the survival of human consciousness after permanent bodily
TRANSCRIPT
![Page 1: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
BeyondtheBrain
TheSurvivalofHumanConsciousnessAfterPermanentBodilyDeath
JeffreyMishlove
![Page 2: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
1
Copyright©2021,JeffreyMishlove
![Page 3: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
2
Singlefactscanneverbe“proved”exceptbytheircoherenceinasystem.But,asallfactscomesingly,anyonewhodismissesthemonebyoneisdestroyingtheconditionsunderwhichtheconvictionofnewtruthcouldariseinthemind.1
F. C.S.SchillerPhilosophyProfessorOxfordUniversity
1F.C.S.Schiller,“HumanSentimentastoaFutureLife.”ProceedingsoftheSocietyforPsychicalResearch,Vol.18,1903-1904,419-20.
![Page 4: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
3
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION:SOMEWHITECROWS
AnAfter-DeathCommunicationChangesMyLifePostmortemSurvival’sUniversalAcceptanceScientism’sDarkShadowTheNeedforaFrameworkDoestheBrainCreateConsciousness?TheastonishinghypothesisWilliamJames’filtrationtheory
HyperspaceandconsciousnessThequantumsoul
THEEVIDENCE
TheSpectrumofArrows
Near-DeathExperienceCardiacarresthospitalstudiesOut-of-BodyExperienceLifereviewsIndescribableloveSeeingthefutureNear-deathhealingpower
After-DeathCommunicationsPayingadebtKübler-Ross’transformativeafter-deathcommunication
ApsychotherapysystembornfromthegraveWhiletakingashowerAtthetimeofdeathThelate,communicativeElisabethTargInapsychotherapysessionInluciddreams
Prearrangedafter-deathcommunication
ReincarnationIanStevenson’smethodologyReincarnationandarchetypalsynchronisticresonancePatternsinthedata
IntermissionmemoriesAnnouncingdreams
6
6910131415151618
20
20
21222323242525
26262728303031313232
333333343536
![Page 5: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
4
PeakinDarienExperiencesAnancientexampleAyoungnurse’ssurprisingdeathEbenAlexander’sProofofHeaven
PossessionTheWatsekaWonderTheShiva/SumitracaseImplicationsforpsychopathology
InstrumentalTransCommunicationKonstantinRaudive’sreturnAnabelaCardoso’svoices
PhonecallsfromthedeadAtextmessagefromthedead
XenoglossyTheJensenJacobycaseTheUttara/Sharadacase
MentalMediumshipLeonoraPiperFredericMyers’Return
GladysOsborneLeonard’smediumshipMediumlaunchesarevolution
ForensicevidenceprovidedbyamediumDiscarnatelaunchespsychotherapyapproachEnaTwiggandBishopJamesPikeLegalevidencefromChicoXavierMurderssolvedbymediumsTheGeorgeChapman/WilliamLangpartnershipTheMaróczy/Korchnoichessmatch
PhysicalMediumshipPreliminaryconsiderationsWalterStinson’sdiscarnatepersistenceTheScolegroup
THEFRAMEWORK:CONSCIOUSNESSBEYONDTHEBRAIN
ConsciousnessandPureLogicTheparsimonyprincipleKastrup’sanalyticalidealism
38383839
39404244
4646474850
515252
535355606365666668696972
75757678
82
828283
![Page 6: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
5
PsychedelicResearch
TerminalLucidity
ExtrasensoryPerceptionandPsychokinesisThedataAbsenceoftheoryCanlivingagentpsiexplainthesurvivalevidence?
CONCLUSIONTheArgumentandtheEvidenceThePriceofIgnoringtheEvidenceAFinalThought
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
86
88
88888989
92929596
97
NOTE: Per guidelines from the Bigelow Institute, I have placed graphics with embedded links to short video excerpts with witness and eyewitness testimony. They will allow you, if you choose, to see and hear the testimony of experiencers, observers, and scholars. They will play in a separate window. Each video’s length is shown in the thumbnail graphic’s lower right corner. When the testimony is about direct experience, the graphic is framed in red. If it is based on research and scholarship, the image is framed in blue.
It is not essential to watch the videos as their key content points are always included within the text.
![Page 7: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
6
INTRODUCTION:SOMEWHITECROWS
AnAfter-DeathCommunicationChangedMyLife
Itwasapeacefuldeath.
MyGreatUncleHarrySchwampassedawayonMarch26,1972.HediedinSheboygan,Wisconsin,atage84.Areligiouslyobservantman,heranasmall,cornergrocerystore.
HecamehomeafterattendingearlySundaymorningreligiousservices,satdowninhisfavoritechair,andpassedaway.InCaliforniaitwastwohoursearlier,7:30a.m.Iwasstillsleeping–capturedby,andabsorbedin,themostsurprising,vivid,andpowerfuldreamofmylife.
UncleHarryappearedandspoketomeaboutmylife,addressingpersonalissuesinawaythatpenetratedmetothecore.IcannotsayIknewHarrywellduringhislife.Hewasoverfiftyyearsmysenior.Iwas25yearsold.Yet,inthisdreamthatseemedmorerealthanwakingreality,wesharedasoul-to-soulcommunionthatdefieddescription.
Iawokeandwept,cryingjoyfultearsandsimultaneouslysingingaHebrewsong,AvinuMalkeinu,normallyreservedforthemostsacredJewishobservances.Somethingprofoundlybeautifulandtransformativehadtouchedme.NeitherbeforenorsincehaveIhadadreamembodyingsuchanintenselysublime,emotionalstate.
IimmediatelywrotehomeandaskedaboutUncleHarry,mentioningIhadadreamabouthimthatmorning.Twodayslater,assoonasshereceivedmyletter,mymotherphonedwiththenewsofhisdeath.Hervoicewassuffusedwithemotionwhensheaskedme,“Howdidyouknow?That’swhenhedied.”
2JeffreyMishlove,“MyGreatUncleHarry.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonMarch4,2018).https://youtube.com/embed/n8089379hzc?start=144&end=310
Idescribethisexperienceinthenextvideo:2
Thereisonlyonereasonablewaytoaccountforthisevent,themostearthshakingandunforgettableofmyyounglife.UncleHarryactuallyvisitedmeinadreamwhenhedied.Extrasensoryperceptionalonedoesn’taccountfortheoverwhelminglypotentemotionsassociatedwithhispresence.UncleHarry’svisitationconvincedme,beyondalldoubt,thesoulexistsandsurvivesthephysicalbody’sdeath.
Iaskedmymotherforsomeobjectofhistorememberhimby.Withinaweek,IreceivedabookwithanotesayingithadbeenUncle
![Page 8: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
7
Harry’sfavorite.Tomysurprise,itwasabookofmysticalteachingstoriesaboutRabbiIsraelBaalShemTov,theeighteenth-centurymiracleworkerwhofoundedtheJewishChassidictradition.
That’showIlearnedUncleHarrywasamysticatheart.Whenhedied,hehadgiftedmewithabrief,yetunforgettable,tasteofanotherreality.
Igleanedfromthisindelibleexperiencethatpostmortemsurvivalispartofhumanity’slonghistoryofinner,mysticalexploration.HustonSmith,authorofTheWorld’sReligions,calledthephilosophybehindthisexplorationtheprimordialtradition.3,4
HustonSmithclaimedreligionsofeveryageandcultureheldunderstandingsincommon.Onesuchunifyingconceptisthesoul.Inthefollowing1987video,SmithandIdiscussthesoulanditsrelationshiptoscience.Whiletoday’ssciencewouldliketodenytheneedforsuchaconcept,Smithstatesneitherthesoulnorthespiritualrealityitimpliesisgoingaway.Itsurroundsus–evenifitisinvisibletoourinstrumentsandcannotbemeasured.5
3HustonSmith,TheWorld’sReligions.(NewYork:HarperOne,2009,2ndedition).4HustonSmith,ForgottenTruth:ThePrimordialTradition.(NewYork:Harper,1976).
ItriedtodiscussmyUncleHarryexperiencewithfacultyattheUniversityofCalifornia,whereIwasagraduatestudentintheSchoolofCriminology,withaclinicalpsychologyemphasis.Ireachedacompletedeadend.BasicallynooneIspoketoattheuniversityhadgivenanythoughttopostmortemsurvival.So,Iresolvedtobecomemyownexpert.
Withinayear,Ileftthecriminologyprogramwithamaster’sdegree.Takingadvantageofgraduatedivisionrules,Icreatedanindividual,interdisciplinarydoctoralmajoratBerkeleyinafieldthatraisedafeweyebrows– parapsychology.Iwasfortunatetofindprofessorsfrommultipledepartmentsinthewidespreaduniversitysystemwhowouldsponsorme.
In1980,Ireceivedwhatis–sadly,tothisday– theonlydoctoraldiplomainparapsychologyeverawardedbyanaccredited,Americanuniversity.
Myswitchincareerfocusfromcriminologytoparapsychologywasradical.Anexperience
5 Huston Smith, “The Primordial Tradition.” Thinking Allowed video, 1987. https://youtu.be/truXK4lemt0
![Page 9: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
8
lastingforonlyafewminuteswasthecatalystforthistransitionthatbecameapermanentfixtureofmylife.Suchextraordinarytransformationsaren’tuncommon.Theyaccompanymanyafter-deathcommunications.
WilliamJames,thefatherofAmericanpsychology,notedyouonlyneedtoproduceonewhitecrow–ifyouwishtodisprovethe
hypothesis,“Allcrowsareblack.”UncleHarry’sdreamvisitationwasmywhitecrow.Forme,it
disprovedthenullhypothesisthat
postmortemsurvivaldoesn’texist.Myexperiencealsohighlightstherelationshipbetweentheafterlifeandtherealmofdreams.Wewillseethroughoutthisinvestigationflocksofwhitecrows.Ofcourse,notallcrowsareblackorwhite.Somearegrey.Manydiscussionpointsandexamplesinthisessayareincludedtoprovidecontext.Nevertheless,dozensofevidentialexamplesremaininthisessay.Collectively,theycontributetoprovingbeyondanyreasonabledoubtthathumanconsciousnesssurvivesdeath.
![Page 10: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
9
PostmortemSurvival’sUniversalAcceptanceAbeliefinpostmortemsurvivalofconsciousnessiscommontoeveryculture,nationality,religion,andlinguisticgroupineveryregionandhistoricalperiodonEarth.6Everysingleone!Americans’beliefinlifeafterdeath,forexample,hasbeenstablefor75yearsatover70%.7
Thisconsistencyhasheldevenwhilereligiousaffiliationisdropping.8Itisn’tanaccident.Itdoesn’tmeanpeopleareincapableofrationalreasoning.Itresultsfromtheuniversalexperienceoftheevidence–comingfromflocksofwhitecrows.In1860,formerU.S.congressman,RobertDaleOwen,publishedascholarlybookonpostmortemsurvival–filledwithcredible,evidentialaccounts.9Manyreportsoverthelast161yearssinceOwen’sbookhave
6WilliamHowitt,TheHistoryoftheSupernatural:InAllAgesandNationsandInAllChurchesChristianandPaganDemonstratingaUniversalFaith.(Philadelphia:Lippencott,1863).7RoperCenterforPublicOpinionResearch,“ParadisePolled:AmericansandtheAfterlife.”RetrievedonJune17,2021.https://ropercenter.cornell.edu/paradise-polled-americans-and-afterlife.8PewResearchCenter,“InU.S.,DeclineofChristianityContinuesataRapidPace.”RetrievedonJuly16,2021.https://pewrsr.ch/2UnRrFn9RobertDaleOwen,FootfallsontheBoundaryofAnotherWorld.(Philadelphia:J.B.Lippincott&Co.,1860).
improvedtheconfidencewithwhichwecanacceptsurvivalafterdeath.Thereweresomeexceptionsbut,mostly,theearlyresearchersfromtheSocietyforPsychicalResearch–foundedin1882,toinvestigatetheparanormal–becameconvincedofsurvivalafterdeath.Theseaccomplishedindividualseachfoundtheirownwhitecrow:
![Page 11: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
10
SirWilliamCrookes,discovereroftheelementthallium10
GeraldBalfour,conservativemember,Parliament11
EleanorSidgwick,principle,NewnmanCollege,Cambridge12
SirOliverLodge,holderofkeypatentsforradio13
SirWilliamBarrett,professor,experimentalphysics,RoyalCollegeofScienceforIreland14
ArthurBalfour,UnitedKingdomprimeminister15
F.W.H.Myers,author,HumanPersonalityandItsSurvivalofBodilyDeath16
J.G.Piddington,honorarysecretary,SocietyforPsychicalResearch17
CamilleFlammarion,astronomerandauthor18
10SirWilliamCrookes,“SirWilliamCrookesandPsychicalResearch.”Light,Vol.36,1916,397.11GeraldW.Balfour,TheEarofDionysius:FurtherScriptsAffordingEvidenceofPersonalSurvival.(NewYork:HenryHolt,1920).12EleanorSidgwick,“TheSPR:AShortAccountofItsHistoryandWorkontheOccasionoftheSociety’sJubileein1932.”ProceedingsoftheSocietyforPsychicalResearch,Vol.41,1932,26.13SirOliverLodge,TheSurvivalofMan:AStudyinUnrecognizedHumanFaculty.(NewYork:GeorgeDoranCompany,1909).14SirWilliamBarrett,OntheThresholdoftheUnseen:AnExaminationofthePhenomenaofSpiritualismandoftheEvidenceforSurvivalAfter-death.(NewYork:E.P.Dutton,1918).15J.G.Piddington,“ArthurJames,EarlofBalfour.”JournaloftheSocietyforPsychicalResearch,Vol.26,April1930,60.
CesaréLombroso,fatherofmoderncriminology19
HerewardCarrington,researcherandauthor20
JamesHyslop,professorofphilosophy,ColumbiaUniversity21
Scientism’sDarkShadowUnfortunately,ourcurrenttechnologicaleraishistoricallyunusual.IrishBarristerJamesTunneyreferstoitas“thedarkageofscientism.”22Scientismisn’tthesameasscience.It’stheoppositeofsearchingfortruth.Scientismistheunquestionedbeliefthatthemechanistic,materialisticworldview–whichworkswellfortechnology–canprovideuswithacompleteexplanationofeverything.Inthisera,academics,scientists,and
16F.W.H.Myers,HumanPersonalityandItsSurvivalofBodilyDeath.2Vols.(LondonandNewYork:Longmans,1903).17J.G.Piddington,“PresidentialAddress.”ProceedingsoftheSocietyforPsychicalResearch,Vol.34,July1924,133.18CamilleFlammarion,DeathandItsMystery.3Vols.(NewYork:Century,1921-1923).19CesaréLombroso,AfterDeath–What?SpiritisticPhenomenaandTheirInterpretation.(Boston:Small,Maynard&Company,1909).20SylvanMuldoonandHerewardCarrington,ThePhenomenaofAstralProjection.(London:RiderandCo.,1951).21JamesH.Hyslop,LifeAfterDeath.(NewYork:E.P.Dutton,1918).22JamesTunney,TheMysteryoftheTrappedLight:MysticalThoughtsintheDarkAgeofScientism.(Independent,2020).
![Page 12: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
11
professionalslargelyignorethemassiveaccumulationofevidenceforpostmortemsurvival–asifitneverexisted.
Thenextvideo,from1989,iswithartificialintelligencepioneerMarvinMinsky.Heexemplifiesthisattitude–theoppositeofthatexpressedbyHustonSmith.Hevoicestheopinionthathumanconsciousnessisrathertrivial,aswearemostlyunawareofourinternalprocesses.Heevenproclaimsthathumanbeingsarethe“greatestmachineintheworld”andtothinkotherwiseistoshowalackofproperrespectforourselves.23
Thismodernist,materialistethoshasincorporatedanunfoundedpresumptionofnon-survival.Yet,bothcontemporaryandhistoricalevidence,consistentwithperennialexperience,certainlyrebutsthisblindingprejudice.
Somethinkthismodernistviewistherootofmanyproblemsfacinghumanitytoday–suchasalienation,violence,andpollution.The
23 Marvin Minsky “On the Human as Machine.” Thinking Allowed (recorded in 1989). https://youtu.be/NhBWNjZ7xD4
SwisspsychiatristCarlJungaddressesthissituationinhisbook,ModernManinSearchofaSoul.Humanitypaysaheavypriceforignoringtheevidenceforsurvivalofconsciousness,athemeIreturntointheconclusion.
Onealternativetothisblanketdismissaloftheevidenceforsurvivalafterdeathiscalledlivingagentpsi.Psiistheparapsychologicaltermforextrasensoryperception(i.e.,telepathy,clairvoyance,andprecognition)andpsychokinesis(ormind-over-matter).Livingagentpsiasahypothesisdoesn’trequireaspiritworld.Ittriestoexplainsurvivalevidenceasresultingfrompsychictalentamongonlytheliving.Nevertheless,evenextrasensoryperceptionandpsychokinesisarestilltabootopicswithinacademia.
Forexample,arecentarticlebytwoprominentpsychologists,ArthurReberandJamesAlcock,inTheSkepticalInquirermakestheirprofoundlyunscientific“skeptical”positionclearwhentheyclaim:
Parapsychologicalclaimscannotbetrue…thedataareirrelevant.24
Thisuntenablepositionreflectsthemainstreamacademicapproachtoparapsychology.That’swhy,fourdecadessincereceivingmydoctorateinparapsychology,therehavebeennoothers
24ArthurS.ReberandJamesE.Alcock,“WhyParapsychologicalClaimsCannotBeTrue.”TheSkepticalInquirer,Vol.43(4),July/August2019.RetrievedonJune14,2021.https://skepticalinquirer.org/2019/07/why-parapsychological-claims-cannot-be-true/
![Page 13: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
12
awardedbyanyaccredited,Americancollegeoruniversity!IreturntolivingagentpsijustbeforetheConclusionandsharefivereasonswhyitdoesn’texplainawaytheevidencefavoringpostmortemsurvival.Everyspiritualmediumintoday’sworldissubjecttounfoundedassumptionsaboutfraudulentbehavior.In1898,thebrilliantpsychologistWilliamJamesengagedinadebateinSciencemagazineaboutLeonoraPiper’smediumship,whichhedefended.Outragedbythecareless,mediocreargumentsusedtodismisstheevidenceaboutPiper,hedescribedthesituationwithstarksarcasm:
Mediumsarescientificoutlaws,andtheirdefendantsarequasi-insane.Anystickisgoodenoughtobeatdogsofthatstripewith.25
Insteadofassumingthemediumisinnocentuntilprovenguilty,theassumptionisthemediummustbefraudulentorterriblydeluded.Thestrongestevidenceisignored.Solidparapsychologicalevidenceisattackedasmerelyanecdotal,andhopefulthinking.AsDavidHume,aScottishEnlightenmentphilosopher,wroteinblankterms:
25WilliamJames,“Mrs.Piper,‘TheMedium’.”Science,Vol.VII(175),May6,1898,641.26DavidHume,AnInquiryConcerningHumanUnderstanding.(Indianapolis:Hackett,1993.Kindleedition.Originallypublished1748.)Location1903of3369.
…nohumantestimonycanhavesuchforceastoproveamiracle.26
Hume’sthinkingwaswell-intentionedasasafeguardagainstsuperstitionandreligiousexcess.Nevertheless,whenappliedtopsychicalresearchandparapsychology,ithasbecomeawedgeusedagainstgenuinescientificprogress.Theargumentforpostmortemsurvivalisfarfromtryingtoproveamiracle.Toalargeextent,itisbasedonphenomenology–“thestudyofthestructuresofconsciousnessasexperiencedfromthefirst-personpointofview.”27WilliamJames,alsooneofAmerica’sgreatestphilosophers,linkedphenomenologytoexperimentalscienceinhisfinalargumentonRadicalEmpiricism.ItwasanimportantstepinchallengingDavidHume’srejectionofhumantestimony.Jameswasadamant:
…empiricismmustneitheradmit…anyelementthatisnotdirectlyexperienced,norexclude…anyelementthatisdirectlyexperienced.28
Besidesacceptinghumantestimonyasimportantevidence,myessayisbasedonametaphysicalworldviewwherepostmortemsurvivalcanbestbethoughtofasnatural.
27StanfordEncyclopediaofPhilosophy.RetrievedonJuly13,2021.https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/phenomenology/28WilliamJames,EssaysinRadicalEmpiricism.(NewYork:LongmanGreen,1912).
![Page 14: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
13
Thescoffersarealmostcertainlycorrectwhentheyclaimthatneitherpostmortemsurvivalnorpsicanoccurinauniversecomposedofonlymeaningless,deadmatter.However,theirargumentsdon’tadequatelyaddressthemassivephenomenologicalevidence.Nordotheyexplainhowconsciousness,itself,canexistinsuchauniverse.Iarguethatconsciousness,ofanykind,occursbecausetheuniverseisaliveandmindlike.
TheNeedforaFramework
Wehavehadexcellentevidenceforpostmortemsurvivalforover160years.Thisevidencehasalwaysbeenwidelyaccepted,especiallybythosewhohavetakenthetimeandtroubletostudyitcarefully.However,withveryfewexceptions,academicandscientificinstitutionstreatthisevidenceasifitneverexisted.
Theharshtreatmentgivenparapsychology,andtheolderdisciplineofpsychicalresearch,needsanantidote.Werequireacognitiveframeworktointegrateevidenceregardinghumanconsciousnesssurvivingafterbodilydeath.
Thefollowingvideoexcerpt,takenfromaconversationwithfuturistWillisHarmanin1994,expressesmyoverallapproach.HarmanpointedtoDarwin’stheoryofevolution.Hesuggestedweneedabigpictureintegratingconsciousness,whichincludeslife
29 Willis Harman, “Metaphysics and Science.” Thinking Allowed video, 1994. https://youtu.be/nSHpEY6-44I
afterdeath,intoscience–aframeworkincludingreality’smetaphysicalfoundations.Hestatestheneed:
…notthatweknowallaboutsomeofthesethings;notthatwe’veproven,insomesense,thattheyallexisteverytimethey’rereported.Butthatthereseemstobeenoughofthatkindofdatathatweneedaframeworktoincludeitall.29
IreplytoHarmanwecan’texplainnormalconsciousnessifwedon’tconsiderallthedata–everythingweknowaboutconsciousness.Thatexplanationwilldifferfromthescientisticthinkingthatrefusestoevenacknowledgethewhitecrowdata,letaloneitsimplications!
Paranormaldatashedscruciallightonthenatureandpowerofhumanconsciousness.
SinceHarmanholdsDarwin’stheoryasanidealmodelforanew,scientificframework–itisespeciallyinterestingthatAlfredRusselWallace,theco-discovererofthetheoryof
![Page 15: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
14
evolutionbynaturalselection,wasaforcefuladvocateforthevalidityofpostmortemsurvival.Hewrote:
…theso-calledsupernatural,asdevelopedinthephenomenaof…modernSpiritualism,isanexperimentalsciencewhichmustaddgreatlytoourknowledgeofman’struenatureandhighestinterests,andthereforedemandsanhonestandathoroughexamination.30
AlfredRusselWallace(1823-1913)
Wallaceclaimednaturalselectioncouldoperatewithinahigherlaw:
…justassurelyaswecantracetheactionofnaturallawsinthedevelopmentoforganicforms,andcanclearlyconceivethatfullerknowledgewouldenableustofollow
30AlfredRusselWallace,TheScientificAspectoftheSupernatural.(London:F.Farrah,1866),57.
stepbystepthewholeprocessofthatdevelopment,sosurelycanwetracetheactionofsomeunknownhigherlaw,beyondandindependentofallthoselawsofwhichwehaveanyknowledge.31
Thishigherlawconcernsconsciousness,mind,orspiritintheuniverse–independentofthebrain.DifferentculturesandhistoricalerasexpresswhatHustonSmithhascalledtheprimordialtraditiondifferently.Buttheyallshareacommonthread,“thephenomenalworlds[includingthebrain]owetheirexistencetouniversalmind.”32Whilethisidea–knownasmetaphysicalidealism–mayseemradical,itisthesimplest,mostparsimoniousresolutionofthemind-bodyproblem(atopictowhichIshallreturn).
DoestheBrainCreateConsciousness?
ThephilosopherBertrandRussellrejectedbeliefintheafterlife,claimingthedeathofthebrainpermanentlywipesoutaperson’smemoriesandcharacter:
Weallknowthatmemorymaybeobliteratedbyaninjurytothebrain…Inviewofsuchfamiliarfacts,itseemsscarcelyprobablethatthemindsurvivesthetotaldestructionofbrainstructure…[that]occursatdeath.Itis
31AlfredRusselWallace,ContributionstotheTheoryofNaturalSelection.(London:Macmillan,1871),333.32Smith,ForgottenTruth,171.
![Page 16: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
15
notrationalarguments,butemotions,thatcausebeliefinafuturelife.33
Peopleoftenaccept,withoutquestionorexamination,Russell’sopinionasthebedrockofscientificorthodoxy
Theastonishinghypothesis.BertrandRussell’sbeliefthatconsciousnessisaproductofneurologicalactivityremainstodayanunconfirmedhypothesis.NobellaureateFrancisCrick,DNApioneerandauthorofTheAstonishingHypothesis,34expressesarefreshinglytruthfulscientificattitude.Inthisvideofrom1995,Crickacknowledgesthereligiousviewfavoringanafterlifemightwellbecorrect.35
Infact,forthelasthalf-century,leadingneuroscienceresearchershavechallengedtheideathebrain’sworkingscanaccountforconsciousness.Inthenextvideo,
33BertrandRussell,WhyIamnotaChristian(RoutledgeClassics,TaylorandFrancis.KindleEdition),(p.44).34FrancisCrick,TheAstonishingHypothesis.(NewYork:Scribners,1995).35 Francis Crick, “The Scientific Search for the Soul, I.” Thinking Allowed video, 1995. https://youtu.be/dRIAnxt75ps
neurosurgeonEbenAlexandercitestherenownedbrainscientistWilderPenfield’spioneeringwork.Penfieldarguedthatbrainfunctionaccountsforneithermemorynorfreewill.Hebasedthisassessmentonhismanystudiesinvolvingbothelectricalstimulationandresectionofthebrain.36,37
WilliamJames’filtrationtheory.EvenMartinGardner,anarch-scofferofeverythingparanormal,hasacknowledgedpostmortemsurvival!Inafascinatingbookchapterfrom1983titled“Immortality:WhyIDoNotThinkItImpossible,”Gardner’sopinionwentevenfurtherthanFrancisCrick.38
GardnerbuiltuponWilliamJames’1897filtrationtheoryofbrainfunction.Thishypothesislikensthebraintoafilterorreducingvalve,notthesourceofconsciousness.Thebrainaccessesmind-at-
36EbenAlexander,“IntegratingtheNear-DeathExperience.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonSeptember6,2018).https://www.youtube.com/embed/lK3xsZpU3zw?start=1998&end=210537WilderPenfield,MysteryoftheMind:ACriticalStudyofConsciousnessandtheHumanBrain.(Princeton,NJ:PrincetonUniversityPress,1975).38MartinGardner,TheWhysofaPhilosophicalScrivener.(NewYork:Quill,1983),307-325.
![Page 17: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
16
large,oruniversalconsciousness,inallitsmagnificentpotency.Thenthebrainplacesintothespotlightofawarenessareducedlevelmostusefulforbiologicalsurvival.Jamespresentedthistheoryasawayofaccountingforlifeafterdeath.39
WilliamJameshadanunusualabilitytotakethecomplexandmakeitsimple.Histheory–thebrainisthefilter,ratherthanthesourceofconsciousness–isoneofhispowerfulandeasytograspideas.Atthesametimethereissubstantialempiricalresearchtoreinforcethishypothesis.Wewillseethislaterinstudiesofpsychedelics,terminallucidity,extrasensoryperception,andpsychokinesis.
Gardneralsodrewupontheworkoftwonineteenth-centuryScottishphysicists,BalfourStewartandPeterGuthrieTait.40Basedontheirthinking,hearguedthebrainitselfcouldbeathree-dimensional“surface”ofamuchgreater,higher-dimensionalself.Whatwethinkofasdeathisthe“shufflingoffofourthree-spacemortalcoil”…whilethehigher-dimensionalselfcontinues.41
Hyperspaceandconsciousness.Gardner’sinstinctabouthyperspacewascorrect.Workonhyperspacemathematicsandphysicshasmadestridesinrecentdecades.42Inthefollowingvideosegment,physicistBernardCarr,emeritusastronomyandmathematics
39WilliamJames,“OnHumanImmortality,”inWilliamJames:Writings1878-1899ed.E.M.Gerald(Original1898).(NewYork:LibraryofAmerica,1992).1100-1127.40BalfourStewartandPeterGuthrieTait,TheUnseenUniverse:OrPhysicalSpeculationsonaFutureState.(London:Macmillan,1879).41Gardner,TheWhys,324.
professoratQueenMaryUniversityofLondon,explainshowlinkingthemathematicsofhigherdimensionalspacecouldaccountforothermentalspaces:dreamspace,out-of-bodyspace,near-deathspace,apparitionspace,andmysticalspace.Theyallseemtoneedaspaceoutsideofordinaryphysicalspace.Andahigher-dimensionalselfwouldsupplyamplespace.43
Carrsuggestshyperspacehierarchiesformauniversalstructurethatwillhelpusbetterunderstandparanormalityandmysticalexperiences.Itwillalsohelpsolveconventionalproblemssuchasnormalmentalexperienceandtherelationshipbetweenquantumandclassicalversionsofphysics.Theideaofhyperspaceoccursinesoterictraditions.Whatisnewislinkingmentalspacedescriptionstothehigherdimensionsdescribedinphysics.
42Saul-PaulSirag,ADEXTheory:HowtheADECoxeterGraphsUnifyMathematicsandPhysics.(Hackensack,NJ:WorldScientific,2016).43BernardCarr,“Hyperspace,Consciousness,andTime.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonJuly24,2020).https://youtube.com/embed/30JTeWttTac?start=3414&end=3511
![Page 18: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
17
Philosophicalschoolsrelatedtothemind-bodyproblemgenerallydivideintothreecategories:(1)materialistsandphysicalistswhoclaimconsciousnessisaproductofthebrain;(2)dualistswhobelievemindandmatterareseparateanddistinctaspectsofreality;and(3)idealistswhoseetheentirephysicaluniverseexistingwithinmind-at-large(i.e.,theuniverse’slivingconsciousnessthatisthegroundofallbeing).
Ahyperspaceapproachtoconsciousnesscouldexplainpostmortemsurvivalevidencewithinallthesemetaphysicalapproaches.However,asIelaboratenearthisessay’sConclusion,metaphysicalidealismisthemosteconomicalandlogicalapproach.Itresolvestheparadoxesassociatedwithmaterialismanddualism,withnounnecessaryassumptions.Metaphysicalidealismisalsoconsistentwiththeprimordialtradition.
Thehyperspaceapproachtoscienceandconsciousnesshasahistorygoingbackover100yearswithmanyscholarsandscientists– includingJ.C.F.Zöllner,MichaelWhiteman,RussellTarg,EdMay,HalPuthoff,ElizabethRauscher,VernonNeppe,andEdwardClose–offeringalternativeversions.44
44BernardCarr,“HyperspatialModelsofMatterandMind,”inBeyondPhysicalism:TowardReconciliationofScienceandSpirituality,eds.EdwardKellyetal.,(Lanham,MD:Rowman&Littlefield,2015),227-273.45C.A.Meier,ed.,AtomandArchetype:ThePauli/JuneLetters,1932-1958.(Princeton,NJ:PrincetonUniversityPress,2014).46WilsonVanDusen,ADimensionTheoryoftheNatureofMind.Doctoraldissertation.UniversityofOttawa,1957.RetrievedonJuly23,2021.https://ruor.uottawa.ca/bitstream/10393/20911/1/DC53485.PDF
OnefindsrelatedhyperspaceapproachestoconsciousnessinNobellaureatephysicistWolfgangPauli’sJungiandreamwork–whereanarchetypalfigurepresentedatheoreticalmodeltohim.45WilsonVanDusen,whoseworkinpsychologyismentionedlaterinthesectiononpossession,wroteadoctoraldissertationonahyperspacetheorythatwasseriouslyreviewedincorrespondencebetweenthegreatSwisspsychiatristCarlG.JungandWolfgangPauli.46,47
Carracknowledges,“perhapsthemostmathematicallysophisticatedattempttoconnectmatterandconsciousnessthroughhigherdimensionshascomefromSaul-PaulSirag,”aspublishedinanAppendixtothe2ndeditionofTheRootsofConsciousness.48,49
47Meier,ed.,AtomandArchetype.48Carr,“HyperspacialModels,”239.49Saul-PaulSirag,“Consciousness:AHyperspaceView,”inJeffreyMishlove,TheRootsofConsciousness:TheClassicEncyclopediaofConsciousnessStudiesRevisedandExpanded.(Tulsa,OK:CouncilOak,1993).327-365.RetrievedonApril24,2021.http://www.williamjames.com/Theory/Consciousness.pdf
![Page 19: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
18
Inthenextvideofromthelate1980s,mathematicianandtheoreticalphysicistSiragexplains–basedonhisowntheoreticalmodel–thatconsciousnessexistsinhyperspace.Siragalsosaysour4-Dspacetimematrixisalsoembeddedwithinhyperspace.Thus,themindisn’tinthebody.Instead,thebody–and,infact,theentirephenomenalworld–isinmind-at-large.Ofcourse,itisalsoveryreal.Inotherwords,ourownmindsareaprojectionfromamuchgreatermind.50
Thequantumsoul.Thelackofanacceptedtheoryexplaininghowsubjectiveexperienceandthenervoussysteminteractwitheachotherhashamperedprogressinthescientificstudyofconsciousness.ThemostsophisticatedandtestableconsciousnesstheoryistheOrchestratedObjectiveReduction(ORCHOR)modeldevelopedbyStuartHameroff,ananesthesiologistanddirectoroftheCenterforConsciousness
50 Saul-PaulSirag,“ConsciousnessandHyperspace.”ThinkingAllowedvideo.https://youtu.be/2LLv9yWJ_Vg51 StuartHameroff,“’OrchOR’istheMostComplete,andMostEasilyFalsifiableTheoryofConsciousness.”CognitiveNeuroscience,Vol.12(2),2020,74-76.
StudiesattheUniversityofArizona,andNobellaureatemathematicalphysicistandphilosopherRogerPenrose.51HameroffandPenrosehypothesizeconsciousnessoccursatthequantumlevel,insidetinymicrotubuleswithinneurons.Scientificteststosupportordisprovethistheoryarecurrentlyunderway.
Inthefollowingvideo,StuartHameroffexplainsthattheORCHORtheorydoesn’tconflictwithpostmortemsurvival.Hedoesn’tdenynear-deathexperiences,reincarnation,andout-of-bodyexperiences.Hespeculatesjusthowreincarnationmightwork.Hecharacterizestheselfasa“quantumsoul”thatcouldsupportentanglementandcoherenceoutsidethephysicalbody.52
StuartHameroffrespectfullydescribestheevidenceforreincarnationasanecdotal.However,thiscase-historyevidenceiswell-researchedwithfargreatercorroborationthancanbeexpectedfrommereanecdotes.Thereincarnationevidenceconstitutesa
52StuartHameroff,“ConsciousnessandtheBrain,PartSix:SpiritualImplications.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonAugust5,2015).https://youtube.com/embed/jPlBGdZLwTE?start=1091&end=1195
![Page 20: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
19
giantwhitecrow(comprising1,700solvedcases).MyownsubjectiveUncleHarryexperienceandextensiveexplorationwithexperiencersandexperts,aswellashistoricandcontemporaryscientificstudiesoftheparanormalandofconsciousness,haveamassedarangeofevidencethatabsolutelyrebutsthemodern,unfoundedassumptionthatconsciousnessisextinguishedwiththephysicalbody’sdeath.Thisevidenceispresentedinthenextsection.Aftertheevidenceispresented,Ifurtherelaborateacognitiveframeworkwithinwhichpostmortemsurvivalisanaturaloccurrence.
![Page 21: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
20
THEEVIDENCE
TheSpectrumofArrowsThebestevidenceinfavorofanafterlifearethemultiple,independentinvestigationapproachesallpointing,indifferentways,topostmortemsurvival.Thissectionincludesninecategoriesofinquiry.Theyarepresentedhere,inclockwiseorder,astheyarediscussedinthissection.Ineachcase,criticshaveraisedobjectionstowhichresearchershavecarefully,andsuccessfully,responded.Salientdebatepointsarecovered.
![Page 22: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
21
Letusexaminetheevidenceoftheseninedistinctdomainspointingtosurvivalofconsciousness.Whileeachindividualarrowdepictedinthepreviousgraphicisstrong,whenunitedasawhole,theyarevirtuallyinvincible.ThepowerofthismetaphormotivatedtheAmericanfounderstoformaunionofstates.That’swhytheGreatSealoftheUnitedStatesshowsaneagleclutchingthirteenarrows,thethirteenoriginalstates.
ThearrowsintheGreatSealrefertopoliticalstrength.However,thesameprincipleholdsabouttheinvincibilityoftheevidenceforpostmortemsurvival.Thisisbasic,inductivereasoning.Referringtotheearlierwhitecrowmetaphor,eachofthenineapproachesinthissectionholdsmultiplewhitecrowexamples.
53ColinRollo,“ThomasBayesandtheBundleofSticks,”ProceedingsoftheSocietyforPsychicalResearch.Vol.55,December1967,23-64.54PeterSturrock,“AppliedScientificInference.”JournalofScientificExploration,Vol.8(4),1994,491–508.
Thescoffers’argumentsemploytheleakybucketmetaphor.Ifindividualbucketsdon’tholdwater,thencollectivelytheyalsodon’tholdwater.Ultimately,therearetechnical,probabilistic,andstatisticalfactorstobeconsideredinweighingthesetwoapproaches.In1967,ColinRollopublishedapaperevaluatingthiscontroversyinfinedetail.Hereachedthefollowingconclusionaboutargumentsfrombundlesofarrows:
…theyareconsistentwithsoundscientificmethod…manyofthe[leakybucket]criticismsmadeareuponanalysismuchmorevulnerabletothechargesofprejudiceandinconsistencythantheprocedurestheyattack.53
Rolloisn’ttheonlyonetomakethispoint.PeterSturrock,aSocietyforScientificExplorationfounder,reachedasimilarconclusionaboutthebundleofarrowsargumentbasedonBayes’well-knowntheoremforcombiningprobabilities.54
Near-DeathExperiences
Researchershavecollectedthousandsofnear-deathexperiencereports.Undoubtedly,millionsofindividualshavehadsuchexperiencesinvolvingcharacteristicsvaryingonlyslightlyfromculturetoculture.55,56
55RaymondMoody,LifeAfterLife.(NewYork:HarperCollins,2015,3rdedition).56BruceGreyson,After:ADoctorExploresWhatNearDeathExperiencesRevealAboutLifeandBeyond.(NewYork:St.Martins,2021).
![Page 23: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
22
Almostallthesepeoplereportbeingconvincedtoacertaintythatconsciousnesssurvivesdeath.Theobviouscriticismoftheseexperiencesasevidenceforpostmortemsurvivalis,sinceexperiencersinevitablyreturntotheirbody,theywereneverdead.So,theirexperiencecan’tbeaboutactualdeath.Amorerealisticinterpretationistheirexperiencesreflectthepostmortemstate’searlystages.
ThefollowingvideosegmentiswithBruceGreyson,aphysicianwhohasbeenresearchingnear-deathexperiencesfornearlyahalf-century.Becausenear-deathexperiencesshowmentalactivityintheabsenceofbrainfunction,heclaimstheyconstituteevidencepointingtopostmortemsurvivalofmind.57
Theconsciousnessrealmsdescribedinnear-deathreportsaredetailed.Theytypicallyclaimtheafterlifeismorerealthanwakingphysicalreality.Inthenextvideo,EbenAlexander,authorofseveralbooksabouthis
57BruceGreyson,“ResearchingNear-DeathExperiences.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonApril2,2021).https://youtube.com/embed/ddlpApa3XSs?start=1158&end=1239
ownnear-deathexperience,offershispersonalrecollectionofthesupersensiblerealitywherehebelievesourphysicalfour-dimensionalspacetimeisembedded.Itincluded“colorsbeyondtherainbow,”andswoopinggoldenorbsoflight,sparklinggoldentrails.Chants,anthemsandhymnswouldthunderthroughhisawareness.Asapureawarenessspeck“onabutterfly,”hedidn’tmerelywitnessthisreality.Hebecameonewithit,therefore“youcanessentiallyseethrougheverything.”58
Cardiacarresthospitalstudies.Inthenextvideo,PimvanLommel,aDutchcardiologistandauthorofConsciousnessBeyondLife:TheScienceofNear-DeathExperience,59describescontrolledstudiesinvolvingpatientswhoexperiencedcardiacarrestinhospitals.Fiveindependentstudieshavebeenpublishedinvolving562patientswhosurvivedcardiacarrest.Between10%and20%reportedhavinganear-deathexperience.VanLommelreportsthatneitherphysiologicalnorpsychologicalfactorscanaccountfortheir
58EbenAlexander,“IntegratingtheNear-DeathExperience.”https://youtube.com/embed/lK3xsZpU3zw?start=1325&end=146559PimvanLommel,ConsciousnessBeyondLife.(NewYork:HarperCollins,2010).
![Page 24: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
23
experience.Thisiscontrarytothecarelessopinionsofferedbyscoffers.
Weknow,duringcardiacarrest,thereisnobrainfunctionleft.So,wewouldexpectnoconsciousexperienceatallduringcardiacarrest.60
Out-of-bodyexperience.Inthenextvideotestimony,ElizabethKrohn,coauthorwithJeffreyKripalofChangedinaFlash:OneWoman’sNear-DeathExperienceandWhyaScholarThinksItEmpowersUsAll,providesafirst-persondescriptionoffloatingintheairoutsideherbodyafterlightningstruckher.Shefollowedherscreamingchildrenintoasynagoguelobby.Then,whenshelookedbackoutsidethroughawindowshesawherphysicalbodylayingonthegroundintheparkinglot.Shesawthatherumbrellawassmokingandthesolesofhernewshoeshadbeen“blownoff.”Thenwhenshelookedat
60PimvanLommel,“ScienceoftheNear-DeathExperience.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonMarch18,2019).https://www.youtube.com/embed/ruXn8FHGe7s?start=545&end=59561ElizabethKrohn,“ThePoweroftheNear-DeathExperience,Part1.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonDecember20,2018).https://www.youtube.com/embed/S_Yomwcod3E?start=1161&end=1207
whatwemightcallherspiritbody,hershoeswereinperfectcondition.However,shenoticedforthefirsttimethatshewashoveringafewinchesabovetheground.61
Lifereviews.Onefascinatingfeatureincludedinmanynear-deathreportsisthelifereview.Theseeventssuggestarealmwheretimeiscompressedcomparedtophysicaltimeandwheretheboundariesbetweenindividualmindsarepermeable.Intheupcomingvideo,BarbaraHarrisWhitfield,whowasbothanear-deathresearcherandexperiencer,describesalifereviewthatincludedherdeceasedgrandmother’sthoughtsandfeelings.62
62BarbaraHarrisWhitfield,“ImplicationsoftheNear-DeathExperience.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonMarch1,2016).https://youtube.com/embed/89mkpyuw428?start=278&end=344
![Page 25: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
24
Inthefollowingvideo,IconversewithEbenAlexanderabouttheparadoxofcompletelifereviewstakingplaceinarelativelyshorttime.Heexplains,webecomeonewiththescenesandobjectsoftheexperienceinthenear-deathstate.Hecallsthat“knowledgethroughidentification.”Onecan,therefore,realizemanythingssimultaneously.Earthtimeisn’tfundamental.Thereisadeepertimestructuretaking“soulgrowth”intoaccount.Headdsthatlanguagelimitsourabilitytounderstandtheseexperiences.63
PimVanLommelalsointerviewedpatientsreportingalifereviewaspartoftheirnear-
63EbenAlexander&KarenNewell,“AnOpen-EndedConversation.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonMay12,2021).https://youtube.com/embed/A2gMBnR6Qs4?start=2087&end=2164
deathexperiences.Inthenextvideo,hesayspeopleclaimtoreliveeverythoughttheyhaveeverhadcombinedwithanintimateknowledgehowone’sbehavioraffectsothers.Ultimately,thelessonspeoplederivefromtheirlifereviewsareaboutbecomingmoreopenandloving.Theexperienceinspirespeopletochangetheirlives.64
Indescribablelove.Anessentialfeatureofmanynear-deathstates,towhichvanLommelalludedabove,isfeelingoverwhelminglypowerfullove.ThenextvideoisanothertestimonialfromElizabethKrohn.Sheemphasizesunconditionallove–morepervasivethananythingshehadexperiencedevenasamother,beyondthecapabilityoflanguagetodescribe,andsopenetratingthatshebecameonewiththatincrediblefeeling.65
64PimvanLommel,“Scienceof.”https://youtube.com/embed/ruXn8FHGe7s?start=667&end=73265Krohn,“ThePower.”https://www.youtube.com/embed/S_Yomwcod3E?start=1542&end=1608
![Page 26: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/26.jpg)
25
Seeingthefuture.ElizabethKrohnalsoreportedreceivingextensiveprecognitiveknowledgeduringhernear-deathexperience– includingthe1988,GeorgeH.W.Bush,presidentialelectionoutcomeandthattheCincinnatiBengalswouldplayinthe1989Superbowl.66
Inthefollowingvideo,vanLommelexplainshowforeknowledgeisafeaturefoundinnear-deathreports.Hedescribestheexperienceasakintodéjàvu–as,perhapstenyearslater,individualswillrecognizeanexperienceasonetheyforesawduringtheirnear-deathexperience.67
66ElizabethKrohnandJeffreyJ.Kripal,ChangedinaFlash.(Berkeley:NorthAtlanticBooks,2018),29.67PimVanLommel,“Scienceof.”https://www.youtube.com/embed/ruXn8FHGe7s?start=1161&end=1191
Near-deathhealingpower.Onesingularlyimportantpieceofevidenceassociatedwiththenear-deathstateisEbenAlexander’scompletecerebralcortexregeneration.BruceGreysonexaminedthemedicalrecords,over600pages,withtwootherphysicians.PussfromarareinfectionfilledAlexander’scranium.HisGlasgowComaScaleresultindicatedminimalbrainfunction.Thethreephysiciansallagreedtherewaslessthanaonepercentchanceofsurvivalandnopossibilityofanormalrecovery.AsGreysondescribesinthenextvideo,“Thisguywasasdeadasyoucanbewithouthavinghisheartstop.”68
Yet,EbenAlexandertodayisabest-sellingauthorandpublicspeakerwhoisfunctioningatahighcognitivelevel.Asthenextvideoshows,whenIaskedAlexanderhowheaccountedforhismiraculousrecovery,hesuggestedhehadaccessedapartofhimself,beyondtheego,havingenormoushealing
68BruceGreyson,“ResearchingtheNear-DeathExperience.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonApril2,2021).https://youtube.com/embed/ddlpApa3XSs?start=2375&end=2474
![Page 27: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/27.jpg)
26
power.Hereferredtoitasthe“lightbody”orthe“higherself.”69
Otherunexpectedrecoveriesfromconditionsthoughttobeirreversiblehaveoccurredinconnectionwithnear-deathexperiences.Thesehavebeenwell-documented,andmonitoredbymedicaldoctors.70,71
After-DeathCommunications
AccordingtoGallupsurveys,approximately25-33%ofthepopulationbelievementalcommunicationwiththedeadoccurs.72Thesespontaneousexperiencesincludesensingthedeceased;visual,olfactory,tactile,andauditoryphenomena;powerfuldreams;hearingmeaningfullytimedmusicassociatedwiththedeceased;lost-things-found;
69EbenAlexander&KarenNewell,“AnOpen-EndedConversation.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonMay12,2021).https://youtube.com/embed/A2gMBnR6Qs4?start =1302&end=135070EbenAlexander,“ExtraordinaryCasesofMiraculousHealing.”Explore,Vol.13(4),July-Aug2017,257-258.71LarryDossey,“DyingtoHeal:ANeglectedAspectofNDEs.”Explore.Vol.7(2),March-April2011,59-62.
communicationthroughelectronicdevices;symbolicmessages;synchronicities;andotherphenomenaunexplainablethroughtheprevailingWesternmaterialistworldview.Whilewecanattributesomeofthistoapophenia(i.e.,projectingmeaningontorandompatterns),manyafter-deathcommunicationsarewhitecrowexamplesofpostmortemsurvivalevidence.73Theexamplesthatfollowarepresentedinapproximatechronologicalorder.
Payingadebt.Rev.CharlesMcKay,aCatholicpriest,reportedanevidentialcasein1842.WhenhemovedtoanewassignmentinPerth,Scotland,aPresbyterianwomannamedAnneSimpsonapproachedhim.Shedescribedarepeatingdreamwhereadeceasedwomanshehadknown,namedMalloy,insistedshemustcontactapriest.Malloyowedasmallsum,three-and-tenpence,atthetimeofherdeath.Sheapparentlyexpectedapriestwouldgotothetroubleofsettlingherdebt.
Simpson,however,didn’tknowtowhomMalloyowedthedebt.ButMcKaybeganaskingaround.Eventually,hecontactedalocalgrocerwhocheckedhisbooksandfoundMalloyhadadebtinhisrecordsof
72DavidW.Moore,“ThreeinFourAmericansBelieveinParanormal:LittleChangefromSimilarResultsin2001.”(GallupNewsService,June16,2005).RetrievedonApril3,2021.https://home.sandiego.edu/~baber/logic/gallup.html73DianneArcangel,AfterlifeEncounters:OrdinaryPeople,ExtraordinaryExperiences.(Charlottesville,VA:HamptonRoads,2005).
![Page 28: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/28.jpg)
27
exactlythatamount.McKaypaidtherequiredsum.74
Thiscaseisinstructiveasitshowsthedeceasedactingwithasenseofpurposewecan’tattributetoanylivingperson.
Kübler-Ross’transformativeafter-deathcommunication.AsreportedintheIntroduction,abriefdreamvisitationfrommydeceasedUncleHarrycatalyzedmylifetransformation.Anotherlife-changingexampleisElisabethKübler-Ross,whomTimemagazinenamedin1999asoneofthe“100MostImportantThinkers”ofthepreviouscentury.Apowerful,evidentialafter-deathcommunicationstimulatedherpioneeringworkonthestagesofconfrontingdeath.
Atthetimethisafter-deathcommunicationoccurred,Kübler-Rosswasexperiencingburnout.Herseminarsondeathanddyinghaddeteriorated.Shehaddecided,eventhoughshehadn’ttoldanyone,toquitherworkattheUniversityofChicago.Shewasabouttoannounceherdecisiontoanewministerwithwhomshewasworking,whensuddenlyawomanappearedandaskedtowalkwithKübler-Rosstoheroffice.
Astheywalked,Kübler-RossrecognizedthiswomanasthememorableMrs.Schwartz,aformerpatientwhohadbeenthefirstpersontoreportanear-deathexperiencetoKübler-Rossandhaddiedtenmonthspreviously.ThewomanwasinsistentKübler-Ross
74Owen,Footfalls,294-5.
mustn’tabandonherworkondeathanddying.SheeveninsistedKübler-Rosspromiseherrightthenandtherethatshewouldcontinue.
Kübler-Ross,recognizingthesituation’sastonishinggravity,askedMrs.Schwartztowriteanote.Kübler-Rossdescribestheevent’semotionalintensity:
Andthiswoman,withthemosthuman,no,nothuman,mostlovingsmile,knowingeverythoughtIhad–andIknewit,itwasthoughttransferenceifI’veeverexperiencedit– tookthepaperandwroteanote.75
Kübler-RosskeptMrs.Schwartz’notewithhersignature–asphysicalevidenceofthe
75ElisabethKübler-Ross,OnLifeAfterDeath.(Berkeley,CA:CelestialArts,2008,2ndedition),32-33.
![Page 29: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/29.jpg)
28
remarkableevent,whichshecontinuedtodescribeinpublicappearances.76Thensheagreedtoherdemandandpromisedshewouldn’tabandontheworkthateventuallymadeherfamousworldwide.Thiscaseissignificantbecauseitcombinesevidenceofidentity,spiritmaterialization,andevidenceofintentionalitywithalife-transformingevent.Apsychotherapysystembornfromthegrave.SiegfriedFischer(1891-1966)wasapsychiatristwhotrainedinViennaandthenimmigratedtotheUnitedStates.HeworkedattheLangley-PorterNeuropsychiatricInstituteinSanFranciscoandauthoredabookonpsychopathology.77OneofFischer’sformerpatientswasBobHoffman,atailorwhoownedaclothingshopinOakland,California.TheyearafterFischer’sdeath,HoffmanawokeinthemiddleofthenighttofindFischerstandingatthefootofhisbed.KennethIreland,whoworkedcloselywithHoffmanforseveralyears,describesvividlythescenethatfollowed:
[Fischer]revealedtohimthemissinglinkinpsychoanalytictherapy:theconceptofNegativeLoveasthestreamofnegativebehaviorunconsciouslypassedfromonegenerationtothenext.ThenFischer’sspiritbeingtookHoffmanthroughhis
76JohnAlexander,doctoralstudentofKübler-Ross,personalcommunication.77SiegfriedFischer,PrinciplesofGeneralPsychopathology:AnInterpretationoftheTheoreticalFoundationsofPsychopathologicalConcepts.(NewYork:PhilosophicalLibrary,1950).
ownpsychictherapy,uncoveringtherootsofhisowninheritedpatternsofbehaviorandliberatinghimwithanewunderstandingthatreachesintothedepthsofhisemotionalbeing.Hoffmansaidthathewasabletoforgivehisparentsforallthenegativityhehadexperiencedgrowingup.Heknewthat“everyoneisguiltyandnoonetoblame.”FischerdisappearedwiththepromisetoreturnandassistHoffmantocompletesomeofhisown[i.e.,Fischer’s]unfinishedwork,hiskarma,andthatHoffmancouldhelp[Fischer]“moveon.”Hoffmansaidheheardthephrase“doorswillopen”whenheaskedFischerhowhe,atailor,wouldentertheworldofprofessionalpsychotherapyandpresentthisinsightasthemissingpiece,anantidotetotheendlesscycleofanalysis.78
DoorsdidopenforthetailorturnedpsychotherapistBobHoffman.TheprominentpsychiatristClaudioNaranjotookaninterestinhisworkandhelpedbringittoalargerpublic.Thus,wasbornFischer-HoffmanPsychicTherapy,aprocesswhichgrewtobecomeaworldwidemovement.Itisstillactiveandpopularwithinhumanpotentialcircles–overtwodecadesafter
78KennethIreland,“TheOntologicalOddandtheOriginsofFischer-HoffmanPsychicTherapy.”RetrievedonApril9,2021.https://jesuskoan.blogspot.com/2019/08/the-ontological-odd-couple-and-origins.html
![Page 30: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/30.jpg)
29
Hoffman’sdeath.79ThenamewaseventuallychangedtotheHoffmanProcessortheHoffmanQuadrinityProcessinresponsetoalawsuitbyFischer’sheirs.
PsychologistCharlesT.TartexperiencedtheFischer-HoffmanprocessinagroupledbyNaranjo.Inthefollowingvideo,answeringthequestion–
Whatstandsoutthemostforyouinyourvaststudiesofconsciousness?
79BobHoffman,GettingDivorcedfromMother&Dad:TheDiscoveriesoftheFischer-HoffmanProcess.(NewYork:Dutton,1976).
TartexplainstheFischer-HoffmanProcessandthepositivebenefitofself-awarenessTartreceivedfromit.
WhenNaranjobroughtBobHoffmantovisitthegroupandintroducetheprocess,TartreachedtheconclusionHoffmanwasatotalphony,fullofhimself,opinionated,notverysmart,andcertainlynotpsychic.Nevertheless,becauseofhisconfidenceinNaranjo,Tartwentthroughthe8–10-weektherapyprocess.Attheend,HoffmanreturnedtomeetwithNaranjo’sgroup.ItwasthenTartrealizedhisearlierjudgmentsaboutHoffmanhadbeenacomplete,psychologicalprojection–becauseHoffmanhadmannerismslikeTart’sfather.RealizinghowunconscioushehadbeenabouttheprojectionwasahugelessonforTart.80
TarthadnowaytoverifyHoffman’sdiscarnatecommunicationwithSiegfriedFischer.However,wecanregardTart’stestimonyasapragmaticconfirmationofHoffman’sstory.Accordingtopragmatism,thephilosophydevelopedbyC.S.Peirceand
80CharlesT.Tart,“LiveStream.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonOctober25,2020).https://www.youtube.com/embed/Vk756wjSPzE?start=1527&end=1705
![Page 31: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/31.jpg)
30
WilliamJames,thetruthofanideabecomesclearinitsapplication–i.e.,doesitwork?
Whenatailorpresentsahighlyeffective,newformofpsychotherapyheclaimswasgiventohimbytheapparitionofadeceasedpsychiatrist–wehaveaclearexampleofdirectexperiencethat,accordingtoWilliamJames’radicalempiricismmustnotbeexcludedfromscience.Thiscaseisanotherinstanceofanidentifieddiscarnatepersonprovidingevidenceofpurposefulaction.
Intheupcomingsectiononmentalmediumship,thereisyetanotherexampleofadeceasedpsychiatrist,KarlNowotny,initiatinganewtherapeuticmethod.
Whiletakingashower.Oneneedn’tbemeditating,experiencinganout-of-bodystate,norhavingamedicalcrisistoexperienceanafter-deathcommunication.Inthenextvideo,clinicalpsychologistJosephGallenbergerdescribesaverifiedafter-deathcommunicationthatoccurredwhileshowering.HewasataMonroeInstituteLifelineprogramwhereparticipantslearnvariousmeditationstofacilitateafter-deathcommunications.Thereheendeavoredtoreceiveamessagefromanattendee’sdeceasedwife.
Later,intheshower,heexperiencedherspiritshowinghimaredandwhitecheckeredtablecloth.Heevenreceivedspecificinformation,including“page238”ina
81JosephGallenberger,“ASoul’sJourneyAfterSuicide”.NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonFebruary28,2017).https://www.youtube.com/embed/ESRTZrTBGLU?start=275&end=342
particularbook.Helaterlearnedfromthehusbandthattheyusedtohaveweeklypicnicswiththetablecloth.Thepagecitationwasthefavoritepoemtheyusedtoreadtogether!81
Atthetimeofdeath.PeterFenwick,aBritishneuroscientist,hasbeeninvestigatingafter-deathcommunications.Hefoundmanyoccurredclosetothemomentofdeath(aswasmypowerfulUncleHarrydreamvisitation).
Inthenextvideosegment,FenwickdescribessuchanincidentwhenadrownedsailorinEnglandappearedtohismotherinAustralia.Heappeareddrippingwetattheendofherbedinthemiddleofthenight.Movingtowardher,hebecamesurroundedbylight.Hetoldherhewasfine,andthenleft.WhenshecheckedwiththeNavy,shelearnedhehadfallenoverboardanddrownedatthetimehehadappearedtoher.82
82PeterFenwick,“Mind,Brain,andSpirit.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonMarch4,2021).https://youtube.com/embed/x3n6zlKGDXI?start=1242&end=1301
![Page 32: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/32.jpg)
31
Thelate,communicativeElisabethTarg.PhysicistRussellTargdescribesanafter-deathcommunicationfromhisdeceaseddaughterElisabeth.Shecommunicatedtoathirdpersonaboutanobscureincidentfromherearlychildhood,whichconvincedRussellofhersurvival.
HiswritingpartnerJaneKatrawasapplyingforateachingjobatDukeUniversity.Astaffmemberapproachedher,claimingtohaveamessagefrom“arecentlydeceasedwoman,tall,withlongbrownhair,”Katrashoulddelivertothewoman’sfather.
Themessagewastoremindthefather,“whenIwasalittlechild,he…triedtostuffmeintoareddressagainstmywill…anditwasatraumaticexperienceforme.”ThisinformationconvincedTargthatElisabethhadsurvived.Nootherlivingpersonhadanyknowledgeofthisevent,whichtookplacewhenElisabethwastwoyearsold.83Theonlyotherwitness,Targ’swifeJoan,hadpredeceasedElisabethbyfouryears.
83 RussellTarg,“TheLife,Death,andAfterlifeofElisabethTarg.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonMarch3,2017).https://www.youtube.com/embed/q_c-V472wl0?start=1705&end=1877
AdditionalElisabethTargafter-deathcommunicationsarediscussedinthesectiononInstrumentalTransCommunication.
Inapsychotherapysession.PaulLeslieisatherapistwho,duringapsychotherapysession,becametemporarilypossessedbythespiritofthepatient’sdeceasedfather.Thepossessionoccurredduringagestalttherapyemptychairtechnique,inwhichLeslieaskedhispatienttoimagineherfatherwassittinginanemptychairacrossfromher.Ashespokethosewords,hehadanuncannysense,towhichhewasn’taccustomed,ofapresencesittingintheemptychair.
Hedescribesthisfascinatingandpowerfulexampleofspontaneousafter-deathcommunication,inthenextvideo.Theexperienceincludedthetherapistblurtingoutemotionallypowerfuldetails,notpreviouslyknowntohim,abouteventsinthepatient’schildhood–eatingice-creampushupsbyalake.Therewasevenanuncharacteristicimpulse(forPaulLesliewho
![Page 33: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/33.jpg)
32
wasthenintears)tohugthepatient.PaulLeslie’sstoryisapragmaticverificationofthepositive,therapeuticrolediscarnatehumanconsciousnesscanplay.84,85
InLucidDreams.Luciddreamingisauniqueexperienceinwhichdreamerssustainalevelofwakingawarenesswithinthedreamstate.Researchersandotherscantrainindividualstoenterthisstateandeventosignalresearcherswhileinthisstate.
Inonestudy,ninetyindividualsvolunteeredtolearnaluciddreamingtechniqueand,overtwentymonths,reportontheirluciddreamsofdeceasedpeople.Atthestudy’send,twenty-eightsubjectsreportedeightyluciddreamsinvolvingdeceasedpersons.86
Inthefollowingvideo,Idiscussoneluciddreamfromthestudyinvolvingapersonalcommunicationfromadeceasedministerto
84PaulLeslie,ShadowsintheSession:ThePresenceoftheAnomalousinPsychotherapy.(PaulLeslie,2019).85 PaulLeslie,“ParanormalExperiencesinPsychotherapy.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonDecember17,2019).https://youtube.com/embed/oJRYCjYAkJk?start=786&end=983
hiswife,whichappearedtobeemotionalandparticularlyevidential.Theluciddreamerreceivedamessagetotellthewifethathisspiritwasnottobefoundintheportraitofhimthatwasinthechurch.Thismessagemovedherdeeply.Shehadbeentryingtocommunicatewithhisspiritbystaringattheportrait.Themessagebothacknowledgedthatfactandsuggestedtherecouldbeabetterwaytoconnectwithherdeceasedhusband.87Thevideoalsoreferstoluciddreamsofthedeceasedcontainingusefulfinancialadvice.
Prearrangedafter-deathcommunication.AuthorWhitleyStrieberspoketomeaboutanafter-deathcontacthehadprearrangedtotakeplacewithhiswife,Anne,beforeherdeath.Theyagreed,shouldoneofthemdie,thatpersonwouldtrytocontacttheother.Butitwouldbebetteriftheycommunicatedthroughathirdperson–sinceneitherof
86AnnekatrinPuhleandAdrianParker,“AnExploratoryStudyofLucidDreamsConcerningDeceasedPersons.”JournaloftheSocietyforPsychicalResearch,2017,Vol.81,No.3,145-161.87 JeffreyMishlove,“InPresence0085:LucidDreamsoftheDeceased.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonMay17,2018). https://www.youtube.com/embed/2Cjn_V_x5co?start=517&end=584
![Page 34: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/34.jpg)
33
themwouldtrustthecommunicationifitcamedirectly.(Theywould,Iassume,attributeittoahallucinationorwishfulthinking.)
Intheupcomingvideo,StriebersayshereceivedaphonecallfromafriendwithinthreehoursofAnne’sdeath.ShetoldhimsheheardAnne’svoiceinherear,insistingshecontactWhitleyrightaway.Withinthenextweek,hereceivedseveralsimilarcalls–convincinghimAnnehadsurvived.Onlythendidhebeganexperiencinghervoicedirectly.88
Reincarnation
IanStevenson’smethodology.TheUniversityofVirginia,DepartmentofPerceptualStudies,nowhasadatabaseofover2,500individualcasesinwhichyoungchildrenreportformerlifememories.Inroughly1,700cases,theinformationledtothedeceasedpreviousperson’sidentification.Weknowtheseassolvedcases.Thiswork
88WhitleyStrieber,“AnOpen-EndedConversationwithWhitleyStrieber.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonOctober28,2020).https://youtube.com/embed/9d7Id84JL2g?start=3044&end=3186
wasinitiatedbyformerPsychiatryDepartmentchairIanStevenson,.
Themostsolidreincarnationevidencecomesfromthetotalityofthe2,500casesinthedatabase,insteadoffromthestrengthofparticularcases.
Stevensonworkedinthefield,meetingthechildren,talkingwiththeirfamilies,andwiththepreviousperson’sfamilies.Hecollectedfirsthandobservations–aswellasautopsyandpolicereports.Inmanycases,childrennamedthepreviouspersonorthevillagewheretheyhadlived.Thechildren’sbehaviorsareanessentialfeature.Theyareofteninlinewiththepreviousperson’shabits.Stevensonwouldoftenre-interviewthechildrenandotherwitnessesafteraperiodoftimehadelapsed,toseehowconsistenttheirstorieswere.
Essentially,Stevensonfollowedthecasestudyproceduresestablishedinthe19thcenturybytheresearcherswiththeSocietyforPsychicalResearchtocorroboratespontaneouseventssuchasapparitions.Stevensondependeduponlegalandforensicmethods.Heresearchedreincarnationcasesasifhewerepreparingtopresenttheminacourtoflaw.
Reincarnationandarchetypalsynchronisticresonance.PsychologistBrendanEngenandIoriginatedarchetypalsynchronisticresonance,asanalternative
![Page 35: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/35.jpg)
34
explanationforsomereincarnationcases.89WebasethismodeluponJungiansynchronicity–eventsconnectedinameaningfulwaybutlackinganymechanistic,causalconnection.90Synchronicityimpliesaninnateuniversalintelligenceinfluencingworldlyevents.Wecanpushitevenfurtherthanlivingagentpsi,sincesynchronicityisn’tdependentuponindividualpsychicabilities.Archetypalsynchronisticresonanceis,tomyknowledge,themostsophisticated,publishedalternativetoreincarnation.
89JeffreyMishloveandBrendanEngen,“ArchetypalSynchronisticResonance:ANewTheoryofParanormalExperience.”JournalofHumanisticPsychology,Vol.47,No.2(April2007):223-242.90CarlG.Jung,Synchronicity:AnAcausalConnectingPrinciple.(Princeton,NJ:PrincetonUniversityPress,1973).
However,inmyforewordtoJamesMatlock’sbook,SignsofReincarnation,Iacknowledgethatreincarnationisamorefittingexplanationthanarchetypalsynchronisticresonanceregardingdatafromchildren.Thepatternsinthereincarnationdata,whichIwilldiscussnext,aretoostrongtoignore.91Patternsinthedata.Somepatternsfoundinthereincarnationdatabaseareculturallyspecific.Othersareuniversalandapplyacrosscultures.Birthmarks,physicalfeatures,andevendeformitiesoftenconformtothepreviousperson’sdeathwounds.Sometimes,thechildrenbegintospeakabouttheirpastlifeassoonastheystarttotalk.Themainwindowatwhichthesecasesbeginistwotofiveyearsofage.Afterafewyears,thememoriesfade.Thisprocessisgenerallycompletedbylatechildhood,i.e.,fivetoeightyearsold.Onlyaboutathirdofthechildrenretainpast-lifememoriesintoadulthood.Reincarnationsusuallyseemtooccurinthesamearea,withthesamereligiousorethnicgrouporthesamerace–essentiallywithinpsychologicalcomfortzones.92Recollectionisfirstperson,notasifchildrenwerewatchingsomeoneelseinamovie.Theyfeelasiftheirconsciousnessiscontinuouswiththeearlierlifetimetheyrecall.Itispersonalandcanbeemotional,withfearsandphobiascarryingoverfromtheformer
91JeffreyMishlove,“ATaleofTwoTheories:ReincarnationversusArchetypalSynchronisticResonance(ASR).”InJamesG.Matlock,SignsofReincarnation.(London:RowmanandLittlefield,2019),ix-xv.92JamesG.Matlock,SignsofReincarnation.(London:RowmanandLittlefield,2019).
![Page 36: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/36.jpg)
35
lifetime,asanthropologistJamesG.Matlockdescribesinthefollowingvideo.93
Thereisanextremelyhighincidence,50%ofsolvedcasesinthereincarnationdatabase,wherethepreviouspersonmetwithaviolentdeath.Wemayrelatethistothefactthatabouttwo-thirdsofcases,cross-culturally,involvemalechildren.94Matlockreports:
Themostoutstandingcultural-linkedfeatureofreincarnationcasesissexchangebetweenlives.Inseveralculturestherearenoreportedcasesofsexchange,butinBurma,asof1986,33%ofcaseswereofthistype.95
Intermissionmemories.Anafterlifeexistencebetweenincarnationsisreportedinabout20%ofreincarnationcases.Theseintermissionmemoriesareoftenlikereportsfromnear-deathexperiences,including
93JamesG.Matlock,“PatternsFoundinReincarnationCases.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonNovember12,2017).https://youtube.com/embed/mKBgiuqzj04?start=278&end=33594Matlock,Signs.95Matlock,Signs,182.96Matlock,Signs.
communicationwithspiritguidesandotherdeceasedentities.96
PsychiatristBrianWeisshasauthoredmanybooksonhypnoticregressiontherapyandrelatedtopics.97InthenextvideoexcerptwithOprahWinfrey,Weissreportsonasessionwithapatient,Catherine,whowasexperiencingthisintermissionperiodunderhypnosis.Whileinthatstate,CatherinecouldcommunicatewithbothWeiss’fatheranddeceasedchild.Sheoffereddetailedmedicalandfamilyinformationthatcouldn’thavebeenobtainedthroughnormalmeans.Weisstestifiesinthevideothatthisexperiencepermanentlytransformedhislife.98
JamesMatlockstudiedthelengthoftheintermissiontimebetweenlives.Itvariesbyculture.Globally,themediantimeis16-18monthsfromthedeathoftheearlier,identifiedlifetothebirthofthepresentlife.
97BrianWeiss,ManyLives,ManyMasters.(NewYork:Simon&Schuster,1988).98BrianWeiss,“BrianWeissonThePatientWhoMadeHimBelieveinPastLives.”TheOprahWinfreyShow,2013.https://youtube.com/embed/WMlLoPYwZ5w?start=225&end=373
![Page 37: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/37.jpg)
36
Themediantimeforwesterncasesis35years.80-90%ofreportedcasescomefromAsia.99
Thesearedramaticfindings.Theystronglysuggesttheinterpenetrationofthelivingworldwiththatofthedeceased.Iftheafterlifeoperatedindependently,accordingtoitsownlawsandprinciples,onewouldexpecttheintermissionlengthreportedbychildrenwithpast-lifememories–aswellasgenderchangebetweenlives–tobeunaffectedbyculturalexpectations.Thisisclearlynotso.However,sincewearereferringtosolvedreincarnationcases,neithercantheresultsbepurelyafantasy-based,culturalartifact.
Suchfindingsshowuswethelivingcaninfluencetheafterlife.Peoplewhoentertheimmediateafterlifewillseewhattheyneedtoseeorwhatthey’repreparedorconditionedtosee.Theyarestillencounteringsomethingveryrealontheotherside.Tothedegreethatthesestoriesenterourculture,wearesettingourselvesuptohavedifferentafterlifeexperiences.100
99Matlock,“PatternsFound.”https://www.youtube.com/embed/mKBgiuqzj04?start=1621&end=1698100JeffreyKripal,“ThePoweroftheNear-DeathExperience,Part2.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonDecember21,2018).https://youtube.com/embed/-qsLltCUetc?start=761&end=843101 James G. Matlock,“AnnouncingDreamsandRelatedExperiences.”PsiEncyclopedia.London:TheSocietyforPsychicalResearch.Retrieved7June2021.https://psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk/articles/announcing-dreams-and-related-experiences.
Announcingdreams.Announcingdreamsarerelatedtoacurrentorfuturepregnancy.Expectantfathersandotherpersonsclosetothemothersmayhavethem,andtheymayoccurbeforeconception,duringpregnancy,andafterbirth.101Thissectionhighlightstheafterlife’sintersectionwiththedreamrealm.Itisimportantbecause,whenweignorethedataonpostmortemsurvival,wepaythepriceinnotunderstandingourownpsyches– athemeIreturntointheConclusion.
TheanthropologistE.B.Tylorwroteaboutsuchdreamsasearlyas1871–claimingtheyformedthebasisofreincarnationbelief.102ResearcherIanStevensonfoundandrecordedannouncingdreamsinallthecountrieswhereheinvestigatedcases.103JimTuckeranalyzed1,100reincarnationcases,inthedatabaseattheUniversityofVirginia.Hefound22%involvedannouncingdreams.104
StevensonandTuckerbothobservedculturaldifferences.Forexample,inMyanmar(formerlyBurma),peoplecustomarilydepictedthespiritasapetitionerrequestingpermissionratherthanstatingitsintention
102E.B.Tylor,PrimitiveCulture:ResearchesintotheDevelopmentofMythology,Philosophy,Religion,Language,Art,andCustom(2vols.).(London:JohnMurray,1871).103IanStevenson,ChildrenWhoRememberPreviousLives:AQuestionofReincarnation(rev.ed.),(Jefferson,NorthCarolina:McFarland,2001),99.104JimB.Tucker,LifeBeforeLife:AScientificInvestigationofChildren’sMemoriesofPreviousLives.(NewYork:St.Martin’sPress,2005).
![Page 38: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/38.jpg)
37
tobereborn.HereisanexampleresearchedbyStevenson:
ABurmesewifewhosehusbandwasawayfromhomeonalongjourneyhadadreaminwhichadeceasedfriendseemedtobeaskingforpermissiontoberebornasherchild;shedidnotlikethisproposaland(inthedream)toldhimnottocometothem.Whenherhusbandreturnedfromhisjourney,hetoldherthathehaddreamedofthesameoldfriendandhadtoldhim(inhisdream)thatthefriendwouldbewelcometoberebornintheirfamily.Induecourseachild(MaungAungThan)wasbornwholatermadestatementssuggestingthathisfather’sacceptancehadprevailedoverhismother’sattemptedveto.HismotheracceptedthesituationwithgoodhumorcharacteristicoftheBurmese.105
BothMaungAungThan’sfatherandhismotherreportednearlyidenticaldreams.Inthefather’sdream,theirdeceasedfriendandvillageheadman,UBaKyar,saidhehadaskedthemothertoberebornintotheirfamily,butshehadturnedhimaway.106
MaungAungThanprovidedevidencetotheresearchersofreincarnation–includingvivid
105Stevenson,Children,100.106IanStevenson,ReincarnationandBiology:AContributiontotheEtiologyofBirthmarksandBirthDefects,Volume2:BirthDefectsandOtherAnomalies.(Westport,CT:Praeger,1997),1518.107Stevenson,ReincarnationandBiology,1512-1537.
memoriesofUBaKyar’slife,strongemotionsassociatedwithhismurder,anattachmenttoUBaKyar’sfamily,aswellasbirthdefectsrelatedtotheostensibledeathwounds.107Inthevideobelow,IdescribetheannouncingdreamsreceivedalmostsimultaneouslybyMaungAungThan’sparents.108
Severalwidelyknownreincarnationcasesarequiteevidential,suchasthoseofJamesLeiningerandRyanHammons.109Thesecasesarefascinating,verydetailed,andundoubtedlyevidential.Butthereincarnationmemoriesfadeasthechildrenreachadulthood,certainlyanaturalprocessasthegreatprojectoflife’sfirsthalfiscultivatingone’suniqueego.
108JeffreyMishlove,“TheReincarnationofUBaKyar.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonMarch9,2021).https://www.youtube.com/embed/tynAhWFzGDI?start=263&end=396 109LeslieKean,SurvivingDeath:AJournalistInvestigatesEvidenceforanAfterlife.(NewYork:Crown,2017).
![Page 39: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/39.jpg)
38
PeakinDarienExperiences
ThetermPeakinDarienreferstoaprovinceintheisthmusofPanama.WhenearlySpanishexplorersclimbedamountainpeakthere,itsurprisedthem,becausetheyhadarrivedfromtheAtlanticside,todiscoveraviewofthePacificOcean.Now,PeakinDarienhascometomeanasurprisingdeathbedornear-deathvision,orafter-deathcommunication,involvingapersonnotbelievedtobedeceased.
Fortypercentofnear-deathreportsincludeencounterswithadeceasedloved-one.Scofferstypicallyattributesuchvisionstowishfulthinking.However,whenthevisioninvolvesanindividualnotknowntobedead,thishypothesiscarrieslittleweight.
Anancientexample.Accountsofthisgobacktoancienttimes.PlinytheElderwroteaboutitover2,000yearsago.
…anoblemannamedCorfidius…waspronounceddeadbyaphysicianwhenhestoppedbreathing.Hiswillwasopened,naminghisyoungerbrotherashisexecutorandheir.Theyoungerbrotherthenhiredanundertakertoarrangethefuneral.Corfidius,however,stunnedtheundertakerbysittingupontheembalmingtable…Hethenannouncedthathehadjustcomefromthehomeofhisyoungerbrother.Hesaidthathisbrothertoldhimthatthefuneralarrangementshe’dmade
110 Bruce Greyson.After,136-137.
forCorfidiusshouldnowbeusedforhiminstead…AsCorfidiuswasrelatinghisstorytotheastonishedundertaker,hisyoungerbrother’sservantburstinwiththenewsthathismasterhadjustunexpectedlydied.110
Ayoungnurse’ssurprisingdeath.Inthefollowingvideo,researcherBruceGreysondescribesamaninSouthAfricahospitalizedwitharespiratorydisease.Hehadbecomefriendlywithayoungnurse.Oneday,shetoldhimshewastakingalongweekendoff.
Thenextdayhehadarespiratoryarrest,andhadtoberesuscitated,duringwhichhehadanear-deathexperience.Hesawhimselfinapastoralscenewhenthenurse,Anita,camewalkingtowardhim.Heaskedherwhyshewasthere.Shereplied,saying,“I’mherenow,butyoucannotstay.Youneedtogoback.IwantyoutotellmyparentsIlovethemandI’mverysorryIwreckedtheMGB.”Thensheturnedandwalkedaway.
Itturnedout,forher21stbirthday,herparentshadgivenheraredMGB.Shewassoexcitedshehoppedinthecar,tookoff,lostcontrol,crashedintoatelephonepole,anddiedinstantly–shortlybeforethehospitalizedmanhadthenear-deathexperience.Nobodyinthehospitalknewtheyoungwomanwaskilled.Greysoncannotinterpretthiseventasanythingotherthananafter-deathcommunication!111
111Greyson,“ResearchingNDEs.”https://www.youtube.com/embed/ddlpApa3XSs?start=1392&end=1509
![Page 40: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/40.jpg)
39
EbenAlexander’sProofofHeaven.Throughmuchofhisnear-deathexperience,EbenAlexanderwasaccompaniedbyabeautiful,youngwomanhedidn’tknow,butwhosedistinctiveappearancehefoundunforgettable.
Sheneversaidaword,butshedidn’thaveto.Shelookedatmewiththislookofpurelove.112
Hedescribesthisinthenextvideo:113
Fourmonthsafterhisnear-deathexperience,Alexanderreceivedaphotographofhisdeceasedbirthsister,Betsy,whomhehad
112Alexander,“Integrating.”https://www.youtube.com/embed/lK3xsZpU3zw?start=2901&end=2929113Ibid.
neverknowninlife(ashewasanadoptedchild).Amazed,herealizedthiswasthesameindividualwhowaswithhim,ridingonthebutterfly’swing.Inhisfirstbook,hewrites:
Butnowtherewasnomistakingher,nomistakingthelovingsmile,theconfidentandinfinitelycomfortinglook,thesparklingblueeyes.Itwasshe.114
ThisrecognitionremovedanylastdoubtsAlexander,previouslyamaterialisticneurosurgeon,mayhavehadabouttherealityofhisexperience.Forhim,itwasindeed“proofofheaven.”Thiswashiswhitecrow.
Possession
Possession,initsmostextremeform,isalsoknownasreplacementreincarnation.Adeceasedperson’sspiritenterssomeoneelse’sbody,replacing–permanentlyortemporarily–theoriginalpersonality.Oneinterestingdistinctionbetweenthesecasesandreincarnationis,inpossessioncases,thepossessingpersonality’smemoriesdon’tseemtofadeovertime.Thereplacedperson’smemories,however,seemtovanish.
Replacementreincarnationisararephenomenon.Idoubttherearemorethanafewdozencasesonrecord–comparedtothousandsofreincarnationcasesstartingat
114 Eben Alexander,ProofofHeaven:ANeurosurgeon'sJourneyintotheAfterlife.(NewYork:Simon&Schuster,2012),169.
![Page 41: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/41.jpg)
40
birth.However,intrancemediumship,short-termpossessionbycontrollingdiscarnatepersonsiscommon.Tomyknowledge,wehaven’tfullycatalogednorunderstoodthetypesanddegreesofpossession–aswellasitsrelationshiptoobsessionandspiritattachment.ThemostdetailedworkalongtheselineshasemergedfromtheSpiritisttraditionfoundedbyAllanKardec(apseudonymoftheFrenchpedagogue,HippolyteLeonDenizardRivail)inthenineteenthcentury.115TheWatsekaWonder.E.WinchesterStevens,aspiritualistphysician,firstreportedthecaseknownasTheWatsekaWonder.116ThecaseinvolvesachildnamedLurancyVennumwhobecameill.Acommunitymember,AsaB.Roff,recommendedStevens–aspiritualistmedicalpractitionerfromJanesville,Wisconsin–totheVennumfamily.Asaspiritualist,RoffwasconcernedforLurancyVennum.TherumorsweregoingaboutthelittletownofWatseka,Illinois,thatthischildmightbesenttoaninsaneasyluminChicago.ItwasacompassionateactonRoff’sparttosuggestthatspiritualisttreatmentcouldsaveLurancyfromthefateofinstitutionalization.Hisowndaughter,Mary,whohaddiedtenyearsearlier,hadsufferedfromasimilarillness.Henowbelievedhypnosiswouldbehelpful.
115AlexanderMoreira-Almeida&FranciscoLotufoNeto,“SpiritistViewsofMentalDisordersinBrazil.”TransculturalPsychiatry.Vol.42(4),2005,570-595.
AtthetimeStevenshypnotizedher,Lurancywashavingfits.Shewasobviouslyill.Underhypnosis,severaltroublesomespirits,orentities,orsubpersonalitiesappeared.Stevensinitiallydiagnosedherconditionasobsession.Sinceitappearedshewouldbecontrolledbysomespirit,heaskedLurancyifitwouldbebetterforafriendlyspirittotakecontrol.
Lurancysaidshewasgoingtoheavenandtalkingtospiritsandangelsthere.Shelistedseveralfriendlyspiritswhomightcomeandtakepossessionofherbody–includingMary
116E.W.Stevens,TheWatsekaWonder:ANarrativeofStartlingPhenomenaOccurringintheCaseofMaryLurancyVennum.(Chicago:Religio-PhilosophicalPublishingHouse,1878).
![Page 42: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/42.jpg)
41
Roff,AsaRoff’sdeceaseddaughter.Roff,whowaspresent,thoughtitwasafineidea;anditwasagreed.Thesuggestion,underhypnosis,wasMarywouldreturntotheworldofthelivingforafewmonths.ThenshewouldgoawayandLurancywouldhaveherownbodyback.Thisiswhathappened.WhenpossessedbyMary,LurancywentandlivedwiththeRofffamily.SheunderstoodMary’sfamilybytheirnicknamesandexpressedaffectionforthem.Shetreatedherbiologicalparents,theVennums,withrespectandcourtesy,butnotaffection.Moreover,sheactedasifshehardlyknewthem.ThereplacedpersonalityLurancyVennumreturnedtoherownbodyafterthreemonthsandtendays,completelyhealed.ThiscasesoimpressedtheeminentpsychologistWilliamJames,heincludeditasanexemplarystudyinhisclassic1890text,ThePrinciplesofPsychology.Inafootnote,James,offershisfinalassessmentofthiscase:
Myfriend,Mr.R.HodgsoninformsmethathevisitedWatsekainApril1889,andcross-examinedtheprincipalwitnessesofthiscase.Hisconfidenceintheoriginalnarrativewasstrengthenedbywhathelearned;andvariousunpublishedfactswereascertained,whichincreasedtheplausibilityofthespiritualisticinterpretationofthephenomenon.117
117WilliamJames,ThePrinciplesofPsychology.(CompleteVol.1–2)Kindleedition.Location7202of25427.
EventhoughitwasLurancyVennum’sbodyitwascertainlyMaryRoff’sspirit.(Although,onceortwiceduringthepossessionperiod,Lurancycameback,briefly.)However,MaryRoffwasthedominantpersonalityforthreemonthsandtendays,providingmuchevidenceofheridentityLurancycouldn‘thaveknown.That’swhyWilliamJames,theresearcherRichardHodgson,andthewitnessesfromthesmalltownofWatseka,Illinois,leanedtowardthespiritualistinterpretation.
LurancyVennum
Inhismasterpiece,HumanPersonalityandItsSurvivalofBodilyDeath,FredericMyersregardedthiscaseasmultiplepersonalityorpseudo-possession.HeclaimedMaryRoff’sapparentspiritwasn’ttheactualdeceasedindividual.Instead,itwasLurancy’ssecondarypersonalityemergingbecause
![Page 43: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/43.jpg)
42
Stevens(andAsaRoff)hadsuggestedittoherunderhypnosis.118However,Stevens’accountstatesthatLurancyinitiatedtheideaofMaryRoff’sspiritenteringher,insteadofitbeingsuggestedbyhimselforAsaRoff.Thepseudo-possessionhypothesisimpliesthesecondarypersonalityhadextraordinarypsychicgifts.ThepossessingpersonalityprovidedinformationknowntoMaryRoffortoherfamilymembers,butnottoLurancyVennumwhohadnopriorcontactwiththeRofffamily.Ineffect,MyershypothesizedthatVennum’ssecondarypersonalitywasmasqueradingasMaryRoff’sdiscarnatespirit.Thisexplanationisrathercontorted.Thecaseismoresimplyexplainedastemporarypossessionbyadeceasedperson.Myers’resistancetothepostmortemsurvivalisindicativeofthestrictscrutinyemployedbytheearlypsychicalresearchers.ThecompletehealingLurancyexperiencedsavedherfrompossiblelifetimeconfinementinoneofIllinois’huge,warehouse-likefacilitiesforthementallyill.ThisdramatichealingisreminiscentofEbenAlexander’srecovery.Itakeitaspragmaticconfirmation,combinedwitheverythingelse,ofthespiritualistinterpretation.
118Myers,HumanPersonality,360-368.
TheShiva/Sumitracase.Thisisathoroughlyresearchedpossessioncase.Itshowsthedifferencebetweenpossessionandreincarnationcases.119SumitraSinghwasawomanlivinginIndia.Shecouldbarelyreadandwriteandhadnoformalschooling.In1985,Sumitra,amarriedwomanwithchildren,beganexperiencingfits,goingintoalteredstatesofconsciousness,andillness.Shefearedshewoulddie.Atonepoint,aftershehadstoppedbreathingandherbodywascold,thefamilywastoldbyadoctorshewasdead.Asthefamilywaspreparingforcremation,sherevived.Uponreviving,sheclaimedhernamewasShivaTripati.SheclaimedShiva’ssister-in-lawhadmurderedherafewmonthsearlier.Sheseemedtobeaneducatedwoman–andshewantedtoreconnectwithheroriginalbirthfamily,theTripatifamily.TheSinghfamily,naturally,didn’tknowwhattomakeofthis.Thisnewpersonality,Shiva,didn’tevenrecognizetheSinghfamilymembers.Shivawasanindividualwhohadapparentlybeenmurdered,diedaccidentally,ortookherownlife.Theyfoundherbodyontherailroadtracks,afteraquarrelwithherin-laws.Shewascrematedquicklythereafter.ThreemonthselapsedbeforewordofthisstrangeoccurrencereachedtheShiva’sbirthfamily.
119IanStevensonetal.,“ACaseofthePossessionTypeinIndiaWithEvidenceofParanormalKnowledge.”JournalofScientificExploration,Vol.3(1),1989,81-101.
![Page 44: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/44.jpg)
43
TheTripatifamilysuedShiva’sin-laws–becausetheyfeltshehadbeenmurdered.Thentherumorreachedthemthat,inanothervillageabout100kilometersaway,apossessionwastakingplaceinvolvingtheirdeceaseddaughter.So,theyarrangedavisit.
Assoonastheyarrived,Shivahuggedandkissedthem,treatedthemwarmly,andcalledthembytheirnicknames.Shewantedtoseeherchildrenandmakesuretheywerebeingtakencareof.
ThiscaseismoreevidentialthantheWatsekaWonderbecausetheSinghandTripatifamilieshadnocontactbeforethepossession.Onecouldnot,therefore,attributethepossessiontosuggestionorhypnosis.
Thenextvideoisfroma1992BBCdocumentaryfeaturingSatwantPasrichawhodidoriginalresearchonthiscasewithIanStevenson.Shivagavesixteenfactsaboutherlife,notmentionedinanypressreports.Shenamed22relativesofShivafromphotographs.ThevideoalsohasaninterviewwithShiva’sfatherandmotherwhoexplainhowShivaconvincedthemshewastheirdaughter.ThevideoalsoshowsShivafiveyearsaftertheoriginaltransformation,stilladamantlyinsistingshehasallofShiva’smemoriesandnoneofSumitra’s.120
120BBC,“ReincarnationResearchDocumentary.”RetrievedonMay31,2021.https://youtube.com/embed/uuWL5bJGXWk?start=1436&end=1572
Alsoaddingtotheevidentiality,itlastedfortherestofSumitra’slife–orthelifeofSumitra’sbody.Shiva’sspiritremainedinthatbodyuntilshediedin1998.WhenShivafirstappeared,sheannouncedshewouldstayforanother10-12years.
In2010,CanadiananthropologistAntoniaMillswenttoIndiaandconductedmoreresearchonthiscase,assistedbyKildipDhiman.Byinterviewingwitnesses,MillslearnedthatShivaTripati’spersonalityremainedinSumitraSingh’sbodyconsistentlyforthirteenyears.WhenMillsreviewedthecasein2010,sheregardeditasastrongcasesupportingpostmortemsurvival–yetanotherwhitecrow!121
Shivahadacollegeeducationandwroteletters.SheexpressedherselfusingmuchmoresophisticatedlanguagethantheuneducatedSumitra.TheTripatifamilywishedtoadoptSumitraastheirdaughter–andtheytriedtofindworkforJagdishSingh.
121AntoniaMillsandKildipDhiman,“ShivaReturnedintheBodyofSumitra:APosthumousLongitudinalStudyoftheSignificanceoftheShiva/SumitraCaseofthePossessionType.”ProceedingsoftheSocietyforPsychicalResearch,Vol.59,October2011,145-193.
![Page 45: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/45.jpg)
44
Shivafoundherselfmarriedtoastranger.However,shekeptSumitra’ssocialstatusasthewifeofSumitrahusband,JagdishSingh.Shewasuncomfortableaboutthis.ShivawouldlookatSumitra’sbodyinthemirrorandsay,“Thisisn’tme.Thesepeoplearenotmyfamily.”Butsherealizedshehadtoaccommodateherselftothesenewcircumstances.Sheevenhadtwomorechildrenbeforeshedied.Thecaseisstrongevidenceforsurvival.Youhaveanintactpersonalitysurvivingforasustainedperiod,withthedeceasedperson’sfullemotionalexpressionandmemories.Forexample,sheinsistedonbeingreferredtoasShivafortheentirethirteenyears.That’swhoshefeltshewas.Interestingly,inreplacementreincarnationcases,thereplacedperson’smemoriesdon’tappeartoremainwiththephysicalbody. Implicationsforpsychopathology.Asmentionedearlier,manytypesanddegreesofpossessionhaveyettobecataloged.Thisisparticularlytrueregardingpossessionwithinmentalmediumshipandchanneling.However,thereisalsoapsychopathologicaldimensionassociatedwithpossession,obsession,andspiritattachment.Thissectionincludestestimonyfrommultipleprofessionalpsychotherapists.Sometimesitincludestheidentificationofdiscarnateentities.Thismaterialhighlightsthepricetobepaid–intermsofhumanwell-
122WilsonVanDusen,ThePresenceofSpiritsinMadness.(SwedenborgFoundation:1972).
being–forignoringthedatasupportingpostmortemsurvival.WilsonVanDusenwasChiefPsychologistatMendocinoStateMentalHospitalinCalifornia.VanDusenfeltnegativediscarnateentitiesoftenhoundedthepsychoticpatientswithwhomheworked.HemaintainedthatEmanuelSwedenborg’svisionarydescriptionsofheavenandhellwereactuallyanaccuratedepictionofthehumanunconscious.122
![Page 46: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/46.jpg)
45
MentalhealthprofessionalsinfluencedbythespiritisttraditioninBraziloftenincorporateasimilardiagnosticapproach.123
ClinicalpsychologistEdithFioredescribes,inthenextvideo,howsomediscarnatespiritsbecomeearthboundbecauseoftheiraddictionstoalcohol,cocaine,nicotine,andevenchocolate.Manydiscarnatesareconfusedanddon’trealizetheyarenolongerintheirownbody.124
ThesituationFioredescribesmaybemorecommonthanwerealize.AdamCrabtree,aFreudianpsychotherapytrainerbasedinToronto,acknowledges,inthevideobelow,thathehasalsoencounteredcasesofdiscarnatepossessioninhistherapypractice.125
123EmmaBragdon,ed.,SpiritismandMentalHealth:PracticesfromSpiritistCentersandSpiritistPsychiatricHospitalsinBrazil.(London:SingingDragon,2012).124EdithFiore,“TheUnquietDead(excerpt).”ThinkingAllowedvideo,1993.RetrievedonApril14,2021.https://www.youtube.com/embed/JvGSDUFv4dk?start=172&end=249
Psychotherapistsrarelyfunctionaspsychicalresearchers,tryingtoverifytheidentitiesofthepossessingentities.Theyaimtohelptheirpatients,nottocultivateevidenceaboutpostmortemsurvival.Becauseofthesediverginginterests,thepsychicalresearchliteraturepayslittleattentiontothetherapeuticinterestinpossession.
Nevertheless,thereareinstanceswheretherapistsworkingwithdepossessionhavebeenabletoidentifythediscarnatepossessingentitiesthatmanifestunderhypnosis.Inhis1934book,TheGatewayofUnderstanding,CarlWickland,aphysicianwhopracticeddepossessiontherapyforseveraldecades,suppliesspecific,verifieddetailsnamingfoursuchdiscarnatepersonsunknowntohimatthetimeofthetreatment.126
125AdamCrabtree,“ThePossessionExperience.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonDecember8,2017).https://youtube.com/embed/cyY5HMasf1w?start=483&end=515126CarlA.Wickland,MD,TheGatewayofUnderstanding.(LosAngeles:NationalPsychologicalInstitute,1934).
![Page 47: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/47.jpg)
46
InstrumentalTransCommunication
BeginningwithThomasAlvaEdison,researchers,hobbyists,andghosthuntershavebeenexperimentingwithelectronicdevicesforcommunicationwiththedeceased.Populartelevisionprogramsandbooksreporthundredsofsuccesses.127,128
Thepotentialcriticismofapophenia(projectingmeaningontorandomstimuli)cloudsmostinstances.However,weshouldn’tlightlydismissInstrumentalTransCommunication.ThelateWillisHarman–emeritusStanfordUniversityengineeringprofessor–tookthisdataseriously.Whilemanydiscarnatevoicesappearvagueandsubjecttovaryinginterpretations,othersareunmistakable.
KonstantinRaudive’sreturn.Inthefollowingvideoexcerptfromthemid-1990s,WillisHarmanexpresseshisinterestinthephenomena.AfterWorldWarII,commercialtaperecordersbecameavailable.Itwasn’tlongbeforevoicesmysteriouslyappearedontape.Researchersandhobbyistssooncametoacceptthatthesewerediscarnateentities.
KonstantinRaudivewasanearlyresearcherwhodiedin1974butkeptuphisinterestfromtheotherside.Messagesandpicturesfromhimhavecomethroughonaudiotapes,
127TomandLisaButler,ThereisNoDeathandThereAreNoDead.(Reno,NV:AA-EVPPublishing,2004).128AnabelaCardoso,ElectronicContactwiththeDead:WhatDotheVoicesTellUs?(Hove,UK:WhiteCrowBooks,2017).129 Willis Harman, “Metaphysics and Science.” https://youtu.be/VB1qR8jLw-Q
videotapes,televisionscreens,andcomputerdisks.
HarmanconcludesthevideobysuggestingwewilltakeInstrumentalTransCommunicationseriously,“becauseitisnotgoingaway.”129Basedonthecoverageinpopularmediaprograms,Harman’sanalysiswascorrect.
ThenextvideodocumentarywasproducedbyDanDrasin,anesteemedcolleagueIhaveknownforoverthirtyyears.Itpresents(withaudio)severalKonstantinRaudivecommunicationstowhichWillisHarmanwasreferring.Onerecipient,MarkMacy–authorofInstrumentalTransCommunicationbooks,130,131tape-recordeddetailedtechnicalinstructionsfromRaudive.132Raudive’svoiceisclear!
130MarkH.Macy,SpiritFaces:TruthAbouttheAfterlife.(SanFrancisco:Weiser,2006).131MarkH.Macy,MiracleintheStorm:TalkingtotheOtherSideWiththeNewTechnologyofSpiritualContact.(NewYork:NewAmericanLibrary,2001).132DanDrasin,CallingEarth,videodocumentary,2015.https://vimeo.com/101171248#t=43m46s
![Page 48: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/48.jpg)
47
AnabelaCardoso’svoices.CardosoisaformerPortuguesediplomatwhohasservedasConsulGeneralintheUnitedStates,Spain,andFranceaswellasChargeD’AffairsinJapanandIndia.ShehasauthoredthreebooksonITC,133,134,135and,overtwodecades,shehasmadehundredsofaudiorecordingsofanomalousvoices.
CardosohasspecializedinatechniqueknownasDirectRadioVoice.Shetunesherradiostoagovernmentchannel,reservedforemergencies,sotheonlysoundnormallyiswhitenoise.Whenvoicesappear,shecanengageintwo-wayconversations,eventhoughthereisnoradiotransmissioncomingfromherend.Inthefollowingvideo,shedescribeshowshecommunicateswithherfamilymemberswhocallherbyherpetnameofBela.136
133AnabelaCardoso,ElectronicVoices:ContactwithAnotherDimension?(Winchester,UK:SixthBooks,2010).134AnabelaCardoso,ElectronicContactwiththeDead:WhatDotheVoicesTellUs?(Hove,UK:WhiteCrowBooks,2017).135AnabelaCardoso,GlimpsesofAnotherWorld:ImpressionsandReflectionsofanEVPOperator.(Hove,UK:WhiteCrowBooks,2021).
PsychologistDavidFontana,formerpresidentoftheSocietyforPsychicalResearch,hasobservedCardosocommunicatingwiththesevoicesonmultipleoccasions.Hestates,asacorroboratingwitness:
Thevoiceswereclear,atnormalvolume,and…therewasnodoubtthatthevoicesweredirectcommunicationswithAnabela,andcouldnotbedismissedasstrayradiovoices.137
FontanaconductedhisowntestsandbackgroundresearchandconcludedthatCardoso,herself,wasnotengagedinsubterfuge.138
Cardosoalsoorganizedatwo-yearstudyofthevoices,conductedatawell-equippedandwell-shieldedacousticallaboratoryattheSchoolofEngineering,
136AnabelaCardoso,“InstrumentalTransCommunication.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonJuly21,2021).https://www.youtube.com/embed/VX0OY0EELiM?start=1505&end=1542137DavidFontana,“Foreword.”InCardoso,ElectronicVoices,3.138Ibid.
![Page 49: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/49.jpg)
48
VigoUniversity,Spain.There,manyanomalousvoicesweredetectedandindependentlyverified.139
Phonecallsfromthedead.Asinthepreviousvideos,individualsreporthavingreceivedtelephonemessages,andsometimesclear,two-wayconversationswiththedeceased.ResearchersD.ScottRogo,workingwithRaymondBayliss,carefullyinvestigatedfiftysuchcases.140
139AnabelaCardoso,“ATwo-YearInvestigationoftheAllegedlyAnomalousElectronicVoicesorEVP.”NeuroQuantology,Vol.10(3),September2012,492-514.
CallumCooper,apsychologistintheUKhascontinuedtoinvestigateoverthirtyadditionalcases.141Cooperhasanalyzedthesecases,puttingthemintodifferentcategories.Inthefollowingvideoexcerpt,hedescribeswhatatypicalcase,inthemostextremecategoryinvolvingaprolongedconversation,wouldbelike.Thetelephoneconversation,initiatedbyadiscarnateperson,mightlasthalfanhourandbewithsomebodywhomyoubelievetobealive.Theconversationcouldcovermanytopicsandendwithasuggestionthatthepersonwillbegoingaway.Onlylateritislearnedthatthe
140D.ScottRogo&RaymondBayliss,PhoneCallsFromtheDead.(NewYork:Berkley,1980).141CallumCooper,TelephoneCallsFromtheDead.(OldPortsmouth,UK:TricornBooks,2012).
![Page 50: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/50.jpg)
49
callerwasdeceased.Thephonecompanywillthenshownocallrecord.142
IhadaminorexperiencealongtheselinesincombinationwithaluciddreaminvolvingthelateElisabethTargwhodiedin2002.Inthedream,IwasconversingwithElisabeth(whohadbeenafriend)andcongratulatingheronallthereportedafter-deathcommunicationsinvolvingher.
ElisabethTargandJeffreyMishlove
142 CallumCooper,“PhoneCallsFromtheDead.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonDecember17,2018).https://youtube.com/embed/EDA8nJMbsM0?start=1176&end=1230
JustasIwastellingherinthedream,“….especiallythephysicalmanifestations,”thephonenexttomybedrangandwokeme.WhenIpickedupthereceiver,allIheardwaswhitenoise.IdonotrecallanothertimewhenIansweredaringingphonetodiscoveronlywhitenoise.IdescribethiseventinthenextvideowithRussellTarg.
TargalsodescribesanincidentwhereElisabethcommunicated,shortlyafterherdeath,byinterferingwiththeelectricalcircuitryinhishouse.Onthatoccasion,notlongafterElisabeth’sdeath,hewaswithhisson,NicholasandElisabeth’swidower,MarkComings.Theyremarkedtoeachotherthat,becauseElisabethwassuchastrongperson,perhapsshewouldtrytocommunicate.Atthatmoment,allofthelightsinthehousewentoffandcamebackon.AsRussellwascommentingonhowunusualthatwas,asifsomeonehasturnedthecircuitbreakerforthewholehouseonandoff,ithappenedasecondtime.143
143 RussellTarg,“ElisabethTarg.”https://youtube.com/embed/q_c-V472wl0?start=812&end=954
![Page 51: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/51.jpg)
50
Atextmessagefromthedead.EmmyVadnais,theauthorofIntuitiveDevelopment,reportsanotherwell-documentedInstrumentalTransCommunicationexample.Hermother-in-lawSallyDixondiedonNovember5,2019.ThebodywaslyinginreposeatVadnais’homeforaday,priortocremation.Friendsandrelativescametooffercondolencesandpaytheirlastrespects.OnecloserelativewasVadnais’stepfatherDonaldEmpson.OnThursday,November7,2019,EmpsonreportedhehadreceivedatextmessagefromEmmyat3:23am,saying“Gladit’sover!”Hesuppliedthecomputerscreenshot,below,documentingthismessage:
SallyDixonandEmmyVadnais,2007
DonEmpson’sTextMessageRecordfromEmmyVadnais’CellPhone
![Page 52: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/52.jpg)
51
Empson’sscreenshotsurprisedVadnais.Sheknewthiswasn’tamessageshesentorwouldhavesent.Hercellphonerecordsshowedshehadn’tsentthismessage–althoughmessageswithherstepfathershowedup.OnecanseeonthescreenshotfromEmmy’scellphone,onthenextcolumn,allthemessagessentfromDon,plusthehearticonsentbyEmmy.However,betweenWednesday,November6,2019,at6:01pmand“Yesterday”(November7,2019)at5:55pm,therewerenoothermessagessentfromEmmy’sphone.
EmmyVadnaisandDonEmpsonhavedrawnthelogicalconclusion:SallyDixon,Vadnais’deceasedmother-in-law,sentthemessage,“Gladit’sover!”Herbody,at3:23am,wasatthecrematorium.
Vadnaistestifiestothesituationinthefollowingprivatevideo:144
OtherInstrumentalTransCommunicationexamples,fromtheScoleGroup,areintheupcomingsectiononphysicalmediumship.
144 Emmy Vadnais, Private Communication. February 16, 2021. https://youtu.be/aHRxsBlO6-E
Emmy’sCellPhoneRecordofTextswithDonEmpson
Xenoglossy
Theabilitytounderstand,andevenconverse,inalanguageonehasneverlearned–sometimesanarchaiclanguage–constitutesevidencefavoringreincarnationorpossession.145
145 Ian Stevenson,UnlearnedLanguages:NewStudiesinXenoglossy.(Charlottesville,VA:UniversityPressofVirginia,1984).
![Page 53: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/53.jpg)
52
TheJensenJacobycase.Inthefollowingvideo,WalterSemkiwdescribesaPhiladelphiawomanofRussian-Jewishdescent.Uponbeinghypnotizedbyherhusband,amedicaldoctor,shebeganspeakinganoldformofSwedish,claimingtobeaSwedishmannamedJensenJacoby.
HesaidhewasaChristianfarmerwhoownedlivestockandwholivednearthecoast.HeexpressedgreatfearofRussians,sayinghehaddiedwhenhewasforcedintoabodyofwater–andthenhitonthehead(theimplicationbeingRussiansoldiershadkilledhim).
SwedishscholarsexaminedrecordingsanddeterminedthespeechwasmiddleSwedish,asusedintheseventeenthcentury.IanStevensonwhoinvestigatedthiscaseevensubjectedthefamilymemberstoliedetectortestsandhadthemsignaffidavitstestifyingnoneofthemspokeSwedish.Also,JensenJacobycouldaccuratelynameobjectsinSwedish.146
146 Ian Stevenson,Xenoglossy:AReviewandReportofaCase.(Charlottesville,VA:UniversityPressofVirginia,1974).
Forexample,whenshownaSwedishseventeenthcenturysailingshipmodel,Jensoncorrectlycalledita“skuta”or“skute.”147
TheUttara/Sharadacase.Inthenextvideo,WalterSemkew,MD,describesawell-knownxenoglossycase,referredtointheliteratureasUttara/Sharada.Itinvolvesintermittent,temporarypossession.Here,thereplacingpersonality,Sharada,spokeonlytheBengalilanguage–alanguageunknowntoUttaraandherfamily.
Uttarawasaneducatedwomanwithtwomaster’sdegrees.Shewasauniversitylecturer.Atonepointinherlife,shewashospitalizedformedicalproblems.Whileshewasinthehospital,agurucamethereandtaughtmeditation.Uttarastartedtomeditate.
Oneday,unexpectedly,aBengalipersonality,calledSharada,emergedfromher.UttaraonlyspoketheMarathiIndianlanguage.SharadacouldonlyspeakBengali.Thiswasstrangeforthefamily,becausetheycouldnotcommunicatewiththeirdaughter.Nobodyin
147Semkiw,“CasesofXenoglossy.”https://youtube.com/embed/EnBh5NUId5o?start=818&end=1016
![Page 54: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/54.jpg)
53
thefamilyknewBengali.TheSharadapersonalitycompletelytookoverthebodyforaslongas43continuousdays,duringwhichthefamilyhadtobringintranslators,sotheycouldinteractwiththeirdaughter.Sharadastillthoughtshewasalive,inthe1820s,inBengal.SheexpresseddisdainforthepeoplewhospokeMarathi,andshedidn’tknowhowtousemodernappliances.Shewasunable,forexample,tocookonagasstove,beingfamiliaronlywithwood-burningstoves.MultipleBengaliacademics,andoutsideresearchers,studiedthecaseovernineyears,makingtaperecordingsoftheirBengaliconversations.148
WhiletheSharadacasehasattractedmuchcriticism,thecriticshaveallfailedtoaccountfor(a)Sharada’sBengaliwaswhatonewouldexpectfromthe1820s;(b)lengthyconversationsSharadahadinBengaliwith
148WalterSemkiw,“CasesofXenoglossy.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonNovember22,2015).https://youtube.com/embed/EnBh5NUId5o?start=398&end=561149 Karen Wehrstein.“UttaraHuddar/Sharada(PastLife).”PsiEncyclopedia.London:TheSocietyforPsychicalResearch.Retrieved4July2021.https://psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk/articles/uttara-huddarsharada-past-life
scholars;and(c)Sharada’sabilitytoidentify,byname,ancestorsinherfamilytree.149
MentalMediumship
SincetheFoxSistersin1848,rightuptothepresentday,therehavebeeninnumerablespiritmediumsprovidingpostmortemsurvivalevidence–informationfromanduniquepersonalitycharacteristicsofdiscarnateindividuals.150Theexamplesinthissectionareprovidedinroughchronologicalorder.
LeonoraPiper.WilliamJamesbroughttheBostonmediumLeonoraPipertothepsychicalresearchcommunity’sattention.Shebecameoneofthemostresearchedmentalmediumsinhistory.
James’colleagueRichardHodgsonhadestablishedhisskepticalcredentialsearlierbydebunkingMadameBlavatsky,aTheosophicalSocietyfounder.Hodgsonstudiedover500sittingswithPiper.HeconcludedthatamannamedGeorgePellew(1859-1892),whoproducedautomaticwritingthroughPiperashercontrolspirit,wasanauthentic,discarnateindividual.151
150ArthurConanDoyle,TheHistoryofSpiritualism.(London:Cassel&Co.,1926).151RichardHodgson,“AFurtherRecordofObservationsofCertainPhenomenaofTrance.”ProceedingsoftheSocietyforPsychicalResearch,Vol.13,1897-1898,288.
![Page 55: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/55.jpg)
54
HodgsonwroteareportdetailingthecorrectandintimatedetailsthedeceasedGeorgePellewcommunicatedthroughLeonoraPiper.Of150sitterswhocametoseePiperinsessionswherethediscarnateGeorgePellewmanifested,thirtywereindividualswhohadknownPellewinlife.In29ofthesesessions,thedeceasedPellewrecognizedthemandaddressedthembyname.TheonlysitterthediscarnatePellewdidn’tidentifywasawomanwhomhehadn’tseeninlifesinceshewasalittlegirl.152
ThesedetailedandintimatecommunicationsconvincedHodgson–whohadbeenskeptical
152 Alan Gauld, Mediumship and Survival. (London: William Heinemann, 1982), 47
untilthen–thathewasdealingwithaformerlyincarnatehumanbeing.
HodgsonalsonotedthediscarnatePellewdidn’trecognizetheother120sitters,peopleattendingPiper’sséances,whomhehadneverknowninlife.HesawthisasevidencecountingagainstthehypothesisthemediumLeonoraPiperorhercommunicatorGeorgePellewweregettinginformationbytelepathicallyreadingtheindividualsitters’minds.
Inthevideoexcerptbelow,philosopherStephenE.Braudeemphasizestherigorofthesefindings.Theresearchersevenhadhertrailedbydetectives.Hercareerwentonforyears,supplyingevidenceofthisquality.153
AfterworkingwithPiperforyears,Hodgsonhimselfdiedunexpectedlyin1905.Subsequently,heappearedasacommunicatorinsittingswithPiper.TheprominentpsychologistWilliamJamesanalyzedthesesessions.Heremarkedthat,becauseHodgsonhadworkedforsolong
153StephenE.Braude,“EvidentialityofSpiritualistMediumship.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonJuly9,2016).https://youtube.com/embed/R2MCPdu06jc?start=730&end=846
![Page 56: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/56.jpg)
55
withPiper,theconditionswerefarfromideal.Still,RichardHodgson’sspiritcommunicatingthroughPiperprovidedmanyintimateandaccuratedetailsconcerningHodgson’slifethatPiperdidnotknow.Whenviewedinthelightofhiswiderknowledgeofmentalmediums(andPiperinparticular),JamesacknowledgedhebelievedHodgson’sostensiblespiritprovidedinformationthatwasparanormal.Itwasn’tlikelytobeattributedtoPiper’stelepathicabilities:
…thetotaleffectinthewayofdramaticprobabilityofthewholemassofsimilarphenomenaonmymind,istomakemebelievethata“willtocommunicate”[meaningviaaspiritentity]isinsomeshapethere.154
Therefore,hespeculatedthatifthediscarnateHodgsonwasn’tcommunicatingthroughPiper–perhapsitwasaspiritentity,withaccesstoacosmicreservoirofallknowledge,masqueradingasHodgson.Jameshoped,withinthenexthundredyears,psychicalresearchwouldresolvethispotentialconfusion.155FredericMyers’return.ThemajorcaseofadeceasedentitystartingandtakingpartinpsychicalresearchisthatofFredericMyers.In1902,thediscarnateMyersstartedanexperimentlastingforoverthreedecades.Itresultedinover3,600documents,referredto
154WilliamJames,“ReportonMrs.Piper’sHodgson-Control.”ProceedingsoftheSocietyforPsychicalResearch,Vol.23,1909,117.155Ibid.
asthecross-correspondences.Neartheendofthisseries,MyersdictatedtwobooksabouttheafterlifethroughGeraldineCummins’automaticwritingmediumship.FredericMyerswas,withoutquestion,astellarfigureinthefoundingandearlyinvestigationsoftheSocietyforPsychicalResearch.Hewascoauthor,withEdmundGurneyandFrankPodmore,ofPhantasmsoftheLiving.156Overacenturyafteritsposthumouspublicationin1903,Myers’book,HumanPersonalityandItsSurvivalofBodilyDeath,remainsaclassic.157
156EdmundGurneyetal.,PhantasmsoftheLiving.(London:SocietyforPsychicalResearch,1886).157F.W.H.Myers,HumanPersonalityandItsSurvivalofBodilyDeath.(London:Longmans,Green,andCo.,1903).
![Page 57: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/57.jpg)
56
MyersintroducedthetermtelepathyandprecededFreudindiscussingthesubconsciousmind,whichhecalledthesubliminalmind.Myersexpectedthatcommunicatorsfromtheothersidewereplanningexperiments:
…thereareprobablyexperimentsofacomplexityanddifficultywhichsurpassourimagination;buttheyaremadefromtheothersideofthegulfbytheeffortsofspiritswhodiscernpathwaysandpersonalitieswhichforusareimpenetrablydark.158
ThediscarnateMyerslaidoutaplanforthecross-correspondencesinmessagestransmittedviaautomaticwritingthroughMargaretVerrallinCambridge,aclassicalscholar,andMyers’friend:
Recordthebitsandwhenfittedtheywillmakethewhole….Iwillgivethewordsbetweenyouneitheralonecanreadbuttogethertheywillgivethecluehewants.159
Thusbeganaprojectthatran,atleast,until1936andincludedscriptsfromninedifferentautomaticwritersreceivingmessagesfromMyersandotherdeceasedresearchersfromtheSociety.Theoverallprojectistoocomplextobesummarizedadequatelyhere.Thiscomplexityhasledsomecriticstodismisstheentirematterashopelesslyobscure–requiringGreekandLatin
158Ibid,VolII,275.159Ibid,382.
knowledge,andanunderstandingofpoeticallusionsfromWordsworthandothers.IttookseveralyearsbeforeSocietyforPsychicalResearchinvestigatorsdetectedMyers’projectandwroteaboutit.ThisfirstoccurredwhenAliceJohnson,theSociety’ssecretary,publishedalengthyarticleconcerningtheautomaticwritingofMrs.HollandinIndia–apseudonymforAliceFleming,thefamouspoetRudyardKipling’smarriedsister.Fleming’sfamilydisapprovedofherremarkable“uncanniness.”160Nevertheless,AliceFlemingpersistedinherexperimentswithautomaticwriting.TranscriptsshowdiscarnatesMyersandEdmundGurney(anotheroftheSociety’sdeceasedfounders)bothcoachedherinthisdiscipline.However,asshehadbeenreadingMyers’classicbook,itisreasonabletoassumehersubconsciousmindwas,atleast,helpingthemalong.Atonepoint,shewrotetheaddress,5SelwynGardens,Cambridge,alongwithamessagethatFlemingshouldcontactMargaretVerrall,thefirstautomaticwritertoreceivemessagesdictatedbyMyers.FleminghadneverbeentoCambridgeandhadnevermetVerrall–althoughsheknewofherfromMyers’book.ShehadnowayofknowingVerrall’saddress(whichitwas).Fleming,however,didn’tcontactVerralldirectly.Instead,shereachedouttoAliceJohnson.
160AliceJohnson,“OntheAutomaticWritingofMrs.Holland.”ProceedingsoftheSocietyforPsychicalResearch,Vol.21,1907-1909.
![Page 58: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/58.jpg)
57
Johnson,inthatlengthyarticle,describesthecross-correspondenceprocess:
Whatwegetisafragmentaryutteranceinonescript,whichseemstohavenoparticularpointormeaning,andanotherfragmentaryutteranceintheother,ofanequallypointlesscharacter;butwhenweputthetwotogether,weseethattheysupplementoneanotherandthatthereisapparentlyonecoherentideaunderlyingboth,butonlypartiallyexpressedineach.161
Thesecross-correspondencesarecomplicated,withmanyoverlappingmeanings.IttookJohnson226pagestodescribetheearlyinstances.Despiteitsobscurity,thecross-correspondencespresentsubstantialevidenceforsurvival.HereisoneexampleknownasTheHope,Star,Browningcross-correspondence:162OnJanuary2,1907,J.G.PiddingtongaveamessageinLatintotheentrancedLeonoraPiper.ShewastheninEngland.Bythistime,theresearchershadcaughtontoMyers’project,andwantedtotakepart.ThemessageurgedMyers’spirittogiveseeminglyunrelatedmessagestotwodifferentmediums,followedbyacommunicationtoathirdrevealingtheconnectionsbetweenallthreemessages.
161Ibid,375.
Then,onJanuary16,PiddingtonrequestedthediscarnateMyers,throughPiper,todrawacirclewithatriangleinsideofittosignifysuchacross-correspondence.OnJanuary23,1907,MargaretVerrallinCambridge,tookthefollowingmessagefromMyers:
…ananagramwouldbebetterTellhimthat–ratsstarstarsandsoon.
Then,onJanuary28,MargaretVerrallproducedthefollowingaddedscriptusingautomaticwriting:
162TrevorHamilton,ArthurBalfour’sGhosts:AnEdwardianEliteandtheRiddleoftheCross-CorrespondenceAutomaticWritings.(AndrewsUKLimited,2017,KindleEdition),370-374.
![Page 59: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/59.jpg)
58
StarWonder…AbtVogler…[Drawingofatriangleinsideacompletecircle.]
ThenextmessageinthisseriescamethroughonFebruary3.ThewriterwasMargaretVerrall’sadultdaughter,HelenVerrall.(MargaretandHelenVerralldidn’tsharetheirscriptswitheachotheruntilafterthecompletionofthecross-correspondence.)
…hesetsoutagreenjerkinandhoseanddoubletwherethesongbirdspipetheirtune…[Drawingofastar.]
ThisdescriptionisareferencetothePiedPiper.Then,onFebruary11,J.G.PiddingtonhadthefollowingconversationwithMyersthroughthePiper’smediumship.
JGP.DoyourememberwhatyourexactreferencetoBrowningwas?Myers.IreferredtoHopeandBrowning…IalsosaidStar.…MeanwhilelookoutforHope,StarandBrowning.
OnFebruary17,HelenVerrallproducedthefollowingautomaticwritingscript:
Drawingofastar…andastaraboveitallratseverywhereinHamelintown.
TherearemeaningfulconnectionsinthesescriptsrelatingtoRobertBrowning’spoems,“AbtVogler”and“ThePiedPiperofHamelin.”
163Ibid,371-2.
TheanagramswereofthesortMyers,inlife,oftenenjoyed.Thekeypointisthis:thescriptsfulfiltheJanuary2,LatinmessagetoMyers.TwodifferentmediumsreceivedmessagesfromMyers,appearingunrelatedtoeachotheruntilMyersexplainedtheconnectionthroughathirdmedium.Thetriangleinthecirclewasdrawn–asMyershadpromisedtoPiddingtonthroughLeonoraPiper.Insummary,psychicalresearcherTrevorHamiltonexplainshowthecaseconcluded:
Finally,Mrs.SidgwicktookoverthesittingswithLeonoraPiperfromPiddingtonandaskedMyerswhichpoemparticularlylaybehindthiscross-correspondence.Aftersomedifficulty,hegotoutAbtVoandvariationsonthewordVoglerwhichMrs.Sidgwickcompletedforhim(buthehadgottheessentials).LeonoraPiper’swritinghandwavedwithexcitementandthenwrote–‘NowdearMrs.Sidgwickinfuturehavenodoubtorfearofso-calleddeathasthereisnone.’163
![Page 60: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/60.jpg)
59
Ofevengreatersignificanceisanentiremanuscript,TheRoadtoImmortality,channeledfromMyersin1929viatheGeraldineCummins’mediumship.Atalentedautomaticwriter,CumminsneverknewMyersinlife.Thisbookhasaforewordbyradioco-inventorSirOliverLodgewhohadbeenwell-acquaintedwithMyersandvoucheditwaswritteninMyers’ownstyle.164
LodgehadregularsessionsforyearswiththecelebratedmediumGladysOsborneLeonard.Thesesessionshadconvincedhim,beyondalldoubt,hewasinregularcommunicationwith
164SirOliverLodge,“Foreword”inGeraldineCummins,TheRoadtoImmortality:BeingaDescriptionoftheLifeHereafter,WithEvidenceoftheSurvivalofHumanPersonality.(London:PsychicPress,1932),9-15.
hissonRaymond,whowaskilledinWWI.RaymondcouldcommunicatedirectlywithMyersontheotherside.HepassedontoLodgethemessagethatMyershaddictatedthisbook–albeitwithsomedifficulty–throughtheCummins’mediumship.Overall,hertranscriptionwasconsistentwithhisintentions.
LodgeclaimedheonlywrotetheforewordafterreceivingapprovalfromMyersthroughtheLeonard’smediumship.165Moreevidence,justifyingLodge’sconfidenceinLeonard’smediumshipfollows.
Inthenextvideofromthe1990s,WillisHarman,thenInstituteofNoeticSciencespresident,offershisimpressionsofMyers’communicationsthroughCummins.Shedidn’tevenrealizewhatshewaswriting.Thewordscameataswiftpace.Sheworkedwithapartnerwhochangedthesheetsofpaperunderherhand–soshecouldkeepwritingwithoutinterruption.Heclaimsthisautomaticwritingisconsistentwithdifferentwritingsbyotherchannelers.Theyalldescribeasimilarprogressionofthesoulthroughstagesoftheafterlife.166
165Ibid,15.166 Willis Harman, “Metaphysics and Modern Science, Part II: Consciousness Beyond Death.” Thinking Allowed video. https://youtu.be/kK29VDAwZ_s
![Page 61: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/61.jpg)
60
GladysOsborneLeonard’smediumship.ThereweremanyexamplesofinformationcomingthroughMrs.Leonard’smediumshipthatconvincedtheeminentphysicist,SirOliverLodge,hissonRaymondwasaliveontheotherside.Themostimpressiveofthesewastherecoveryofaphotograph,describedbythediscarnateRaymond,takenjustbeforehisdeath.Lodgedidnotseeituntilaftertwoséancesinwhichhewastoldaboutit.
Thestoryofthephotograph,shownbelow,involvesacross-correspondencebetweentwomediums.Raymond,whowaskilledonSeptember14,1915,issittingsecondfromtherightendofthefrontrow.ThemanbehindhimisrestinghishandonRaymond’sleftshoulder,soRaymondisleaningslightlytotheright.OnSeptember27,LadyLodge,SirOliver’swife,hadananonymoussittingwithamediumnamedAlfredVoutPeters.Thephotographwasfirstmentionedthere,alongwithinformationconcerningRaymond’sidentity.RaymondalsomentionedatthissessionthatFredericMyerswashelpinghimadjusttoexistenceontheotherside.ThemessageplacedspecialemphasisonthegroupphotographwhereRaymondisholdinghiswalkingstick.Atthispoint,theLodgeshadnophotographsofRaymondwithothersoldiers.
![Page 62: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/62.jpg)
61
Then,onNovember29,theLodgesreceivedaletterfromthefamilyofanothersoldier,referringtosuchaphotographandofferingtosendacopy.OnDecember3,OliverLodgehadasittingwithGladysLeonardwhereheinquiredfurtheraboutthephotograph–whichhadnotyetarrived.Inthesession,Leonardwasintranceandherspiritcontrol,Feda,reportedonherconversationswithRaymond,whoexplainedthattheoriginalcommunicationaboutthephotographwasthroughadifferentmedium.Raymondaddedthathewassittingdowninthepicture,thathewaswithadozenormoreothermen,andthatitwastakenoutdoors.Healsoreferencedverticallinesaboveandbehindhim.Herememberedsomebodywastryingtoleanonhim.Healsomentionedanotherman,B,whowouldbethemostprominentpersoninthephoto.ThephotographarrivedfourdayslateronDecember7.Themostprominentpersoninthephoto,standinginthesunlightinthebackrow,isCaptainS.T.Boast.Raymondwasholdinghiswalkingstick.Themanbehindhimisdistinctlyleaningonhim.Theverticallinesintheroofbehindthemarealsoveryprominent.Lodge’sbook,RaymondorLifeandDeath:WithExamplesoftheEvidenceforSurvivalofMemoryandAffectionAfterDeath,wasabest-sellerandimmediatelycatapultedGladys
167SirOliverJ.Lodge,RaymondorLifeandDeath.(NewYork:GeorgeH.Doran,1916).
OsborneLeonardtointernationalfameasatrancemedium.167
Shecontinuedhermediumshipforthenexthalf-century,duringwhichmembersoftheSocietyforPsychicalResearchstudiedherextensively.TherehavebeenoverthirtyarticlesaboutherinthepublicationsoftheSociety,andsevenmoreintheJournaloftheAmericanSocietyforPsychicalResearch.NeaWalker,OliverLodge’ssecretary,madealong-termstudyofLeonardthatranfornineteenyears.Oneresearcher,theMethodistminister,Rev.CharlesDraytonThomas,hadover500sittingswithher.Throughoutthisentiretime,therehasnever
![Page 63: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/63.jpg)
62
beenasingle,credibleinstancewhenLeonard’sintegrityorsincerityhasbeenquestioned.168
In1921,KatieDawson-SmithheardfromhersonwhohadbeenkilledinWWIinasessionwithLeonard.Hewasinsistentshefindanoldleatherwallet,whichshedid.Hesaiditheldatiny,yetimportantcheckstub.Thesignificanceofthisbecameclearwhen,in1924,shereceivedademandfroma
168RosalindHeywood,“MrsGladysOsborneLeonard:ABiographicalTribute,”JournaloftheSocietyforPsychicalResearch,Vol.45(741),September1969,95-105.
Hamburgfirmfortherepaymentofadebtincurredbyhersonin1914.However,thecheckstubenabledhertoshowthathersonhadalreadyrepaidtheten-year-olddebt.Shereceivedanapologyfromthecompany.Dawson-SmithlatersenttherelevantdocumentationofthisincidenttotheSocietyforPsychicalResearch.169Anotherexampleofacross-correspondenceinvolvingLeonardoccurredin1925.Followingthedeathofherhusband,WilliamF.Barrett,thephysicistandco-founderoftheSocietyforPsychicalResearch,FlorenceBarrettarrangedasittingwithLeonardduringwhichherdeceasedhusbandcamethroughandstatedthathehadsentheranothermessagefromadistantplace.Later,shelearnedfromherfriend,aMrs.Jervis,thatshehadreceivedaletterfromLeonoraPiperinAmerica.BarretthadcommunicatedthroughMrs.PiperthathewassorryhecouldnotkeepanappointmentwithMrs.Jervis(becauseofhisdeath).Infact,JervishadanafternoonteaappointmentwithBarrettthatwaspreventedbyhisdeath.170UnderthesupervisionofWilliamMcDougallatDukeUniversity,JohnThomasearnedadoctoraldegreeinpsychologyforhisextensivestudyofGladysOsborneLeonard’smediumship.Thomaswasseekingevidenceofhiswife’safterlifeexistence.Shehaddiedin1926.Hisstudyranfornineyears.Itincluded2,964specificpointsofinformation
169Mrs.W.H.Salter,“AReportonSomeRecentSittingswithMrs.Leonard.”ProceedingsoftheSocietyforPsychicalResearch,Vol.36,1928,170FlorenceBarrett,PersonalitySurvivesDeath:MessagesfromSirWilliamBarrett.(London:Longmans,GreenandCo.,1937),xl-xlvi.
![Page 64: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/64.jpg)
63
– apointbeingasinglestatementofapossiblyverifiablefact.Ofthese,2,358werecorrect;196incorrect;231inconclusive;and179unverifiable.Thepercentagecorrectofthetotalverifiablepointswas92.3%.171PsychicalresearcherTrevorHamiltondescribesThomas’approachasmeticulous:
…heoftenhadsomeoneelsesitwithLeonardasaproxyonhisbehalf,ensuredtheywereaccuratelyrecorded,lookedforverifiablesourcesforthemedium’sstatementsamonghisownrecords,anddiscardedunverifiablepoints,nomatterhowseeminglypersuasive.172
TheseexamplesmerelyrepresentsomehighlightsfromGladysLeonard’slongcareerasamedium.
Mediumlaunchesarevolution.FranciscoI.MaderowasthefounderofMexico’s1910revolution.Hewasaspiritistmediumwhowroteabookviaautomaticwriting,spellingoutguidancehebelievedhewasreceivingjustbeforelaunchinghisrevolution.Somemessageswerefrom“BJ”–presumably,Mexico’sformerpresident,BenitoJuarez(1806-1872).MexicansrevereJuarezasthefirstindigenousMexicanpresident.
171 JohnThomas,BeyondNormalCognition:AnEvaluativeandMethodologicalStudyoftheMentalContentofCertainTrancePhenomena.(Boston:BostonSocietyforPsychicalResearch,1937). 172TrevorHamilton,T.“GladysOsborneLeonard.”PsiEncyclopedia.London:TheSocietyforPsychicalResearch.Retrieved24July2021.https://psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk/articles/gladys-osborne-leonard
Inthefollowingvideo,C.M.Mayo–whotranslatedMadero’sbook,SpiritistManual,intoEnglish–explainsthatBJinstructedMadero,throughautomaticwriting,tolaunchhispoliticalcareer.
Specifically,BJtoldMaderotowriteLaSucesiónPresidencialen1910.TodayregardedastheMexicanRevolution’sseminaldocument,thisimmenselysuccessfulbookcalledforfreeelections,withnoreelectiontoasecondterm.TheMexicanswerethenexperiencingathirty-yeardictatorship.Thatelectionwasheld,andMaderowasvictorious.173
AportionoftheEnglishtranslationbyC.M.Mayofollows,fromtheautomaticwritingtransmittedthroughMaderoandsigned“BJ.”
Verydearbrother…Iwillbeginbyverycordiallycongratulatingyouon
173C.M.Mayo,“TheRoleofSpiritismintheMexicanRevolution,PartOne:Madero’sSecretBook.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonFebruary26,2016).https://youtube.com/embed/MD_rSP2dxdA?start=1470&end=1530
![Page 65: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/65.jpg)
64
yourtriumphsoveryourself,whichhaveputyouintheconditiontosuccessfullybeginthecolossalofreestablishingFreedominMexico.Itisanarduousenterprise,butyouareuptoitandyouwillhappilyreachthesummit.YourtriumphwillbeverybrilliantanditwillhaveincalculableconsequencesforourbelovedMexico…Youmustunderstandthatbeforeyoucameintothisworld,weagreedtoundertakethismissionandtogiveyouallyouwouldneedtosucceed.Towardthisendwehavebeenworkingandpreparingeverything,andnowthatthespiritsareready,allweneedisthepowerfulelectriccurrentyourbookwillproduce…Whenyoucallme,Iwillreturnwithpleasure,forIampartofagroupofspiritsthatsurroundsyou,helpsyou,guidesyousothatyoumaysuccessfullycrowntheworkyouhavebegun.174
ThenewpresidentFranciscoMaderofaceddifficultiesinrulingMexicoafterthe1910Revolution.Someenemiesopposedhimbecausehewasaspiritist.Others,bothontherightandleft,feltdissatisfiedwithhispolicies.Attheendofhislife,whenfacedwithacoupd'état,heshowedenormous
174C.M.Mayo,MetaphysicalOdysseyintotheMexicanRevolution:FranciscoI.MaderoandHisSecretBook,SpiritistManual.(Kindleedition,2013),location2606of5176.
courage,consistentwithhisspiritistbeliefs.175
FranciscoI.Madero,SpiritistMedium,
RevolutionaryLeader,PresidentofMexico
Madero’sspiritistcommunicationscausedhimtosacrificeeverything,opposingbothhisfamilyandtheCatholicChurch,forthesakeoftherevolutionhelaunched.Hispoliticalcareerandhisspiritistactivitiesandbeliefswerealmostinseparable.Theychangedthecourseofamoderngovernment,affectingmillionsoflives.Today,mostMexicansregardMaderoasahero.
175Ibid.
![Page 66: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/66.jpg)
65
Although,welackproofMadero’sautomaticwritingwasn’taproductofhisimagination,hewasanardentspiritualistwhoacceptedthecommunicationsliterally.Giventhebackgrounddatabaseinspiritualismandpsychicalresearch,aswellasthehistoryofMadero’srisetopower,IregardMadero’sassumptionasjustifiedthathewasguidedbythediscarnateBenitoJuarez.AswiththepreviousdiscussionoftheFischer-Hoffmanprocess,theverificationofthespiritcommunicationispragmatic.Forensicevidenceprovidedbyamedium.OnOctober5,1930,theR101dirigiblecrashedinFrance,killing48crewmembersandpassengers.Twodayslater,EileenGarrett,oneofthetwentiethcentury’sgreatestmediums,experiencedanunanticipateddrop-incommunicator,i.e.,anunexpectedvisitor,duringasitting.ThecommunicatoridentifiedhimselfasHerbertIrwin,thevessel’sdeceasedpilot.Irwindescribedthetechnicalfailuresanddesignflawsthatcausedthecrash.Thisdisasterwasfraughtwithpolitics.TheBritishAirMinisterLordThomson,whohadoverriddenthecaptain’sdesireformoretestflights,diedinthecrash.WillCharlton,aformersupplyofficerfortheR101whoknewtheairshipanditspersonnelwell,independentlyreviewedthemediumisticinformation.Heconfirmedtheaccuracyofmanydetailsprovided.
176JohnG.Fuller,TheAirmenWhoWouldNotDie.(NewYork:G.P.Putnam’sSons,1979).Kindleedition,location4763outof5577.
WilliamH.Wood,anairshippilotandafrequentcontributortotheFreethinker,anatheistpublication–conductedanotherindependentreview.In1949,WoodshockedtheBritishrationalistandatheistworldbyannouncingthedataconvincedhimofpostmortemsurvival.HewroteintheFreethinker,
Ifthiscasedoesnotprovesurvival,thennothingeverwill.IconsidertheR-101casetobecastiron.176
Whileacceptingsurvival,Woodkeptuphisstatusasanatheist.177
177Ibid,location4269outof5577.
![Page 67: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/67.jpg)
66
Discarnatelaunchespsychotherapyapproach.InacasereminiscentoftheFischer-Hoffmanprocesspreviouslydescribed,anotherdeceasedpsychiatristKarlNowotny(1895-1965)returnedfromthegravetosetupanewpsychotherapymethod.Hewastrainedinindividualpsychology,asoriginatedbyAlfredAdler.HelecturedinpsychiatryandneurologyattheViennaUniversity.OneofhispatientswasGreteSchröder,aprosperoustaxconsultant.TwodaysbeforeNowotny’sdeath,shehadadreaminwhichafigurespokethesethreewords:“Nowotnyisdying.”Becausesheheardthisvoice,shearrangedasessionwithamediumandcontactedNowotnyafterhisdeath.ThisledtoSchröder’slearningautomaticwriting.SheeventuallywrotesixvolumesdictatedtoherbythediscarnateNowotny.178Theyprimarilydealwiththespiritualcausesofschizophreniaandotherseverepsychoticdisorders.Thetherapeuticmethodsarelikethedepossessionpracticereferredtopreviously.Today,thewebsiteoftheNowotnyFoundationofferswebinars,eBooks,andhasalistoftherapiststrainedinthemethodstaughtbythediscarnateNowotny.Theyspecializeintreatingcasesotherwiseconsideredincurable.179
178KarlNowotny,MessagesfromaDoctorintheFourthDimension.(AMRAVerlag,2015,3rdedition).179NowotnyFoundatione.V.RetrievedonApril9,2021.https://www.nowotny-foundation.com/en/
EnaTwiggandBishopJamesPike.BishopJamesPikefamouslyresignedhispostasCalifornia’sEpiscopalBishopafterongoingmediumisticcommunicationswithhissonJimwhohadtakenhisownlife.180Shortlyafterhisson’sdeath,BishopPike,whowasdevastatedbythesuicide,begannoticingpoltergeist-likephenomenaintheCambridgeapartmenthehadbeensharingwithJimafewweeksprior.Hedrewupalistof55inexplicableeventshesuspectedweresignsofJim’ssurvivingpresence.ThisledhimtoseekadvicefromCanonPierce-Higgins,anAnglicanChurchofficial,whorecommendedavisittotherespectedmediumEnaTwigg.Eventually,Pierce-
180JamesA.Pike,TheOtherSide:MyExperienceswithPsychicPhenomena.(NewYork:Dell,1969).
![Page 68: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/68.jpg)
67
Higginsarrangedasitting,andPeirce-HigginsdroveBishopPiketotheséance.HetookcopiousnotesthatheeventuallysharedwithmynextintervieweeRoyStemman,ajournalistwhocoveredthestoryforPsychicNewsinEngland.
BishopPikealsoconfirmedthatEnaTwiggprovidedinformationabouthissonshecouldn’thaveknownorguessed.ThroughEnaTwigg,thelatetheologianPaulTillich(1886-1965)alsoappeared.TillichhadbeenbothPike’sfriendandJim’sgodfather.CommunicationswithJimcontinuedthroughothermediumsPikeconsulted.
181RoyStemman,“BishopJamesPikeandtheMedium,EnaTwigg.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonApril10,2021).https://youtube.com/embed/syXNKmnMjjs?start=1575&end=1747
BishopPike’sbook,TheOtherSide,documentsalengthyconversationheheldwithhisdeceasedsonandPaulTillich.Thetopicstoucheduponpersonalfriends,family,educationalmatters,andtheemotionalturmoilthatledJimtotakehisownlife.Anothertopicdiscussedwasthepoltergeist-likephenomenaseenattheCambridgeapartment–whichwereJim’sinitialattemptstocommunicate.TheconversationalsotoucheduponthecontroversyswirlingaroundBishopPike’sliberalattitudestowardchurchdogma.Eachtime,theresponsesgivenbythediscarnatespirits,Pike’ssonJimorTillich,wereknowledgeableandappropriate.Pikeregardedthesessionashighlyevidential.
ItwasafterthisencounterPikegaveuphisloftypositionintheEpiscopalChurch.Hewishedtopursueinvestigationsofspiritcommunicationandpsychicalresearch,andChristianchurchorigins.
Inthenextvideosegment,thejournalistStemmandescribestheeventsleadinguptoBishopPike’ssessionwithEnaTwigg.181
![Page 69: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/69.jpg)
68
LegalevidencefromChicoXavier.Afewcasesinvolveacourtoflawadmittingtestimonyorevidencefromadeceasedspirit.InMay1976,MauricioGarcezHenriquewasatthehouseofhisfriendJoséDivinoNunes,age18.
Joséwaslookingforcigarettes.Hedidn’tfindany,buthecameuponhisfather’sguninstead.Hewonderedwhatwouldhappenifheshotathisreflectioninamirror.MauriciosuddenlywalkedbetweenJoséandthemirror,atwhichpointthegunwentoff,fatallywoundingMauricio.
Joséwasarrestedandchargedwithmurder.Priortothetrial,Mauricio’sparentshadbeentoseeChicoXavier,thefamousBrazilianmedium.Themessagetheyreceivedfromtheirdeadsondescribedwhathadhappened:
JoséDivinowasnotguilty,norwasanybodyelse.Wewerejustplayingaround,thinkingaboutshootingsomebody’sreflectioninamirror,andwhenIpassedinfrontofmyimage
182GuyLyonPlayfair,ChicoXavier:MediumoftheCentury.(Brasilia:InternationalSpiritistCouncil,2010),90-91.
reflectedinthemirror,theshothitme.Ifanybodyhastoaskforgiveness,itshouldbeme–Ishouldhavebeenstudyinginsteadoffoolingaround.182
Attorneyspresentedthemessageincourt,andJudgeOrimardeBastosnoteditagreedwiththeevidence.Heconcluded:
WemustgivecredibilitytothemessageautomaticallywrittenbyFranciscoCandidoXavierwherethevictimrecountstheevent,exemptingthedefendantfromanyguilt.Hedescribesthescenewhereheandhisfriendwereplayingwiththegun,andhowtheshotcametobefired.183
183Ibid,91.
![Page 70: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/70.jpg)
69
Thecasewasdismissed.PsychicalresearcherGuyLyonPlayfairwritesthatthiswasthefirstknowninstanceofacriminalcasedecidedonevidencepurportedlyoriginatingfromadeceasedperson.However,healsoreportsonthreeotherBraziliancaseswhereamessagefromChicoXavierwasenoughtoinfluenceamurdertrial.Onecaseresultedinanacquittal.Intheothertwo,thecourtreducedthechargesbecauseofthemediumistictestimony.Murderssolvedbymediums.Ina1977caseinChicago,thecourtconvictedAllanShoweryofmurderingaFilipinowomannamedTeresitaBasa.PolicearrestedhimfollowingtheclaimbyanotherFilipinowoman,RemibiasChua.ShehadcommunicatedwithBasa’sspiritintheirnativelanguage,Tagalog,andwastoldaboutthetheftofaringinadditiontothemurder.Confrontedwiththisevidence,Showery(whohadpreviouslybeeninterviewedbypolice)confessed,andpolicerecoveredthering.184Anevenstrongercaseisthe1983murderofJacquelinePooleinaLondonsuburb.Poole’sspiritcommunicated,unbidden,toayoungIrishmedium,ChristineHolohan–whohadnootherconnectiontoPoole,nortoherfriends,oranyoneelseassociatedwiththecase.TheinformationprovidedbyPoolethroughthemediumimpressedthepolice.Althoughtherewasinsufficientevidenceatthetimeforaconvictionoftheidentified
184ArthurLyons&MarcelloTruzzi,TheBlueSense:PsychicDetectivesandCrime.(NewYork:WarnerBooks,1991),245-6.
murderer,AnthonyRuark–theysavedthesuspect’spulloversweateridentifiedbythemediumHolohan.Policereopenedthecasein2000whennewlaboratorytechniquesanalyzingthesweaterenabledpolicetomakeaconvincingidentificationofRuark,whowasconvictedandjailedforlife.185AcarefulanalysisbyskilledpsychicalresearchersGuyLyonPlayfairandMontagueKeenreachedthesameconclusionasthepolice.TherewasnoplausiblealternativetothehypothesisthatJacquelinePoole’sspirithadcommunicatedwiththemediumChristineHolohan.186TheGeorgeChapman/WilliamLangpartnership.Inmyestimation,thesinglemostevidentialcaseforhumanpostmortemsurvivalistheongoingmanifestationofWilliamLang(1852-1937),aprominentophthalmicsurgeoninLondon,throughthemediumshipofGeorgeChapman.ChapmanwasafirefighterworkinginAylesbury,UK,whenhismediumshipbeganin1946.Lang’sspiritworkedthroughChapmanregularlyforsixtyyearsuntilChapman’sdeathin2006.Duringthesesessions,ChapmanwasintranceandknewnothingofwhatLangwasdoingwhileusinghisbodytoconducthealingsessions.GeorgeChapmanwasamilitaryveteranandaformerboxerwithnohighereducation.His
185GuyLyonPlayfair&MontagueKeen,“APossiblyUniqueCaseofPsychicDetection.”JournaloftheSocietyforPsychicalResearch.Vol.68,January2004,1-12.186Ibid.
![Page 71: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/71.jpg)
70
personality,whennotintrance,wasmanifestlydistinctfromWilliamLang.
Severalpopularbookshavebeenwrittenaboutthiscase.187,188,189Lang,throughChapman,calledthesesessionsetherichealing.
In1966,notedpsychicalresearcherEricDingwallpleadedforaseriousinvestigationofthiscase.190Nevertheless,theprofessionalpsychicalresearchandparapsychologyliteraturehasignoredit.Ontheotherhand,thespiritualistcommunityknewofand
187GeorgeChapmanandRoyStemman,SurgeonfromanotherWorld.(London:W.H.Allen,1978,1stedition;Hove,UK:WhiteCrowBooks,2017,Kindleedition).188J.BernardHutton,HealingHands:TheIncredibleStoryofPeopleBeingCuredTodaybyaDoctorWhoDied30Yearsago!(NewYork,PaperbackLibrary,1968).
celebratedthiscase.AsearchofthePsychicNewsarchives,attheUniversityofManitoba,forthename“GeorgeChapman,”returned734pagesmentioningthename.
InMarch2021,IinterviewedRoyStemman,formerPsychicNewseditorandauthorofmanyarticlesabouttheChapmanmediumship.191Stemman’s2017book,SurgeonfromanotherWorld,wasanupdatedversionofa1978bookcoauthoredwithChapman.Herearethesalientfactsaboutthisextraordinarycasemakingitespeciallyevidential.
189W.R.Cross,FactsNotFiction.(Aylesbury,UK:LangPublishing,1982).190EricDingwall,ReviewofHealingHands.JournaloftheSocietyforPsychicalResearch,Vol.43,No.729,(Sept.1966):375–376.191 RoyStemman,“Dr.WilliamLang’sReturnFromtheGrave.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonMarch31,2021).https://youtu.be/jW0sEvN9oDQ
![Page 72: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/72.jpg)
71
Formerpatients,familymembers,andmedicalcolleaguesacknowledgedChapman’sspiritcontrolasLang’sactualpersonality–completewithmemory,professionalknowledge,speakingstyle,andmannerisms.
LyndonLangCommunicatingWithHerFatherThroughGeorgeChapman
WilliamLang’sdaughterLyndonLang,andagroupofLang’sformermedicalcolleagues(andcolleaguesofhissonBasil,whopredeceasedhim),heldweeklyséanceswithGeorgeChapmanfordecades.TheywereconvincedoftheauthenticityofLang’sspirit.Inthenextvideo,journalistRoyStemmanreportshowthisarrangementcameabout.FirstLyndonLang’sskepticismwasovercomebyinformationfromWilliamLang’sspiritthatonlyhecouldhaveknown.ThensheintroducedChapmantomedicalcolleaguesofLangandhisson,Basil.192
192Ibid,https://youtube.com/embed/jW0sEvN9oDQ?start=1678&end=1808
Theseformercolleagues,familymembers,andfriendsofLangsorespectedtheworkofGeorgeChapman’smediumshiptheygaveChapmanmanypersonalitems–includingthebedoriginallybelongingtoLang.Stemman,whowasawitnesstothisseriesofgifts,testifiesabouttheminthenextvideosegment.Chapmanhadsomanyofthesepersonalitems,hecalleditthe“LangMuseum.”Today,theyarestillinthepossessionofChapman’sfamily.193
LyndonLangsupportedthismediumshipfinancially,leavingatestimonialandbequeathingaportionofherestateuponherdeathtoGeorgeChapman.
193Ibid,https://www.youtube.com/embed/jW0sEvN9oDQ?start=1904&end=1988
![Page 73: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/73.jpg)
72
Inthefollowingvideo,journalistStemmandescribeshowheevenobtainedacopyofthewill.WhileithelpedChapmanfinancially,itwasevenmorevaluabletoChapmanasasignofthesupporthereceivedfromLang’sfamily.StemmanalsohasinhisfilesvoluminoustestimoniesaboutLang’shealingbothfrommedicaldoctorsandpatients.194
AsimilarpublishedtestimonialcamefromWilliamLang’sgranddaughterSusanFairtlaughwhoknewhergrandfatherwhenhewasalive.Shecorroboratedtheauthenticityofhergrandfather’sspiritthroughChapman:
Hespoketomeandrecalledpreciseeventsofmychildhood.195
LaterSusanandherhusbandinvitedGeorgeChapmantovisittheirhome.Shecassertedinasubsequentinterview:
Ihaveherethreeobjectswhichusedtobelongtomygrandfather.Chapmanwalkedthroughthehouseandrecognisedthemimmediately.196
194Ibid,https://youtube.com/embed/jW0sEvN9oDQ?start=2270&end=2364
Duringhissixdecadesofmediumship,whileintranceforasmuchassixhoursatatime,GeorgeChapmanengagedinaspiritualhealingpracticethatattainedinternationalrepute.Medicalprofessionals,whodidn’thesitatetosendtheirpatientsforhealing,oftenattestedtocures.
AsRoyStemmanreports,throughouthisdecadesofjournalisticcoverageoftheChapman/Langmediumship,therewasneveratimewhenhefoundanyreasontoquestiontheintegrityofeitherthemediumorthecontrollingspirit.
In1979,theprestigiousOphthalmologySectionoftheRoyalSocietyofMedicine(ofwhichLanghadformerlybeenpresident)invitedGeorgeChapman,theformerfirefighter,tospeakabouthismediumisticrelationshipwiththedeceasedLang.
WilliamLang’smanifestationisparticularlyevidentialbecauseitpersistedoversixty-years.MultipleindividualswhohadknownLangattestedtotheauthenticityofhisdiscarnatespirit.
TheMaróczy/Korchnoichessmatch.GézaMaróczywasthesecond-bestchessplayerintheworldin1905.VictorKorchnoiwasthesecond-rankedchessplayerintheworldin1980,butlaterbecametheworld’sseniorchesschampion.Throughtheauspicesofaspiritmedium,theyplayedaremarkablechessgamelastingfrom1987until1993.
195Chapman,Surgeon,location2468of3672.196Ibid.
![Page 74: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/74.jpg)
73
Korchnoiwasaliveduringthisperiod;andMaróczywasdead,havingdiedin1951.
GézaMaróczy
WolfgangEisenbeisswasaSwisseconomistwithaninterestinpsychicalresearch.In1985,hehadtheideathatevidenceforsurvivalwouldbeenhancedifadeceasedchessmasterwouldmanifestthroughamediumandplaychesswithalivinggrandmaster.197,198HewasabletopersuadeKorchnoitotakepart.EisenbeisswasanamateurchessplayerwhowasfamiliarwithRobertRollans,amediumwhopracticedautomaticwriting.Rollanswasn’tachessplayer.However,Eisenbeiss
197WolfgangEisenbeissandDieterHassler,“AnAssessmentofOstensibleCommunicationswithaDeceasedGrandmasterasEvidenceforSurvival.”JournaloftheSocietyforPsychicalResearch.Vol.70(2),April2006,65-97.
instructedhimsufficientlytounderstandthestandardnotationsforchessmoves.HealsogaveRollinsalistofdeceasedgrandmasters,withtherequesttofindonewhowouldcooperatewiththisexperiment.OnJune15,1985,GézaMaróczy,communicatinginHungarian(andlaterinGerman)confirmedhiswillingnesstoplaythematch.Maróczyestablishedhisidentitythroughhisskillandstyleasachessplayer,playingchessatthegrandmasterlevel.Maróczy’sspiritalsosupplieddetailedandobscureinformationabouthislifewhenhewasalive.Suchchessskillisimpossibletoreplicate,evenbysomebodywhohasstudiedchessextensively.Someinformationprovidedappearedatfirsttobeinaccurate.Onlylaterwasitdiscoveredtobecorrect.Inthevideoclipbelow,neuropsychiatristVernonNeppe(himselfanavidchessplayer)elaboratesonthequestionsposedtoMaróczyaswellasdetails,makingthecorrectinformationinitiallyseemincorrect.Forexample,thediscarnateMaróczydidn’tnametheItalianchessmaster
198VernonNeppe,“ADetailedAnalysisofanImportantChessGame:Revisiting‘MaróczyversusKorchnoi.”JournaloftheSocietyforPsychicalResearch.Vol.71(3),July2007,129-147.
![Page 75: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/75.jpg)
74
MassimilianoRomibecauseheknewhimbyhisCroatiannameofMaxRomih.199
ThediscarnateMaróczycorrectlyanswered79of81questionsposedtohimabouthislife(or97.53%accuracy).Thatthechessgameextendedoversixyears,withadiscarnateentitywhohaddied36yearsbeforethegamewasstarted,stronglyarguesforMaróczy’ssustainedpostmortemsurvival.
RobertRollans,themedium,neversoughtpaymentforhisservices.Eisenbeisskeptthematterquietanddidn’tpublishhisresearchforadecadeafterthechessmatchwascompleted.Nevertheless,theSwisspresslearnedaboutthegamearound1990and,thereafter,beganfollowingdevelopmentscarefully.Inthemiddleofthegame,KorchnoicommentedonhowwellMaróczywasplaying.Atthatpoint,Korchnoi(whoeventuallywon)wasn’tsurehecouldwin.
In2006,para-psychologistRussellTargaskedhisbrother-in-lawBobbyFischer,agrandmasterhimselfandoneofthegreatestplayersinchesshistory,toexaminethe
199 VernonNeppe,“TheChessGameFromBeyondtheGrave.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonApril15,2016).https://www.youtube.com/embed/g1S6y1-Pz_w?start=606&end=687
moves.FischerappraisedMaróczy’sgameatthegrandmasterlevel.ThisfeedbackconvincedTargthechessmatchwasthebestavailableevidenceforsurvival.200
VernonNeppeanalyzedMaróczy’suniqueplayingstyle,whichhewasabletoverify.ItwasanunmistakableexpressionofMaróczy’spersonality.Neppeconfirmedthatthisstylecouldn’thavebeenreplicatedbythechess-playingcomputersavailablewhenthegamewasplayed.Heelaboratesonthesepointsinthenextvideo.201
Moróczy,forexample,playedaninferiormoveatthegame’sopening.However,itwouldhavebeenagoodmovein1905.Thecounter-playtothatmovewasn’tknownuntilafterMaróczy’sdeath.
200RussellTarg,personalcommunication.201Neppe,op.cit.,https://youtube.com/embed/g1S6y1-Pz_w?start=1238&end=1359
![Page 76: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/76.jpg)
75
PhysicalMediumship
PreliminaryConsiderations.Theevidenceproducedthroughphysicalmediumshipoftenfunctionsincombinationwithmentalmediumship.Thephysicalphenomenaincluderappingsounds(withuniqueacousticproperties),peopleandobjectslevitating,directvoice,ectoplasmicproductions,andmaterializations.Often,wedismisssuchphenomenaout-of-handbecausetheyappeartobetoobizarretobebelieved.Almostallprominentphysicalmediumshavesufferedfromaccusationsoffraud.Often,theseaccusationsarebaseduponsupposition,lackinganycredible,evidentialbasis.Thereissomuchgoodevidenceforlifeafterdeath,apartfromphysicalmediumship.Whyriskantagonizingpotentialreadersbybringingupphenomenasotaintedwithcontroversy?Whynotplayitsafe?Timesarechanging.Manypeoplewilljudgethissectionappropriately,giventheprecedingcaveats.Herearemyreasonsfordiscountingbothfraudandbelievability.Ithinkthisinformationistooimportanttoignore!First,myexperience,asdocumentedinmybookThePKMan,hasshownmemacro-psychokineticphenomenacanberealand,therefore,deserveseriousinvestigation–nomatterhowbizarreorunbelievabletheymayappear.202
202JeffreyMishlove,ThePKMan:ATrueStoryofMindOverMatter.(Charlottesville,VA:HamptonRoads,2000).
Second,somephysicalmediumshaveheldforthfordecadeswithanuntarnishedreputation.IamawareofnopublishedaccusationsagainstStewartAlexanderwhoseworkwillbediscussedinthissection.Third,thestudyofphysicalmediumshipcanleadtoimportantinsightsaboutsurvivalofconsciousness.Somepeopleattributethesephenomenaaspsychokinesis(or,sometimesfraud)bythemedium.However,potentiallytheyshowtheuniquepowerofthediscarnatespirits,manyofwhomhavegreaterpsiabilitythantheliving.Somediscarnatespiritsresponsibleforproducingphysicalphenomenainséanceshavemanifestedthroughdifferentmediumsformorethanacentury.WalterStinson’sdiscarnatepersistence.Stinson(1884-1911)wasboththecontroversiallyfamousmediumMinaCrandon’sbrotherandhercontrollingspiritduringséances.AlsoknownasMargery,Crandonattractedenormousattentioninthe1920s.ShewasaHarvardphysician’ssocialitewifewhoperformedphysicalmediumshipfeatsbeforeapanelconvenedbyScientificAmerican.ThefamousmagicianHoudinibecamehernemesis.Stinson’sspiritcontrolfeaturedthephenomenonknownasdirectvoice.AlthoughtheMargerymediumshipwascontroversialatthetime,andremainssotoday,thedirectvoicefromStinsonwascarefullyresearchedandwell-attested.Inthefollowingvideo,
![Page 77: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/77.jpg)
76
KeithParsons,ajournalistandpsychicalresearcher,speaksaboutthevarioustestsusedtoverifyStinson’sdirectvoice–bycovering,orotherwisemonitoringMargery’sandherhusband’smouths.
AdevicecreatedbyMarkWymanRichardson,aHarvardphysicianwhobecameadevotedsitteratMargery’sséances,wasinsertedintothesitters’andmedium’smouths.ItensuredalllipsremainedsealedwhileStinson’sdirectvoicewasmanifesting.Inthenextvideo,KeithParsonsaystherecanbenoquestionabouttheauthenticityofdirectvoice,independentofthemedium.203
Itislesswell-knownthatWalterStinsonproducedsimilarphenomenathroughMaryAnnMarshall,amediuminWinnipeg,Canada,whoseséanceswereorganizedbyThomasGlendenningHamilton.
Hamilton,aprominentmedicaldoctor,hadasophisticatedséanceroomequippedwithmanycamerastodocumentphenomena.Stinson’smanifestationsinCanadabeganin
203KeithParsons,Houdinivs.Margery:ImmortalityonTrialvideodocumentary(releasedonFebruary5,2020).https://youtube.com/embed/8bxvXXLYsIU?start=1109&end=1214
1926,afteravisitfromMargeryandherhusband.
TheUniversityofManitobahasarchivedthecollectionofHamilton’sphotographs.JaniceHamilton,thegranddaughterofT.G.Hamilton,describesWalter’sinvolvementinthefamilyséances:204
EctoplasmformingonMaryAnnMarshall’sfaceduringaséance
SpeakingthroughMaryMarshall,thepersonalitywhommostgroupmembersacceptedasthespiritofWalterStuartStinson(1884-1911)demandedthatT.G.installabell,insideabox,thathecouldmakering
204JaniceHamilton,“BringOnYourGhosts!TheThomasGlendenningHamiltonFamilySéancesfrom1918to1944,Winnipeg,Canada.”ParanormalReview,Issue77,Winter2016,6-16.
![Page 78: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/78.jpg)
77
bysupernaturalmeans.T.G.wasscepticalatfirst,buteventuallyhecomplied,andthebelldidringonmanyoccasions.Ononeoccasion,followingWalter’sinstructions,T.G.tookaphotographofthemediumwiththebell-boxinstalledseveralfeetaboveherhead,whilethebellwasringing.Thephotographrevealedathread,describedasateleplasmiccord,betweenMaryMarshall’sheadandthebell-box.Atthatpoint,T.G.losthisskepticismaboutWalter’slegitimacyandthetwobegantocollaborateaspartners…T.G.photographedseventy-twodifferentteleplasmsinfiftyphotographicexperiments.Theresultissome300photographicimages,takenfromdifferentangles.205
Currently,WalterStinson’sspiritappearstobeproducingsimilarphenomenathroughUKmediumStewartAlexander–aphysicalmediumofhighrepute.206,207Inthenextvideo,hedescribeshow–afterextensivelystudyingMinaCrandon’smediumship–WalterStinsoncametojoinhisspiritteam.Eachmemberhasauniqueresponsibility.Walter’sspecialtyontheteamistoproducephysicalphenomena.Hedoesn’twishto
205Ibid.9206LewSutton,“ContemporaryPhysicalMediumship:StewartAlexanderSéances.”ParanormalReview,Issue51,July2009,14-20.207SteveHume,“ReviewofAnExtraordinaryJourneybyStewartAlexander.”JournaloftheSocietyforPsychicalResearch,Vol.75,July2011,151-153.
discussMargery’scontroversialmediumship.Instead,hekeepsfocusingonthefuture.208
Inthefollowingvideo,journalistLeslieKeansharesherexperienceofseeingectoplasmproducedinaséancewithStewartAlexanderviaWalterStinson’sspiritvoicedirection.Ectoplasmisanactualsubstancethathasbeenphotographed,althoughitisn’tunderstood.AccordingtoStewartAlexander,thespiritteamusesectoplasmtocreatevariouseffects.Sometimesthespiritteamusesectoplasmformaterialization.Sometimes,theyformitintorodstolevitateobjectsandmovethemaround.Keanexplainsshewatchedtheectoplasmappearasacloudy,amorphoussubstance.Itthenbecameasolid,humanhandshecouldtouch.Afterthat,shewatcheditvanish.209
208StewartAlexander,“TheMakingofaPhysicalMedium.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonNovember16,2020).https://www.youtube.com/embed/yd54sTJK7r4?start=2174&end=2322209LeslieKean,“SpiritMaterialization.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonJune9,2020).https://youtube.com/embed/-zqRevHrXXk?start=1318&end=1492
![Page 79: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/79.jpg)
78
WhileIhaven’tfounddocumentationshowingthediscarnateWalterStinsonprovidingproofofhisidentity,thepowerandrangeofthephysicalphenomenaassociatedwithhisséanceshavebecomehisuniquesignature.
TheScolegroup.ThreeseniorresearchersattheSocietyforPsychicalResearchstudiedtheScoleGroup,knownforproducingawidevarietyofphysicalmediumisticphenomena.DavidFontanawaspresidentatthetime.ArthurEllisonwasaformerpresidentandanengineeringprofessor.MontagueKeenwasthepublicrelationsofficer.Amongthem,theyhadoverfiftyyears’experienceinvestigatingséances.
Theyattendedtwenty-fourseancesovertwoyears.Initially,theywereskeptical,becausetheScolegroupclaimsweresoextraordinary.Nevertheless,allthreeconcludedthephenomenatheysawweregenuine.Theircriticscontendedtheresearchprotocolsdidn’truleoutfraud,acommonaccusationeventhoughtherewasnoevidencesupportingfraud.
210AlanGauld,“CommentsontheScoleReport,”inMontagueKeenetal.,TheScoleReport(London:SocietyforPsychicalResearch,2011),284.
OnecriticwashistorianAlanGauld,aformerSocietypresident.HemadeapointofsayinghehadknownRobinFoy,theScolegroup’sorganizer,forwelloverthirtyyears,
…withoutfindinganyreasontoregardhimasanythingotherthantotallysincere.”210
ThefollowingvideoisanothersegmentfromDanDrasin’sdocumentary,previouslyreferencedaboutInstrumentalTransCommunication,whichwasalsoaScolegroupspecialty.Thissegmentincludesparanormalimagesonvideoand
![Page 80: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/80.jpg)
79
photographicfilm–tiny,animatedlightsflyingaroundtheroom.Enigmaticfaces,fuzzyandvague,alsoappearonthevideo.Thevideoshowsmanysmallobjectsthatwereapportedinmid-airinthecellarwheretheséanceswereheld.Expertsinpaperandprintingexaminedandverifiednewspapersfromthe1940sthatwereapportedinmintcondition.
Inaddition,thethreedistinguishedresearchers–Keen,Fontana,andEllison–offerpersonaltestimonyastotheauthenticityofthephenomenatheyobservedovertwoyears,andtheprecautionstheytooktoavoidfraud.Forexample,onoccasion,theytooktotalcontroloverthePolaroidfilmuponwhichelaborateparanormalimagesappeared–includingportraitsandsignaturesofknownindividuals,whimsicaldrawingsandsymbols,diagrams,andpoetrywritteninmultiplelanguages.
Voiceswereheardthroughataperecorderfromwhichthemicrophonehadbeenremoved.Directvoicescomingmid-airwererecorded,notablyconversationswithadiscarnatenamedRegLawrencewhoclaimedtohavediedin1942.Thevoicessometimesshowaplayfulsenseofhumor.
Theresearchersarguethatnoonecouldduplicatethevarietyandrobustnessofthephenomenathroughtrickery.ProfessionalmagicianJamesWebsteralsotestifiesthisisthecase.211
211DanDrasin,“CallingEarth”videodocumentary,2015.https://vimeo.com/101171248#t=82m4s
Inafollow-uppaperpublishedin2001,ScoleresearcherMontagueKeenreviewsthefallaciesinthecriticalcommentsfromthosewhofoundtheextraordinaryphenomenaunpalatable.Hepointsto:
…thetotallackofanytraceofdeceptionatanytimebyanymemberoftheGroupoveraperiodoffourorfiveyears,despitethepresenceofhundredsofwitnessesinsixcountries.Sincenearlyallnon-paranormalexplanationspresupposemovementsonthepartofoneormoremembersoftheGroupwhichwouldinviteriskingobservationandhenceexposure,theabsenceofanysuchreportsisitselfsignificantevidence.212
Keenalsopointedoutthatthepositiveevidence,inthiscase,wasallbasedonempiricalobservation–whilethecritics’claimswereinferential.
TheScoleGroupismostrememberedforthephotographicevidenceproducedintheir
212MontagueKeen,“TheScoleInvestigation:AStudyinCriticalAnalysisofParanormalPhysicalPhenomena.”JournalofScientificExploration,Vol15(2),2001,173.
![Page 81: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/81.jpg)
80
séances.Inthenextvideo,RobinFoydescribeshowthisbegan,withthespiritteamsupplyinginstructions,levitatingthecameras,andcreatingunusualimagesonphotographicfilms.Theprocessbeganwitha35mmcamera.Foy,himself,tookthefirstpicturethroughawindowlookingatthegardenforthepurposeofidentifyingtheparticularrolloffilm.Onceinthecellarwhereséanceswereheld,theroomwascompletelydarkandtherecouldnotbeanygenuineexposures.
Oneofthemediums,Sandra,wasinstructedtotakethecameraandpresstheleverwheneveranyonesaid,“now.”Afterfourorfivepictures,sheputthecameradownonasparechair.Afterthat,thesittersintheroomcouldhearthecameraintheairmovingaroundwiththeshutterclickingandmorephotographsbeingtaken.Whenthefilmwasdeveloped,therewereelevenseparatepicturesofimagesfromallovertheworld–thefirstpicturebeingtheimageofthegardenFoyhadoriginallytaken.213
213RobinFoy,“TheScoleExperiment.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonMay6,2021).https://youtube.com/embed/kfCaLjQK46Y?start=2941&end=3095
RobinFoy,inthenextvideo,explainstomethegroupexperiencedspiritcommunicationthroughaspecialdevicereferredtoasTCD(aTransCommunicationDevice).ThomasEdison’sdiscarnatespiritseeminglysupplieddirectionsforthecreationofthisdevice.Ittooknearlyayeartobuilditandgetittowork.Itwasattachedtotheamplifierofacassettetaperecorder.Foystatesthat,throughthisdevice,thegroupmanagedtohaveafifteen-minuteconversationwiththediscarnateThomasEdisonhimself.
RegardingEdison’sappearanceinspirit,theScoleexperimentincludedextensiveevidence,producedbydiscarnatespirits,ontofilm.Amongthesewasasignature,presumablyleftbythespiritofEdisonhimself.Asthenextvideoshows,thesignaturematchedthoseofEdisonthatwerelaterretrievedfromtheEdisonInstitute.RobinFoyelaboratesontheabovepointsinthefollowingvideo.214
ThefollowinggraphicimageshowsThomasAlvaEdison’sactualsignature,withthe
214Ibid,https://youtube.com/embed/kfCaLjQK46Y?start=1782&end=1908
![Page 82: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/82.jpg)
81
initialsTAEontheright,andthesignatureimpressedonphotographicfilmduringaScoleexperimentontheleft.
Ithasbeenovertwenty-twoyearssincethereportontheScoleGroup.215Therehavebeennoevidence-basedaccusationsoffraudordeceptionregardingthismaterialinsubsequentyears.Theseresultschallengeourmostbasicnotionsoftime,space,andconsciousness.Thischallenge,however,ispreciselywhereweneedtobe.
215MontagueKeen,ArthurEllison,andDavidFontana,David.“TheScoleReport.”ProceedingsoftheSocietyforPsychicalResearch,Vol. 58,1999,150–452.
![Page 83: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/83.jpg)
82
THEFRAMEWORK:CONSCIOUSNESSBEYONDTHEBRAIN
ConsciousnessandPureLogicTheparsimonyprinciple.Forcenturies,scholarshaverecognizedOccam’sRazorasthefundamentalruleofexplanationitself.Thepreferredexplanationisalwaystheonewiththefewestassumptionsthatcanaccountforalltherelevantfacts.Thereisalmostuniversalconsensusconcerningthisprinciple.Inscientism’sdarkage,wehavedeviatedfromthisimportantprinciplebypresumingdeadmatteristhefoundationofreality.That’swhywesaywhensomethingisimportanttous,itmatters.Inthisdarkage,wegiveprecedencetoexternalsensationsoverintuitionsandfeelings.That’salsowhy,whenweagreewithsomestatement,wesayitmakessense.Theseideas,elevatingtheimportanceofmaterialityandsensation,aresodeeplyingrainedwedon’tnormallyevenconsiderwhetherornottheyarevalid.Paradoxically,allphilosophybeginsinthemind–andnotinmatter.DescartesmadethisexplicitwithhissimplestatementinLatin:Cogitoergosum.Ithink,therefore,Iam.Weeachhavedirectknowledgeofourmind.Nothingismoreimmediateandintimate.Welackdirectaccesstoanythingelsebutmind.Thegreattwentieth-centuryphysicists,suchasErwinSchrödingerandMaxPlanck,understoodthis.Planck,thefounderofquantumphysics,famouslysaid:
Iregardconsciousnessasfundamental.Iregardmatterasderivativefromconsciousness.Wecannotgetbehindconsciousness.Everythingwetalkabout,everythingthatweregardasexisting,postulatesconsciousness.216
Planck’sposition–anexplicitstatementofidealistmetaphysics–isneitherafringe,nor
216MaxPlanck,quotedinTheObserver,January25,1931
outdated,viewpoint.RichardConnHenry,AcademyProfessorofPhysicsandAstronomyatJohnsHopkinsUniversity,publishedasimilarperspectiveinNaturein2005.Hewrote:
Physicistsshyfromthetruthbecausethetruthissoalientoeverydayphysics...Theuniverseisimmaterial–mentalandspiritual.217
Unfortunatelyforthesubjectmatterathand,formanypeople,“immaterial”meansirrelevant!Thisisyetanotherexampleofscientism’sdistortinginfluence.IfMaxPlanckwascorrectandpuremind-at-large,asthefundamentalcategoryofreality,sufficestoexplainallknowledge–thenthereisnoneedtopostulatedeadmatterasanextracategoryofexistence!Idealism,thepositiontheuniverseisessentiallymindlike,satisfiestheparsimonyrequirementinthemetaphysicaldomain.Metaphysicalidealism
217RichardConnHenry,“TheMentalUniverse.”Nature,Vol.436,July7,2005,29.
![Page 84: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/84.jpg)
83
isaworldviewwherepostmortemsurvivalisbothnaturalandexpected.
Inthevideobelow,physicistandaphilosopherRuthKastnerclaimsmaterialismisametaphysicalhypothesisresultinginproblemsanddeadends–suchasexplainingthehardproblemofconsciousness.Inprinciple,onecannotderiveconsciousexperiencefrominsensatematter.Dualism,amajormetaphysicalschoolofthought,hastheunresolvableproblemofhowtwometaphysicallyuniquesubstances–mindandmatter–caninteract.Metaphysicalidealismisthemostlogicallyconsistentpositionasiteliminatestheproblemsofbothmaterialismanddualism.218
Inthepresentmaterialistera,Kastneracknowledgesthatidealistmetaphysicsareoutoffashion–as“itsoundstoowooo.”219
218RuthKastner,“PostmortemsurvivalandthePhysicalUniverse.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonMarch11,2021).https://www.youtube.com/embed/aME8UONGRFg?start=2362&end=2433219Ibid.https://www.youtube.com/embed/aME8UONGRFg?start=2434&end=2454
Kastrup’sanalyticalidealism.ComputerengineerandphilosopherBernardoKastrupispossiblyidealism’sforemost,contemporarychampion–andishelpingtobringitbackintofashion.Since2011,hehaswrittentenbooksexplicatinghisposition–andhaspublishedessayssupportinghispositiononScientificAmerican’swebsite.
Inthefollowingvideo,Kastrupdefinesmetaphysicalidealismtomeanrealityismindlike.Matterisaparticularexperientialmodalitywecallperception.Personalconsciousnessexistswithinmentality-at-large.220
Kastrupmakesitclearthatheacceptstheevidenceforpersistenceofconsciousnessafterdeath.Inthefollowingvideo,heacknowledgesitisnaturalforidealiststoexpectpostmortemsurvival.Itwilldifferfromourexperienceinaphysicalbody.221
220BernardoKastrup,“MetaphysicalIdealism.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo.(RecordedonNovember13,2018).https://www.youtube.com/embed/97MwsoHF2ps?start=239&end=265221BernardoKastrup,“PostmortemSurvivalandAnalyticalIdealism.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonMarch15,2021).https://youtube.com/embed/-OLLK7n3O9E?start=310&end=365
![Page 85: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/85.jpg)
84
Theawarenessassociatedwithout-of-bodyandnear-deathevents,asreportedinthepreviouspages,differsconsiderablyfrombodilyexperience.
Kastruphasrefutedthetraditionalargumentsusedtoopposethemetaphysicaltheorythatallrealityismindlike.
222BernardoKastrup,“MetaphysicalIdealism.”https://www.youtube.com/embed/97MwsoHF2ps?start=2487&end=2561
AsexpressedbyBertrandRussell’squoteintheIntroduction,theobviousobjectionisthebrain’sseemingprimacyoverstatesofawareness.Kastruprefutesthatobjectioninthenextvideopassage.Heshowsthatthecorrelationbetweenbrainactivityandpeople’sexperienceneedn’timplycausation.
Thealternativeviewisthatthebrainistheexternalappearanceofinnermentalprocesses–justaslightningistheexternalappearance,ratherthanthecause,ofatmosphericelectricaldischarge.Hisnewviewpointsuggeststhatconventionalneuroscientistslackimaginationwhentheyseethingsfromonlyoneperspective.222
Kastrupclaimsidealismcanaccountforthefollowingfactsandmore,withouttheunnecessarypresumptionofametaphysicalcategorywecalldeadmatter:
• thesocialconsensusconcerningtheworldasexperiencedthroughthesenses.
![Page 86: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/86.jpg)
85
• internalmentalactivity’sapparentprivacy
• sensoryexperience’sconcreteness223
Kastrupaffirmsthephenomenalworld’srealityandimpact.Yet,ifhisargumentsaresufficientandPlanck’sdictumiscorrect,thosewhopostulatenon-consciousmatterasaseparateprincipleviolateOccam’sRazor.
Inthefollowingvideo–inresponsetomyquestionabouttherelevanceofBernardCarr’shyperspaceapproachtoconsciousnesstohiswork–Kastrupexplainsitprobablyrequiresasophisticatedhyperspaceexplanationtoaccountforindividualconsciousselveswithinthemindlikenatureoftheuniverse.224Wewon’tunderstandnormalhumanconsciousnessuntilwecometogripswiththefactitoperatesoutsideourfour-dimensional,spacetimematrix.
223BernardoKastrup,TheIdeaoftheWorld:AMulti-DisciplinaryArgumentfortheMentalNatureofReality.(Washington:iffBooks,2019).224BernardoKastrup,“AnalyticalIdealismandPostmortemsurvival,”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonMarch15,2021).https://www.youtube.com/embed/-OLLK7n3O9E?start=3503&end=3525
Kastrupisreclaimingvenerablephilosophicalideasandreframingthemintermsofcontemporaryscience.Thebottomlineisthatwepartakeinthelivingconsciousnessoftheuniverse.ThegreatSwisspsychiatristCarlJungunderstoodthis.Generally,heavoidedmakingmetaphysicalpronouncements.However,inthispassagefromhiscommentaryontheTibetanBookoftheDead,hetippedhishattoidealism’slongphilosophicaltradition:
Itisthepsychewhich,bythedivinecreativepowerinherentinit,makesthemetaphysicalassertion;itpositsthedistinctionbetweenmetaphysicalentities.Notonlyisittheconditionofallmetaphysicalreality,itisthatreality.225
Inthefollowingthreesubsectionsonpsychedelicresearch,terminallucidity,andexperimentalparapsychology–IhighlightempiricalresearchreinforcingWilliamJames’theorythebrainisthefilterofconsciousness,insteadofthesource.Thisresearchinvolvesstatesofawarenessindirectlyrelatedtoafterlifecommunicationorexperience.
225CarlG.Jung,“PsychologicalCommentaryonTheTibetanBookoftheDead”inJennyYates(Ed.),JungonDeathandImmortality.(Princeton:PrincetonUniversityPress,1999),23.
![Page 87: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/87.jpg)
86
PsychedelicResearch
Underpsychedelicinfluence,userstypicallyreportvividandcomplexmentalstateswithunearthlycolorsandsounds,aswellascomplexchainsofassociation.Researchsuggeststheseenhancedmentalstatesfunctionindependentlyofbrainactivity.
Severalstudiesnowreporttheseintenseexperiencescorrelatewithreducedelectricalbrainactivityandmetabolism–notincreasedactivity.226, 227, 228, 229
Consciousnessresearcher,StuartHameroff,MD,inthenextvideo,discussesrelevantpsychedelicresearchdetails.Researchersgavesubjectsintravenouspsilocin,theactiveingredientinpsilocybin(i.e.,“magicmushrooms”),whilesittinginanMRIscanner.TheyalsomeasuredEEG.
Subjectsweretrippingandreportedhavingenhancedperceptionsundertheinfluenceofthedrugwithincreasedinformationdensity
226RobinL.Carhart-Harrisetal.,“NeuralCorrelatesofthePsychedelicStateasDeterminedbyfMRIStudieswithPsilocybin.”ProceedingsoftheNationalAcademyofSciences,February7,2012,Vol.109(6),2138-2143.RetrievedonApril6,2021.https://www.pnas.org/content/109/6/2138227AdamHalberstadtandMarkGeyer,“DoPsychedelicsExpandtheMindbyReducingBrainActivity?”ScientificAmerican,May15,2012.RetrievedonApril6,2021.https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/do-psychedelics-expand-mind-reducing-brain-activity/
andmeaningfulconnections.Theresearchersexpectedincreasedbrainactivity,buttheyfoundtheopposite.
Hameroffassumesconsciousnessisfunctioningatthequantumlevel–adeeperlevelthanthebrain’sneurons.230
KastrupechoesHameroff’spointinthenextvideo.Headdsnewexampleswhereconsciousexperienceincreaseswhilethebrain’smetabolicactivitydecreases–showingconsciousnessdoesn’tdependuponbrainfunction.
228BernardoKastrupandEdwardF.Kelly,“MisreportingandConfirmationBiasinPsychedelicResearch.”ScientificAmerican,blog,September3,2018.RetrievedonApril6,2021.https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/misreporting-and-confirmation-bias-in-psychedelic-research/229FrederickS.Barrettetal.,“PsilocybinAcutelyAlterstheFunctioningConnectivityoftheClaustrumwithBrainNetworksthatSupportPerception,Memory,andAttention.”NeuroImage,Vol.218,September2020.RetrievedonApril6,2021.https://bit.ly/39QSiDf230 StuartHameroff,“TestingtheORCHORTheoryofConsciousness.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonJanuary14,2021). https://www.youtube.com/embed/taO6Yg4PB0Y?start=1971&end=2025
![Page 88: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/88.jpg)
87
TheseincludepilotswhopassoutduringG-Forcetrainingandwho,althoughbloodisdrainingfromtheirbrain,experiencevivid
dreams.231Anotherexampleisateenagefadofreachingaeuphoricstatebycuttingoffoxygenthroughchoking.232Athirdexample,involvesmediumsengagedinautomaticwriting.Brazilianstudieshaveshownbrainmetabolismslowsdownwhilethemediumswritecomplexthoughtsmorerapidly.233,234
Thereisalsoaconnectionbetweenpsychedelicuse,enhancedconsciousawarenessunfilteredbythebrain,andperceptionsconcerningpostmortemsurvival.Oneofthefirstinsightsaboutthepsychedelicexperienceisitsresemblancetoclassical
231K.L.MorrissetteandD.G.McGowanDG.“FurtherSupportfortheConceptofaG-LOCSyndrome:ASurveyofMilitaryHigh-PerformanceAviators.”AviatSpaceEnvironMed,Vol.71(5),May2000,496-500.232NicoleJ.Ullrich,etal.,“’TheChokingGame’:Self-InducedHypoxiaPresentingasRecurrentSeizurelikeEvents.”Epilepsy&Behavior,Vol.12(3),
2008,486-488.233BernardoKastrup,“MetaphysicalIdealism.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonNovember13,2018).https://www.youtube.com/embed/97MwsoHF2ps?start=2749&end=2872
afterlifedescriptions.AldousHuxleywroteaboutthisin1954,comparinghisexperienceonmescalinewithdescriptionsintheEvans-WentztranslationofTheTibetanBookoftheDead.235TimothyLeary,RichardAlpert,andRalphMetznerexpandeduponthisideain1964whentheybasedtheirbook,ThePsychedelicExperience,upontheTibetanBookoftheDead,aBuddhistmanualtoassistthedeceasedinnavigatingthroughtheafterlife.236
234JulioFernandoPeresetal.,“NeuroimagingDuringTranceState:AContributiontotheStudyofDissociation,”PlosOne,November16,2012.RetrievedonJuly2,2021.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0049360235AldousHuxley,TheDoorsofPerception.(NewYork:Harper&Brothers,1954),37.236TimothyLeary,RichardAlpert,RalphMetzner.ThePsychedelicExperience:AManualBasedonTheTibetanBookoftheDead.(UniversityBooks,1964).
![Page 89: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/89.jpg)
88
TerminalLucidity
Thiswell-documentedphenomenonoccursamongindividualswhohaveAlzheimer’sdiseaseorwhoareotherwisebraindamaged.Bedriddenpatientscansometimessitup,bright-eyedandalert.Theycancarryonconversationsbeyondtheirearlierabilities.Sinceaseverelycompromisedbraincannotregeneratesuddenlylikethiswhileapatientisontheirdeathbed,themostreasonableinterpretationisthatconsciousnesscanfunctionindependentlyofthebrain.Onemightevensaythebrainhasdeterioratedsomuchitcannolongeractasafilterkeepingthelargerconsciousness(orselforsoul)fromawareness.
Terminallucidityusuallyoccursbetweentwo-weeksandshortlybeforedeath.PhilosopherStaffordBettydescribesatypicalcaseofterminallucidityinthevideosegmentbelow.Thedyingperson,whomayevenbeinavegetativestate,cansuddenly“erupt”intotheiroldpersonalitywithfullmemory.Ithappensin5-10%ofAlzheimer’scases.237
237 StaffordBetty,“VideoNugget:Jeffrey’sExamplesofTerminalLucidity.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonFebruary13,2017).https://youtube.com/embed/s_-CRXs6QmE?start=45&end=131
Mywife,JanelleBarlow,witnessedterminalluciditywithmymotherwhowassufferingfrombothAlzheimer’sandastroke.Theepisodelastedforabouttwohoursandoccurredwithinaweekofherfinalpassing.Itincludedaheartfeltconversationaboutlife,marriage,children,andtheprogressofmymother’sdisease.IdescribeJanelle’sexperienceinthenextvideosegment.238
ExtrasensoryPerceptionandPsychokinesis
Thedata.Startinginthe1930s,thefatherofmodernparapsychologyJosephBanksRhinearguedparapsychologywouldachievegreaterrecognitionifitfocusedonexperimental/statisticaltestsoftelepathy,clairvoyance,precognition,andpsychokinesis–ratherthanonfieldstudiesdesignedtofindevidenceforpostmortemsurvival.Asaresult,parapsychologyresearchersmovedawayfromthesurvivalquestion.
238Ibid,https://youtube.com/embed/s_-CRXs6QmE?start=132&end=221
![Page 90: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/90.jpg)
89
Rhine’sstrategywaspartiallysuccessful.TheAmericanPsychologicalAssociation’sflagshipjournalrecentlypublishedasummaryofover1,300parapsychologyexperiments.Itshowedtheoverallresultswerebothhighlysignificantstatisticallyandofexcellentquality.239IntheIntroduction,Idescribedthehostilereactiontothisarticlefromscofferswhoclaimed,“…thedataareirrelevant.”240Absenceoftheory.Theproblemis,whiledataareplentiful,therearenoacceptedscientifictheoriestoexplainpsi.Thepsidatarequirewereexamineourmetaphysicalassumptions–aspsi’sveryexistenceisbecauseofthemind’sreachbeyondthephysicalbody’slimitations.Thesignaltransmissioninterpretationofparanormalperceptionsuggeststelepathyisanalogoustotelegraphicorradiocommunication.Thisideahasalwaysbeencontroversialandis,infact,unfounded.Thereisnoorganofpsychicperception,noristhereanyknownpsychicinformationchannel.Toexplainpsi,wemustexplorethedeeperimplicationsoftime,space,andconsciousness.Thisbringsusback,onceagain,toidealism–toaviewpointwhereweseetimeandspaceasemergingfromthemindlikegroundofbeingconnectingallreality.
239EtzelCardeña,“ExperimentalEvidenceforParapsychologicalPhenomena:AReview.”AmericanPsychologist,Vol73(5),2018,663-677.240ReberandAlcock.
Canlivingagentpsiexplainthesurvivaldata?Therearephilosophersfriendlytotheparanormalwhoclaimthatextrasensoryperceptionandpsychokinesiscreateacloudoverthepostmortemsurvivalhypothesisasallthedataisbetterexplainedaslivingagentpsiratherthansurvivalafterdeath.241,242Thesearepeoplewillingtolookattheparapsychologicalevidencebutwhostillholdtounreasonableobjectionsregardingthesurvivalinterpretation.Herearefivereasonswhytheyarewrong.1.Thefirst,basedonmy1972after-deathdreamvisitationfromUncleHarry,isthatpsychicabilitiesalonecannotaccountforthepowerful,life-transformingencounterswefindinpostmortemsurvivalevidence.Besidesmycase,wehaveseensuchextraordinarytransformationsinthecasesofEbenAlexander,ElizabethKübler-Ross,BrianWeiss,andBishopJamesPike–amongothers.
2.Muchofthestrongestevidenceforpsicomeswithincontexts,suchasséances,wherespiritshavemanifested.WeseethisindiscussionsconcerningGeorgePellew’sspiritcontrolthroughLeonoraPiper’smediumship,JohnThomas’dissertationonGladysLeonard’smediumship,GézaMaróczy’sspiritcontrolthroughRobertRollin’smediumship,andtheScolegroup’sextraordinaryphysical
241StephanE.Braude,ImmortalRemains:TheEvidenceforLifeAfterDeath.(Oxford,UK:RowmanandLittlefield,2003).242MichaelSudduth,APhilosophicalCritiqueofEmpiricalArgumentsforPostmortemsurvival.(NewYork:PalgraveMacmillan,2016).
![Page 91: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/91.jpg)
90
manifestations.PsychologistDavidFontanastates:
Spirits,disembodiedindividuals,whichevertermonechoosestouse,appeartobecapableofpsychicfeatsbeyondthosedemonstrablebylivingbeings.243
Therearealwayslivinghumanstakingpartontheseoccasions.So,criticspointoutwecannotruleoutlivingagentpsi.True.However,livinghumansexhibitgreaterpsimoreoftenwhenworkingwithdiscarnateagentsthanotherwise.Weneverfindtheintensity,variety,andstrengthofphenomenaassociatedwithphysicalmediumship–soclearlyshownintheexampleoftheScoleGroup–insituationsnotexplicitlyemployingpartnershipwithdiscarnatehelpers.
3. Wemustaskwhyembodiedhumanbeingshavepsychicabilities.Inthenextvideo,philosopherMichaelGrossostatestheseareunnecessary,rarelyusedabilitiesformostlivingpersons–aswemeetoursurvivalneedsthroughconventionalsensorimotorandrationalfaculties.However,ESPandPKarelatentpotentialsthatbecomestronger,“afterwedropourbodiesindeathandourmindsareallwepossess.”Thentheybecomeessential.244
243DavidFontana,IsThereAnAfterlife:AComprehensiveOverviewoftheEvidence.(Hants,UK:OBooks,2005),104.244MichaelGrosso,“MindAtLarge.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonSeptember18,2020).https://www.youtube.com/embed/o3D1rUnqnKI?start=1235&end=1275
Inthefollowingvideo,reincarnationresearcherandanthropologistJamesMatlockexpressesasimilarviewpointtoGrosso.Headds,whilewearealiveinthebody,ourexternalsenses“takeover”andovershadowpsi.245
4. Virtuallyallindividualsgiftedwithdemonstrablepsiabilitiesclaimafirmafterlifebelieftypicallybasedondirectknowledge.WhileIhavebeeninthisfieldfor48years,Iamunawareofasingle,testedpsychicwhorejects,orisevenneutral,aboutpostmortemsurvival.Anoutstanding
245JamesMatlock,“TheProcessofReincarnation.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonNovember14,2017).https://youtube.com/embed/OanmT8o-oWI?start=982&end=1010
![Page 92: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/92.jpg)
91
exampleisHaroldSherman,thepioneeringremoteviewerwhosuccessfullymonitoredSirHubertWilkins’polarexpeditionfromseveralthousandmilesaway.246Shermanalsowroteabookdescribinghisafterlifeknowledge.247
AcclaimedremoteviewerJosephMcMoneagle,inthededicationofRemoteViewingSecrets:AHandbook,addsthepithyphrase,“AllofrealitybowstotheillusionofLifeandDeath.”248IngoSwannisanothertestedclairvoyantwhowroteabouttheafterlifebaseduponhisowninnervision.249
5. Initsextremeform–i.e.,psihasnoknownlimits–wecannotfalsifyordisproveitasanexplanationforthedatapointingtowardpostmortemsurvival.Thisisarequirementforanyscientifichypothesis,inthesensedescribedbyphilosopherofscienceKarlPopper.250BruceGreyson,MD,aresearcherspecializinginthestudyofNear-DeathExperience(NDE),makesthispointinthenextvideo.251
246SirHubertWilkins&HaroldM.Sherman,ThoughtsThroughSpace:ARemarkableAdventureintheRealmofMind.(Charlottesville,VA:HamptonRoads,2004,2ndedition).(Originallypublishedin1951.)247HaroldM.Sherman,YouLiveAfterDeath.(NewYork:CreativeAgePress,1949).248JosephMcMoneagle,RemoteViewingSecrets:AHandbook.(Charlottesville,VA:HamptonRoads,2000).v.
Insummary,extrasensoryperceptionandpsychokinesispointdefinitivelytowardtheonemindprincipleandWilliamJames’filtrationtheoryofconsciousness.Theydonot,however,offerareasonablealternativeinterpretationofsurvivalevidence.Theystrengthenthatinterpretation–astheyprovethathumanconsciousnessisnotlimitedbythephysicalconstraintsoftimeandspace.
249IngoSwann,ResurrectingtheMysterious:IngoSwann’s“GreatLostWork,presentedbyNickCook.(Kindleedition,BioMindSuperpowersBooks,2020).250KarlPopper,TheLogicofScientificDiscovery.(Routledge,2005).251BruceGreyson,“Researching.”https://youtube.com/embed/ddlpApa3XSs?start=1592&end=1611
![Page 93: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/93.jpg)
92
CONCLUSION
TheArgumentandtheEvidence
Since1972,whenUncleHarrycametomeinadreamatthetimeofhisdeath,Ihavespentmyprofessionallifeexploringparapsychologyanditsimplicationsforourunderstandingofpostmortemsurvivalandconsciousness.Havingasolidtheoreticalandpracticalknowledgeofthefield,Ihaveoverthedecadesbeenabletoengageinpersistentinquiriesthroughtheinterviewprocess–andhavecreatedvideoconversationswithbothexpertsandexperiencers,goingbackthirty-fiveyears.
AsthelonelyrecipientoftheonlydoctoraldiplomainparapsychologyeverawardedintheUnitedStates,Iknowmuchabouttheoverwhelmingoppositionwithinacademiaandelsewheretotheveryideaofpsychicfunctioningamongtheliving.Thatoppositionismuchstrongerregardingcommunicationwiththedeceased.Asaresult,Iseethewaytobreakthroughthisimpasseistochallengetheaxiomspeoplerelyonwhentheyrejecttheaccumulatedevidence.OneaxiomderivesfromHume’sargumentthathumantestimonycanneversuffice“toproveamiracle.”252Inresponse,Ihavepointedoutthatpostmortemsurvivalisbothnormalandnaturalfromthevantagepointofidealistmetaphysics.Ihavealsohighlightedtheimportanceofhumantestimonyintherespectedphenomenologicaltraditionwithinphilosophy.Thepsychologist,religiousscholar,andphilosopherWilliamJameshasappliedthisapproachtoscientificinvestigationoftheparanormalthroughhisdiscussionsofradicalempiricism.Sciencehasyettoshowthatconsciousnessisaproductofneurologicalfunctioning.Alternativeviewpointshavealengthy
252Hume,AnInquiry.
history,goingbackmorethanacentury.ThereisempiricalsupportforthefiltrationtheoryofWilliamJames.Wecanalsointegratepostmortemsurvivalintosciencebydevelopinghypothesesentailinghyperspacemathematics.Purelogicfavorsmetaphysicalidealismasanexplanatorymodelofreality,asMaxPlanck,quantummechanics’founder,explicitlysaid.Fromthisperspective,consciousnesssurvivalisnaturalandexpected.Thisessayhasbeenpredicateduponthebundleofarrowsprinciplethatthebestevidenceforpostmortemsurvivalisthebigpicture:ninedifferentdirectionsofevidenceallpointingtopostmortemconsciousness.
Near-deathexperience After-deathcommunications Reincarnationcases PeakinDarianexperiences InstrumentalTransCommunication
Xenoglossy, Possession Mentalmediumship Physicalmediumship
![Page 94: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/94.jpg)
93
Theseinvestigativeapproachesarelargelyindependentofeachother–andeacharrowcontainsmultiplewhitecrowexamples.Ihavesuppliedhotlinkstovideotestimonyfromovertwentyeyewitnesses,aswellasscholarlyvideotestimonyfromanequalnumberofresearchers.Thebundle-of-arrowsargumentisoverwhelming.Ihavelookedcarefullyatthetwomajoralternativeparanormalinterpretationsofthedata:livingagentpsiandarchetypalsynchronisticresonance(ofwhichIamthecoauthor).Neitheralternativesufficestoexplaintheaccumulatedevidence’srangeandintensity.Thenon-paranormalalternativesareunsustainable.Herearethemanywhitecrowexamplespreviouslypresented.Takenasawhole,alongwiththecontextualdiscussions,theyformasystematicframeworkthatunequivocallydisprovesthemodernistviewthatconsciousnessendswithbodilydeath.
thedreamvisitationfromUncleHarry,atthetimeofhisdeath,transformingmylife
twelveearlyresearcherswhosubscribedtosurvivalofconsciousness
researchonhospitalizedcardiacarrestpatientswhoreportednear-deathexperiences
AnneSimpson’srecurringdreamsfromthedeceasedMalloyaboutathree-and-tenpencedebt
ElisabethKübler-Ross’life-transformingafter-deathvisitationfromthedeceasedMrs.Schwartz,wholeftawrittennote
anewpsychotherapymodalitycommunicatedbythedeceasedSiegfriedFischertothetailorBobHoffman
JosephGallenberger’safter-deathcommunicationfromaseminarattendee’swifewhiletakingashower
thedrownedsailorwhoappearedinavisiontohismotherinAustralia
ElisabethTarg’safter-deathmessageforherfatherRussellTargconvincinghimofherpostmortemsurvival
possessionofPaulLesliebyapsychotherapyclient’sdeceasedfather
theluciddreammessagetoaminister’swifeaboutherhabitofstaringathisportrait
WhitleyStrieber’sprearrangedafter-deathcommunicationsfromhisdeceasedwife,Anne
seventeenhundredsolvedreincarnationcasesintheUniversityofVirginiadatabase
psychiatristBrianWeiss’life-transformingafter-deathcommunicationviahishypnotizedpatientCatherine
announcingdreamsfromthedeceasedUBaKyartoMaungAungThan’sparents
peakinDarienexperienceofCorfidiusasreportedbyPlinytheElder
peakinDarienexperiencebyaSouthAfricanpatientexperiencingrespiratoryarrest
peakinDarienexperiencereportedbyEbenAlexanderduringhisnear-deathexperience
![Page 95: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/95.jpg)
94
possessionofLurancyVennumbythedeceasedMaryRoff
possessionofSumitraSinghbythedeceasedShivaTripati
testimonyofpsychotherapistsWilsonVanDusen,EdithFiore,AdamCrabtree,andCarlWicklandregardingattachmentofdeceasedindividualstotheirpatients
voicemessagesfromthedeceasedKonstantinRaudivetoMarkMacy,GeorgeMeekandothers
AnabelaCardoso’stwo-wayelectronicvoicecommunicationwithdeceasedfamilymembers
fiftyphonecallsfromthedead,documentedbyD.ScottRogoandRaymondBayliss
thirtytelephonecallsfromthedeadresearchedbyCallumCooper
myluciddreamexperiencewithElisabethTarg,involvingaphonecallwithwhitenoise
RussellTarg’sreportofElisabethTarginterferingwiththeelectricalcircuitryinhishousefollowingherdeath
thetextmessagesenttoDonaldEmpsonfollowingSallyDixon’sdeath,documentedbyEmmyVadnais
theJensonJacobyxenoglossycaseresearchedbyIanStevenson
theUttara/SharadaxenoglossycaseresearchedbyIanStevenson
twenty-nineformerfriendsrecognizedbythedeceasedGeorgePellewviaLeonoraPiper’smediumship
WilliamJames’statementthatdiscarnateRichardHodgsonwascommunicatingthroughLeonoraPiper,oranotherspiritwasimpersonatingHodgson
initiationofcross-correspondencesbythedeceasedFredericMyers
dictationofTheRoadtoImmortalitybythedeceasedFredericMyersthroughGeraldineCummins’automaticwriting
spiritistmedium,FranciscoMadero,launchestheMexicanRevolutionandbecomespresident,basedonguidancefromthedeceasedBenitoJuarez
GladysOsborneLeonard’smediumshipconvincesSirOliverLodgethatheiscommunicatingwithhisdeceasedsonRaymond
KatieDawson-Smithreceivesinformationfromherdeceasedson,throughGladysLeonard,regardinganeededcheckstub
cross-correspondenceinitiatedbythedeceasedWilliamBarrettthroughthemediumshipofLeonoraPiperandGladysLeonard
JohnThomas’nine-yeardoctoraldissertationprojectinvestigatingGladysLeonardandshowing92.3%accuracy
deceasedR101dirigiblepilot,HerbertIrwin’sforensicevidence,providedthroughEileenGarrett’smediumship
psychotherapymodalitystartedbythedeceasedKarlNowotnythroughGreteSchröder’smediumship
BishopJamesPike’slife-changingcommunicationswithhisdeceasedson,Jim–andthedeceasedtheologian,PaulTillich,throughEnaTwigg’smediumship
![Page 96: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/96.jpg)
95
testimonyfromthedeceasedMauricioGarcezHenriqueviaChicoXavier’smediumship,acceptedinaBraziliancourt
AllanShowery’smurderconvictionbased,inpart,uponthedeceasedTeresitaBasa’safter-deathcommunicationtoRemibiasChua
AnthonyRuark’smurderconvictionbased,inpart,uponcommunicationbythedeceasedJacquelinePoolthroughtheChristineHolohan’smediumship
deceasedWilliamLang’smanifestationforsixdecadesthroughGeorgeChapman’smediumship
chessgameplayedatthegrandmasterlevelbythedeceasedGézaMaróczywiththelivingVictorKorchnoi
deceasedWalterStinson’sphysicalmanifestationsthroughthemediumshipofMinaCrandon,AnnMarshall,andStuartAlexander.
thetwo-yearstudyofScolegroupmanifestationswitnessedbyresearchersDavidFontana,MontagueKeen,andArthurEllison
Thisevidenceismassiveandconsistent.Thus,thereisnoreasonablealternativetotheconclusionthathumanconsciousnesscansurvivepermanentbodilydeath.Thisisn’tasurprisingconclusion.Lifeafterdeathhasbeentheacceptedbeliefineverycultureandhistoricalperiod.Theevidencepresentedin
253JeffreyKripal,“ThePoweroftheNear-DeathExperience,Part2.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedonDecember21,2018).https://youtube.com/embed/-qsLltCUetc?start=3057&end=3109
thisessayis,afterall,asmallsamplefromamuchlargeruniverseofhumanexperience!
ThePriceofIgnoringtheEvidence
Inthisfinalvideo,JeffreyKripal,professor of philosophy and religious thought at Rice University,suggeststhatnear-deathexperiencesandafter-deathcommunicationsaremuchmorecommonthanwetypicallyrealize.Socialpressureisstillsuppressingthedata.Publicdiscussionofpostmortemsurvivalisstillrelativelyrare.Thereasonisthatweareafraidofourownsupernature:
Becausethat’swhowereallyare.That’swhatwearecapableof.253
Thestudieddisinterestinpsychicalresearchandparapsychologybylargeportionsofeducatedprofessionalstodayhasrestrictedmodernsocieties’abilitytoaddressmentaldisordersassociatedwithdiscarnatepossession,whichhasbeendocumentedbymultiplepsychotherapists.Additionally,Ian
![Page 97: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/97.jpg)
96
Stevensonshowedthatreincarnationcouldhelpusbetterunderstandphobiasandphilias,genderidentityconfusion,vendettas,andbellicosenationalism.254Moderncivilizationispayingthepriceforignoringpostmortemsurvival–andfavoringtheview,expressedbyMarvinMinskyintheIntroduction,thathumanbeingsarenomorethansophisticatedmachines.ThegreatSwisspsychiatristCarlGustavJungaddressedwhatheconsiderscivilization’sprimaryailmentinhisbook,ModernManinSearchofaSoul.Hewrote:
AsaphysicianIamconvincedthatitishygienic–ifImayusetheword–todiscoverindeathagoaltowardswhichonecanstrive;andthatshrinkingawayfromitissomethingunhealthyandabnormalwhichrobsthesecondhalfoflifeofitspurpose.255
Wehidefromourowndeepestidentitywhenwepostulatethatconsciousnessisextinguishedwiththedeathofthebody–resultinginaseveregapinourcapacityforself-knowledge.
254IanStevenson,“TheExplanatoryValueoftheIdeaofReincarnation.”TheJournalofNervousandMentalDisease.Vol164(5),1977,305-326.255CarlG.Jung,ModernManinSearchofaSoul.(Kindleedition:ChristopherPrince,originallypublishedin1933),114.256JeanHouston,“ThePsychenautProgram:AnExplorationintoSomeHumanPotentials.”JournalofCreativeBehavior,Vol.7(4),1973,253-78.
AFinalThoughtInclosing,Iwouldliketohighlighttheloose-knitgroupofindividualsandorganizationsIthinkofaspsychenauts–atermfirstusedbyJeanHouston.256Theyincludepractitionersofhypnosis,meditation,yoga,out-of-bodytravel,luciddreaming,spiritmediumship,entheogenics,activeimagination,remoteviewing,andotherintuitiveartsandsciences.Someoftheseindividuals,citedinthisessay,includeEbenAlexander,ElizabethKrohn,BarbaraHarrisWhitfield,JosephGallenberger,WhitleyStrieber,StewartAlexander,RobinFoy,andBernardoKastrup.Thesepeoplearepioneersinexploringinnerspacerealms.Earliergenerationshavealsohadgreatpioneers:Swedenborg,AllenKardec,FredericMyers,WilliamJames,andCarlJung–tonameafew.PerhapsthetimehascometobuilduponwhathasalreadybeenachievedandtocommenceaprojectthatCharlesTartoncereferredtoasstate-specificscience.257Ithinkwearenowatthemomentinhistorywherewecouldseriouslybegintomapcontinentsofmind-at-large–justas,intherenaissance,webeganthescientificmappingofnewcontinentsontheEarth.258Theremaybesomenewwhitecrowstobefound.
257CharlesT.Tart,“StatesofConsciousnessandState-SpecificSciences.”Science,Vol.176,1972,1203-1210.258JeffreyMishlove,“PsychenauticsManifesto.”NewThinkingAllowedvideo(recordedMay13,2021).https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQMhPspf6tY
![Page 98: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily](https://reader030.vdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022012714/61acbd9de2efdc487307e074/html5/thumbnails/98.jpg)
97
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
ThefollowingThinkingAllowedandNewThinkingAllowedguestsappearinvideotestimonyfromtheirpreviousinterviews,helpingtobringlifetothisessay.Theirnamesarepresentedintheorderinwhichtheirvideosarepresented:HustonSmith(1919-2016)MarvinMinsky(1927-2016)WillisHarman(1918-1997)FrancisCrick(1916-2004)EbenAlexanderBernardCarrSaul-PaulSiragStuartHameroffBruceGreysonPimvanLommelElizabethKrohnBarbaraHarrisWhitfieldCharlesT.TartJosephGallenbergerPeterFenwickRussellTargPaulLeslieWhitleyStrieber
JamesG.MatlockEdithFioreAdamCrabtreeAnabelaCardosoCallumCooperWalterSemkiwStephenE.BraudeC.M.MayoRoyStemmanVernonNeppeStewartAlexanderLeslieKeanRobinFoyRuthKastnerBernardoKastrupStaffordBettyMichaelGrossoJeffreyKripal
Additionally,IhavelinkedtopubliclyavailablevideosproducedbyOprahWinfrey,theBritishBroadcastingService,DanDrasin,andKeithParsons.EmmyVadnaisalsoparticipatedinaprivatevideoandsuppliedastillimage.Thefollowingindividualsreadthroughdraftsofthisessayandofferedhelpfulfeedback:JamesTunney,EmmyVadnais,SandraFriedman,ElizabethLord,andDeborahHayden.IalsoreceivedsubstantialsuggestionsfrommywifeJanelleM.Barlowwhoreadthisessaywithmetwice,outloud,linebyline–bothofusaliveonthissideofthegreatdivide.ThecoverartworkisJacob’sDream,byWilliamBlake,circa1799-1806.