visual nervous system and whose shapes are determined by properties of those neural structures” (1996, 374)

The majority of entoptic images consist of geomet rical forms, such as “grids/lattices, parallel lines, dots, zig zags, curves, and filigrees/meanders ” (Dronfield, 1996, 374). The most abstract of the pictographs at Glösa would fit perfectly into this descriptive category.

Fig. 5 Abstract motifs from Glösa

Fig. 6 Geometric lattice from Glösa.

Fig. 7 Stylised human form from Gärdesån

Hunter-gatherer's would likely have been well aware of the psychoactive properties of the fly-agaric mushroom; being reliant upon the flora and fauna of their habitat, hunter-gatherers must necessarilly possess a significant knowledge of their properties in order to decide what is edible and what is not. It is not unlikely that these people consumed such plants for their spiritual efficacy in allowing access to the other world, perhaps as part of a form of ritual hunting magic; many of the images of animals have red spots on their bodies, possibly symbolic of hunting wounds, and the human foot tracks at Gärdesån (Fig. 3) might have been used as a form of ritualised dance used in hunting magic. The use of psychoactive substances when performing such magic may have brought the figures depicted to life thus making the magic more effective.

Just speculation, but maybe.

P.S. The information boards at Glösa mentioned that some of the animals depicted on the rocks are not easily identifiable as distinct species. Perhaps they represent mythical creatures, or animals experienced during psychedelic journeys in the other world - like the red eared dogs of Tir-Na-Nog. It is a possibility.

References

Dronfield, J. 1996. The Vision Thing: Diagnosis of Endogenous Derivation in Abstract Arts. Current Anthropology, Vol. 37, No. 2, pp. 373-391.

Lewis-Williams, J.D. & Dowson, T.A. 1993. On Vision and Power in the Neolithic: Evidence From the Decorated Monuments. Current Anthropology, Vol. 34, No. 1, pp. 55-65.

Anthropology & The Paranormal...

2009-09-10T11:01:00.000-07:00

On March 4th 2010 I will be giving a presentation for the Society of Psychical Research on the topic of Anthropology and the Paranormal.

Over the course of the presentation I will discuss the way in which anthropologists, both historical and contemporary, have dealt with the issue of paranormal beliefs and experiences in the field through an examination of specific case studies and ethnographic examples. I will also explore the practical and theoretical benefits of an anthropological approach to the investigation of the supernatural with the aim of demonstrating the importance of immersion in, and engagement with, the paranormal if it is to be understood.

More about the legend of Storsjöodjuret...

2009-09-06T10:24:00.001-07:00

In the middle of the great lake Storsjö is the island of Frösö, home to the northern-most rune stone in Sweden. The stone (see below) portrays an enormous serpent biting its tail and bound at the neck by a clasp. The length of the serpent's body is inscribed with runes telling how Jamtland became Christianized by Austmaðr son of Guðfastr. The stone commemorates the construction of a bridge connecting the island of Frösö to the mainland.

The stone has, over the years, become entwined within the legends and folklore of the region. One legend tells of Kentil Runske binding the serpent with a powerful spell in order to free the people of the region from its tyranny. The legend states that the spell was carved onto the Frösö rune stone, although no mention of the hero Kentil Runske is to be found on it. The stone does, however, clearly depict a mighty serpent bound at the neck (see below). Perhaps the binding of the serpent is a symbolic representation of the Christening of Jamtland - the binding of the old gods and their supplanting by the new God (as represented by the cross above the serpent's head).

Another legend recorded in 1685 refers to a huge serpent's head buried beneath the stone with its body stretching out across the lake to the opposite shore. The stone was said to have been torn down in desperation when the lake became exceedingly difficult to cross. This act of destruction, however, resulted in yet more problems with ferrymen reporting many strange occurrences when crossing the lake. The decision was therefore made to re-erect the stone in order to make the voyage from the mainland to Frösö safe once more.

As mentioned in the last post there have been over 200 recorded sightings of the serpent. In 1895 a group of distinguished gentlemen formed a company with the purpose of capturing the monster, even going so far as to make a huge trap in which to trap it (see above). The venture to capture the monster was unsuccessful, but its legend continues to fascinate the people of the region, drawing in tourists and monster hunters alike. In recent years several individuals have claimed to have filmed the monster, and there are even designated monster spotting sites all around the circumference of the great lake.

The monster's presence is still very much felt in the region, even if it remains as elusive as ever.

Trolls, Magic and Lake Monsters...

2009-09-05T04:06:00.001-07:00

I am currently staying in Sweden for a few weeks in a city called Ostersund. The city is built along the side of lake Storsjön, the 5th largest lake in Sweden. The lake is purportedly the home of a huge monster by the name of Storsjöodjuret (litterally the Great Lake Monster).

On researching the folklore of the region I found that the monster was, infact, created by two Trolls called Jata and Kata in the distant mythological past. The story of these two Trolls, and the monster they created, was first written down in 1635 by Mogens Pedersen, a vicar from the region. The legend is, then, very old: at least 400 years.

Jata and Kata, two trolls, were brewing a potion in their cauldron on the shore of the lake. They didn't know what the potion would do and so were surprised, after years of brewing it, when they heard a wailing, a groaning and a crying followed by a big bang emanating from within their pot. A black serpent leapt from the cauldron into the lake where it grew to an enormous size; entirely surrounding the island of Frösön.

By now there have been over 200 reported sightings of the creature, and a group has been established to investigate reports from witnesses and to collate information on the monster (official website).

What interests me, however, is the monster's creation myth: the story of the two Trolls Jata and Kata.

What are these mysterious beings? A quick perusal of the dictionary reveals a fascinating linguistic connection between the word "troll" and notions of magic, sorcery and conjuring. How far does our modern idea of trolls, e.g. as portrayed in fairytales, literature, and art, accord with traditional nordic conceptions? Do trolls still play a part in contemporary life?

Over the course of the next few weeks I hope to try to find out a little more about these enigmatic creatures.

Alien Abduction and Contactees...

2009-08-27T09:05:00.000-07:00

I am doing a bit of research into the alien abduction and contactee phenomenon with the aim of writing a short article about my findings.

I am interested in the phenomenology of the experience: what it looks, sounds, smells and feels like to the experiencer, and how the experience has affected the world-view and life-style of the contactees.

I am also interested in the sociology of the movement itself: who has these experiences, how old are they, where do the experiences happen, what are their beliefs, what is the sex composition of the experiencer movement, are experiencers in contact with others who have had similar encounters, and so on...

So far I have received several accounts, each one of them a fascinating story.

The research is based around a short questionnaire, which can be downloaded HERE.

If you have had an abduction experience, or have had contact with extraterrestrials in any other way, and would like to assist me in this research, then simply download this QUESTIONNAIRE, fill it in and return it to discarnates@googlemail.com

I am particularly interested in experiencers from the UK.

Your help would be greatly appreciated.

Some Initial Findings From Ghost Hunter Questionnaires...

2009-08-18T15:35:00.000-07:00

Although the project is not fully complete, in that I am expecting to receive at least a few more completed questionnaires, it is possible to note a few patterns in the data already collected.

So far 14 questionnaires have been returned (which represents a very small sample size), by various individuals currently involved in Ghost Hunting teams and Paranormal Investigation groups.

The following is a preliminary breakdown of some of the findings so far.

Age & Sex composition

Of this sample 50% is male and 50% female, with an average age of 40 years (with a range og 28-52 years).

Years of Investigation

The average number of years spent actively investigating the paranormal for the respondents is 6 (with a range of 0.5-15 years).

Scientific

57% of respondents consider the work they undertake to be scientific (i.e. utilise specialist equipment in the search for quantifiable data), while 48% do not consider their work to be scientific.

In this sample, so far, 57% of respondents are regularly assisted by mediums on their investigations, while the remaining 48% are not.

Formal Training

71% of respondents have not undertaken any formal parapsychological training, with only 29% having done so.

Belief in Ghosts and Direct Experience

Of the respondents so far 65% claimed belief in ghosts or spirits (although there were considerable differences in interpretation and definition of what such entities actually are), 21% reported that they were uncertain as to whether they believed in the existence of ghosts, and 14% did not believe in the existence of ghosts at all.

79% of respondents claimed to have had direct experience of ghosts/apparitions, 14% claimed no direct experience, while 7% were uncertain as to whether they had had direct experience or not.

Religiosity and Spirituality

Only 29% of respondents reported that they were religious/spiritual, while the remaining 71% reported that they were not religious.

Life after Death

64% of respondents reported that they believe in life after death (although interpretations and definitions differed between individuals), the remaining 36% do not.

Psychic Abilities

36% of respondents consider themselves to have some form of psychic ability, the remaining 64% did not.

Other Paranormal Experiences

57% reported that they have had other paranormal experiences (e.g. OBE, NDE, UFO sighting, Pre-Cognition, Sleep Paralysis, etc.), while 43% had no other paranormal experiences.

57% of the respondents actively investigate other paranormal phenomena (e.g. UFOs, cryptozoology, etc), while 43% are only engaged in the investigation of ghost type phenomena.

***

Although this is only preliminary data, insights into the sociology of ghost hunting groups are already being revealed.

A more detailed analysis of the data will be available shortly, hopefully with a larger sample size, that will discuss emergent patterns in the data: for example the relationship between seance attendance and belief in ghosts, religious beliefs and direct experience of the paranormal and so on. Specific case studies of respondents will also be discussed.

I will consider the relationship between conclusions drawn from this data set and those derived from other studies in order to explore the wider context, for example with regard to sex composition, personality types, boundaries and so on.

If you consider yourself a Ghost Hunter, or Paranormal Investigator, and would like to assist me in this research, then simply download this QUESTIONNAIRE, fill it in and return it to discarnates@googlemail.com

Your help would be greatly appreciated.

The Portrayal of Spiritualism in the popular media...

2009-08-14T06:51:00.000-07:00

Spiritualism, and indeed most paranormal beliefs, have long borne the brunt of ridicule and humiliation; a trend that appears to be continuing. This is likely a concomitant aspect of the general movement towards rationalisation and secularisation that has been taking place over the last 200 years or so, particularly in Europe and North America.

A recent documentary on Channel 4, "Revelations: Talking With the Dead", although providing a fascinating insight into the lives of an East London Spiritualist Church congregation, continued to report based upon the assumption that the beliefs they held were false.

There has been a similar problem in the attempts of anthropologists and sociologists studying Spiritualist groups. Vieda Skultans' (1974) classic study of Spiritualism in a Welsh town focused primarily on the social function of the Spiritualist meetings: on the fact that such gatherings allow for an escape from the mundaneity of day-to-day living and the therapeutic effects this necessarily entails. While this is undoubtedly a significant factor, it inherently ignores the claims of those participating in the groups to communication with spirit entities and other psi phenomena.

The assumption that paranormal beliefs are unfounded and inherently false inevitably leads to a distorted representation of the individuals world-view: it makes them appear ridiculous. A substantial amount of "backstory" is ignored. This is most clearly visible in the documentary sequence between Keith Hudson and the Publican. The Publican is unaware of the philosophical underpinnings of what Keith is saying, so that when Keith speaks of the notion that a spirit chooses his/her parents before incarnating on the Earth-plane, or of the intensity of colours in the spirit world, to the Publican he is doing no more than ranting like a madman. This is very difficult to avoid. It brought to mind classic scenarios of visionary mystics being ridiculed as madmen.

The documentary did provide a fascinating social insight into the lives of the spiritualist congregation, but to some extent I feel that it missed the point; as do many commentators on spiritualism and paranormal belief. Without the necessary appreciation of underlying philosophical and experiential understanding, paranormal beliefs can appear fully irrational and entirely at odds with the "real world". This is unfair.

The anthropologist E.E. Evans Pritchard was one of the first anthropologists to question the assumption that so-called "primitive" beliefs were irrational. Through living amongst the Azande of North Africa, Evans Pritchard came to appreciate the inherent logic in their supernatural belief system. Living within a belief system provides the anthropologist with a necessary "insider" perspective, through which a more substantial understanding can be gleaned.

I have mentioned Edith Turner's 1992 article "The Reality of Spirits" a number of times, and feel I must do so again here. Turner calls for a new approach to the sudy of religious beliefs, one that does not ignore the understanding of those under study. Such an approach might also benefit documentary makers. I am certain that the filmmakers did not intend to make their interviewees appear irrational or foolish, but through presenting their story without providing a deeper context to the Spiritualist movement and its related phenomena the documentary, to my mind, alienated the interviewees. As isolated examples, devoid of wider context the interviewees were made to appear particularly insular, and hence abnormal. The truth of the matter is, however, that there is a much wider context than the documentary even hinted at (i.e. historical background of spiritualism and mediumship, survival research, altered states of consciousness, countless narrative accounts of the phenomenology of mediumship, etc.).

All in all, though, this documentary was very interesting. It was good to see the topics discussed made available to a wider audience in a relatively un-biased fashion.

As an interesting side-note: several commentators on the Channel 4 page for the documentary have noted the presence of Orbs around one of the interviewees.

Trance & Possession-like behaviours...

2009-08-03T06:56:00.000-07:00

I have recently become interested in behaviours that superficially resemble trance communication and possession behaviours, and am particularly interested in the possibility of neurophysiological similarities, or differences, between them.

Some of the physical symptoms of possession cases include:

Erratic movement
Manipulation of vocal tonality
Presentation of at least one other personality distinct from the host

Trance communication behaviours include:

Manipulation of vocal tonality
Personality shifts
Eyes closed (often but not always)

The following clips contain what I would consider to be trance-like or possession-like behaviours.

Acting/Impersonation/Ventriloquism:

This is, of course, a fairly exaggerated example of the way in which acting can superficially resemble the trance and possession states. An actor changes his/her voice, mannerisms, characteristics and even appearance when performing a role. Impersonators take on specific real life personalities, while ventriloquists are able to project their voices often while performing as several different characters simultaneously.

Studies have been conducted with the aim of determining whether the neurophysiology of individuals suffering from psychopathological disorders differs from that of method actors feigning the disorder. EEG results revealed significant differences in brain activity between actors faking emotions and patients with emotional disorders (Tucker & Dawson, 1984). Similar research has also been conducted on individuals suffering from psychophysiological movement disorders (e.g. being unable to move one's arm) and individuals pretending to have the same disorder. PET scans showed significant differences in the neurological activity of the patient and the feigner (Spence, et al., 2000).

In certain situtations, then, acting can clearly be distinguished from specific neurophysiological disorders.

Unfortunately I am unaware of any studies that have specifically compared the EEG recordings of actors and trance mediums/possessed individuals.

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID):

EEG studies with DID patients have revealed differences in neurophysiological activity between the host and his/her alter personalities, while alter personalities performed by professional actors failed to replicate these differences “indicating that EEG coherence, at least in the present study is not able to be simulated or faked from information relating to age and sex” (Hopper et al., 2002, 84). Alter personalities are seemingly correlated with “greater alpha band spectral power” (2002, 76).

In trance mediums it is not uncommon for individual controls to come through unexpectedly, even when another communicator is making itself known. Occasionally this is put down to the strength of the individual control: the stronger (i.e. more developed) spirit would be better able to make itself apparent through the medium, while less developed spirits may be supplanted, or even replaced. Crabtree (1988) recalls a several cases of Dissociative Identity Disorder in which an alter, apparently more socially successful (i.e. more confident, outgoing, etc.), has attempted, and in some cases succeeded, to take complete control of the host: entirely supplanting their personality.

Severe distress:

This boy had his World of Warcraft account cancelled, which apparently set him off on a tantrum. It is interesting to note the similarities between some of his erratic behaviours and certain behaviours observed in cases of possession and possession-trance:

Bodily convulsions
Manipulation of vocal tonality
Self-destructive behaviours

Might it be possible to suggest that times of great emotional distress can precipitate into possession behaviours? Much parapsychological attention has been paid to the relationship between adolescent emotional states and manifestations of the paranormal: the Enfield poltergeist case of 1977 is perhaps one of the most well-known examples. On this occasion “poltergeist activity” was seemingly occurring in a locus around 11-year old Janet Hodgson:

The Hydesville incident of 1848 (the official birth of the Spiritualist movement) was centred on the Fox sisters, Kate and Margaret.

Many, particularly European, cases of possession revolve around an adolescent protagonist. Examples would include the case of Annelise Michel in 1975, whose problems began at age 16.

Mediumship, Channelling & Possession...

So how do these similar behaviours relate to mediumship, channelling and spirit possession?

From the outside these behaviours appear to resemble each other, but it might be possible to distinguish between them based upon tangible neurophysiological differences.

EEG research conducted on meditators and channellers has revealed distinctive patterns of brain activation when such practitioners enter into altered states of consciousness (ASCs). In particular there is a trend towards greater hemispheric synchronisation, particularly in the alpha wave frequency range. (Klimo, 1987, 268). Oohashi et al. (2002), in a study of Balinese possession, demonstrated that the EEG readings for an individual undergoing spirit possession (in the Balinese tradition) are significantly different to those of individuals with psychopathological or neurophysiological disorders: “The EEG of the possessed subject did not show any pathological findings including epileptic discharges” (2002, 435). In addition the possessed individual displayed “enhanced power in the theta and alpha frequency bands during the trance” (ibid.).

Altered states of consciousness, then, possess their own distinctive patterns of brain activation which can be compared and contrasted with those of individuals performing similar behaviours. As already mentioned, I am unaware of any research that has specifically compared the EEG readings of mediums, channels and those undergoing spirit possession, with readings from actors/impersonators/ventriloquists, DID/MPD and those experiencing intense emotional states. The data I have been able to find appear to suggest that neurophysiological differences would be detectable, and that acting, feigning and simulating do not inherently induce neurophysiological processes analogous to either pathological disorders or mediumship/channelling/possession, even if the physical manifestation of behaviour is similar. The dominance of alpha frequency neural activity during trance and in the alter personalities of DID patients is also fascinating.

This article is, of course, incomplete, but I hope that it may stimulate a little thought on the issues raised. Feedback and discussion would be most welcome.

References

Crabtree, A. 1988. Multiple Man: Explorations in Possession and Multiple Personality Disorder. Great Britain: Grafton Books.

Hopper, A., Ciorciari, J., Johnson, G., Spensley, J, Sergejew, A., Stough, C.M. 2002. EEG Coherence and Dissociative Identity Disorder. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 75-88.

Klimo, J. 1987. Channeling: Investigations on Receiving Information from Paranormal Sources. Los Angeles: Jeremy P. Tarcher Inc.

Oohashi, T., Kawai, N., Honda, M., Nakamura, S., Morimoto, M., Nishina, E., Maekawa, T. 2002. Electroencephalographic measurement of possession trance in the field. Clinical Neurophysiology, No. 113, pp. 435-445.

Spence, S.A., Crimlisk, H.L., Cope, H., Ron, M.A., Grasby, P.M. 2000. Discrete neurophysiological correlates in prefrontal cortex during hysterical and feigned disorder of movement. The Lancet, Vol. 355.

Tucker, D.M., & Dawson, S.L. 1984. Asymmetric EEG Changes as Method Actors Generated Emotions. Biological Psychology, Vol. 19, pp. 63-75.

Ghost Hunting Research...

2009-08-01T12:08:00.000-07:00

I am currently undertaking a small research project into Ghost Hunters & Paranormal Investigators with the aim of writing a short article about my findings.

I am interested in exploring the beliefs and experiences of those who actively engage in searching for the supernatural, and am particularly interested in the link between "belief in ghosts", the attendance of seance circles and other encounters with different forms of supernatural/paranormal experience.

The research is based primarily around a questionnaire, which can be downloaded HERE, that I have sent to various Ghost Hunting and Paranormal Investigation groups in the UK, US and Canada. The responses I have had back so far have proven to be very interesting. I would like for the sample size for this research to be relatively large, and would therefore welcome anyone who would be willing to help me gather data.

Your help would be greatly appreciated.

Michael Jackson's Ghost...

2009-07-18T07:02:00.000-07:00

The recent death of Michael Jackson has resulted in a couple of alleged sightings of his ghost. This is a very clear example of the relationship between celebrity and the paranormal:

The relationship between celebrity and the paranormal is certainly an interesting one. It is impressive how soon after the death of Michael Jackson such claims, and apparent evidence, have come to light.

Perhaps the charismatic nature of certain celebrated individuals leaves a tangible trace on the physical world after death, or maybe the trace is left within the consciousness of observers.

Even if the footage is not that of a "real" ghost, the association of Michael Jackson with alleged ghost footage so soon after his death is an interesting social phenomenon. The link with the supernatural has been made in the public consciousness.

Charlie: Trance Communication & Spirit Teachings...

2009-07-16T13:21:00.000-07:00

Coming Soon...

A collection of transcribed seance recordings from the Bristol Spirit Lodge. The book is specifically concerned with communications and teachings received via trance mediumship from a spirit affectionately referred to as Charlie. The transcriptions are written out in full as a means to demonstrate the informal nature of the seances conducted at the Lodge and to provide an insight into the type of topics generally discussed with spirit communicators revealing a fascinating perspective on philosophy, life, death and the afterlife.

The book is set to be published and made available within the coming months.

Developing Trance...

2009-06-11T15:06:00.001-07:00

The new circle at the Bristol Spirit Lodge provides and opportunity to observe the behavioural traits of those undergoing trance development. Some of the sensations mentioned by the trainees include:

A feeling of drowsiness that is difficult to fight off: referred to as "spirit induced trance".
An inability to open the eylids once they have closed.
Sensations in the hands and arms: tingling, heaviness, twitches, uncontrolled motion. Certain individuals report that their arms are tired and aching after the seance despite remaining almost completely motionless throughout the duration of the episode.
A feeling of detachment from the body, as though the individual has "stepped back" from their body but is still able to perceive physical sensations.
The feeling of the need to swallow but of being unable to do so. The throat feels as though it is blocked by mucus (often interpreted to be a sign that ectoplasm is being utilised in the medium).
One individual reported a sense of "activity" located around the solar plexus, as well as at other chakra points within the body.
When the influencing entity is spoken to the developing medium feels a desire to respond but, for whatever reason, cannot speak out loud. A couple of sitters reported the sensation that their lips were being pulled in an unsuccesful effort to vocalise.
Certain individuals report the perception of different colours.

Individual sitters also report differing degrees of trance state; from a deep state (described as "sleep") in which the individual is apparently entirely unconscious and unable to perceive anything in the room around them, to much lighter forms in which the individual remains fully aware of their surroundings.

More such observations will be made over the course of the group's development...

Famous and Recurring Spirit Guides...

2009-06-11T04:44:00.000-07:00

One of the aspects of mediumship that I find particularly interesting is the cross-over of spirit guides, or communicators, between mediums. Occasionally this cross-over can become quite a problem, as in the case of Warren Caylor and Colin Fry's dispute over a communicator called Magnus.

Other communicators appearing through different mediums often include a range of deceased celebrities: Freddy Mercury, Louis Armstrong etc...

In the realm of musical mediumship it is not unkown for composers to channel new music through more than one medium: Liszt and Chopin appear to be common channeling composers.

Grubelei transmitted by Franz Liszt through the mediumship of Rosemary Brown (1916-2001).

In his book Pursuing Physical Mediumship (2007), Robin Foy details various communicators that have not limited their contact with this plane through just one medium. Foy recounts numerous situations in which communications have been received through different mediums (including Leslie Flint) from the likes of Winston Churchill, Oscar Wilde, Emily Bronte, Sir Oliver Lodge, Sir William Crookes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and so on.

Winston Churchill communicating through the mediumship of Leslie Flint (1911-1994) in 1980.

Indeed, there appears to be a propensity towards receiving communications from those individuals who were at one time themselves engaged in the investigation of spiritualistic phenomena. This is, perhaps, as we would expect: an individual that had been fascinated with the mechanics of mediumship throughout life would not hesitate to explore that machinery first-hand when given the opportunity in the afterlife.

Interestingly we also find accounts of communications with those who were skeptical in life, who now, upon experiencing the truth of life after death for themselves, cannot resist but come to communicate how misguided they had been in life. This situation, naturally, seems suspect to any inquisitive researcher (the medium might well be faking it in order to "demonstrate" the truth of life after death and to prove that his/her critics were ultimately wrong) , but it cannot be denied that it is a distinct possibility; we shouldn't rule it out just because it appears improbable, but we'd ought to remain inquisitive.

One argument put forward to account for the recurrence of "celebrity communicators" is that certain discarnate entities will utilise a famous name in order to enhance the enthusiasm of the sitters to communicate, thusly resulting in far stronger phenomena.

Celebrity "possession cults" are not limited to this particular form. The Changun possession cult of Korea is solely centred around the incorporation of famous deceased generals, including the likes of Genghis Khan during the Kut ceremony:

I would suggest, perhaps, that if these entities are not in actuality the individuals they claim to be, that the utilisation of the name of a celebrity/general is to denote elevation. The human being might find that attributing the label of a well known and respected individual to an unknown spiritual entity enables them to better conceive of the "elevatedness" of the entity. By giving it the name of a general, for instance, it is implied that the being is above our status. Conceiving of the spirit as "above our status" might simply be a means for us to abstractify higher dimensionality; I am "normal", the communicator is not; a way of communicating the sense of an uncanny presence.

Some food for thought perhaps...

Corroborational and Non-Corroborational Phenomena...

2009-06-06T08:01:00.000-07:00

When sitting in seance conditions it is possible to distinguish between those occurrences that are corroborated by other sitters, and those that seem to be almost entirely subjective. But there is an added strangeness to this situation in that there are occasions when two individuals might perceive the same light or hear the same sound, while other sitters present in the same room experience no such thing.

This led me to speculate that phenomena exist within a spectrum ranging from the objective and hence corroborational to the subjective and non-corroborational. From this perspective it is possible to imagine all manner of phenomena occurring along the spectrum; some of which are much easier to corroborate with others, some that can be perceived by some individuals but not all, and those that can only be subjectively experienced internally.

States of Consciousness...

2009-06-05T05:28:00.000-07:00

I have stumbled upon an extract from William James' classic text, The Varieties of Religious Experience, that sums up my perspective concerning states of consciousness

"... our normal waking consciousness, rational consciousness as we call it, is but one special type of consciousness, whilst all about it, parted from it by the filmiest of screens, there lie potential forms of consciousness entirely different. We may go through life without suspecting their existence; but apply the requisite stimulus, and at a touch they are there in all their completeness, definite types of mentality which probably somewhere have their field of application and adaptation. No account of the universe in its totality can be final which leaves these other forms of consciousness quite disregarded" (James, 2004, 335)

An Experiment...

2009-06-04T03:56:00.000-07:00

This evening a new circle is set to be started at the Bristol Spirit Lodge with the aim to develop physical mediumship. It is intended that rigorous notes are to be made by all attendees with the purpose of accurately charting the development of the circle and any phenomena that might occur.

Although such experiments have been conducted numerous times, it is still, to my mind, of great importance. It will enable me to gain first hand experience of the earliest stages of seance development; giving an insight into the processes involved in the cultivation of physical mediumship and psi phenomena. It is intended that any data collected during the course of the experiment will be collated, analysed and written up.

I feel that this form of engagement on the behalf of the researcher is fundamental to an in depth study of the seance and its phenomena. It is a form of deep participant observation; I will not separate myself from the proceedings; what could be termed a paraphenomenological approach.

I have no doubt that it will be a fascinating experience. Further details will be reported when available.

As is the custom at the Bristol Spirit Lodge the new circle has been given the name "High Spirits", Christine Di Nucci's reports of the circle's development can be read here.

Personal Experience...

2009-06-01T10:26:00.000-07:00

When conducting fieldwork for my dissertation I had deliberately made the decision to engage fully with the object of my investigation (full participant observation, as proposed by Edith Turner with regard to ritual). This decision was made in order to explore some of the core experiential sensations associated with the mediumship experience, both from the perspective of the sitter and the medium. These experiences form a fundamental infrastructure around which notions and beliefs about the nature of the experience, and its implications, are formed.

The following are the notes I wrote up following two particularly interesting experiences:

"Because Jon was unable to attend the séance this evening (10/3/09) it was decided that the time would best be spent with the intention of development. This involved sitting in red light conditions and meditating. Michelle, who has had previous mediumistic experience, was placed in the cabinet, but the intention of opening prayer was for spirit intelligence to make itself known through any of the vessels present in the room.

After the prayer was read, the music was put on and we were told to relax “and just see what happens”. As I sat there I decided that I would meditate and enjoy the relaxing atmosphere. I closed my eyes and focussed my attention onto my breathing. Eventually I felt my hands tingling as they rested on the arms of the chair and my heart rate began to quicken. I started to feel as though I was going to lose control, as though I was verging on fainting. I wasn’t afraid of losing consciousness, it didn’t feel as though that would occur, but I did feel that I was becoming distanced from my physical body; as though I was sitting just back from my body. It was a very peculiar sensation. At the point when I felt most distanced from my body I heard Christine say that she sensed a presence standing by me. This made me panic, because I too was feeling a distinct presence at this time, as well as feeling as though I might lose control of my body. In response to all of this I panicked and opened my eyes. My heart rate was still racing and I felt light headed. I had to regain control of myself; to calm down and reassure myself that everything was ok.

When I had regained composure I decided to begin my meditation again. This time the physical sensations I felt in the first meditation came on again much faster; my heart rate increased and the tingling in my hands returned. I began to feel myself distancing from my body again, and at the point of greatest distance I felt as though there was a space in my body which could easily be filled, it was as though I had made room in my physical body by moving myself out of it. I then felt an energy move into my left hand, and my index finger began to rise of its own accord. It felt as though it were being lifted by a cushion of air. My second finger began to move upwards also, and soon my hand was quivering on the arm of the chair. I was aware of the movement, but also of the fact that I was not consciously willing it to happen. I was observing the movement, but not with my eyes. This motion began to become more vigorous and soon my whole arm was vibrating and shaking from side to side. All the while my head felt heavy and was drooped down onto my chest. It wasn’t long before my hand began to lower itself; it felt as though the energy was becoming less intense, and as it did so my hand’s movement also became less intense. Soon it was only my two forefingers that remained up, and then these too had returned to normal. When it had all subsided I had “returned” and was fully in control of my body.

I was quite shocked by this experience, and it took quite a while before I was fully calm afterwards.

The second occasion on which this occurred was 19/3/09. Similarly this was a development sitting due to Jon’s absence. I was sitting in the cabinet this time with the intention of conducting a guided meditation. As the meditation progressed it came to a point where the guiding was no longer having any effect. Christine noticed this and decided that she would stop guiding me. Soon after Christine had stopped I once again felt the vibration in my left hand, particularly concentrated on my two forefingers. The sensation was much less intense than on the first occasion but was nevertheless similar in many ways. I was not as shocked this time."

Exposure to these experiences has allowed me an intriguing perspective on the mediumship phenomenon: the sensation of another energy (apparently separate from your own consciousness) taking over physical control of your body. It is a very real experience. I have become aware that my experience was just the peak of an enormous iceberg with far reaching potentials.

These experiences need to be explored.

Sandy's Mediumship & Spirit Houses...

2009-05-22T09:06:00.000-07:00

I attended a seance yesterday, at the Bristol Spirit Lodge, with a medium called Sandy. Unlike Jon's mediumship (which is characterised by the medium remaining perfectly still throughout the course of the seance), Sandy's trance communications are much more physical; with individual communicators presenting not only through an alteration of the voice, but also through particular body postures and movements.

Sandy's mediumship is interesting in that there appear to be occassions when more than one individual spirit entity is occupying her physical body. This plurality of presences is expressed through the posturing of her body during trance, often with individual limbs operating independently of others. For example, yesterday the spirit of a deceased soldier incorporated itself within Sandy's right leg, which was moving indepdently of her other limbs; being under the control of other incorporating members of her spirit team.

Teotihuacano "host figurines"

Observing this strange phenomenon again reminded me of, what are called, "host figurines" found at the pre-columbian American site of Teotihuacan in Mexico. Teotihuacan was one of America's great civilizations, flourishing between 250 AD and 750 AD (Saunders, 2006, 51), whose culture contained elements of pan-American cosmological understanding (e.g. belief in the existence of multiple worlds, deities and spirits) and shamanistic belief systems. These belief structures consititute the Teotihuacan world-view, which can be inferred from material culture remains uncovered at the site; for example fundamental beliefs about the nature and structure of the universe, as conceived at Teotihuacan, can be found in artefacts, architecture, and even encoded within the layout of the city on a broader scale (Sugiyama, 1993).

Teotihuacano "host figurines"

Warren Barbour (as cited by Pasztory, 1993, 133) has suggested that these so-called “host figures” “may represent the totality of the body politic at Teotihuacán. The hosts may be deities, while the figurines are the male and female inhabitants and functionaries”. In other words they are representative of the social structure of Teotihuacán. I think, however, that it might be best to interpret these artefacts a little more literally and with reference to contemporary Amerindian practice. When looking at the host figures we see an individual inhabited by multiple smaller individuals. A contemporary analogue to this belief might be the Yanomamo conception of “spirit houses” within the body of a shapori or shaman (Jokic, 2008, 41). The shapori initiation rituals of the Yanomamo involve the incorporation of numerous individual spirits, called hekura, who inhabit a “spirit house” believed to be embodied in the shaman’s chest. To my mind these Teotihuacáno sculptures provide a clear reference to a similar, if not identical, structure of belief in supernatural or spiritual entities, as well as the notion that these beings can be incorporated within the bodies of certain specialised individuals; shamans or mediums.

The similarities, at least in terms of imagery, between these intriguing statuettes and the apparent multiplicity of spirits incarnating within a single human body during certain mediumship practices, as in Sandy's case, are fascinating. They are perhaps indicative of cross-cultural, and cross-temporal, similarities in what might be called the "channeling experience", whereby an individual acts as a vessel for containing discarnate intelligence, perhaps implying that similar processes are in operation when indivudals across the world allow their bodies to be occupied by external agents, even if the cultural contexts of these incorporation events are entirely different (e.g. different interpretations of what is happening, different mythological contexts, different methods for inducing the required trance for incorporation to take place, etc.).

***

Notes:

Jokic, Z. 2008. Yanomami Shamanic Initiation: The Meaning of Death and Postmortem Consciousness in Transformation. Anthropology of Consciousness, Vol. 19, No. 1, pp. 33-59.

Pasztory, E. 1993. An Image is Worth a Thousand Words: Teotihuacán and the Meaning of Style in Classic Mesoamerica. In D.S. Rice (ed.) Latin American Horizons. United States: Dumbarton Oaks.

Saunders, N.J. 2006. Ancient Americas: Maya, Aztec, Inka & Beyond. United Kingdom: Sutton Publishing Limited.

Sugiyama, S. 1993. Worldview Materialized at Teotihuacán, Mexico. Latin American Antiquity, Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 103-129.

Characteristics of Trance...

2009-05-20T05:15:00.000-07:00

The trance state is central to our understanding of discarnate intelligence. It is through such states that communications with spiritual entities usually (although not always) take place. It is important, therefore, to try to elucidate, at least to some extent, what is happening while these communications are taking place.

Very often the term "trance" is used synonymously with other terms such as "possession", "dissociation", and even "altered state of consciousness". Very little attempt is made to distinguish between these varying states of consciousness and the words used to refer to them (Winkelman, 1986).

In actuality there is a great range of altered states of consciousness, with each state possessing its own disctinctive characteristics and associated subjective phenomena. It would be wrong to think, however, that these different states represent mutually exclusive grades of consciousness; the whole issue would be best thought of in terms of a continuum of incredibly subtle degrees flowing smoothly into one another (just as we experience when we drift off to sleep and then wake up in the morning, through various stages of drowsiness to alertness).

Aspects of the Spectrum of Consciousness (Source)

The various states of consciousness do, however, appear to exhibit certain continuities of theme:

"ASCs share features in common... alterations in thinking, change in sense of time and body image, loss of control, change in emotional expression, perceptual distortion, change in meaning and significance, a sense of ineffability, feelings of rejuvination, and hypersuggestibility" (Winkelman, 1986, 175)

These are fundamental aspects of what constitutes our sense of self, time and place. They are dependent on the way we perceive and interact with our environment, which in turn is dependent upon our particular state of consciousness. Altering our state of consciousness consequently affects the way in which we interact with the world around us (e.g. when we are drowsy we may not fully engage with our surroundings, but when fully lucid our engagement is more complete).

What, then, are the characteristics of the mediumistic trance state?

This question can be broken down into three distinct (although interlinked) areas of focus: (1) the external behaviour of the medium; (2) the phenomenological experience of the medium; (3) the psychophysiological processes in operation during the trance state.

(1) There is a huge variety of different manifestations of spirit mediumship.

In the case of the Bristol Spirit Lodge, Jon's mediumship is characterised by remaining completely motionless, except for an intense vibration in the right hand. His eyes remain firmly shut throughout the trance communication session. Jon's behaviour indicates a redirection of attention from the external world to the internal; his closed eyes symbolising the link being made with the spirit world (as with the Hmong Shaman discussed below); a redirection of perception.

(2) Jon has described the experience of trance as follows:

"For the first half of the evening I have absolutely no awareness of what's going on externally ... I can't feel anything at all what-so-ever. Occasionally, I go off into a 'day dream?' mode and visit places and people ... but not every time. Recently I've started to feel strong energies around me (hot and cold breezes particularly on my legs), usually just before Charlie (or whoever) comes in to talk first... Often now, when they are talking I'll go back into myself and I get a strange sensation of vertigo & being detached from the conversation, not just intellectually but physically as well. As if I'm on the edge of a precipice or inside a vast canyon. It's a sense of scale I think, I feel very small in comparison to something very large?"

(3) With regard to the psychophysiological processes occurring during the trance state, it is not possible to provide a precise account of what is taking place within the physiological structure of Jon's brain, but there are certain pointers available that might shed some light on the matter.

The simple act of closing the eyes has an observable psychophysiological effect. Electoencephalograph (EEG) readings have revealed that "closing one's eyes leads to an increase in synchronous alpha patterns", which is a conconmitant effect of parasympatheitc nervous system dominance (Winkelman, 1986, 177). The frequency range of alpha waves is between 7-12 Hz. Parasympathetic dominance is characterised by hemispheric synchronisation resulting in relaxation.

EEG brainwaves (Source)

It would be possible to speculate, perhaps, that Jon's trance state is also associated with hemispheric synchronisation and alpha wave dominance.

An important question to ask here is that relating to the causal direction of these psychophysiological observations. Do they represent the cause of the phenomena (e.g. communications with discarnate entities are nothing more than the result of psychophysiological processes), or are the psychophysiological processes the product of some external influence (e.g. the psychophysiological changes occur because communication is taking place)?

I am of the opinion that the psychophysiological changes are necessary if communication with discarnate beings is to be achieved. The release of certain chemicals and alterations to the frequencies of our brain waves are required to tune us into another aspect of reality; in other words altered states of consciousness affect the way that we interface with reality (and there are very many different ways for us to achieve this interface).

To be continued...

***

Notes:

[1] Winkelman, M. 1986. Trance States: A Theoretical Model and Cross Cultural Analysis. Ethos, Vol. 14, No. 2, pp. 174-203.

[2] While writing this article I received an e-mail from Beatrice McCraig, an accredited medium from Scotland, concerning her interpretation of trance states and the processes involved in transmitting communications from discarnate entities.

An interesting point she brought up is a distinction between the ASC associated with Deep Trance and that associated with the Lesser Trance state (as utilised for clairvoyance, clairaudience, etc.). She suggests that Deep Trance states are associated with a relaxation whereby the medium's unconscious is utilised by the discarnate intelligence communicating, while the Lesser Trance is associated with a heightened awareness; necessary for consciously selecting the information that is received.

This seems to agree with the suggestion that deep trance states are associated with alpha waves and parasympathetic dominance. Lesser trance states utilise a different ASC, perhaps associated with dominance of the sympathetic nervous system (this system is resposnsible for making the body alert through the release of certain hormones and neurotransmitters, such as adrenaline, and leads to a hemispheric desynchronization).

To read Beatrice's article click HERE.

Cultural vs. Pre-Cultural Sources...

2009-05-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

When I intially started working towards my dissertation I was unsure as to where I was going to focus my investigations. I knew that I wanted to explore people's experiences of the "supernatural" or "paranormal", and that I was particularly interested in the experiences of those who claimed to have communicated with discarnate entities, but I wasn't entirely sure where I could find people who had had such experiences to study.

Before discovering the Bristol Spirit Lodge, therefore, I was on the lookout for individuals who had experienced near-death experiences (NDE), out-of-body experiences (OOBE), ghost sightings, abduction experiences and so on. To this end I put up a notice on a paranormal forum asking for people who had had such experiences to get in touch with me. Only one person did, an individual by the name of Rudy.

Rudy had experienced an NDE in his 20's as his car rolled during a flash-flood. Reading through Rudy's statement it became apparent to me that there were certain elements of his experience that correlated with traditionally conceived notions of what happens during a near death experience (e.g. life-review, out-of-body experience, moving towards the light and through a tunnel, loving being of light, etc.(Siegel, 1980, pp. 920-921)), while there were other aspects that didn't seem to fit so neatly into the traditional model, aspects which at the time of the experience even Rudy was shocked by because they didn't fit with his expectations for such an occurrence. The following are extracts from his account of the experience that most surprised him:

"I did not know that heaven in scripture was squarish shaped before my NDE. I tend to think of it now as some type of spaceship."

"The orbs of light were particularly different from my expectations of heaven... On my return to my body I saw some of the orbs or souls peel off and going to places other than the earth. This was certainly a surprise to me and conunter to my religious notions that we humans are alone in the universe with souls."

"I could not return to the church of my youth as its message contradicts the loving God I met in heaven... Any time a preacher puts others down it offends my absolute knowledge that God loves everyone regardless of their religious views/addiction/homelessness/wealth/political affiliation/sexual orientation..."

There must be more to such experiences than simply creating an anomalous experience based upon cultural constructs. While it is undoubtedly true that we do utilise models from our own private experience and learning to interpret phenomena that we have not experienced before, it is also evident, particularly in Rudy's case, that there were elements that exceeded his expectations of what he would experience in such a situation.

The transformational capacity of such experiences is interesting, particularly, as in Rudy's case, when the experience causes a reinterpretation of previously held conceptions about the nature of what might be termed God and heaven. If these experiences were entirely rooted in cultural notions and expectations, we would not expect to see facets which exceeded these occuring during the experience.

To what extent, then, are we dealing with a cultural or pre-cultural phenomenon?

David Hufford's (1987) book "The Terror that Comes in the Night" suggests that the Old Hag tradition of Newfoundland is a cultural interpretation of a pre-cultural experience (sleep paralysis), which also occurs in other parts of the world but under a different name. The use of the term pre-cultural here refers to sources of experience that are not determined by culture, for example innate biological processes (e.g. the experience is nothing more than an hallucination triggered by the release of certain chemicals in the brain when the body is in serious danger of death), or some other element external to the body of the individual undergoing the experience (e.g. actually visiting "heaven" and meeting discarnate beings).

This is a subject that will be brought up again....

Suspension of Disbelief...

2009-05-16T05:16:00.000-07:00

It is clear that there are many factors involved in the production of altered consciousness in those who are witness to séance phenomena. An important aspect that I feel needs to be addressed is the role of performance. Performance can have a significant effect on the observer.

Performance has the ability to move our consciousness to other places. It is said that we may suspend our disbelief when watching a play or reading a book in order to fully engage ourselves in the situation being presented to us. This suspension of disbelief is usually created by the performance: if the performance is good the observer will be better able to immerse him/herself in the drama, and may even forget that what they are observing is an act. This is a powerful phenomenon.

Performance often takes a central role in the practices of shamans throughout the world. The types of performance utilised might include; dancing, singing, drumming, illusions/tricks, role playing and fantastic feats of physical ability, alone or in combination with one another. I would suggest that such performances serve as external cues to induce within the observer a sense of the otherworldly and as proofs to the witness that the shaman is indeed in contact with this other world.

Korean shaman performing physical feats with knives (Source)

To a degree then, trickery may well form a part of the physical medium’s trade, but only to serve the purpose of engaging the sitter’s energies with his/her endeavours. Tricks and illusions can cause the observer to look at reality differently; they can induce in the observer a sense of the impossible and magical. To this end the performance increases the acceptance of the witness that something is actually happening, which may well be the case. In other words performance can produce a conducive atmosphere within which certain phenomena can manifest more easily.

To this end it might be reasonable to suggest that our notion of fraud is somewhat misplaced when used in reference to the practice of physical mediumship. The anthropologist Edith Turner (1998) arrived at a similar conclusion when considering the ihamba healing ceremony of the Ndembu. During this ritual a human tooth, possessed by spirit intentionality, is believed to be the cause of physical illness. Following a lengthy and ritualised ordeal the tooth is finally extracted from the patient. But was the tooth really to blame for the illness, and did it really get extracted from the patient? Edith Turner writes:

“…Meru’s affliction by a human tooth looks impossible; in the West the only words for such a process are “trickery”, “sleight of hand”, and the like. But these terms derive from quite a different world from the scene at Mulandu farm” (Turner, 1998, 169)

Performance and/or elements of trickery may be a fundamental aspect of the process of inducing something to happen: creating an atmosphere in which things may occur through providing stimulus to suggest the tangible action of the spirit world; through allowing the individual to suspend their disbelief. Once in that frame of mind an individual will be open to experience on more subtle levels and will be able to willingly engaging with them. In the case of Edith Turner's experience, whether the spirit tooth was produced by trickery or supernatural means is irrelevent when the overall effect is understood: the patient was healed.

Indeed, the importance of acceptance has been stressed by spirits communicating through trance mediumship. These beings operate on a mental level in which thought is fundamental. If we wish to communicate with them we must literally allow them in; we have to be in a receptive frame of mind. Belief is a highly significant factor: if you do not believe it is possible it is much less likely to happen (but then again there are numerous accounts of individuals who have had their pre-conceptions entirely altered by an apparently impossible experience).

In writing this I am not apologizing for the use of fraud in the history of physical mediumship, but am rather suggesting that our understanding of such matters is far from complete and that by dismissing mediums on the grounds that they have utilised trickery is not necessarilly the right move to make. Shamans maintain a high status in their societies for aiding communication with the other world, even if this process involves an element of trickery; the communication and its effects are, nevertheless, still valid.

We must suspend our disbelief in order to experience the other world.

Perception & Altered States of Consciousness...

2009-05-14T07:08:00.000-07:00

In the literature concerning spirit possession and mediumship a great deal of attention is paid to the medium’s state of consciousness (and rightly so, as there is a great deal to be learned from this perspective), but I feel that the issue needs also to be brought up with regard to those who witness the trance channelling session, and any phenomena that might accompany it (e.g. lights, mists and the like). Mediumship is a three-way process involving the incorporating spirit, the medium/channel and the sitter being spoken to, all of which need to be considered in an exploration of such matters. I would suggest, therefore, that in addition to the alteration of the medium/channel’s consciousness, a similar process is also occurring with the consciousness of the witness.

Indeed, it is true to say that in the majority of cases the medium is unaware of the phenomena being displayed while he/she is in trance. The most extraordinary claims, therefore, derive not from the medium but from the sitters: it is the sitters who hear voices and bangs, perceive spirit lights and transfiguration, witness levitation and feel the solidity of ectoplasmic materialisations.

What, then, is going on?

There is a wide range of techniques for the attainment of altered states of consciousness, ranging from the consumption of psychoactive substances to meditation and all that is in between (e.g. sleep). Different techniques produce different phenomenological states, is there evidence for the induction of altered states of consciousness within the sitters as well as the medium? This section will venture to explore one of the possibilities (it is intended that other issues pertaining to this aspect of the seance will be elaborated on in later sections).

Sensory Deprivation…

One of the simplest methods of consciousness alteration is sensory deprivation. Experiments concerning the effects of sensory and perceptual deprivation have demonstrated the sort of experiences people undergo in such circumstances: visual and auditory hallucinations are common (Vernon, 1971, p.170-173).

When we consider hallucinations it is common for us to regard them as symptoms of abnormality and as purely mental productions with no “objective” reality outside of the individual’s perception. Such a notion is, however, by no means universal: Richard Noll (1985) has suggested that the cultivation of mental imagery is a hallmark of shamanic societies around the world. In such societies endogenous imagery is considered to be a valuable tool, providing a means to catch a glimpse of a world that cannot otherwise be seen. Mircea Eliade (1989) has suggested that seeing a spirit is a hallmark of shamanic development:

““Seeing” a spirit, either in dream or awake, is a certain sign that one has in some sort obtained a “spiritual condition”, that is, that one has transcended the profane condition of humanity. This is why, among the Mentaweians, the “vision” (of spirits), whether occurring spontaneously or obtained by effort, immediately confers magical power” (Eliade, 1989, 85)

Visions are clearly a significant, and hence desired, phenomenon in a great many societies throughout the world. Indeed, there are themes within contemporary mediumship practice which suggest the importance of sensory deprivation for the cultivation of visual “hallucinations”, most notably the use of blackout (or red lighting) conditions and the positioning of the medium within a curtained cabinet.

The process of closing the medium off from view can be paralleled with the symbolic significance of the Hmong shaman, who, when entering into trance, covers his eyes with special blinkers. This act demonstrates that the shaman is no longer using his eyes to see in the physical world, but is instead looking beyond it into the spirit world: there has been a shift in focussed awareness.

Hmong Shaman, Thailand (Source)

Sensory deprivation, whether the product of sitting in blackout, wearing blinkers, or simply closing the eyes, provides the individual with an opportunity to focus attention inwards (or at least away from his/her physical environment), without (or with fewer) distracting sense impressions. Castillo (1995) has suggested that the ability to enter in to trance, both pathological and otherwise (27) is derived from an ability to narrowly and intensely focus attention onto inner processes. Trance and other (sleep, hypnosis, meditation, etc.) states of consciousness represent different “tunings” (Castillo, 1995, 27) of the central nervous system which differ to that of “normal waking consciousness" [2].

But what is it that the sense deprived individual perceives?

The terms "phosphene" and "entoptics" are used to refer to the sort of visual phenomena observed when an individual is subjected to sensory deprivation. Phosphenes/Entoptics are understood to be endogenous visual phenomena, that is they are a product of the structure of the eye and nervous system. Do these phenomena correlate in any way with the observations of individuals sitting in blackout (or red-lit) seance conditions?

Examples of common entoptic hallucinations (Horowitz, 1964, p.518)[1]

The sort of visual phenomena commonly reported following sitting in seance conditions include:

Spirit lights (of which there are seemingly a variety of different sorts; ranging from minute flashes of light to solid and constant orbs of light)
Mists (often considered to be ectoplasm in a more subtle form)
Transfiguration (whereby the medium's face is seen to shift between his/her own likeness and that of many others)
Apparitions

There is clearly a distinction to be made between the different forms of visual phenomena observed. There are certain visual phenomena, such as mists and spirit lights, that might be identified as entoptic hallucinations, and then there are those that do not seem to fall so neatly into this category, such as apparitional and transfiguration phenomena.

It becomes even more difficult when we consider the claims of individuals to have witnessed (visually and tactilely) full form materialisations and other definitely physical phenomena such as levitation and dematerialization. Can these fantastic claims be reduced to notions of endogenously derived subjective hallucinations, brought about through sensory deprivation?

Not really. These phenomena must fall into a different classification entirely. Either they are hallucinations of a much greater magnitude, or they represent objective occurrences (either genuine or the product of trickery, these are matters that will be brought up at a later date).

Conclusion...

There are a variety of processes in action during the seance situation all of which culminate in the overall effect of the proceedings. To my mind the notion of altered states of consciousness in the sitters has been somewhat ignored (although perhaps I am wrong). It seems to me to be an important issue, and one which clearly stands out when we look at the facts. There are similarities in contemporary mediumship practice with other traditions of spirit seership from across both time and space.

Our culture has an inherent aversion to altered states of consciousness, and would consider them abnormal, so that anything encountered or observed while experiencing such a state cannot have any reality: they become labelled as "anomalous" and insignificant. This is not the case. Using the term hallucination to describe certain of the phenomena observed during blackout séances need not necessarily imply that there is no intrinsic reality to what is seen and heard. Altered states of consciousness may be considered as lenses of different magnifications, each state allowing a more detailed perspective on a particular facet of existence; allowing us to see what is already there, just below the surface of our everyday waking world.

These issues, and more, will be explored in greater depth as this site develops.

Thoughts, opinions and suggestions are welcomed.

***

Notes

[1] Horowitz, M.J. 1964. The Imagery of Visual Hallucinations. Journal of Nervous & Mental Disorders, Vol. 138, pp. 513-523.

[2] Castillo, R.J. 1995. Culture, Trance and the Mind-Brain. Anthropology of Consciousness, Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 17-32.

What is Charlie?

2009-05-13T06:33:00.000-07:00

I am currently attending a physical mediumship circle in Bristol at the Bristol Spirit Lodge, where I have come to know a spirit by the name of Charlie. Charlie makes himself known through the trance mediumship of Jon.

The question of what exactly constitutes an incorporating spirit such as Charlie is an interesting and complex one. There have been numerous propositions suggested in answer to this question over the course of humanity’s dealing with such entities; from what might be termed spiritualistic interpretations to psychological conceptions and classifications. A brief overview of some of these varying interpretations will be the subject of the following section.

Alter...

Alter is the term used to refer to distinct personalities that can develop when an individual suffers from what has been termed Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD) or Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)[1]. A person suffering from DID experiences a number of phenomenological states which appear, at least on surface value, to bare some similarity to cases of spirit incorporation and possession.

Alters are understood to be created by the individual as a coping strategy to deal with some early life traumatic experience(s). In the event of witnessing a horrific scene during childhood, for instance, the mind might protect itself through constructing a personality that is not afraid of such experiences; a personality able to cope with the trauma (Crabtree, 1988, pp.72-78). Or if an individual is particularly shy, for example, an alter personality may develop that is substantially more outgoing and more socially able. In some cases a variety of different personalities might be formed, each with their own particular area of activity or individual speciality. In the event of further traumatic experiences these alters might once again be brought to the foreground to psychologically protect the original personality from emotional harm. In most cases, although by no means all, the original personality is completely unable to recall any event their physical body was experiencing while under the control of an alter (again a similarity with mediumship). Occasionally an alter personality might come to the fore in order to replace the original personality entirely.

Alter personalities can be complete in many, if not all, respects and exhibit a surprising depth, complexity and independence; “autonomous complexes” in Jung’s (2008, p.135) terminology. Indeed occasions have been reported on which it has become difficult to tell the difference between an individual’s “real”, or original, personality and that of an alter that has assumed control over the physical body (Crabtree, 1988, pp.89-90). In this respect, there is little differentiation between the personality (as we would define it) of an alter and that of a normal human being; as a form of consciousness it can be just as valid, real and complete as your own; with life experiences, memories, feelings and beliefs.

This use of the concept of dissociative identity, or multiple personality, disorder with regards to the practices of mediumship and trance channelling naturally implies that they are the symptoms of some form of mental abnormality or illness. This notion, however, does not sit well with the findings of anthropologists in the field studying societies where mediumistic practices, and the beliefs associated with them, still maintain a central role in day-to-day living.

The anthropologist Morton Klass (2006) has suggested a new approach to assessing whether behaviours, e.g. mediumistic trances of whatever sort, are abnormal or not. He suggests that spirit incorporation states do not represent disorders because they are not understood to be so in the social groups in which they occur; they are characterised as accepted and normal and generally have a place within the culture; that is that these states and behaviours are understood as mediumship or spirit possession, there is a cultural referent and explanation available and procedures to deal with such states are in place. A disorder, on the other hand, is not incorporated into the culture in anyway, indeed a disorder most clearly disrupts the norm; it stands out, and would consequently be recognizable as an abnormality to anyone within that social group (even within a society that practices mediumship of one form or another).

Adam Crabtree has suggested that the similarity between mediumistic, and possession, trance states and multiple personality disorders is rooted in an inherent human ability to dissociate[2]. The difference arises in the way in which dissociation occurs; if unpredictable, uncontrollable and debilitating dissociative symptoms are exhibited it would be considered abnormal; if, on the other hand, the symptoms of dissociation are desired, respected and understood as of value to the individual and community then they would not be seen as abnormal.

Jon’s mediumship is certainly understood to have a purpose within the social group in which it takes place; the Bristol Spirit Lodge. The trance and incorporation state is culturally recognised by the group, and does not, consequently, represent an abnormal behaviour. Moreover, Jon’s behaviour is perfectly normal in all respects when not engaged in the trance state. The distinct lack of negative impact of his mediumship on his everyday functioning is a clear indication of its normal, and safe, nature. In other words mediumship is not a symptom of an abnormal psychological state, even if it does bare surface resemblances in certain respects to dissociative identity, and multiple personality, disorders. It is a form of dissociation but not a disorder.

Egrigore (thought-form)...

The term egrigore has traditionally been utilised by occult practitioners to refer to a conscious “thought-form”. A thought-form is an entity, conscious or otherwise, made manifest through the application of focussed imaginative thinking and intent by a group or individual. Such an entity may also be referred to as an imaginal being.

A Canadian psychical investigation group conducted an experiment, which they called “the Philip Experiment” (as cited by Klimo, 1987, pp.249-250), in the 1970s whereby they collaborated on the concoction of an imaginary character by the name of Philip; going so far as to write a detailed but fictional background history for him, and even creating a likeness of his face on which to focus attention. Under séance conditions the group attempted to contact this imaginary creation and, after several failed attempts, eventually succeeded in doing so. The Philip they had created was complete, and to some extent exhibited a degree of independent thought when probed with questions. Séances during which Philip was contacted also featured a number of physical phenomena including rappings and table tipping; phenomena identical to physical mediumship séances.

Such entities might be thought of in terms of a group mind; a collective expression of intent made manifest. The notion bares similarities with occult ideas of conjuring spirits through the use of symbols and chants as foci of intentionality. A thought-form is believed, once manifest, to exist as an independent external entity within the mental realm.

These thought creations clearly posses the ability to have a tangible, and indeed physical, effect on the world around us, and in consequence, once created, are as real as any other intelligence.
Christine recalls an occasion with one of her foster children; a young girl of about 3 years of age who developed an imaginary friend. In Christine’s experience many children in similar situations have developed such imaginary friends. On one occasion it was only a matter of weeks before other children in her care began to 'join in' with this particular imaginary friend. All three children in her care at the time (aged 3-7 years) described him identically, perhaps indicative of a group manifested entity. There came a time when, one evening, another child reported that this imaginary friend was upset, because he didn’t feel loved anymore. It was exactly as if the children's acceptance of this imaginary child had 'caused' him to become real; he felt emotions in much the same way as a normal child would.

It is possible that Charlie represents the manifestation of a collective thought form communicating through Jon as a vessel. There is certainly an intention set during séances to communicate with Charlie; his conversations are enjoyable, and to this end the sitters are engaged in an intentional willing for Charlie to make himself known. There is, however, a significant point to be made here; Charlie is not the only communicator received through Jon’s mediumship; there are in actuality several others who regularly make themselves audible and on occasion entirely unknown communicators are brought forward. Consequently sitters are never sure which of Jon’s spirit team will present themselves during the séances.

An intention is set to communicate with any spirit person, and not Charlie in particular.

The subconscious mind...

The notion of a hidden aspect of the human mind has likely been perceived since the earliest days of human sentience. It wasn’t until the 19th century, however, with the work of pioneering psychologists such as Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud, that the idea became firmly established in the scientific literature as an active factor in the cognitive processes of the human mind.

Utilising this conceptual framework, it has been suggested that trance communications do not necessarily represent a form of contact with independent discarnate entities, but are, in fact, a means of receiving information stored deep within the subconscious mind of the medium him/her self.

This position holds that any information received during trance sessions was already unconsciously known by the medium. This unconscious information, when it comes forward, appears to derive from a consciousness other than that of the medium. In order to better comprehend the source of this information, the mind personifies the source thus creating the illusion of a separate intelligence; again what would be termed dissociation.

The 19th and early 20th century occultist Aleister Crowley (1875-1947) conceived of the spirits described in the Goetia[3], or the Lesser Key of Solomon, as “portions of the human brain” (1997, p.17). The symbolic seals presented in the book “represent… methods of stimulating or regulating those particular spots” (ibid.). From this perspective it may be suggested that spirits represent subconscious aspects of the mediums (or conjuror’s) own mind brought forward through the apprehension of subconsciously stimulating cues in the external world.

It would be possible to argue that a similar process is in operation at the Spirit Lodge. Symbols can take many forms and can have a profound effect on the consciousness of their observers. While the séances conducted at the Lodge do not use symbols like those represented in the Goetia to bring spirits forward, it might be argued that the building itself, along with other ritualised behaviours when inside it (e.g. sitting in a circle, dimming the lights, prayers etc) serve as symbolic cues which suggest that an entity will become available to communicate with. These cues may activate elements of the subconscious mind of both the medium and sitters with the effect of manifesting a personified intelligence by the name of Charlie.

Naturally, such a fact would be impossible to verify, but it is interesting food for thought.

Spirit of the dead...

The suggestion that the entities communicated with during séances are the spirits of the dead (that is disincarnate human beings), derives directly from the communications that are received. Simply put, the majority of entities communicated with during séances declare themselves to be the spirits of the deceased. This is their own understanding of their existence; that is how they perceive themselves.

Charlie has indicated that he once lived upon the earth as a monk by the name of Dao Lin. What reason do we have to disregard this claim? In truth it is an impossible fact to verify, but this claim is the most positive evidence available as to the nature of the intelligence we call Charlie. He himself has told us what and who he is.

If we are willing to consider Charlie as a manifestation of consciousness then we must also treat him with the respect we ourselves would expect of an interlocutor. We would not like to have our own understanding of what we are questioned by a stranger. We should allow for a degree of trust in our dealings with these entities. Although trickery is a possibility, it must also be considered that anyone we meet on the street may also deceive us on first meeting them, but we would not dare to question them (unless their claims were extraordinary) out of politeness and respect, although we might later on, as we got to know them a little better.

Treating apparent spirit people with respect and courtesy is one of the best means to understand more about them.

Summary...

Jon has described the confusion arising from trying to determine what exactly it is that he channels at the Spirit Lodge. On certain occasions, even from his own perspective, it is difficult to distinguish where he ends and the spirits begin, while on other occasions the distinction appears fairly clear cut:

“I do sometimes wonder if it's not really my subconscious just raking up all these thoughts and regurgitating them out under the pretext of an alter ego. Although, last week, when [a spirit] came through I felt a very definite 'feeling' of a personality that wasn't mine. Hard to explain, but I know how "I" feel, and this wasn't how "I" feel at all.”

Indeed, it is true to say that any number of the explanations given for the existence of these other personalities (whether alters, thought-forms, the subconscious or spirits) does not rule out any of the others as equally valid possibilities. It is entirely possible that all processes could co-exist; an individual may divide his/her consciousness into multiple personalities to escape traumatic experiences, but this does not mean that thought-forms and spirits do not exist[4].

Indeed, Charlie, intriguingly and with humour, has provided a number of possible explanations for what he is:

Charlie: Ah, what could we be? I could be a thought, soaring on the wind…I could be a collective consciousness, perhaps from the physical world, or maybe even another. I might be a mischievous demon capturing your attention, slowly sucking you in... I think, I feel.

As usual, Charlie leaves us to make up our own mind; to find our own truth. He does not give us the answers, but provides food for thought.

(A collection of Charlie's teachings is currently being compiled with the aim of publishing within the coming months)

***

Notes

[1] Dissociative disorders are a classification of mental illness in the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders vol. 4 (DSM-IV). According to the DSM-IV “The essential feature of the dissociative disorders is a disruption in the usually integrated functions of consciousness, memory, identity, or perception. The disturbance may be sudden or gradual, transient or chronic”. There are a variety of different manifestations of dissociative disorder. DID, or multiple personality disorder, is just one.
[2] The term dissociation refers to a change in the functioning of consciousness “such that part of oneself appears to be split off and operating independently” (Klimo, 1987, p.346). Klass (2006, pp.115-116) suggests that this is a natural capacity of the human mind.
[3] The Goetia, also known as “The Lesser Key of Solomon” is an almanac of magical symbols used for the invocation of certain specific spiritual entities that originally appeared in 16th century AD Europe. Each entity described (of which there are 72) in the book is associated with a particular seal that can be utilised as a focus of attention and intention during conjuring rituals. These beings could be contacted to carry out specific actions on behalf of the conjuror, provided that he performed the relevant rituals and possessed the necessary protective seals and amulets.
[4] The above quotation from Jon includes the terms “subconscious”, “alter ego” and “definite…personality” to describe his experience, clearly indicating the potential action of all processes simultaneously during the channelling experience. The influence of the subconscious, for instance, is constant throughout even our waking lives, why should it not also be active during the trance channelling state? Indeed Charlie has referred to the central role of the subconscious in the trance channelling procedure.