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Actividad Poltergeist Y El Caso “Andrés Venier”: Algunas Consideraciones Neuropsicológicas, Fenomenológicas Y Psicodinámicas

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Actividad Poltergeist Y El Caso “Andrés Venier”: Algunas Consideraciones Neuropsicológicas, Fenomenológicas Y Psicodinámicas Actividad poltergeist y el caso “Andrés Venier”: Algunas consideraciones neuropsicológicas, fenomenológicas y psicodinámicas Alejandro Parra En este artículo el autor plantea la fenomenología, neuropsicología y psicodinámica en torno a la actividad poltergeist, con particular énfasis en el caso del joven Andrés Venier, de Río Tercero, en la provincia de Córdoba, Argentina. El fenómeno parece estar ocasionado por psicokinesis (influencia de la mente sobre la materia) a nivel inconsciente. Estos eventos se vienen reportando desde la Antigüedad. Su fenomenología es descrita en términos de lanzamientos y desplazamientos de objetos, ruidos, luces, apariciones y olores fétidos. Además, los poltergeist son capaces de interferir equipos electrónicos mientras que otros reportes incluyen lesiones somáticas. Actividad poltergeist - neuropsicología Poltergeist activity and Andrés Venier's case: some phenomenological, neuropsychological, and psychodynamical issuess In this article the author discusses the phenomenology, neuropsychological and psychodynamical issues about poltergeist activity, with main emphasis on Andrés Venier’s case, of Río Tercero, province of Córdoba, Argentina. The phenomenon seems to be caused by unconscious psychokinesis (mind over matter). These events have been reported since antiquity. Its phenomenology is described in terms of throwings and displacements of objects, noises, lights, apparitions and foul smellings. Besides, poltergeists are capable of interference with electronic equipment while other reports include somatic lesions. Poltergeist activity - neuropsychology Correo electrónico: [email protected] Persona 8, 2005, 107-126 Parra INTRODUCCIÓN manera abrupta. Un episodio típico pue- de durar desde algunas horas hasta va- Tradicionalmente, el así llamado fenó- rios meses, e incluso se ha informado de meno poltergeist ha estado asociado a algunos que se prolongaron durante espíritus inquietos o traviesos, pero que años. La actividad casi siempre ocurre a veces también se comportan agresi- cuando alguien está presente, general- vamente. La palabra poltergeist provie- mente en torno a un “agente”, aquel que ne del alemán polter, “golpear”, y geist, parece servir como foco o imán de la ac- “espíritu”. Algunos casos de polter- tividad. El agente es un factor en la ma- geist no han sido cabalmente explica- yoría de los casos, tanto de los que pare- dos y podrían implicar la presencia de cen de etiología espírita como de los que inteligencias desencarnadas. En otros pueden ser provocados por psicokinesis casos, el fenómeno parece ser ocasio- humana (Rogo, 1979, 1986; Roll, nado por la psicokinesis (PK) incons- 1972). En el transcurso de los siglos, las ciente de una persona (Cassirer, 2001; descripciones de incidentes inexplica- Houran & Lange, 2001; Spencer & bles en el mundo físico presentan una Spencer, 1997; Stander & Schmolling, uniformidad notable. Por los trabajos de 1996). G. N. M. Owen (1964), Thurston La actividad poltergeist tiene una fe- (1953), entre otros, se han observado si- nomenología típica descrita por varios militudes asombrosas a través de los autores de diversas maneras. Los más siglos y en todos los países. frecuentes son lluvias de piedras, de Desde la Antigüedad se viene infor- polvo y de otros objetos pequeños; lan- mando en todo el mundo de la existen- zamientos y desplazamientos de objetos cia de disturbios provocados por la ac- (incluyendo muebles pesados); ruidos tividad poltergeist (Bozzano, 1925; intensos, luces, apariciones y olores fé- Flammarion, 1952; Thurston, 1953). tidos. Los poltergeist son capaces de in- Sin embargo, a fines del siglo XIX, la terferir los teléfonos y otros equipos investigación de los fenómenos psíqui- electrónicos, y de encender y apagar las cos permitió estudiar más críticamente luces y cualquier aparato eléctrico. Al- este tema. Entre los primeros investiga- gunos sujetos victimizados por la activi- dores se contaban los fundadores de la dad poltergeist reportan lesiones somá- Society for Psychical Research (SPR), ticas, como pellizcos, mordidas, golpes sir William Barrett y Frederic W. H. y hasta agresiones sexuales a las perso- Myers (Auerbach, 1986; Myers, 1903). nas que los experimentan (Auerbach, En los años treinta del siglo XX, el 1986; Carrington & Fodor, 1951). psicólogo e investigador psíquico Nan- Asimismo, la actividad poltergeist, dor Fodor elaboró la teoría de que algu- por lo general, comienza y termina de nos disturbios de poltergeist no eran 108 Actividad poltergeist y el caso “Andrés Venier” causados por espíritus, sino por agentes a ser castigado. La persona general- humanos que sufrían de una intensa ira mente ignoraba que era la causa de los reprimida, hostilidad y tensión sexual. disturbios, pero secreta o abiertamente Fodor tuvo éxito en demostrar su teoría se alegraba de ellos. Su hipótesis está en varios casos, incluyendo el famoso hoy en día tan divulgada que aparece caso Thornton Heath, ocurrido en In- incluso mencionada en varios libros de glaterra, que Fodor investigó en 1938. texto de psicología y psicoanálisis, así Se trataba de una mujer cuyas represio- como en numerosos documentales de nes provocaban un brote de fenómenos televisión. En algunos casos, la psico- poltergeist y, al parecer, el ataque de un terapia hace desaparecer los fenóme- vampiro. Fodor fue duramente critica- nos poltergeist. do por los espiritistas, a los cuales ganó un pleito por calumnias difundidas en FENOMENOLOGÍA DE LA ACTIVIDAD uno de sus periódicos. POLTERGEIST Las investigaciones llevadas a cabo por W. G. Roll y sus colegas (Roll, De toda la casuística anómala, quizá la 1964, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1993; Roll, actividad poltergeist haya cautivado a Burdick & Joines, 1973; Roll, Burdick numerosas editoriales y emisoras de te- & Joines, 1974; Roll & Gearhart, 1974; levisión, las cuales han producido lite- Roll, Maher & Brown, 1992; Roll & ratura y documentales de variada cali- Montagno, 1983; Roll & Pratt, 1971; dad que, a nivel popular, ha impresio- Roll, Sheehan, Persinger & Glass, nado por estos relatos. El tema se ha 1996; Roll & Stump, 1969; Roll & prestado a menudo para interpretacio- Tringale, 1983) han intentado probar nes sensacionalistas a causa del testi- –al menos en parte– una relación entre monio de las personas victimizadas, su la disfunción psicológica y la actividad vinculación con leyendas folclóricas poltergeist. En los años sesenta Roll locales y las terapias y/o intervencio- comenzó a estudiar 116 casos ocurri- nes para su tratamiento e investigación. dos a lo largo de cuatro siglos en más El fenómeno está tan ampliamente di- de cien países, y pudo identificar la re- vulgado y reportado en todas las épo- petición de lo que el investigador acu- cas y culturas que se ha bautizado a es- ñó como “psicokinesis espontánea re- tos sitios así afectados como “casas currente” (PKER), que son efectos ma- embrujadas”, “casas endemoniadas”, teriales espontáneos y explicables. “hechizadas”, “moradas mal-assom- También descubrió que el agente más bradas” (en portugués) o “infestadas” frecuente era un niño o adolescente cu- (haunting, en inglés) (Aguilar, 1995; ya PK involuntaria constituía una ma- Friderichs, 1980; Guimaraes Andrade, nera de expresar su hostilidad sin temor 1988; Jordán Peña, 1982; Machado & 109 Parra Zangari, 1995; Percia de Carvalho, aberturas; ruidos en las puertas, las pare- 1992; Tinoco, 1978). des o los muebles; puertas, ventanas e A fines de los años setenta, Alan incluso armarios bien cerrados que se Gauld y A. D. Cornell (1979) llevaron abren por sí solos; objetos que son insó- a cabo un análisis de 500 casos ocurri- litamente cambiados de sitio o arrojados dos en todas partes del mundo desde lejos (los objetos más frágiles no se 1800. Estos investigadores identifica- rompen, aun cuando sufran una caída de ron 63 características generales; el 64 bastantes metros, mientras que otros, por ciento de los casos había consistido más sólidos, se destrozan por comple- en movimientos de objetos pequeños; to), en ocasiones los objetos desplaza- el 58 por ciento fueron más intensos dos no presentan una trayectoria regular, por la noche; en el 48 por ciento hubo se comportan como si alguien los trans- objetos golpeados; el 36 por ciento portara y a veces siguen los contornos consistía de movimiento de objetos de de los muebles. Algunos ejemplos de- gran tamaño; el 24 por ciento duró más muestran la existencia de objetos que de un año; en el 16 por ciento hubo co- penetran en un espacio cerrado, tienen municación entre el poltergeist y el cambios de temperatura (más calientes) agente; en el 12 por ciento hubo abrir y u objetos que parecen adoptar una forma cerrar de puertas y ventanas. Antes del en el aire. siglo XIX, las manifestaciones de los Un examen más detallado de la psi- poltergeist eran atribuidas al diablo y cología de los individuos que ocuparon otros demonios, así como en brujas y lugares centrales en algunos casos de espíritus de los muertos. El análisis de actividad poltergeist la hace aparecer Gauld y Comell mostró que solo un 9 como más rica que sus estudios físicos. por ciento de los casos eran atribuidos Roll (1972) sostiene que en los casos al diablo, el 7 por ciento a brujas y el 2 reportados antes de 1900, cerca del 80 por ciento a espíritus. La mayoría de por ciento de las personas epicentro los casos atribuidos a demonios ocu- eran mujeres, pero en este siglo la dis- rrieron en países no occidentales. tribución por sexos ha cambiado nota- El caso ha sido estudiado desde una blemente, y ambos sexos
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