Consciousness, Speculation and Seeing the Un-see-able.

More and more I suspect that consciousness is far more complex, rich, and all pervasive than we can even conceive of. My feelings currently, lead me to say that not only is consciousness a part of everything, but that it functions on more levels and connects in more ways than we can process. We see such a small sliver of our existence. We see a very limited view, and we see it through our little bubble of self-awareness and ego. That is how we interact with this wonderful world, though. We need that ego, that sense of identity here to have this experience. I do believe it is not unlike playing a computer game. Our higher self, or whatever you want to call it, is the player, outside the computer, and in order to access the game we need an interface, which is the computer, or our brain, that allows us to live in cyberspace. The closer to virtual reality we get, the more accurate this description may be. I am not saying I think we are living in the matrix or a computer simulation, although I by no means rule it out. I am just using it as an analogy. The character you play in the game has limited information compared to what you do. Maybe, if we could construct a game where the character learns and your part is to guide it to what it needs to know and learn in order to get where it needs to go, that may be the best analogy to who we are here. Some players are good, some are not. Some can communicate to their character in ways that make it very clear to it what way to go. Synchronicities, signs, omens. Other players are asleep at the wheel, or just really bad at getting through to their characters. They become the materialists. The closed minded. And maybe that is part of the game, variations are needed to progress the world.

I look at the research being done on children who can recall past lives, and it seems that many of them died violent deaths. The same is said of haunted locales. The ghosts are the ones who died a violent death. Is there something about dying suddenly or violently that loses an ending process the rest go through? If you die in your sleep, peacefully, is there a transition that takes us back to that higher self? Maybe when you die violently, you stick around, you want to play again, so you haunt if you were really attached here, or you just want to reset and try again. These are not beliefs on my part, just some idle speculation. Maybe the reason some children remember past lives is because they didn’t process things properly because of the way they died. I can hold a decent amount of doubt about hypnotically regressed past lives. Hypnosis is unreliable, and once you’ve lived more than a few years, you really don’t know what information you have been exposed to subconsciously. Our brains seem to work as a filter as much as anything else. Takes in 100%, shows you .0001%. Shows you what is important or what fits your belief system. It’s a tool; you have to train it otherwise by breaking patterns and habits. Then it shows you more. Then you start to see the shadows, not just the light. Children, though, there are some very good cases where there is no way the child could have reasonably known what they know, especially at such young ages. Even training from parents can’t explain it, if they were attempting a hoax. These kids seem to be recalling very specific, detailed information. They seem to show genuine emotion about the events they recall. And sometimes those past lives have been found and information verified. It takes one, just one, to be genuine. I think we have far more than that. Which then begs for an explanation. I honestly can think of only a few possibilities. One, and most likely, is that it was their past life. I think Occam’s Razor points there. It simply is what it seems to be. It may also be, that consciousness, working like an all-encompassing field, allows one to access it and focus in on one specific part. Maybe that is what happens, these kids, not yet trained in the ways of this world, focus in on a life, recorded in that field, and attach themselves to it. I think this is less likely, and I am hard pressed to come up with any other good possibilities. We can’t dismiss them, well you can, but that would not be intellectually honest. If even one is genuine, that is all you need. I think there are plenty of genuine cases. Maybe it’s that computer user communicating information about their past character In the game, intentionally or not.

I heard someone say on Coast to Coast a couple months ago, that consciousness is just in the brain, we know this, the science is finished on it. Really? Well, there is a headline, when exactly did science PROVE, beyond any doubt or further possible study, that consciousness is just in the brain? Right, never. I think the first key to knowing someone has an agenda or dogma present, has to be when one says, the science is finished. By its nature, that is never true. There is always more to learn. It’s been said many times in the past, Charles Fort used to make fun of that claim back in the early 1900’s when, I believe, The Royal Academy of Sciences said science was complete. I could be wrong about the institution, it’s been a while since I’ve read his books. They said this, while still saying that rocks couldn’t fall from the sky. I think that anytime someone says the science is complete, they automatically lose credibility. You hear it in debates about evolution, about global warming, about consciousness. I think that, if anything, cutting edge science is actually proving that consciousness is NOT just in the brain. Taking an honest look at scientific studies of PSI, they statistically prove that it exists. Debunkers, with no knowledge of statistics, and an agenda, claim they are unimpressive. They are not. They are solid science that consciousness can access data from outside in ways that are not understood. One of the most common points I hear made is this, if you get knocked out, you’re out. When you regain consciousness, you realize you didn’t continue to exist while knocked out. Well now, sounds reasonable. Proves nothing, especially when you realize that you have many dreams every night, yet remember very few, some remember none. Does that mean they were not there? No. If you character gets knocked out in the game, your higher consciousness is unaffected, your user is still there, but unable to influence the character in the game. The same with brain damage. This is also cited as proof that consciousness is in the brain and only in the brain. But again, if your computer has issues, or your game character has some damage, it doesn’t affect the user. Your higher self is still intact. In another way of looking at it, you drive your car. If the car blows a break line and you can’t stop it, does that prove that the driver is the car? It makes as much sense as saying that brain damage proves that consciousness is a side effect of the brain. Neither thing is proof. The brain is more likely an interface, not a generator of consciousness. It is the vehicle we use.

Let’s take it a step further. When we look at paranormal phenomena, let’s say UFO’s, we see that they somewhat conform to our expectations. Kenneth Arnold saw flying V shaped craft. Boomerang like. The press called them Flying Saucers. Later, actual saucers were seen. Does that mean these sightings were false, or, are people seeing something that has no definitive form to us? We put it on the phenomena. Monster sightings may be more of the same. Something is there, and until it has a form, descriptions may vary, but the more that see it, the more it defines itself, using our conscious expectations. People are certainly seeing something in the skies, on the ground, and elsewhere, that defy easy explanation. Sure, there are misidentifications, and hoaxes, and such, but there are simply too many strange encounters by reputable people, sometimes with a level of evidence as well, to dismiss them all. And what about that evidence? It never lives up to what it is expected to be. That pancake from the flying saucer? All normal ingredients, although rather unpleasant to taste for some reason. A hoaxer would have tried to make it exotic, not simple and bad tasting. These things may be an intrusion into our reality of something that needs our conscious expectations to give it form that we can interact with. We may see a flying saucer or bigfoot, but what is really there is much stranger to us, so much so we can’t see it’s actual form with our limited senses and perception.

To take this even further, all of reality may function like this. In the last few decades the idea that if you want something enough you can cause it to happen with a sort of magical wish fulfillment is likely complete nonsense, but on a deeper level, we may draw to us what we need. As individuals, families, towns, etc. Consciousness may bring out that which needs to happen, which may occasionally be what we want to happen. It’s kind of like saying, if you want your wish to come true, make the right wish. Our users, out there beyond the game, may be able to control the environment we are in. And maybe there are users above them, and they are consciousness of the group, the family, town, planet, etc. Go deep enough, and maybe you can interact with them, make some requests, have a subtle amount of influence. Work some Magick. Isn’t that what most Magick and ritual is all about in the end? Affecting the unseen. Tweaking the hidden structure. Accessing the deep consciousness that pervades everything. It’s rich and complex, and we can’t understand it. Our brains are very limited devices. Eventually we’ll get an upgrade. Maybe as a reward for a certain level of success here. World peace, for real, and everyone get booted up level and we have all new challenges. Doesn’t look very hopeful right now if that is the case. I think it’s important to watch for those hints from our Higher Selves. I find life gets much easier the more you can see. Is that an illusion? I doubt it, but even if it is, the result is positive, so why change it? There’s no real way to know. If it works for you, use it! It’s a matter of faith. Not religious faith, not belief in a deity or dogma, but faith that if you listen, the universe will guide you. Subtly but effectively. We are made of consciousness. It’s in everything, everywhere. This can’t be proven, but to some of us, it is very hard to not see.

Book Review: Beyond Area 51 by Mack Maloney

Beyond Area 51 by Mack Maloney

Love this book. I was skeptical coming in with the title and cover, figuring it was going to be an unfounded, the government has aliens and is hiding them, working with them, etc. Instead I found a grounded, fact based, analysis of different hidden bases around the globe. Some speculation here and there, but the author also goes into showing you how some of these myths spread.

Chapter 5, which deals with the nonsense around the Dulce base in New Mexico starts by created a narrative based on all the stuff you can find online about what is going on there. Judging by the amazon reviews, a few people stopped there not realizing the narrative was not serious. I admit, it threw me for a moment, but he then goes on to tell you exactly how all this came about and possibly why. He looks around the world at all the very strange locales that you can find military bases in. At no point does Mack seriously suggest that aliens are among us, or that these bases are hiding such things. He goes by the facts, through and through. He shows the process of myth making and disinformation. It's a fascinating read.

It's also a quick, enjoyable read. Another one that I found hard to put down. There were a bunch of things in this book I was not familiar with, and that is always a nice surprise. At almost 300 pages, it goes by way too fast. If you are looking for conspiracies and aliens, this is not for you. It does however. deal with some very unusual UFO reports, and some of it is very, very strange. If you want someone who follows and reports the facts, pick this one up! 

Mack's Website: http://mackmaloney.wordpress.com/

Book Review: Mountain of the Dead: The Dyatlov Pass Incident by Keith McCloskey

Mountain of the Dead: The Dyatlov Pass Incident by Keith McCloskey

The Dyatlov Pass Incident is a true mystery. Something happen in 1959 to a group of skiers in the Ural Mountains that defies any kind of easy explanation. All 9 were found dead, after fleeing their tent that night, slashing their way out, with no supplies and unprepared for the excessive cold outside. They were experienced at this type of camping, and why they would do this is beyond puzzling. They all died of hypothermia, some with even more puzzling injuries. So what happened to them? Keith McCloskey does a fantastic job in laying out their final days. He paints a picture of the Soviet Union at that time, and their trip up the mountain. You get a feel for who these people were and the environment they were living in. He then gets down to describing how they were found, and the condition and location of the bodies. It’s a hard to put down book. Keith attempts to give ample voice to the various theories and take things apart to examine the facts thoroughly. At no point does he claim to have a complete solution, nor does he ignore evidence. He presents what we know, how we know it, and possibilities. He does have his own thoughts on the matter, of course, which he expresses, but not in a way that feels like he is stating the definitive last word by any means. If you are new to this mystery or not, this is the book you want to read. Unnerving, fascinating, and just an overall good read. Highly recommended.

Keith's website: www.keithmccloskey.com.

Website for the book: www.dyatlov-pass-incident.com

You can hear my interview with Keith here.

Book Review: The Chaos Conundrum by Aaron John Gulyas

The Chaos Conundrum by Aaron John Gulyas

This is an interesting, if a touch too short, book. Aaron approaches the topic of the paranormal from a unique and personal level. He takes a very grounded approach in analyzing the paranormal, UFO’s, and the culture around it. He pulls back the curtain on some of the more absurd elements of the fringe. His view of ghosts is refreshing, his telling of his own experiences amusing, and his dissecting of the UFO Phenomenon’s stranger personalities is enlightening. He explores perspective, and the effect of language and translation on our view of things. He tackles the strange world of Exopolitics, and even gives Roswell a knock around. Although short, there is a lot packed into the 130 or so pages here. This is an easy, enjoyable read, and so very different from the majority of what is out there dealing with the paranormal and connected subjects. Sometimes subtle, but always relevant. Highly recommended. 

Book Review: The Ghost Rockets by Micah Hanks

The Ghost Rockets: Mystery Missiles and Phantom Projectiles in our Skies by Micah Hanks

Micah has done a wonderful job of focusing on an aspect of phenomenon that no one has properly dealt with in the past. Parts have been mentioned by such notable authors as John Keel, but Keel only dealt with small aspects of the whole phenomenon. Likely, there are many causes to the cases and events that Micah outlines in this book, and he presents many possibilities. 

The book starts off with what Keel focused on, the Ghost Rockets over Sweden at the end of WWII, and what they may or may not have been. These missiles were seen often, and no adequate explanation yet exists. After exploring other cases around the world, Micah moves on to the Cold War era, and some cases which may have been real missiles or rockets but covered up for political reasons. Also included are cases of anomalous rockets being seen. 

After this we move on to the more modern era, and especially the missiles seen in connection with TWA Flight 800. He also explores other similar cases from the same area before and after the main event. Near the end of the book, he deals with ways that these events are recorded officially, and speculates about what some of the explanations may be. At the end of the book, he compiles a chronological list of sightings from post WWII to present. 

Overall a very well written book, exploring an aspect of anomalous phenomenon that is interesting and under investigated, both in the UFO community and outside of it.

Book Review: The Other Side of Truth by Paul Kimball

The Other Side of Truth:

The Paranormal, The Art of the Imagination, and the Human Condition

by Paul Kimball

Above all, this was a fun book to read. Paul is a good storyteller, and can flesh out his experiences and theories in a very entertaining way. This is not about hard science and proving the paranormal. This is about experiences, and the bigger picture. Throughout this book, you get to know Paul a bit. His personality shines through, and he is not shy with his opinions. The essence of the idea here is that the paranormal, in it's many facets, is a work of art of a higher intelligence. That may sound a bit odd, but as you read through, and Paul clarifies what he means by art, it makes more and more sense. In this sense, art is communication. Paul covers ghosts, UFO's, shadow people, synchronicity, alternate universes, the observer effect, reincarnation, and much more. It all kind of interweaves. 

Paul discusses his TV show, Ghost Cases, and suggests that ghosts are not what the general consensus believes. He has some pretty fascinating experiences, and you get to follow through his mindset and how it leads to this bigger idea. Throughout it all, you will also get a bit of more obscure history thrown in here and there. He covers an array of synchronicities that happened to him over a short period of time, and what it meant to him. Interpretation is key in the paranormal. And this is a fresh and thought proving way to view it. There is a chapter on time travel, for example, that serves as much as anything, as a thought experiment, and suggests some new ideas. 

Overall, if you are interested in the paranormal, and have a somewhat open mind, pick up this book. You will likely enjoy it. If nothing else, it may get you thinking about things in a different way.

Also check out my interview with Paul Kimball on Where Did the Road Go? from April 20, 2013...

Book Review: Whitley Strieber "Communion" 1987

Communion: A True Story was one of the two books back in the late 80's that brought the face of the grey alien into popular culture. Strieber took a lot of heat for his story, from both sides of the tracks. Believers in the Extra-Terrestrial Hypothesis attacked him for claiming that he didn't believe that was necessarily the answer, and, of course, the closed minded skeptical community attacked him for suggesting that something like this may be real. 

For the record. I believe his story. I believe he is telling the truth as he knows it. I read this originally back when it came out, and felt that after 20 years, I should re-read it and see how I felt about it from my current perspective. My feelings haven't changed. This was an important book. It made people more comfortable about talking about their own experiences. Whitley approaches this with common sense and skepticism. He spends a lot of time trying to see if his experiences were somehow caused by hallucinations or medical issues, like temporal lobe epilepsy, which they were not. Even at this early point, though, he realizes that dealing with the UFO Phenomenon, literally challenges our view on what reality is. As I read this, I got the feeling of someone painting a painting, representing their normal life, while all the while another painting was being painted underneath, and only a crack reveals it's existence. And as that crack is widened, more of the painting underneath, this hidden world, comes into awareness. It was always there, and we have no idea how it got there without us knowing. It's disturbing. And enlightening. If you are interested in the paranormal and have never read this classic piece of work, you should. It is as valid today as when it was published. It is pure, straight to the point, and free of any kind of agenda. As Whitley takes your through his awaking into what happened to him, you can feel what an impact it had on him. As strange as it all may sound, I am sure it was 1000 times worse for him. 

I do plan on reading, at very least, Transformation again as well, as I think that had even more of an impact on me than this did. Hopefully, I will also eventually have Whitley on my new radio show, Where Did the Road Go?, which, if you are reading this blog, you should really be checking out.

Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura: Skinwalker

I like Jesse Ventura. Until today, I have never watched an episode of his Conspiracy Theory show. Having read "Hunt for the Skinwalker", and having been very impressed by the work, I was eager to watch this show on the ranch featured in the book. Wow, was this a disappointment on a number of levels. This is the type of thing that gives conspiracy theories their bad name. For one, the book, which is quite detailed, is never mentioned. Nor is the scientist that wrote it, who spent 100's of days on the ranch mentioned or interviewed. Instead we get a setup implying a mystery that doesn't really exist. Really, I would say this is the biggest pile of nonsense that I have heard in quite some time. 

Robert Bigelow is rich. He owns the Skinwalker Ranch, and was the power behind the scientific investigation that went on there. He is also, which he openly admits, fascinated by UFO's. If you read the Skinwalker book, you will find that it has little to do with Flesh and Blood, Nuts and Bolts ET's, and more to do with something we simply do not have a concept for at this point. One of Bigelow's top people is interviewed about the ranch and pretty much says that very thing. They don't believe him. Why? Welll, for one, they clearly haven't done their research. They keep asking what is going on with the ranch. Hey, read the damned book and you will see what is going on with the ranch. Or does that not make good TV? They question why Bigelow would want to launch a space station, which he is in the process of doing. Why wouldn't someone who is fascinated with space want to build a space station if they had the power to do so? Why are they making this sound nefarious? There really is no good reason for it. Jesse outright asks a woman representing MUFON if she thinks Bigelow's backers are ET's, and they stop to cut to commercial before she answers. In fact, they never play her answer, but it may leave one with the impression that she said yes because of the way they cut it. They talk to Bigelow himself and he seems like a genuine and pleasant individual, who is interested in UFO's. They even go so far as to suggest that ET's helped him get the couple modules he already has in orbit up there... What? He used earthly technology to launch them, and we know that, why would they even make that claim? 

This show was a massive insult to my intelligence. I suppose, though, if you don't know much about the subject, they may seem like they are onto something, and that is dangerous unto itself. When you read between the lines, you see that they have nothing, they are building upon rumors that can't be substantiated. In fact, they built a whole show on nonsense, with little to no actual research. Hell, Bigelow, with an admitted interest in UFO's, has for his company logo the face of a grey ET. They view this as proof he may be working with them. Now let's think about this. If you were hiding something like working with ET's, would you use their face as your logo? Not likely. If you were interested in the subject, would you? Yes. Bigelow seemed to be exactly what he seems to be. A guy that is interested in the UFO Phenomenon, who wants to continue moving us up to and exploring space, and this show vilified him. Despite there being a comprehensive book written by one of the scientists who worked on the ranch, they never mention it, nor show that they have any knowledge the book exists. What does that say for their research quality? Instead, they interview people saying that an alien invasion is imminent. Bigelow once made a comment about people being killed in relation to the UFO phenomenon. When asked about this, he states that he was referring to a fairly well known case in Brazil. However, people they talk to here say it referred to the Skinwalker Ranch. Why? Because they want it to, I guess, they really have nothing to support such an assertion. 

I will probably watch some of the other episodes of this that I have DVR's this season, but as a first exposure, this was a ridiculous joke. I am severely disappointed in the show, and Jesse Ventura himself for being a part of this mess. Poorly researched and espousing nonsense theories with no supporting evidence. This is why the term Conspiracy Theory gets looked down upon. 

And for anyone that is interested in the actual story of the ranch, read the book. It is a fantastic piece of work.

Chasing UFO's

As I am watching Chasing UFO’s on National Geographic, I find myself feeling much the same way I do about any shows of this nature. Lots of filler, no real substance. The current episode is entitled Alien Baby Farm. They are investigating some pretty interesting footage of an unknown object spewing out a line of other unknown objects, that was captured by two different people in two different locations. The footage looks genuine. They go down to Mexico City, where it was shot, and talk to the two witnesses. I would say, both witnesses have more sense about them than any of the people doing this show. They both referred to the object as possibly organic, like it was alive. And the second person pointed out that more UFO’s are seen when the volcano is active just outside the city. Now, this brings to mind the work of Paul Devereux, books like, for example, Earth Lights Revelation: Ufo's and Mystery Lightform Phenomena : The Earth's Secret Energy Force where he presents his evidence that UFO’s appear more often along fault lines than anywhere else. Andrew Collins also seems to be onto this idea with his latest work, LightQuest: Your Guide to Seeing and Interacting with UFOs, Mystery Lights and Plasma Intelligences. It seems like what the second witness was indicating is that volcanic activity may be a factor, instead our crack team goes with the idea that extra-terrestrials are visiting the volcano for some reason and set off to explore the volcano. So we get some nice shots of them hiking over a beautiful area and such, but really, this has nothing to do with the video at hand. Then we jump to another quite interesting video. But... what happened to working with the footage that they started with? Were those the only two witnesses?

On another episode, Alien Castaways, we see them investigating what they are calling a South American Roswell. Well, sure, considering Roswell was not a crashed UFO, this seems like a good comparison. Andrew Collins does a good job of debunking Roswell in his above book, as has John Keel for a few decades now. This 'investigation' really goes nowhere. They talk to a bunch of people and run around in the woods a bit. The 100,000 witnesses that supposingly seeing aliens run around down there, don't seem to be available for interview. The one group of women they do interview, seem very genuine, and likely had a real experience. It was, however, completely detached from any UFO sighting or crash. At the very end they decide to look at the photo that got them interested in the case, and oh, they realize it's a fake. Shouldn't they have done that first? There was no investigation, really, and at the end they had NOTHING to show for going down there.

These shows are not about the paranormal. This is what these big media outlets THINK that people want to see. You get the same formula on Ghost Hunters, Chasing UFO's, Destination Truth, etc. It's all about the people running around and usually making fools of themselves. Oh, and lets cut to commercial just when it seems like something major is happening, only to come back to reveal that it's absolutely nothing. Personally, the only show I think this formula works on is Ghost Adventures, or at least I find it amusing rather than aggravating. Here they make the people very two dimensional, you have three people here, one is a skeptic, one a true believer, and the other somewhere in between. Same formula as on UFO Hunters, and rarely are people like that in real life. James Fox, one of the main people on this show, does not seem to be so simple. I heard of this show from an interview he did on Coast to Coast AM, and at first wasn't sure what to make of him. By the end of the interview, I was mostly impressed with his open mindedness and intelligence. Watching this pile of crap, though, I find it hard to believe it's the same guy. In his defense, he did post to his facebook wall that he, himself, was very upset about the way the show turned out. This is what he wrote;

James Fox  I know how disappointed all of you are. I am too. It’s not the show that was sold to both myself and scientist Ben.

Two months into it, we were off to a great start; good locations, solid witnesses and some opportunities for Ben to apply his field research as a geologist at some crash sites. Very exciting stuff. Unfortunately, when we actually got out in the field we began to realize that they were more interested in poking around a night then allocating the time necessary during the day as apparently (so we were told) Americans love watching others sneak around at night from the comfort of their couches. Ben and I reluctantly played along…and it wasn’t always bad. We really set up field maps and surveillance at the Roswell crash site (with a slew of high tech gear) and ran out of daylight.

As it was in the middle of no-where we all decided to work through the night and did find something…there were other cases in the show where when witnesses claimed to see strange lights appear in certain areas and that too made some sense for us to go out at night…but for the most part it was gratuitous night time boloney. As far as the title, it was UFO Investigations until they switched it to Chasing UFOs after it was all shot and edited. So with a lack of control in the field and zero in post the show is what it is.

Having said that, all my previous works are circulating Nat Geo headquarters and I’ve been influencing and establishing contacts in the mainstream (middle america mainstream) and will continue to do so and I will only return if I’m on as a producer all the way through to the end. Will it ever be I Know What I Saw or Leslie’s great work…? No, but I’ll do my best to make is a credible while entertaining as possible (as that’s most important to Nat Geo). I promise I’ll either quit or change my position within the show because at least I can make it all make some sense. The show does get a bit better further down the road but not a lot.

Please bare with me a bit longer as I’ve jumped into the lions den to see what I could do from the inside. My credibility and reputation has, deservedly, taken a serious hit but know that I’m hoping to come out with an opportunity that otherwise would;'t have presented itself. Fingers crossed. James

So, at least he sees the problem. Overall, I wouldn't recommend to anyone serious about the subject that they waste their time on this series. It's not that entertaining, and really, aside from the Travis Walton interview (in the episode Abducted in Arizona I believe) and a few good videos, hasn't really been worth a damn. I think this is meant to entertain people who really don't know much about the subject, and who like reality shows. Lets hope that James and company do something more worthwhile in the future. 

Near Death, UFO's, and The Rethinking of Reality...

“I believe there is an perichoresis, an interpenetration. It is possible, indeed, that we three are now sitting among desolate rocks, by bitter streams.

…And with what companions?”

- Arthur Machen

When most people think of Near Death Experiences, they think of a tunnel of light, meeting heavenly beings, etc. A good number of people also think it’s bullshit. Those are the people who have never actually researched the subject. Does a NDE prove life after death? No. Absolutely not. However it is a genuine mystery that a few brave scientists over the years may have finally made some headway into.

Make no mistake NDE’s are a joke among conventional scientists, not because there is nothing to them, but because they fall into that fringe that they stay far away from. That fringe starts to unravel accepted theories, and is really just inconvenient. So the mainstream scientists stay far away. There are however, doctors who often starting out as skeptical, eventually admit that there seems to be something to the experiences. Michael Sabom wrote a book back in the late 90's called, Light and Death about a particular case that can’t be explained by accepted theories. But this case is not unique, often people who are dead on the operating table find themselves hovering over their bodies and can describe in detail what was happening on the operating table, or in other rooms nearby. The standard explanation for this is that they are just hearing it and their brains are making up the rest. There was a cardiologist, whose name escapes me at the moment, who after hearing numerous stories of NDE’s, and being completely skeptical, decided to mount his own study. What he did was this, over the coarse of a year or so, every patient he worked on was asked to fill out a questionnaire. Said document asked IF the person had a NDE, as well as questions about what happened during the procedure. What he discovered after many 100’s of patients was interesting, and turned him away from being a skeptic (a common thing for cardiologists who actually do any research on the subject). He found that, as we already knew, not everyone who died had a NDE. BUT, he also discovered that some people who did not die, and weren’t even near death, DID have a NDE. He also found that the people who had NDE’s could describe in clear and precise detail what was happening in the operating room, not just conversations, but actions, tools, etc. The people who did not have NDE’s, also filled out this portion, and he found that what they thought was happening could not have been more wrong. This disproved the idea that people were just making up what was happening in the operating room or just dreaming about it. Every indication is that these people were seeing what was going on in the room, even when all brain activity had ceased. There is, of course, also the famous story of the woman who, while having a NDE, floated out of the operating room, was able to recount a conversation, that was verified, happening in the waiting room, and then finally floated outside the building. In the last part, she saw a red shoe sitting on the ledge. When she woke up and told the doctor about it, she decided to check it out. She went to where the shoe was supposed to be, and sure enough, there it was, just as described. What was more, the shoe was not in a location anyone would have been able to casually see it.

All of this, however, does not say anything about an afterlife, what it displays is the probability that consciousness can move without the body. Now that we have established certain facts about NDE’s, we have to look at other research.

There were studies done at a certain point using Ketamine, and it was shown that under certain conditions, the drug could create visions similar to NDE’s. The problem with this, however, is that there is no known mechanism for the body to create Ketamine naturally. This did not stop various skeptics from latching on to the theory that somehow Ketamine explained away NDE’s. After all, when your only goal is to dismiss something, and you have already made up your mind, any explanation will do. Skeptics don’t use facts, they use belief. The very people who did the study said that they did not believe that this explained NDE’s in any way. Yet it was sighted repeatedly as the solution to NDE’s.

On the other hand, Dr. Rick Strassman, who was the only doctor since the 70’s allowed to do research on hallucinatory drugs, found that DMT, which is naturally occurring in the human body, also created experiences similar to NDE’s. Not exact, but he theorized that the circumstances may also be a factor, and that we don’t know what a natural release of DMT may do. Some of the experiencers also reported encounters very similar to alien abduction scenarios. He was not prepared for any of this, and after years of research he finally concluded that DMT didn’t cause hallucinations, per se. He felt that what was more likely happening was that DMT was re-tuning the brain, allowing consciousness to interact with a different reality. He termed our reality, channel normal, comparing the re-tuning to a TV set. In his book, DMT: The Spirit Molecule: A Doctor's Revolutionary Research into the Biology of Near-Death and Mystical Experiences, he shows, in detail, why he doesn’t feel that what people were experiencing on DMT were mere hallucinations. There was too much consistency between trips, and between the patients. Hallucinations simply don’t work like that.

But this makes a strange connection, that of alien abductions and NDE’s. Oddly enough, Dr. Kenneth Ring made the same connection back in his 1992 book, The Omega Project: Near-Death Experiences, Ufo Encounters, and Mind at Large. Originally, Dr. Ring’s research was into the NDE. In this book, he expanded his research to not only explore the after effects of the Near Death Experience, but also to explore the alien abduction phenomenon. What he found was stunning, and rather confusing. He found that the aftereffects of both experiences had similar effects on the experiencer. Dr. Ring identified various value and belief changes associated with people who have had either experience. Some of these changes in personality involve having a greater appreciation for live, higher self-esteem, more compassion, a better understanding of life, as well as a sense of purpose, a desire to learn new things, an increase in spirituality (do not confuse this with religion), and many other things, including a raising of IQ. On the other hand both experiences can also create negative effects, where people have trouble dealing with the experience and life afterwards. But what stands out in this research, aside from the similarities, are the verifiable changes in the people who experience these things. Hallucinations do not cause core changes in a person, these experiences do. The late John Mack also dealt, on the abduction side, with these personality changes in great detail. He was, of course, ostracized for even attempting to study such a field. Again, his research confirms what Dr. Ring discovered. That there are changes to the individual, and that both experiences seem to have some common core.

One of the things that Dr. Strassman did not find, were any kind of long lasting personality changes in the individual. It is possible, however, that the amount of DMT, or the setting may have been to blame. Or maybe DMT is not the catalyst. But there is more.

As I said at the start, not everyone who dies has a Near Death Experience. This would seem to be a puzzle. On explanation may be, that only some remember it. Like dreams. Everyone dreams. Everyone. However, it is not hard to find people who rarely or never remember their dreams, or who believe they do not dream. Dreaming is also an altered state of consciousness, so perhaps there is a connection. Dr. Ring’s research led him to the idea of the Encounter Prone Personality. The EPP is someone who is more likely to have a paranormal experience. Could this be connected to DMT? Dr. Strassman wonders the same thing. Could it be that some people have more DMT running through their systems than others. Or maybe some people’s bodies create DMT more easily, then allowing them to access another reality. It could even be an environmental factor that sets it off. Consider that UFO sightings often happen in flaps, or flap areas. Paul Devereux has his Earth Lights theory (Earth Lights Revelation: Ufo's and Mystery Lightform Phenomena : The Earth's Secret Energy Force), which shows that such lights, perhaps generated by the Earth itself, happen most often along fault lines. All of these things may be connected. The same mechanism that causes Earth Lights, may have an effect on certain people, whose brains then release a dose of DMT, allowing them to access another world, or have an alien abduction experience, whatever it really is. This theory seems rather effective. There is only one problem. There are many UFO encounters with physical evidence. Granted never enough to fully claim the UFO Phenomenon as real to many people, but take for instance, there was a UFO landing case, where the witnesses watched a bright object come down and land in their woods. They went out to investigate. When they got there, it shot off and disappeared. It broke some of the tree limbs, and left a white circle on the floor of the forest. The mother of the group, reached out and touched the circle, and lost all feeling in her hand. It never returned. The area where the circle was is now, still, dead, decades later. Nothing can grow there. What does this prove? Nothing but that something odd happened. There are enough of these cases, enough radar traces, and other tantalizing pieces of evidence to rule out a purely mental phenomenon. At the same time, there is no evidence that UFO sightings like this are in any way extra-terrestrial. What they are is a total mystery.

I could go on for days about examples to back up all of the above. What it boils down to, though, is that there is more going on here than we currently can comprehend. A Near Death Experience may have nothing to do with what actually happens when we die, any more than UFO’s looking like saucers mean they come from outer space. They may have more to do with each other than most suspect. There is a legitimate mystery here, and one that may need a complete reorganization of our view of reality to even begin to process.

One take could be this. These experiences allow us access to another world. Another dimension. Under the right circumstances, we can interact and access that world. The above DMT theory would allow for this to happen. However, the inhabitants of that world, may also be able to come here, maybe not fully, but just enough to create the type of odd UFO sightings and such that occur, occasionally leaving puzzling evidence. This would account for all the evidence. It is not currently provable, and may be completely wrong, but at least it takes everything into account.

Lets look at one more piece of the puzzle. In his book Supernatural: Meetings with the Ancient Teachers of Mankind, Graham Hancock suggests that the alien abduction scenario, the fairies and elves of the past, and shamanic experiences are all of the same ilk. Jacques Vallee had previous, in Passport to Magonia: On UFOs, Folklore, and Parallel Worlds, and DIMENSIONS: A Casebook of Alien Contact, shown the link between fairies, UFO’s, Fatima, and more. Graham goes a bit further and shows how the ancient cave paintings are not of hunted animals, but of shamanic journeys. All of these factors collide to create a rich and varied picture. Vallee shows that this phenomenon, whatever it truly is, has been with us throughout history. Graham adds into the picture the Shamanic element, which then aligns with the DMT research. When all is said and done, we are looking at something that has interacted with and been of part of the foundation of mankind throughout time. Some, like John Keel, feel that this phenomenon may not have our best wishes at heart. Mack and Hancock show that with bad experiences, growth comes, so maybe what Keel sees as dangerous, may eventually be beneficial. Or maybe, like us, some of what is there is helpful and some is not.

So let us look again at the NDE, in this new light. What do we know? Well, the out of body experiences suggest that consciousness is not confined to the body, and MAY survive death. It does not, however, necessarily show us what death is like. This reminds me though, of another strange connection between the UFO phenomenon and NDE’s. One of the common elements of the NDE is meeting of dead relatives when they go towards or reach the light. There have been numerous abduction accounts of people on ‘ships’ meeting dead relatives aboard. Whether or not these are their actual dead relatives in either case, is an open question, but the appearance of said factor in UFO accounts is very strange. Whatever is happening has a common factor. The experiences may be different, but yet, not so much at times. The other interesting thing is the personality changes that NDE and UFO experiencers have. As mentioned above, a simple hallucination does not cause this, nor does the DMT doses that were given by Strassman. I find the raise in IQ especially interesting, as being dead should not expand your intelligence, if anything, one would think small amounts of brain damage would likely be more common. Current science can not explain any of this. Nor will it even address the subjects. Death may have nothing to do with NDE’s, but the near death state may open up doors in some people.

It is easy for the skeptic to dismiss this data, they will never accept it anyways, so proving anything to skeptics is pointless. They have made up their minds. Luckily, there are those open minded skeptics, who are willing to do open and honest research and not dismiss things out of hand. It is because of these people that we may have finally reached something NEW about these types of experiences. For the foreseeable future, I suppose we will all find out when we do die. What happens will happen. I often wonder how these closed minded skeptics (and atheists for that matter) react when they die and their consciousness continues. Do they stop and look back, realizing how ignorant they were? On the other hand, if they are right, and when you die that is it, well, we won’t know anyways, now will we. I believe that there is more than enough evidence to suggest the independent nature of consciousness without the body, as well as the idea that consciousness is not a by product of matter, but that matter is a creation of consciousness. A very eastern idea, that western science is slowly finding itself having to deal with. Ah, but that is another subject...

“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”

- Teilhard de Chardin

Book Review: DMT - The Spirit Molecule by Rick Strassman, M.D.

DMT: The Spirit Molecule: A Doctor's Revolutionary Research into the Biology of Near-Death and Mystical Experiences by Rick Strassman M.D.

There are people who feel that science and the paranormal cannot co-exist, usually forgetting that many things were paranormal until explained by science. In today's world, talk of things like Alien Abductions and Near Death Experiences often get one ridiculed by people who are more, scientific. In DMT, The Spirit Molecule, Dr. Strassman proceeds in a completely scientific manor to investigate the effects of DMT on various volunteers. The results though, may help to identify certain mechanisms that may be involved in such ridiculed events such as Alien Abductions. Make no mistake, this is not a New Age book. Dr. Strassman is an accredited and peer reviewed scientist, who did not set out to deal with the subjects that he eventually did. Like any good scientist, he followed the data. It led him to very surprising places.

DMT Experiences, although often unique, also have certain common qualities to them. One of them is meeting ‘beings’, and experiencing some of what happens in an Alien Abduction. Dr. Strassman, as much as he seems to have resisted it, eventually had to admit that the experiences did not bear the markings of being just an hallucination. The fact that DMT occurs naturally in the body, being secreted by the Pineal Gland, makes it even more interesting. The book itself is very well, written, very scientific, and quite enjoyable. Just reading about all the hoops he had to jump through to get to do the research in the first place is amazing.

It has made me wonder about paranormal experiences in new ways. For example, anyone who studies UFO’s seriously will point out that DMT can’t explain multiple witness sightings, radar tracking, and physical traces. But what if we are dealing with two different things. What if the only connection between the odd lights in the sky and the alien abduction scenario is that whatever causes the ‘physical’ UFO, sets off a release of DMT in the observer, who then has an internal experience? I think this could be a potential breakthrough in the study of UFO’s. It doesn’t explain what causes the lights, but if whatever does, affects people in the right way, it may lead to an encounter that is not ‘of’ those lights. Like a heavy wind blowing open a door you didn’t know was there. The wind and the room beyond may not be directly related, but one unlocked the other. It could also be that the beings that are contacted via DMT are also trying to come here, and they do so in what appear to us as UFO’s (and possibly other unexplained phenomena).

I have never been sure what to make of implants in UFO abduction cases, but people in DMT studies receive implants. There is no physical implant in these people, but plenty of abductees have claimed to have found physical implants right where they say they were implanted. Some of these implants, when removed, seem to be, at the very least, odd. Now, as I said, I am not sure what to make of this. There isn’t enough conclusive evidence one way or another, but I would say that Dr. Strassman’s research into DMT may be a very important clue in understanding the UFO Phenomenon, as well as consciousness and the human condition in general.

If any of this even vaguely interests you, I highly recommend picking up a copy of this book. You can look at it as DMT causing hallucinations or as DMT tapping into another realm, either way, the book is very interesting and opens up all new avenues of questions. Personally, I believe that it retunes us to another world. How much so probably depends on the situation and amount of DMT received, either naturally or by design. Dr. Strassman uses the analogy of the brain as a television, tuned by default to ‘channel normal’. DMT tunes it to other wavelengths.

I would like to thank Dr. Rick Strassman for the courage to see this study through and the strength it took him to actually get to do it. If you read this, you will understand what I mean. His research may have broken new ground in various fields, but only time will tell.

The Light and the Moon...

Standing at the end of the path, fields surround. The moon, bright in the sky, casts everything in a beautiful glow. Quick moving clouds skirt across the sky, in patches dimming the glow occasionally, but none the less, there is a beauty to it all. A breeze, comes across from the West, guiding the clouds on their way. As I watch, I notice a light in one of the fields, strange that, as there is nothing out there to create a light. It is at first, though, only a passing interest. Despite my severely clear sense of consciousness, things start to happen... First a flash, like someone taking a picture. The flash is there, but without a sharp climax, and then an odd decay. Interesting, and hard to focus on, like it comes from somewhere we don't normally have access to. Then, oddness becomes outstanding. As I gaze up at the clouds starting to cover the moon, the lunar body suddenly bursts through the thick clouds and shakes wildly. Clearly a hallucination. I look away, at that odd light in the field. It blinks on and off at regular intervals. I look up and the moon is normal again, for a moment, then it starts its impossible dance. Bewildered I look away. I look inward to examine my seeming clarity of mind, and find that it still seems to be intact. That light is still there. I stare at it, and it goes out and doesn't come back on. Odd. I look at the bizarre lunar dance again, and once again, it seems like it should at first, then it performs it's convulsion. If it was an optical illusion, would that not be there as soon as I look? I notice the light is back, I look at it, trying to determine something, anything, about it. It goes out and stays out. Frustrating. I wait and it fails to relight. I look away, and from the corner of my eye, it returns. Like a game. I watch it from the corner of my eye, and it blinks on and off every seven seconds. Fine, I think, so there is a pattern to this seemingly out of place luminosity. As it ignites, I look at it, it stays on seven seconds, goes out, and does not come back... Till I look elsewhere, then it resumes it's blinking. Now how can that be. It is a good distance away, yet it seems to be interacting with me. It is not unusually bright and it stays perfectly still. What sense can be made of this. If I look when it is out, it stays out till I look away. Subtle, yet, so striking in it's action. I look up, the moon, free of clouds seems like it should, but the flashes on the landscape remain on occasion. I wonder if I should feel scared by all this? Worried about my own sanity, yet I know, this is something that is definitely there, this is not a mental hallucination.

I recall that at Fatima, the sun was said to fall from the sky and fly around. I think about our need to believe in ghosts or aliens, or something else that we can somehow fit into our idea of logic. Perhaps, though, the world does not play by those rules. Perhaps that light is always there, but it takes a certain state of mind, or state of earth, or alignment with something, somewhere, for me to see this. And there it is. And more than anything, it wants contact. And maybe it has caused these other things, the flashes and the dancing moon, only to direct my attention to it. But what then. If a person were to sit in that lonely field and wait for perhaps me to wander this way, even with some nice night vision goggles and motivation, they could not detect the slight change in my vision that provokes the light to respond. It knows when I am looking at it, and it is telling me so. The clouds are passed, and the sun is coming soon. The light remains. I bid it farewell and return from where I came, with a great sense of wonder, invigorated by something so simple, yet so profound. Not a ghost, nor an alien, nor anything else we can fully comprehend in our world of logic and order.  Perhaps, though, something that seeks contact, something so strange to us, that we can't yet see what it truly is. Perhaps we lack the facilities to, the senses to. And if it is so strange to us, how can we even guess it's motivation? It's awareness is likely to be so foreign and alien to ours that how can we hope to really communicate. We are closed minded and arrogant. Yet it tries. We can not hope to apply to something our limited views and behaviours to it and hope to make any sense of them. It has been here, trying, for as long as we know. We have assigned it different faces, angels, demons, aliens, ghosts, fairies... But these were the illusions, which we provided as it tries to get through on some level. A light in a field, where there is no light, that responds in ways it can't. It's seems so trivial and small.

Clearly, though, it is patient.

Books I am Reading Right Now...

I read too many books at once, and I always want to do reviews of them, but never get around to it. Actually, sometimes I can't even remember the beginning of a book once I get to the end cause it may have been a year or so since I started it. Seriously. It's not from lack of interest, it is just that I will suddenly decided I want to read one thing or another and jump around, so I figured maybe I would just comment on some of the stuff I am reading now.

Lost Cities of North and Central America (The Lost City Series) by David Hatcher Childress. You can see David as a regular on Ancient Aliens currently (History Channel I believe), and I really have to say I love his books. He is a story teller and explorer. He is not out to prove anything, and he is no armchair theorist. He has traveled the world, and his books relate those travels with both personal stories, legends, theories, and just pure speculation. His books are just filled with crazy amounts of information about ancient cultures, and legends of pre-history, and, well, fun. He will often just run off on rides of wild speculation, and they are enjoyable rides. I am about halfway through this book, and the first half deals mostly with Central America as David travels about and explores ancient ruins, and relates legends about them. He often spends time off the beaten path trying to track down some of the more obscure legends, and never fails to enlighten me to something that I have never heard of before. That is one of the things that most books fail to do, and when an author can repeatedly do such a thing to me, they quickly become one of my favorite authors, as David Hatcher Childress has.

Our Haunted Planet net by John Keel. Published back in 1971, the late John Keel is easily one of my favorite authors. Like Childress, he has traveled the world, has related odd legends and little known information, and is a fantastic story teller. What sets them apart is that Keel does have theories that he supports, and they were way ahead of his time. His primary focus has always been the UFO Phenomenon, but he is one of the very early proponents of the idea that UFO does not mean Extra-terrestrial. Keel very much believes that UFO's are Ultra-Terrestrial, and may very well not be benevolent. Over the years I find myself agreeing with Keel less than I used to, and in some cases it is just a matter of time having proven some of his theories wrong. On other things however, he has shown himself to be dead on. Our Haunted Planet is a collection of strange events and research. Keel is never one to shy away from High Strangeness, and instead feels that the key to things lie in the strangest accounts, not the more 'acceptable' one. This is the second time I have read this work of his, and I find that I am enjoying it the second time through far more than the first for some reason. I lent my first copy to someone and they never returned it, so getting my hands on another I felt it deserved a re-read, and it has been well worth the time to do so.

DMT: The Spirit Molecule: A Doctor's Revolutionary Research into the Biology of Near-Death and Mystical Experiences by Rick Strassman, M.D. I haven't gotten very far in this one, but my interest was peaked while reading Graham Hancock's Supernatural. So far, this is a fascinating book talking about the odd properties of DMT, and recounting the history of research into psychedelic drugs. Very thorough and interesting as Rick relates the accounts of DMT experiments that he was able to conduct, and his theories on what they may really mean. DMT is particularly interesting in that it is produced in the human body, and yet still an illegal substance. Even slightly higher than normal doses of DMT have been shown to cause hallucinogenic states. The question that Rick eventually starts to address, is if these states may have some reality of their own, and not just be in the mind. His theory is akin to retuning a Television set from what he calls 'Channel Normal' to another channel using drugs like DMT. Since DMT is also produced in the human body, another theory is that people who are 'sensitive' may already have slightly elevated levels of DMT, allowing them to tune into alternate realities while still connected to a normal consciousness level. As I said, haven't made it too far into this book, but so far, well worth the read.

The Murder of Christ by Wilhelm Reich. A truly brilliant man. I have never read any of his stuff before. Published back in 1953, Reich was highly persecuted in his time, eventually dying in prison and having all his books burned. Reich suggested that there is another energy field called Orgone, and it is powered, in essence, by sexual energy. In the 1950's, you can see why this may not have gone over so well. He had various experiments proving his theories, and his history and ideas are well worth checking out. This book, however, is not so much about that. In a deep, and slightly hard to read way, Wilhelm explores the life of Christ through his eyes, seeing the repression of sexuality and other psychosis as the main problem in today's society. A view WAY ahead of it's time. The Murder of Christ is the repression of the life force, which Christ wanted us to revel in, not repress as our Western culture in particular does to such a huge degree. Reich was a strange man, and his work is fascinating. I haven't read very far into this yet, in part because it's not such an easy read, he writes in a slightly tedious manner, but it is worth slowly working through so far.

Invisible Residents: The Reality of Underwater UFOs by Ivan T. Sanderson. The Reality of Underwater UFO's is the subtitle to this book, originally published in 1970. USO's as they have often been called are a little known variation of the UFO Phenomenon. There are actually a very large number of UFO sightings where the UFO has been seen to come from or go into the water. Ivan recounts many variations of these, and theories as to what it may mean. It is a bit tedious at times, but interesting none-the-less. The book opens relating a story of an Antarctic expedition where a long silvery object suddenly burst through "no less than 37 feet of ice" causing huge chunks of steaming ice to come crashing down all around them and the water from whence it came to boil. There are quite a lot of interesting stories, and Ivan's theory that there may be a vast underwater civilization that pre-dates ours seems a bit outrageous at first glance, but you never really know. I mean, we have explored so little of our oceans, that we really don't know what is down there. And if there was a civilization down there, and they wanted to not be found by us, they may be able to hide well, especially if they have such a high technology. I don't personally think that is the answer to the UFO mystery, but I also find the idea worthy of thought. This is considered a classic and has been republished by David Hatcher Childress' book company, Adventures Unlimited Press.

A Secret History of Consciousness by Gary Lachman. Gary is the former bass player for Blondie. He is also a intriguing author. I picked this up not sure what to expect, and have been blown away by the novelty of information contained. On the one hand, it is an exploration of the history of theories on the nature of consciousness, but on the other hand, it takes a different turn and looks at the idea that perhaps consciousness was not always what it is today, and where it may evolve to. In parts it suggests that consciousness has evolved in ways we can't even imagine, and not in far antiquity, but even in the last few thousand years. For example, perhaps the reason we can not understand the way the pyramids were built, relates more to the consciousness that built them, not just the technology. It is fascinating and unique. A pleasant surprise for something that I picked up spontaneously at Borders one day. Some of the book reminds me of metaphysics that I have not read in 20 years, and other stuff I have never encountered before. Until I read this, I had all but forgotten the theories of Immanuel Kant, but the reminder was refreshing. I would say, though, there was more stuff here that I have never heard of before than stuff I have. Awesome book.

This isn't all of them. but these are the books I am reading most recently. I may do a full review when I finish them, or maybe just another blog of this sort as I start reading more, or pick up some that I have neglected lately. I also signed up as an Amazon affiliate, so if you think you may buy any of these through Amazon, please use my links.  

Five Points...

So, I happened across this article on Digg earlier.

I felt after reading it, that it needed some commentary.

Number One, Lake Monsters. More often than not, I dismiss Lake Monsters. If one exists, ok, but evidence against them is rather strong, at least as far as what we expect them to be. That does not mean that people aren’t seeing monsters, just that perhaps they are not flesh and blood creatures, there may be a very good, and possibly more interesting explanation. However, number one holds some merit, good.

Number Two, Hoaxes. Also, good point, hoaxes at this point in time are so easy, not to mention the amount junk we have in our environment that may be misinterpreted. I find the UFO (read that as Unidentified Flying Object, NOT as Space Ship) sightings prior to our ability to fly sometimes more interesting because we know it couldn’t be us. There are plenty of those. Nowadays, hoaxes are so damned easy, and easy to make them look really good. So they are right that hoaxes are a problem, but they don’t argue against paranormal phenomenon, just a fact of culture and technology that it becomes a problem in determining real from fake.

Number Three, Unclaimed Large Cash Rewards. Here is where they lose ground. The problem with said cash awards is this, the die hard skeptics that offer them, make sure that no one will ever pass their tests. Of course they are unclaimed, they are more of a publicity stunt than anything else. If you live in New York City, and one day offer $100,000 to anyone who can bring you a live Moose in the next 5 minutes, good chance no one will, but that doesn’t mean that Moose are not real. Yet that is the logic of such cash prizes. Closed minded skeptics, like James Randi, mentioned in the article, will never see anything as proof. Nothing. Period. They have already made up their minds. No one will ever get the money, because no matter how much someone proves, it will not be enough. So on this point they fail miserably. This is not evidence against the paranormal, this is more a psychological exercise for the closed minded. Being an open minded skeptic is probably the best way to be, but a closed minded one will never learn anything new because they think they know it all already. It is not doubt that they have, but certainty.

Number Four, The Fermi Paradox. If we were to argue that space aliens were here, this may or may not add or detract from the argument. Basically, it is hypothetical. Everything in this point is hypothetical. What if. Sure, Richard Dawkins will tell you he is right, but that’s because he falls into that closed minded skeptic category. He already knows he is right about what he believes, so you can’t really make a point to such a person. Anyways, this is obviously an attempt to dismiss UFO sightings. Not only doesn’t it work on various levels, but any real analysis of the phenomenon does not point to ET, but something altogether stranger and more passive. And when that is comprehended, this whole point is, well, pointless.

Number Five, The God Helmet. This one is interesting. It proves that electromagnetic energy can produce interesting effects on the brain. This is a good point against the paranormal. Other things must be considered, though. Ok, so using this helmet can replicate certain paranormal mindsets. Feelings of others in the room with you, for instance. Two things must be worked out. One, are there? Just because we can’t see them in a normal state of being, by tweaking our brain, the brain in the case assumed to be a receiver, like a television, we tune to something outside the ‘norm’. Two, by pressing on certain nerves, you may feel like a part of you, which is not being touched at that time, is being touched. Does that mean that when it is really being touched it is just an illusion? Of course, you could go deep with this question, but I think we will stay on the shallow side for now. Research has been done that suggests that Ketamine can induce something that resembles a Near Death Experience. That is interesting. However, when someone has a real NDE, there is no trace of Ketamine in their system, so it really doesn’t work as a explanation, now does it? Just because something resembles the effects of something else, doesn’t mean that it is now explained. The people who did the initial research were pretty clear at the end that they did not think that Ketamine was in any way responsible for NDE’s, but that didn’t stop the skeptic army from eating that up and spitting it in everyone’s face. So, is the God helmet interesting? Hell, yes. Does it explain all spiritual states and paranormal experiences? Not even remotely. It is, however a tool that may be used for further understanding about the way our brain interacts with this reality that we share.


The problem with the paranormal is, for us to begin to understand it, takes a whole new concept of reality. As long as people try to squeeze it into our current conceptions of how things are, we will not understand. Our narrow belief in how things are does not accommodate many of these phenomenon, which is why you have people arguing that UFO's are space ships, while others arguing, that, despite the evidence of something going on that is causing these experiences, they are somehow not real (aka hoaxes, or hallucinations, or whatever). Both sides are operating in a narrow band of which the true UFO Phenomenon supersedes. That is what the term paranormal means, really. Outside the norm. Someday we may evolve the wisdom to understand many of these things, and then we will look back on what we believe now and laugh at how primitive we were...

Book Review: Graham Hancock "Supernatural"

Supernatural: Meetings with the Ancient Teachers of Mankind by Graham Hancock

Graham Hancock never ceases to impress me. That is not an easy task, and Supernatural, again, does the trick. I wasn't sure what I was getting into with this book, I had read very little about it, but knew that it had little to do with his previous works. One of the things that I admire about Graham is that he approaches things so open, with respect and wisdom. A sense of wonder is always present. He never gets so caught up on a theory that he starts losing his balance, he is very aware that he may change his mind further on down the road as more information comes to light. This is what is lacking in so much paranormal and fringe work. This piece starts off a bit slow, working its way through the various cave art around Africa and Europe, and discussing the various theories on what they mean. Where he goes from there is fantastic. I have always held that there are strong connections between the fairy faiths, UFO’s, angels and demons, etc., as well as occult experiences. However, I had never thought to add into that Shamanic and trance experiences. Graham manages to strip back yet more of the disguise, and show the connections between them all (not so much on the occult side of things, though). It expands on the ideas of researchers like Jacques Vallee, and manages to tie in even more of the puzzle. At no point does he, however, present you with a set theory or idea. He is not someone to push things, and that continues here. Graham explores the various ideas and research conducted on altered states of consciousness, and pokes around in some DNA theories, and tries to show, more than anything, the connections, and possible correlations between what seem like widely separated subjects. Also, not one to sit by and use other people’s work as a substitute for direct experience, he travels to see said cave paintings, just as he dove on undersea ruins, and traveled to lost cities for past books. He also experiments with various mind altering drugs, in order to really understand what he is writing about. His experiences and conclusions make it all the more valuable. Once again, he antagonizes the dogmatic, however unintentional, in an honest and open exploration of ideas. It’s something that science as a whole could benefit from. You don’t have to agree with anything he concludes here, or anywhere else, but he pursues his course with honesty and integrity. He is open minded and logical. He doesn’t shun science, but isn’t afraid to speculate, either. Well worth the hefty read. You may walk away with a new way of looking at the world...