Psychic Vibrations I

Psychic Vibrations i ROBERT SHEAFFER ho says that there's nothing sive, surely cannot compare in imagi- new under the sun? If you've nativeness to "tooth-centered charac- Wtried colonic irrigation, neu- ter analysis," said to have been among rolinguistics, meditation, Rolfing, and the last discoveries of the late guru all the rest, without finding whatever Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, who died it is you seek, you can now avail in January of last year. As reported yourself of something called Holo- in the Milwaukee Journal of September tropic Breathwork. Billed as "a nat- 9, 1990, Swami Devageet, who had ural, deep, non-ordinary state of been the Bhagwan's personal dentist, consciousness" that uses "controlled revealed that Rajneesh discovered just breathing and evocative music to months before his death that "man's expand consciousness" and "conduct animal past, including his aggressive inner exploration," it is undoubtedly instincts, are mysteriously stored in something far more profound than the human dental structure." Swami what us ordinary folk do when we Devageet suggests that even Saddam unwind by breathing deeply and Hussein could become "a blissful listening to relaxing music. Northern human being instead of a blistering California readers of the Well-Being warmonger" with "tooth-centered Journal are invited to enroll in week- character analysis." end Holotropic "intensives" in the While we're on the subject of Santa Cruz mountains, presumably gurus, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the pursuing inner peace by sitting atop former guru to the Beatles and fault lines and meditating on some- founder of Transcendental Medita- thing other than the movement of tion, is back in the news. The tectonic plates. November issue of Life magazine For those whose tastes incline reports that he plans to open a 480- toward a more potent New Age stew, acre Maharishi theme park in 1993 that same journal offers Reiki (rhymes next to Disney World in Orlando, to with "flaky"), an "ancient healing be called "Vedaland." The Official technique which accesses a highly Airline of Disney World is no doubt sourced, limitless energy." So potent keeping its fingers crossed that no is Reiki that "relief from physical pain errant TM-ers will levitate into its and emotional stress, total relaxation, already crowded airspace. The Maha- inner peace, and release of spiritual rishi is also peddling an assortment of blockages are reported results from products, including Himalayan min- even one Reiki treatment," leading one eral water, music cassettes, herbal to suspect that repeated applications teas, and cleansing bars, that can be of this "limitless energy" just might obtained by calling the guru's toll-free be enough to raise the dead. order line, 1-800-ALL-VEDA. But these disciplines, while impres- Spring 1991 247 It was Halloween, and the devil was evangelist Larry Lea, who distributes up to his usual tricks. Ed and Lorraine "prayer army dog tags" and sometimes Warren, the Amityville ghost- preaches in combat fatigues, defiantly hucksters, were preparing to testify selected Halloween to launch his in support of a Connecticut woman three-day exorcism of that city's who insists she should be refunded a supposed "evil immorality," even $2,000 security deposit she lost for though demons are "strongest" at that breaking her lease when she found her time, says he. Opposing Lea were rental house was "haunted." (A mag- crowds of practicing pagans and spell- istrate awarded the woman $40 casting witches, as well as gay instead of the $2,000 she was seeking.) activists. The Warrens appeared on the Joan And video-rental firms nationwide Rivers television talk-show on Hal- report there has been furious demand loween morning, warning viewers to for the movie Three Men and a Baby beware of satanic cults and crimes. since reports began circulating that a They also said that a TV film crew ghost could be seen haunting one of they worked with had recorded proof the scenes in the film. As the char- of satanic manifestations in a haunted acters played by Ted Danson and house. Unfortunately, the tape had Celeste Holm walk past a window, been "erased." there seems to be the figure of a In San Francisco, a confrontation young boy hiding behind a curtain. between Satan-bashing Christian Some viewers think this is the ghost fundamentalists and pagan practition- of a child who died in the house ers of Wicca resulted in much fury, where the film was made. But a but fortunately no casualties. Texas spokesman for the production com- 248 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 15 pany explains that the scene was shot led a local newspaper to give it the on a sound stage, not in anyone's name "Besse," so Besse now joins home, and that the "ghost" is actually Nessie, Tessie, Chessie, and its other a cardboard cutout figure used as a cousins worldwide of the species prop in the film. Nonetheless, many monstrus occultus, "huge monsters that viewers still insist that something hide from zoologists." For some spectral is going on here, so video reason, Besse was not spotted until rental firms are content to sit back and 1985, when cryptozoology had already enjoy the bonanza. shifted into high gear. The creature apparently had been biding its time since the Ice Age, until it could count on being received with due respect. The para-world is now one monster Residents along the shores of Lake richer than it was a short time ago. Erie should be especially pleased, since An Associated Press story of Sep- it was reported in the London Times tember 30 reported that Lake Erie can that the Loch Ness monster brings now boast a Lake Monster of its very $42 million in annual tourist revenues own. A rash of recent sightings has to Scotland. • Spring 1991 249 .

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