American TV Medium, James Van Praagh Here!

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

American TV Medium, James Van Praagh Here! Volume 1 Issue 2 April—June 2013 What’s On 25palmerstonplace.com The Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Centre American TV Medium, James Van Praagh Here! Special points of interest: For first time in Edinburgh! James Van Praagh & Tony Stockwell James Van Praagh is an He is making his first visit to World Class Mediumship Course. Spaces filling fast! American author, producer Edinburgh in July when he will and television personality conduct a 3 day workshop and Arthur Conan Doyle Centre becomes as well as a clairvoyant and deliver a demonstration of International Festival Fringe Venue! spiritual medium. He has mediumship together with British Medium, Tony Stock- Art and Creative Writing Classes written numerous books, well. available now! including the New York Tony Stockwell is also an Musical Evening with Alastair Savage Times bestseller ‘Talking to playing the fiddle accompanied by Heaven’ and appeared in accomplished author and TV music from China! the movies ‘The Moses Personality in his own right— Code’ and ‘The Shadow he has had four of his own TV Together, they make a series—The Psychic Detective, Effect’. formidable team and offer a Street Psychic, Psychic School unique opportunity for those and Psychic Academy. As well who are serious about as numerous guest appear- developing their mediumship ances on other well-known to learn from not one, but two shows, he writes regular of the world’s best Mediums! columns for the magazines, See page 5 for details of the Inside this issue: ‘Spirit & Destiny’, ‘Chat’ and ‘Soul & Spirit’. Workshop and Demonstration. See both these World-class Mediums up close and personal, A message from The Chairman 2 when they demonstrate their skills here! Saturday, 20th July, at 7.30pm Tickets on sale Now! £20 What’s On Weekly 3 Develop your Mediumship 4 Ciarán O’Keefe from TV’s Most Haunted Edinburgh Assoc of Spiritualists 6 Monthly Message A date for your diary! Tuesday, 4th June, when Ciarán O’Keefe, from TV’s Most Haunted series will be here, at The Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Centre Art Classes 8 to give a talk on, ‘An exciting journey of psychics, ghosts, exorcisms and Creative Writing miracle blood!’ The talk is called, ‘The Weird and the wonderful’ and tickets are on sale Music—two new concerts! 11 Tuesday Talks now, as we expect a sell-out crowd for this exciting speaker! To book call, 0131 625 0700. Tickets are only £5, so they will sell fast! Therapies by Donation 12 Check out our other Tuesday Talks on the first Tuesday of the month— see page 9 for details Page 2 What’s On A Message from The Chairman This, is only the second of our We want to be a resource for popular musician Alastair What’s On Brochures and in the whole community—and we Savage from the BBC producing this publication we welcome people of all Symphony Orchestra; and we hope to get it to those who religions, and none, to come have just been accepted as a would not normally visit a and enjoy our magnificent Venue for the Festival Fringe! Spiritualist Church. So I want building, and perhaps partake If you haven’t yet visited us, to take this opportunity to of some of the activities we check out our Tuesday Talks, explain to our new readers a have on offer. As such, we we have a number of excellent little of what we do here. have activities in the building speakers lined up, or try out that are conducive to our aims our holistic therapies for a We are a Spiritual Centre, and of looking after the mind, body donation of only £10! as well as providing a beautiful and spirit— this brochure Sanctuary for our Spiritualist Above all, come and see us, brings you information on just Church, we aim to provide we welcome you to our some of them. facilities for the physical, Centre—we hope to see you mental, emotional and New for this Quarter, we have soon at 25 Palmerston Place, Ann Treherne Chairman of The Palmerston Trust spiritual well-being of Society, Creative Writing; Art Classes; or visit our website at: as a whole. an exciting new concert by the Www.25palmerstonplace.com For the Mind For the Body For the Spirit: A Centre for The Arts Yoga Religious Services “We aim to Art on display Tai Chi Spiritual Development provide facilities Meditation Spiritual Healing Art for sale for the physical, Mindfulness/Oneness Private Sittings Art Classes/workshops mental, emotional Massage Bi-Aura Therapy and spiritual well- Social events Holistic Therapies Reiki being of Society” Musical Concerts Acupuncture Demonstrations of Mediumship Talks/Lectures Reflexology Classes/Workshops Homeopathy Our Library Spiritual Counselling Herbalism Psychic Research & Weddings, Funerals & Investigations Shiatsu, and more! Naming Services Private Sittings - available everyday! The Sir Arthur Conan Doyle There are many different types Psychic, “Private Sittings Centre offers Private Sittings of Private Sittings available. for members of the public with See the list opposite to choose Spiritual, available with a range of Spiritual Mediums the one that best suits you: - Fiona Stewart- affiliated to the Centre and Aura Camera also with those visiting Tutors Sitting are usually for 30 mins Williams who are conducting Courses duration and cost £35. Aura soma, On Thursday, at the Centre. Aura Camera Readings cost Numerology, £40, due to the cost of the film 23rd May. Sittings are available daily at a required. Trance Communication time to suit you – just ring the Book now!” Gift Certificates are available Spiritual Assessment. Centre for an appointment for those who wish to give a Tel: 0131 625 0700 gift of a Private Sitting. Page 3 What’s On What’s on Weekly Day Time Class/Event Contact Details: Sunday 11.00 Divine Service of Worship All Welcome 12.45 Healing Service All Welcome. No charge but donations gratefully received. Monday 17.45 Pregnancy Yoga aditiyogacentre.com Tel: 0131 343 3334 18.00 Kundalini Yoga AquarianYoga.co.uk Tel: 07789 510193 19.00 Hatha Yoga : aditiyogacentre.com Tel: 0131 343 3334 19.30 Psychic Awareness Class All Welcome. [email protected] Tel: 07967 402590 Tuesday 12.30 Hatha Yoga Beginners aditiyogacentre.com Tel: 0131 343 3334 14.00 Baby Yoga aditiyogacentre.com Tel: 0131 343 3334 14.30 Trance Class with Frances Ryan Closed Class. By invitation only. Names taken for next class. 14.30 Group Meditation with Jane Hill To book your place Tel: 01875 835233 16.00 Kids Easter Drawing Club (starts 9th April) [email protected] Tel: 07956 059483 17.45 Hatha Yoga aditiyogacentre.com Tel: 0131 343 3334 19.15 Hatha Yoga Beginners aditiyogacentre.com Tel: 0131 343 3334 19.30 Mediumship Development www.ewanairvine.moonfruit.com 19.30 Mediumship Development [email protected] Tel: Wednesday 10.00 Art of Drawing on the Right (starts 24th April) [email protected] Tel: 07846 021 675 18.00 Hatha Yoga Beginners aditiyogacentre.com Tel: 0131 343 3334 18.00 Group Meditation Development www.ilovefgt.com Tel: 0131 337 1890 18.30 Spiritual Healing All welcome. No charge, but donations gratefully received. 18.30 Developing Drawing on the Right (24th April) [email protected] Tel: 07846 021 675 18.45 Brahma Kumaris Meditation [email protected] 19.00 Beginners Meditation www.ilovefgt.com Tel: 0131 337 1890 19.15 Pregnancy Yoga aditiyogacentre.com Tel: 0131 343 3334 19.30 Demonstration of Mediumship All Welcome. Entry Fee £3 at the door. 19.30 Mediumship Development Group (Closed Class. By Invitation Only) 20.00 Lotus Light Meditation www.ilovefgt.com Tel: 0131 337 1890 Thursday 14.00 Public Open Circle—All welcome Starts 4th April. Entry £3 at the door. All Welcome. 17.00 White Eagle Lodge Ranald Godfrey, Tel: 0131 441 7923 18.00 Kundalini Yoga AquarianYoga.co.uk Tel: 07789 510193 18.45 Tai Chi and Qi Gong Anne-Claire Nusillard [email protected] Tel: 07740 564 940 18.30 Art of Drawing on the Right (starts 25th April) [email protected] Tel: 07846 021 675 18.45 Brahma Kumaris Meditation [email protected] 19.30 Spiritual Development Class Jinty Dumble [email protected] Tel: 0131 538 1025 What’s On Page 4 Modern Mediumship Masterclass with Eamonn Downie 27&28 April Mediumship is ever evolving in harmony with eternal consciousness, therefore the accessing, presenting and phenomena of this craft evolves too, in order that we meet the desire of spirit and the spiritual needs of the public too. This weekend workshop will specifically focus on your own individual training/practitioner requirements to strengthen your skill base, as well as empower your self-confidence to align you with the power and beauty of contemporary mediumship phenomena. If you’ve been seeking instruction to be an exponent of quality mediumship, book now as places are limited. Filling Fast—Book your place now! Tel: 0131 625 0700 Price: £100 inc lunches. Perfecting the Message with Thelma Francis 2, 9, 23, 30 April Again, by popular demand, Thelma has returned to The Centre with her very successful, Mediumship Masterclass. She has entitled this session, Perfecting The Message, and these blocks of classes are designed for those Mediums who are conducting Private Sittings, and who are demonstrating on the platform. The first session in February focused on Private Sittings. This second session, in April, is on Demonstrating and the third session in October will pull all these elements together. The April sessions are of 4 evening classes between 7pm—9pm, and the last session in October is of 6 weeks duration. The cost of the April session is £10 per night, or £30 per block of 4 when purchased in advance.
Recommended publications
  • The Science of Mediumship and the Evidence of Survival
    Rollins College Rollins Scholarship Online Master of Liberal Studies Theses 2009 The cS ience of Mediumship and the Evidence of Survival Benjamin R. Cox III [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarship.rollins.edu/mls Recommended Citation Cox, Benjamin R. III, "The cS ience of Mediumship and the Evidence of Survival" (2009). Master of Liberal Studies Theses. 31. http://scholarship.rollins.edu/mls/31 This Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by Rollins Scholarship Online. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master of Liberal Studies Theses by an authorized administrator of Rollins Scholarship Online. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Science of Mediumship and the Evidence of Survival A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Liberal Studies by Benjamin R. Cox, III April, 2009 Mentor: Dr. J. Thomas Cook Rollins College Hamilton Holt School Master of Liberal Studies Winter Park, Florida This project is dedicated to Nathan Jablonski and Richard S. Smith Table of Contents Introduction ............................................................................................... 1 The Science of Mediumship.................................................................... 11 The Case of Leonora E. Piper ................................................................ 33 The Case of Eusapia Palladino............................................................... 45 My Personal Experience as a Seance Medium Specializing
    [Show full text]
  • “Spiritist Mediumship As Historical Mediation: African-American Pasts
    Journal of Religion in Africa 41 (2011) 330-365 brill.nl/jra Spiritist Mediumship as Historical Mediation: African-American Pasts, Black Ancestral Presence, and Afro-Cuban Religions Elizabeth Pérez, Ph.D. Dartmouth College, Department of Religion 305 !ornton Hall, Hanover, NH 03755, USA [email protected] Abstract !e scholarship on Afro-Atlantic religions has tended to downplay the importance of Kardecist Espiritismo. In this article I explore the performance of Spiritist rituals among Black North American practitioners of Afro-Cuban religions, and examine its vital role in the development of their religious subjectivity. Drawing on several years of ethnographic research in a Chicago-based Lucumí community, I argue that through Spiritist ceremonies, African-American participants engaged in memory work and other transformative modes of collective historiographical praxis. I contend that by inserting gospel songs, church hymns, and spirituals into the musical reper- toire of misas espirituales, my interlocutors introduced a new group of beings into an existing category of ethnically differentiated ‘spirit guides’. Whether embodied in ritual contexts or cul- tivated privately through household altars, these spirits not only personify the ancestral dead; I demonstrate that they also mediate between African-American historical experience and the contemporary practice of Yorùbá- and Kongo-inspired religions. Keywords African Diaspora, Black North American religion, historiography, Santería, Espiritismo, spirit possession Pirates of the Afro-Caribbean World Among practitioners of Afro-Cuban religions such as Palo Monte and Lucumí, popularly called Santería, Spiritist ceremonies are frequently celebrated. !is has been the case wherever these traditions’ distinct yet interrelated classes of spirits—including Kongo mpungus and Yorùbá orishas—have gained a foot- hold, particularly in global urban centers.
    [Show full text]
  • Automatic Writing by Sarah Tyler-Walters
    Automatic Writing by Sarah Tyler-Walters When we mention messages from Spirit most of us are familiar with the idea of these being spoken or delivered by a medium rather than in written form which gets sidelined for its flashier siblings. However, it is having a resurgence and rightly so. “What is it?” simply put it is communication from a Spirit through a medium in the form of written words (this can include drawings). Historically, even the use of an ouija board was thought to be a form of automatic writing. Though today we have a better understanding of the mechanics involved and can, therefore, be more accurate in the description; using Automatic Writing as an umbrella term. Spirit communication can come in pictures, sounds or feelings either via the mind as in Mental Mediumship or by blending with the energy system as in Trance/Physical Mediumship again two umbrella terms. Automatic Writing, therefore, has several levels to it, the lightest being Inspirational which uses the same techniques and mechanics as modern-day mediumship. The information is relayed from the Spirit through the upper chakra system into the mind and the medium then writes the information down. Then you have Channelled / Automatic which is done by the Spirit blending with the medium as for channelling or trance and moving the hand to write. The deepest level is Auto-script where the Spirit takes full control of the medium to write or draw, and there is no knowledge or memory of it by the medium. “What about your subconscious or ego?” Well yes, they can both write at the Inspirational level and often do when people are journaling for their own self- development.
    [Show full text]
  • King of the Paranormal
    King of the Paranormal CNN's Larry King Live has a long history of outrageous promotion of UFOs, psychics, and spiritualists. CHRIS MOONEY roadcast on CNN, the July 1, 2003, installment of Larry King Live was a sight to behold. The program, Bin Kings words, explored "the incredible events of fifty-six years ago at Roswell, New Mexico." What most likely crashed at Roswell in 1947 was a government spy bal- loon, but the panel of guests assembled on King's show pre- ferred a more sensational version of events. Jesse Marcel, Jr., son of a Roswell intelligence officer, claimed that just after the crash, his father showed him bits of debris that "came from another civilization" (Marcel 2003). Glenn Dennis, who worked at a Roswell funeral home at the time, said a military officer called him to ask about the availability of small caskets (i.e., for dead aliens). Later Dennis, obviously SKEPTICAL INQUIRER November/December 2003 a UFO enthusiast, abruptly observed that the pyramids in Roswell crash site. Doleman admitted to King rJiat his dig had Egypt had recently been "[shut down] for three or four days not yet yielded any definitive evidence, but added that the and no tourists going out there on account of the sightings" "results" of his analysis will air on Sci-Fi in October—as (Dennis 2003). opposed to, say, being published in a peer-reviewed scientific King's program didn't merely advance the notion that an journal (Doleman 2003). [See also David E. Thomas, "Bait alien spacecraft crashed at Roswell in 1947.
    [Show full text]
  • The Problem of Seth's Origin: a Case Study of the Trance-Possession Mediumship of Jane Roberts Paul Cunningham Rivier College
    Running head: THE PROBLEM OF SETH'S ORIGIN The Problem of Seth's Origin: A Case Study of the Trance-Possession Mediumship of Jane Roberts Paul Cunningham Rivier College Author Note Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Paul Cunningham, Department of Psychology, Rivier College, Nashua, NH 03055. E-mail: [email protected] Running head: THE PROBLEM OF SETH'S ORIGIN 2 Abstract Jane Roberts channeled the purported discarnate entity called "Seth" from 1963 through 1984. The purposes of this paper are to (a) discuss the question of whether the content of a mediumistic communication can aid in determining the source of that communication, (b) address a gap in the literature by presenting an outer history of the trance-possession mediumship of Jane Roberts, and (c) examine eight explanations for Seth's origin in light of the published evidence of the case, including fraud, cryptomnesia, hypnotic self-suggestion, incipient schizophrenia and dissociative identity disorder, high creativity, psi functioning, basic source Aspect, and energy personality essence. Either Seth is or is not a production of Jane Roberts' psyche. In either case, we are led to the possibility that human personality may have a greater reality and greater awareness than is generally supposed. Keywords: case study, mediums, mediumship, possession, trance, survival of consciousness, discarnate communication, content analysis. Running head: THE PROBLEM OF SETH'S ORIGIN 3 The Problem of Seth's Origin: A Case Study of the Trance-Possession Mediumship of Jane Roberts On December 8, 1963 an entity that called himself Seth emerged under the auspices of a ouija board to take possession of the body of a woman named Jane Roberts of Elmira, New York with the expressed purpose of dictating information about the nature of reality beyond the five senses in a trance-possession mediumship that lasted for 21 years.
    [Show full text]
  • Mediumship and the Economy of Luck and Fate: Contemporary Chinese Belief Trends Behind the Filmic Folklore
    http://dx.doi.org/10.7592/FEJF2016.65.bao MEDIUMSHIP AND THE ECONOMY OF LUCK AND FATE: CONTEMPORARY CHINESE BELIEF TRENDS BEHIND THE FILMIC FOLKLORE Huai Bao Abstract: This study explores the pen spirit, a mediumistic game simplified out of fuji, which is shown in a number of popular horror films in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). While Chinese literary works in the past often made reference to fuji as an ancient Chinese mediumistic ritual, the communist government has suppressed expressions on the supernatural in publications and official media, but not in films – at least not in the popular pen spirit series. What is a pen spirit? Why is it so popular in China, especially among Chinese youngsters? Is there a ‘cultural obsession’ among the Chinese with fate, luck, and divination? This study seeks to discover the evolution of the pen spirit and the socio-cultural psychological dimensions behind the phenomenon. Keywords: divination, economy of luck and fate, filmic folklore, fuji, medium- ship, supernatural INTRODUCTION In the past few years, a number of low-budget pen spirit thrillers have been released in the PRC with great box office outcome. These films may be classified as filmic folklore, a term coined by Juwen Zhang, which is defined as “a folklore or folklore-like performance that is represented, created, or hybridized in fictional film” (2005: 267). These films have been released and publicized by the media in the PRC largely due to their filmic folkloric nature. A 2014 news report on the lawsuit between some Beijing-based film production companies brought attention to the popularity of horror films featuring the pen spirit – a popular form of mediumship in China similar to the Ouija board in the West (more on Ouija board see Brunvand 1998 [1996]: 534).
    [Show full text]
  • Glossary of Spiritualist Terms and Techniques
    A PPENDIX A Glossary of Spiritualist Terms and Techniques automatic writing. A Spirit uses the medium’s hand to write replies to any number of questions posed; also practiced by amateurs as a way of strengthening their spiritual powers. As an added feature, a magic pencil sometimes floats. In such instances, the Spirits are asking the medium to begin writing. How it is done: The pencil hangs on thin metal or glass wires. clairgustance or clairlience. A taste or smell associated with the Spirit. For example, if you are trying to contact your mother, who was fond of gardening, a waft of rose water might be introduced. How it is done: aromatherapy. dermography, also known as skin writing. The Spirits literally write words or pictures on the medium’s flesh. How it is done: Invisible ink, likely lemon juice, is used. When held up to a candle, the ink grows increasingly visible. ectoplasm. A pale, filmy materialization of the soul, produced by the medium when in a trance state. Likely invented by Leah Fox (circa 1860). The last manifestation of ectoplasm seems to have taken place in 1939. Cambridge University has a sample; it looks and feels like cheesecloth or chiffon. Female mediums sometimes stuffed ectoplasm in their vaginas, necessitating strip- searches. See also soul and Spirit’s progress. lampadomancy. Flame reading. The messages might be conveyed by changes in flame intensity, color, or direction. How it is done: Chemicals can be added to a segment of the candle to make the flame flicker or change color. On the direction of the flame: a small hole in the table may allow 164 Glossary of Spiritualist Terms and Techniques for a flue to affect air- current.
    [Show full text]
  • I See Dead People: a Look at After-Death Communication
    CHRISTIAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE P.O. Box 8500, Charlotte, NC 28271 Feature Article: DD810 I SEE DEAD PEOPLE: A LOOK AT AFTER-DEATH COMMUNICATION by Marcia Montenegro This article first appeared in the Christian Research Journal, volume 25, number 1 (2002). For further information or to subscribe to the Christian Research Journal go to: http://www.equip.org SYNOPSIS Recent years have witnessed a revival of interest in contact with the dead. Much of this interest is due to the popularity of mediums such as John Edward, Sylvia Browne, and James Van Praagh. Edward and Van Praagh both have popular television shows, and all three have written best-selling books and have appeared on numerous talk shows. Several movies, such as the hit, The Sixth Sense, have also made spirit contact the theme of their stories. Sylvia Browne and James Van Praagh do not practice spirit contact in a vacuum; they have complex spiritual beliefs spelled out in their books and expressed on talk shows. While Edward claims to be Roman Catholic, Browne and Van Praagh have openly rejected orthodox Christianity and embraced a nonjudgmental God more tailored to New Age beliefs. Edward, Browne, and Van Praagh all have backgrounds that include heavy psychic experiences as well as research into the occult and psychic worlds. Skeptics have denounced these mediums and attempted to expose them as frauds. This raises questions: Are all mediums frauds, and can we be sure that they are? Is it possible that some mediums may be receiving information from a demonic source? Is the classification of mediums as frauds a helpful response? Despite seemingly being debunked by skeptics, mediums still generate strong interest.
    [Show full text]
  • THE DEVELOPMENT of AUTOMATIC WRITING and OCCULT PHILOSOPHY in the PISAN CANTOS Katrina Johnson Clemson University, [email protected]
    Clemson University TigerPrints All Theses Theses 5-2013 POUND'S OCCULTISM: THE DEVELOPMENT OF AUTOMATIC WRITING AND OCCULT PHILOSOPHY IN THE PISAN CANTOS Katrina Johnson Clemson University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_theses Part of the Arts and Humanities Commons Recommended Citation Johnson, Katrina, "POUND'S OCCULTISM: THE DEVELOPMENT OF AUTOMATIC WRITING AND OCCULT PHILOSOPHY IN THE PISAN CANTOS" (2013). All Theses. 1798. https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_theses/1798 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses at TigerPrints. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Theses by an authorized administrator of TigerPrints. For more information, please contact [email protected]. POUND’S OCCULTISM: THE DEVELOPMENT OF AUTOMATIC WRITING AND OCCULT PHILOSOPHY IN THE PISAN CANTOS A Thesis Presented to the Graduate School of Clemson University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts English by Katrina Elizabeth Johnson December 2013 Accepted by: Dr. Catherine Paul, Committee Chair Dr. Susan Hilligoss Dr. Angela Naimou i ABSTRACT The purpose of this thesis is to examine how occultism is a major influence within Pound’s writing as a result of his mentorship under Yeats from 1909-1916. Chapter One examines the connections between Pound’s time in London and his subsequent exposure to the occult. Alongside Yeats, Pound finds a use for his belief in the aristocracy of the arts through the occultist teachings of exclusivity and sharing of select knowledge. Chapter Two focuses on Pound’s development of the occult practice of automatic writing and its later use in The Pisan Cantos .
    [Show full text]
  • Virtual Spirituality: the Negotiation and (Re)-Presentation of Psychic-Spiritual Identity on the Internet
    Virtual Spirituality: The Negotiation and (Re)-Presentation of Psychic-Spiritual Identity on the Internet Tamlyn Ryan Submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy September 2012 Department of Sociology University of York Abstract This research is an examination of how people engaged in psychic and spiritual interests use the internet to participate as a group through social media. Exploring how individuals take advantage of the opportunities afforded by the internet to pursue their interest in psychic spirituality reveals different ways of participating and interacting online. The ways in which individuals present their psychic-spiritual selves online, how they negotiate their online identities and make sense of their culture, is also examined. Using an eclectic methodological approach, this research used a combination of ethnographic methods and autoethnography to explore online psychic-spiritual culture. Documentary analysis of website text and images, together with participant observation, both covert and overt, were used to examine websites. Facebook interaction and psychic readings in online discussion board forums based on psychic-spiritual interests were analysed using discourse analysis. Autoethnographic self-reflections were also collected and analysed in order to capture an intrapsychic perspective of psychic reading culture. It was found that psychic practitioners use their websites to communicate the message that they are credible psychic readers whilst Facebook was found to be a site in which, through a delicate interplay of activity and performance, identity is constructed through interaction between the psychic reader and their Facebook friends. Psychic-spiritual discussion board forums meanwhile are sites of situated learning in which learner psychic readers learn to become appropriate members of the psychic- spiritual milieu.
    [Show full text]
  • Def the Medium on the Stage
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Loughborough University Institutional Repository Simone Natale University of Torino, Italy 536 Rue Rose-de-Lima, H4C 2L4 Montreal – Quebec, Canada Email: [email protected] The medium on the stage: Trance and performance in nineteenth-century spiritualism Simone Natale University of Torino (Italy) Abstract Whilst historians of spiritualism have been eager to focus on its political and social implications, less attention has been given to the fact that spirit communication was also a matter of visual spectacle. This article aims to analyze spiritualist séances as a form of spectacular entertainment. Relying on a wide array of spiritualist sources, it argues that séances were not only meant as moments of religious and scientific inquiry, but also as a brilliant amusement where theatrical effects embellished an exciting shared experience. The intermingling of religion and entertainment can thus be seen as one of the defining characteristics of the spiritualist experience. After sketching the history of the presence of spiritualist mediums on the stage and discussing the involvement of professionalism in mediumship, the article will then focus on the trance as a specific performance strategy. It will examine how the trance combined issues of automatism, theatricality and absorption, and contributed to the coexistence in spirit séances of spectacular features and claims of authenticity. Keywords: spiritualism; trance; automatism; performance; stage magic. One afternoon in the 1880s, the spiritualist John Wetherbee and his two friends were uncertain about what to do, and looked over the list of local mediums performing that day: “'Well,' said they, after the civilities were over, 'what is there going on this afternoon? Where can we go and see something?' - meaning spiritual manifestations.
    [Show full text]
  • July Journal of the S.P.R
    April 2012] Explorations of the Features of Out-of-Body Experiences EXPLORATIONS OF THE FEATURES OF OUT-OF-BODY EXPERIENCES: AN OVERVIEW AND CRITIQUE OF THE WORK OF ROBERT CROOKALL by CARLOS S. ALVARADO ABSTRACT This paper overviews the work that geologist Robert Crookall published about out-of-body experiences (OBEs) during the 1960s and 1970s. Crookall presented hundreds of OBEs and analysed their features. His work was conducted to defend the existence of subtle bodies possessing different characteristics. Depending on the subtle body active in particular experiences, the OBE had specific characteristics. Furthermore, Crookall claimed to have identified basic recurrent features of the OBE, and he discussed factors that affected the content of OBEs such as the circum- stances surrounding their occurrence. A critique of Crookall’s work is presented, considering definition problems, the low number of cases, and misclassification of experiences. Furthermore, analyses of new data are presented to test Crookall’s findings. While there is some support for some of Crookall’s findings, analyses concerning his basic OBE features and the differences between natural and enforced experiences are not upheld by the empirical evidence. Regardless of methodological problems, this is a reminder of Crookall’s forgotten work and a recognition of his efforts to document the variety and complexity of OBE features. INTRODUCTION Among the most interesting aspects of out-of-body experiences (OBEs) are the features of the experience (Alvarado, 1997). This includes the variety of things people perceive and feel during the OBE, such as seeing the physical body, and going to other locations. Furthermore, studies of such topics include how these features may be related to other variables.
    [Show full text]