Welcome to The Mad Logophile. Here, we explore words; their origins, evolution, usage. Words are alive. Words are born, they change and, sometimes, they die. They are our principal tool for communicating with one another. There are over one million words in the English language yet only an estimated 171,476 words are in common current use. As a logophile, I enjoy discovering new words, using them and learning about their origins. Please join in.
The subject of the paranormal engenders intense feelings in many people. There are those who believe in paranormal or supernatural experiences. And there are those who do not. We will not concern ourselves with the truth or falseness of the things discussed. Our dalliance in the Other World tonight involves the words used to describe various phenomena. Whether or not you believe in the things described is not important. It's the words which will provide our fodder for the evening.
If, perhaps while you are reading this, a shiver runs up your spine just put it down to the caveman part of your brain. The part that gives a shape to the shadow seen out of the corner of your eye. It's alright. We're safe here...
Imagine you have been invited by Arthur Conan Doyle (why not run in high-up circles? it's our imagination, after all) to a Victorian seance. You arrive at a fashionable home and are met at the door by a butler. You wait in a foyer with a few other people. When everyone has arrived, you are led into the parlour. Here, there is a large table with chairs and little else. At one end of the table is a cabinet (box or curtained enclosure in which the medium is secured and from which various phenomena may manifest). Once all of the sitters (seance participants) are seated, the medium (person who acts as an intermediary between spirits and the living) will enter the room. She will take her seat inside the cabinet while the butler dims the lights. Soon, the medium will enter a trance (a dissociated state of consciousness). If things go well, she will contact her control (an entity who communicates with a trance medium and aides her in contacting deceased souls), who will facilitate the conversations with those who have passed on. There may be a direct voice communication (voice which does not seem to emanate from any person, from out of thin air) or indirect voice (in which an entity speaks using the vocal apparatus of the medium; the voice will sound very different from the medium's normal voice) communication. Perhaps there will be an apport (physical object which appears to come from nowhere) or maybe a few of them. She may engage in automatic writing (intelligible messages written without conscious control or knowledge of what is being written). The medium may produce ectoplasm (semi-fluid substance exuded by a physical medium from which materializations may form). If you are very lucky, there may be a materialization (formation of a visible and tangible object or human shape). Afterward, the group adjourns to the sitting room for sherry and (hopefully) excited conversation.
Other things that you may experience in a seance include a crystal ball (or any reflecting surface - mirror, glass, crystal, liquid - in order to obtain paranormal information), the Ouija board (I'm pretty sure we all know what this is), proxy sitting (in which another person sits in on behalf of the person receiving a communication), remote viewing (in which the medium attempts to become psychically aware of someone at a distant, unknown target location) and table tilting (mysterious movements of a table attributed to spirits). Sometimes, none of these things would happen. But many mediums feel required to have something happen, leading to widespread fraud.
To prevent fraud, some tests have been developed:
In the book test, the medium is asked to divine the words on a given page of a book. This is sometimes conducted during a sitting in an attempt to exclude telepathy between medium and sitter as an explanation for the information acquired paranormally by the medium: the spirit is asked to transmit a message referring to specified pages of a book that the medium could not have normally seen. The newspaper test asks the spirit to relate something which will appear in the following day's newspaper. In the picture test, the medium is asked to describe a picture relating to the querant from information provided by spirits.
Do you believe in ghosts? Which kind? There are many different kinds of ghosts and hauntings and if we are going to be thorough tonight, then we need to learn about them. Or at least what the words are and what they mean. From the most primitive to more advanced forms....
We mentioned Ectoplasm already. The term was originally used to describe the substance that oozed from mediums during a séance (as mentioned above). It is now referred to as a mist or fog, usually displaying a swirly effect. It normally appears several feet off the ground and can linger or travel at will. It can be gray, white or black but has also been seen in several other colors. Ecto has been caught on both video and all types of cameras. It's important to note however, that a camera can inadvertently create this effect in cold weather; a person exhaling close to the lens is the usual cause.
Quite common in photos and video, orbs are the most photographed anomalies captured by ghost hunters. They most often show up as transparent or translucent balls of light hovering above the ground. A prize photo of orb/s has an inner substance and/or a nucleus within the circle. However, some digital cameras will produce false orbs with these characteristics and they can no longer be counted as authentic. It's really impressive when orbs are captured on film with a lingering trail. This trail indicates they were traveling at a fairly fast rate of speed at the time of the flash, which further indicates it's authenticity. Many experts say that up to 85% of orbs are created inadvertently by circumstances or weather conditions. Orbs have also been seen on video hovering in the same position for short periods of time but most often are caught traveling erratically through the air in a random pattern. These are usually (and rightly) dismissed as either dust motes or insects.
More frightening than than orbs or ecto, shadow people (left) appear as a (appropriately enough) shadows. They looksomewhat like Ecto but have human-like form. They can be small or large. In photographs it's very easy to confuse them with natural shadows. When they are spotted it's usually out of the corner of your eye or as they are darting about. They can often be spotted in a mirror as well.
Ghost lights have been seen and recorded in every place, time and civilization. These mysterious lights usually appear as white, blue or yellow balls. Sometimes they manifest as bobbing candle flames glowing in the darkness. Scientists have suggested that these lights are caused by swamp gas, electricity, magnetism, or some phosphorescent material, but so far no definitive natural source has ever been discovered. They are sometimes known by the Latin "ignis fatuus" (foolish fire) because it's considered foolish to try to follow or capture such a phantom light. Other names for ghost lights are will'o'the wisp, jack'o'lantern, friar's lantern, hinkypunk, spook lights and wisps.
A Poltergeist is a spirit, usually mischievous and occasionally malevolent, which manifests through making noises, moving objects, and assaulting people and animals. The word "poltergeist" comes from the German poltern, "to knock," and geist, "spirit." Some cases of poltergeists may involve actual spirits. In other cases the phenomena may be produced by subconscious psychokinesis on the part of an individual. This latter form is often linked to pubescent girls.
Apparitions of the dying, recently dead or endangered are known as crisis apparitions. These commonly involve one-time visits to someone with whom the apparition has close emotional ties. Though the encounter usually seems to be a type of farewell, sometimes important and useful information is relayed. Though dying is the most common crisis, other life-threatening situations can trigger visits. In these cases, the crisis apparition typically visits a close associate in an appeal for help. My husband apparently visited a friend when he (my husband) was in a terrible car accident at age nineteen. The friend told him that he had seen my husband standing at the foot of his bed and knew immediately that he was in trouble.
A residual haunting is a playback of a past event. The apparitions involved are not spirits, they are "recordings" of the event. The theory is that energy can be absorbed by its surroundings, especially energy generated by the emotional reactions to traumaticevents. There is no actual spirit involved. That is to say, no intelligence is behind these sorts of hauntings. Certain building materials, such as slate (used in some castles and stone structures) and iron nails (used in many older buildings), have properties similar to that of oxidized tape. Like tape, they will "record" energy. The ghost of Anne Boleyn at the Tower of London and the Brown Lady of Raynham Hall (at right) are two famous examples of residual hauntings. An anniversary imprint is a residual haunting that occurs on the same date every year, usually on the anniversary of a death.
Gifted psychics may see an apparition on a regular basis but for the rest of us it's a very rare occurrence. Catching an apparition on film is the holy grail of ghost hunting. An apparition shows up as a transparent human form, usually wearing the clothing they wore in life. They may appear faint or distorted or seem to be incomplete. They are most often reported in older homes, hotels, theaters, cemeteries and similar locations. Visiting relatives from the spirit world could also be considered an apparition.
Purposeful ghosts are spirits that have some specific reason for returning from the grave. The reason for returning can be almost anything; a search for justice, a need to relay information, wanting to check on living relatives, etc. One type very often reported is the deceased parent who returns shortly after death to visit his or her children one last time. A far more dangerous type is the vengeful ghost, who seeks revenge on someone and will not rest quietly until its vengeance is complete.
The rarest of ghosts is the intelligent spirit or soul. This ghost interacts with the living, communicating with gestures or, very rarely, words. They may move objects. The major trait of this sort of ghost is that it does have consciousness. A well-documented example of this kind of haunting is found in Bisbee, AZ at the Copper Queen Hotel.
Other terms for ghosts include phantom, revenant, presence, spectre and discarnate entity.
If you've ever watched the show Ghost Hunters, you've seen how modern investigators of the paranormal work. Organizations like TAPS are springing up all over the world. This is a good thing (IMHO) as it brings the scientific method to ghost hunting. The lexicon of paranormal investigators is a language unto itself.
Something that is out of place and unexplained is known as an anomaly. In paranormal studies, this refers to any phenomena that we cannot explain. A lens flare in a photo is not an anomaly, but an orb that we cannot explain is.
Clearing is ridding an area of lingering (usually unpleasant) energy. Space clearing may encourage a spirit to cross over, or at least leave the location it is haunting.
Digital audio is captured on small digital recording devices. These are more reliable than tape because they are not prone to artifacts.
The digital infrared camera can capture images in the infra-red spectrum, invisible to the human eye. These images can be fed into a computer and enhanced for examination.
The Electro-Magnetic Field or Electro-Magnetic Frequency is known as EMF for short. It is, as the name suggests, a field of electrical and magnetic energy. High EMF readings occur around power sources (fuse boxes, electrical outlets, computer monitors, microwave ovens, etc) and are known to create "creepy" feelings in human beings. Finding a high EMF doesn't necessarily indicate whether there is a haunting but it can explain some of the "I feel I'm being watched" feelings. It is believed that spirits give off an EMF so if one is detected when no power source is nearby, that can be an indication of paranormal activity.
The recording of unexplained voices in a setting thought to be haunted is known as EVP or Electronic Voice Phenomena. The voices can not be readily identified as live persons speaking or other noises that took place while the recording was being made. The first EVPs were made in 1959 by Fredrich Jurgenson, a Swedish film producer. His recordings of voices (including his Mother's) still remain unexplained. One very famous EVP is detailed here. Don't listen to it while you are alone!
Literally, a doorway or gate, a portal is a specific location through which spirits enter and leave our world. A place where there are multiple phenomena (an abundance of unexplained orbs, shadow people, etc.) is called by some a "ghost portal."
Sparkles are a visual anomaly described as looking like sparkling embers falling after a fireworks display. These are small, sparkling lights usually occurring at least ten feet from the camera and often 20 - 50 feet away, sometimes more. Sparkles seem to be associated with the flash on a camera is used but are not artifacts of it. They will not show up on film (if you think you see them, check for dust or insects) but are paranormal phenomena. "Sparkles" is a proprietary term developed in the 1990s by Fiona Broome during research for Hollow Hill. Other researchers have adopted the term to describe this unique phenomenon.
Spirit photography is, of course, capturing a spirit on film. This includes video as well as film and digital cameras. Among the arsenal at the spirit photographer's disposal are the mini-digital recorder, digital camera and film camera. Each has its own pros and cons. The mini-digital will allow the investigator to set up a camera and leave it in place while s/he explores the area. The digital camera lets the ghost hunter see right away if anything was captured. Film has artifacts but it is easier both to fake a photo and to expose a fake. There are several places online to see spirit photosand video.
Some ghost hunters (the rich ones, mostly) use thermal imaging in their investigations. This is done with a thermal imaging camera which displays the temperature of objects as color; blue (cold) to red (hot) to white (really hot). Ghost Hunter Steve Gonsalves explains:
All objects emit infrared radiation, so by viewing in the infrared spectrum, the thermal imaging camera makes it possible to "see" one’s environment without illumination Since the amount of radiation emitted by an object increases with temperature, it can also capture temperature variations. Through an infrared camera, warm objects— shown in red, yellow and white (if very hot)- stand out against cooler backgrounds, usually seen as blue or black. As a result, humans and other warm-blooded animals become highly visible against their environment, day or night... Thermal imaging cameras are so sensitive, you can see the residual body heat left by someone who’s no longer in the room.
Sometimes spirits (or objects they may have touched) can be identified in this manner. The picture at the upper left shows a thermal image of a spirit captured by the Ghost Hunters at the Crescent Hotel in Arkansas.
Paranormal research is not just ghosts and hauntings. It also includes just about anything we can't explain. Considering how slowly we are learning about the Universe (relatively speaking), this encompasses quite a bit. Below are some of those things...
Altered states of consciousness can refer to virtually any mental state differing from that of the normal waking condition. Of parapsychological interest are the possibly psi-conducive states of dreaming, hypnosis, trance, meditation, the hypnagogic state and drug-induced states. It is believed that these states facilitate psi or paranormal processes.
An entity said to be an exact, quasi-physical double of the individual physical body, the astral body can separate itself from the physical body, either temporarily (dreaming or in the out-of-the-body experience) or permanently (death). Also known as the etheric body. From the Latin astrum (star).
The aura is a field of subtle radiations ( often multicolored and/or luminous) said to surround living bodies. The term is occasionally used to refer to the normal electromagnetic field forces surrounding the body. A person's aura is said to contain information about their physical, mental and emotional well-being.
Channeling is a phenomenon in which a person purports to transmit information or messages directly from a personality or consciousness other than his or her own. This can be done through automatic writing or trance speaking. The other personality usually claims to be a nonphysical spirit or being, sometimes from other realities. Unfortunately, it's been given a bad name by people like J. Z. Knight.
Clairaudience involves hearing things psychically, and is defined as the perception of messages in thought forms from an entity that exists in another realm. It is is difficult to achieve because the mind produces much extraneous material. The person receiving these messages "hears" the messages in their mind. Though words or songs may actually be heard the same way one "hears" a phrase or song running through their heads, the thought itself may be all that's transmitted.
Paranormal acquisition of information concerning an object or contemporary physical event is known as clairvoyance. This information is derived directly from an external physical source (a photograph, for example), and not from the mind of another person (telepathy). A form of extra-sensory-perception, it is not to be confused with the incorrect interpretation of clairvoyance as meaning knowledge of the future. That's precognition.
Another way of testing psychically received information, cross correspondences are a highly complex series of independent communications delivered paranormally (usually from one or more discarnate entities) to two or more geographically separate mediums. These messages are such that the complete message is not clear until the separate fragments are pieced together into a meaningful whole.
We've all had deja vu (French for already seen) the feeling of having previously experienced an event or place that is actually being encountered for the first time. Neuropsychology explains it as a misfiring of the nerve connections in the brain, which leads the brain to believe there's a repetition. In parapsychology, however, the phenomenon is associated with precognitive abilities or resurfacing past-life experiences.
Divination refers to the acquiring of paranormal information, usually by the use of such practices as tea-leaf reading, palmistry, scrying, the I Ching, Tarot cards and so on. This can include "seeing the future" but it also involves information on the querant's mental, physical and emotional states.
An empath is a person who has the ability to sense and/or understand emotions from another person or animal. Information is gleaned through any or all of the five senses, as well as the sixth sense. The empath knows without being verbally informed and/or without palpable visual clues.
ESP (extra-sensory-perception) is the ability to acquire knowledge that isn't readily apparent on a visual, auditory, or other sensory level. ESP includes telepathy, clairvoyance, clairaudience, and other phenomena such as channeling or automatic writing. General Extrasensory Perception (GESP) refers to any kind of ESP that cannot be clearly defined as telepathy, clairvoyance, or any other ESP category.
Named after Charles Hoy Fort, an American writer who collected data of strange incidents, Fortean phenomena are occurrences for which science has no viable explanation. The classic Fortean phenomenon is a hail of small live fishes or frogs which fall during a rainstorm. Human combustion, sightings of impossible animals, inexplicable crimes, these are all Fortean phenomena.
The transitional state of consciousness experienced while falling asleep is known as the hypnogogic state. While falling asleep, the subject may experience sensations that may resemble ESP phenomena or can be mistaken for real-life experiences. Sleep paralysis can accompany these sensations. The hypnopompic state is the period between sleep and wakefulness.
An intuitive is a person who can pick up on the thoughts and feelings of other life forms, as well as signals of nature. While all psychics are intuitives, not all intuitives are psychics. Intuition is defined as coming to an idea directly, by means other than those of reasoning and intellect, and indeed often outside of all conscious processes. You know, that gut feeling or inner voice.
Kirlian photography is a photographic process that appears to capture the auras, or biofields, of persons or objects. Invented by Russian Seymon Kirlian, an amateur inventor and electrician. The aura effect is produced by photographing people, animals, or objects in the midst of a high-frequency, high-voltage, low-amperage electrical field, which reveals colorful and glowing auras. The discharge is caused by ionization of the field surrounding the object.
Seeing one's life flash by before death occurs is called a Life Review. This phenomenon has been well-documented by people who have had near-death experiences or who were revived after being declared clinically dead. Modern science has no sufficient explanation as of yet.
If you have ever been dreaming and were aware of the fact, then you were lucid dreaming. There are certain techniques and exercises that promote the ability to have lucid dreams. Some think that this allows the dreamer to control the action of the dream but that's a common misconception. People who cultivate the practice of lucid dreaming call themselves oneironauts (oh-nye-ruh-nots).
Any technique for achieving various altered states of awareness is referred to as meditation. Most meditative techniques are ways of learning to still the mind so that subtle aspects of the self and reality may be perceived. Some techniques involve concentration, in which attention is focused on a particular object. Others involve giving one’s total attention to whatever spontaneously happens with no attempt to control or focus attention.
Literally meaning beyond physics, metaphysics touch on ontology, psychology, cosmology, and theology. It is a branch of philosophy which studies fundamental principles intended to describe or explain all that is, and which are not themselves explained by anything else. Metaphysics asks us to try to understand things outside of the physical realm.
The term morphic resonance was coined by biologist Rupert Sheldrake, whose theories revolutionized the relationship between science and spirituality. According to Sheldrake, the whole Universe is one living organism, the parts of which are in constant communication with each other. They do this via morphogenetic fields, a kind of energy memory bank that surrounds everything in the Universe, animate and inanimate. A morphogenetic field is much like what some call the soul. The sum of all memories stored in the morphogenetic field of a species determines the future evolution of that species (sometimes called race memory). This process is called morphic resonance and establishes a non-genetic form of heredity that deals with form, behavior, and organization.
A near-death experience (NDE) is an experience where a person either comes close to death, or actually dies, and then returns to the body. It can be defined as "A lucid experience associated with perceived consciousness apart from the body occurring at the time of actual or threatened imminent death." Polls show that an estimated 13 million Americans may have experienced an NDE. Skeptics say that NDEs are caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain but nobody, believers or non-believers, can adequately explain them.
Occult or occultism refers to certain practices such as magic, astrology, witchcraft, sorcery, and so on, which involve esoteric knowledge or the employment of mysterious agencies. It is not to be confused with scientific parapsychology. The words itself merely means something hidden, from the Latin occultus ; covered over, concealed.
The term out-of-body experience (OBE) refers to the experience of leaving one's body and looking at it from an external perspective. This is usually a fleeting episode and can be triggered by shock, trauma, or sudden psychological or spiritual insights. Some psychotropic drugs have been known to trigger them, too. Victims of accidents and patients undergoing surgery often report out-of-body experiences. Onlookers describe the subject appearing to be dead, with shallow breathing. Some people consciously develop the ability to leave their physical body voluntarily and travel (rather than just hovering). This is called astral traveling. I have actually had this experience once; I was under the influence of a certain fungus. I was lying beside a friend when I suddenly saw my house from above. It scared me so badly that I have never again tried to do it.
The word paranormal literally means beyond the normal and is used to describe any phenomenon which in one or more respects exceeds the limits of what is deemed physically possible on current scientific assumptions. That last bit is the most important designation, IMO. Current scientific assumptions change rapidly, sometimes daily. Do we really think that we know all there is to know? Perhaps Ancient and Medieval scientists believed they did, too. But they didn't. Nor do we. These phenomenon we call paranormal may be caused by something we know nothing about.... yet. The scientific study of paranormal or ostensibly paranormal phenomena is parapsychology. Many major universities now have departments devoted to the study of parapsychology. Early experiments were done in the early part of the twentieth century by Dr. Joseph Rhine and his wife Louisa at Duke University. Recent experiments use tighter controls than any ever. These are reported on by Dr. Dean Radin in The Conscious Universe and Dr. Gary Schwartz in The Afterlife Experiments.
The concept of past lives was popularized in the 19th and early 20th centuries by researchers such as Mme. H. P. Blavatsky and the psychic Edgar Cayce. For millennia, many cultures have accepted the notion that we have lived before and will live again, reborn in different bodies. In the 20th century, much research was done by historians, psychologists, psychiatrists and other researchers and a significant amount of evidence was uncovered that supports the idea. Physicists and cosmologists, who have historically been skeptical of any sort of afterlife have started to rethink the idea of past lives. Because of observations of subatomic particles in the science of quantum physics, many are considering it to be possible.
Precognition and premonition are similar in that they both describe some future event which cannot be deduced from known data in the present. Of the two, precognition is more specific whereas a premonition can be viewed as a kind of intuition and is more amorphous. It can be described as powerful feeling that something momentous and important is going to happen. These often happen to people who are not psychic or clairvoyant. The huge number of letters and phone calls to the White Star line on the day before the Titanic was launched or to the White House the days before President Kennedy left for Dallas, were from ordinary people who simply had an overwhelming feeling of oncoming tragedy.
The taking over of the body of a living person by a demon, angel, or departed soul is known as possession. Demonic possession is rare, and there are those who believe that some forms of insanity are actually cases of this phenomenon. The Roman Catholic Church has a rite for the exorcism of demons from the bodies of human beings, but it is rarely used. Not just people can be possessed. There are many stories of possessed objects such as dolls like "Robert" (right) the life-long companion of the famous painter Robert Eugene.
From Greek psyche, meaning soul, comes psychic, the term for an individual with exceptional gifts for telepathy, clairvoyance, mediumship or prophecy. These are sensitives who can intuit and reveal the future, facts, thoughts, and feelings unknown to him/her. Most people are skeptical or even hostile in their opinions about psychics, but carefully controlled experimentsare now vindicating psychics.
The term psychokinesis was coined by Henry Holt and adopted by J. B. Rhine to refer to the direct influence of mind on an object that cannot be entirely accounted for by any known physical energy. In other words, mind over matter through invisible means. Examples of PK are movements of objects, bending of metals, and determining the outcome of events. It can occur spontaneously and deliberately which indicates it is both an unconscious and conscious process. From the Greek psyche (soul) + kinesis (movement).
Psychometry refers to the practice of gaining information about a subject by holding a photograph or personal item of that person. Because of confusion with a psychological term, psychometry has in recent years been superseded by token-object reading.
Any test for ESP which uses targets and responses which do not allow for a definite probability-value to be attached is a qualitative test. Examples are free-response tests, tests of psychometry, mediumistic utterances, etc. Conversely, any test for psi which uses targets which have a specific prescribed value for the probability of its occurrence is a quantitative test. Such a test allows for direct statistical evaluation of the results obtained.
A consultation with an astrologer, Tarot reader, psychic, or medium is a reading. This involves looking into the client's past, present, and future, as well as the client's psychological situation and motivations, in order to provide insight and guidance. Contrary to myth created by literature and media, a reading is not just "fortune telling." It involves some knowledge of psychology and calls for tact and introspection on the part of the reader and well as the querant (the person receiving the reading).
Remote viewing is the trainable psi process of looking into events taking place in another location or a different time than the viewer's. It is a controlled shift of awareness toward the target area/time performed in normal waking state. Various governments have successfully experimented with remote viewing for espionage purposes. Think of it as a kind of pre-satellite technology (see below).
The term sheep/goat effect was first used by Gertrude Schmeidler to describe the relationship between acceptance of the possibility of extrasensory perception and the level of scoring actually achieved on an ESP test. Subjects who do not reject the possibility (sheep) tend to score above chance, while those who reject the possibility (goats) score at or below chance.
When a person is having an out-of-body experience, the astral body is said to be connected to the physical body by a silver cord. The distance of the projection doesn't matter; the silver cord is always there to enable the soul to return to the body. The silver cord is mentioned in the Bible:
Ecclesiastes 12:6-7 (New International Version)
6 Remember him—before the silver cord is severed,
or the golden bowl is broken;
before the pitcher is shattered at the spring,
or the wheel broken at the well,
7 and the dust returns to the ground it came from,
and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
It is said that if the silver cord breaks for any reason, the soul cannot return to the body, and the person dies.
Survival, in this context, refers to the continued existence of the consciousness in some form and for at least some time after the destruction of their physical body. IOW, life-after-death. This is not synonymous with immortality, which implies unending existence.
The word spiritualism has various meanings: 1) the belief that the dead continue living as spirits and that they are able to communicate with the living, 2) a body of doctrines and practices used by those who hold this belief, 3) any philosophy, doctrine, or religion emphasizing the spiritual aspect of being. Spiritism, on the other hand, is a science, a philosophy, and a religion.
The process of communication without words or gestures is called telepathy. This is the classic reading the minds of others. Identical twins, or married couples who have been together for many years, sometimes report being able to communicate telepathically (I can attest to this). More gifted telepaths, however, can read the minds of strangers.
Zener Cards (left) are a set of 25 cards carrying five different simple geometric shapes used to test ESP faculties under laboratory conditions. The symbols were developed by Karl Zener, professor of parapsychology at Duke University, who used the cards in early ESP tests.
There are many skeptics when it come to parapsychology and paranormal phenomenon. The U.S. government, however, is not among them. At least parts of it are not. Neither, thankfully is a good portion of the scientific community. I say "thankfully" because I believe that everything should be explored, even things we think are "impossible." After all, wasn't flight impossible at one time?
Between 1969 and 1971, U.S. intelligence reported that the Soviet Union was engaged in paranormal research. The money and personnel devoted to these Soviet programs suggested that they had achieved breakthroughs, even though the matter was considered speculative, controversial and, well, weird. So the CIA decided that we needed to get going on analogous programs to keep up. The initial research program was called SCANATE (scan by coordinate) and was funded by the CIA beginning in 1970. The effort initially focused on a few "gifted individuals" such as New York artist Ingo Swann. Individuals who showed potential were trained and taught to use their talents for "psychic warfare," mostly remote viewing. The minimum accuracy desired was said to be 65% and proponents claim that in the later stages of the training effort, this accuracy level was often consistently exceeded. In 1983 the program was re-designated. A set of instructions which theoretically allowed anyone to be trained to produce accurate, detailed target data had been created by earlier subjects. This new methodology allowed a wider range of operational and training targets. The program transitioned to Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) in 1991 and was renamed Star Gate (yep, that's where the idea for the movie and TV shows came from). Over a period of more than two decades some $20 million were spent on the program. By 1995 the program had conducted several hundred intelligence collection projects involving thousands of remote viewing sessions. Notable successes were said to be "eight martini" results (so-called because the remote viewing data were so mind-boggling that everyone has to go out and drink eight martinis to recover). In 1995 the American Institutes for Research (AIR) was contracted to evaluate the program. Their final report was released to the public in November 1995. A positive assessment, stating that a statistically significant effect had been demonstrated in the laboratory was offset by a negative one by a prominent psychic debunker. The final recommendation was to terminate the Star Gate effort. This is, of course, a very condensed version of what happened. You can read more here.
Another interesting experiment was launched in 1962. The Maimonides Dream Experiment incorporated the monitoring of Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep and psi. These studies paired a volunteer subject with a "telepathic transmitter." The pair would interact briefly, and were then separated, spending the night in distant rooms. A randomly selected art print was chosen by the scientist from a collection (chosen especially for the experiment) and given to the transmitter in a sealed envelope which could only be opened when the transmitter was in their distant room. The scientist would awaken the subject near the end of each REM period and request a dream report. These reports were transcribed and sent to outside arbiters who, working independently, would match them against the pool of potential art prints used in the experiment. Statistical evaluation was based on the average of the match-ups as well as the participant's self-evaluation at the conclusion of the experiment. Precautions were taken to prevent sensory cues or fraudulent subject/transmitter collaboration from influencing the dream reports or the statistical results. They had 102 hits versus 48 misses, a success rate of over 65%.
If the paranormal interests you, there are several groups dedicated to the study of it...
The American Ghost Society was Founded in 1996 by Author & Researcher Troy Taylor. The AGS is a "national network of ghost hunters and psychical researchers who conduct investigations into the paranormal in a non-metaphysical manner."
Based in New York, the American Society for Psychical Research is the oldest psychical research organization in the United States.
The Ghost Research Society works out of Chicago. They have been conducting research for over 30 years.
The National Spiritualist Association of Churches organizes the Spiritualists of the United States of America into one general association.
Established in 1960, the Psychical Research Foundation is dedicated to the exploration of the possible continuation after death of personality and consciousness.
Founded in 1882, The Society for Psychical Research was the first society to conduct organized scholarly research into the paranormal.
Founded in the 19th Century in the year 1872, the Spiritualist Association of Great Britain has a long and proud history of promoting Spiritualism, the best of Mediumship
and Spiritual Healing.
Also in Great Britain, the Spiritualists National Union promotes knowledge of the religion and philosophy of Spiritualism.
I hope you have enjoyed this look at paranormal terminology. There is, as always, much more than I could fit in this diary. If you are interested, the list above are reputable groups with a genuine interest in scientific research into the paranormal.
Please, let's not get into a belief/non-belief discussion. This list is for educational erudition and, even though I myself have experienced a few strange things in my life, I do not expect anyone to just take my word for it (pun intended). If you wish to discuss things you yourself have experienced, that would be great. But no arguing, ok?