The One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge was a cash prize offered from 1964 to 2015 by stage magician James 'The Amazing' Randi for anyone who could convince him they had psychic powers. No one ever came close to winning, proof, say sceptical scientists, that there is no such thing as 'the paranormal'. But are they right? In this illuminating and often provocative analysis, Robert McLuhan examines the influence of Randi and other debunking sceptics in shaping scientific opinion about such things as telepathy, psychics, ghosts and near-death experiences. He points out that scientific researchers who investigate these things at first hand overwhelmingly consider them to be genuinely anomalous. But this has shocking implications, for science, for society and for even perhaps for ourselves as individuals. Hence the sceptics' insistence that they should rather be attributed to fraud, imagination and wishful thinking. However, this extraordinary and little understood aspect of consciousness has much to tell us about the human situation, McLuhan suggests. And at a time when militants are polarising the debate about religion, its mystical, spiritual element offers an optimistic and enlightened way forward. Randi's Prize is aimed at anyone interested in spirituality or those curious to know the truth about paranormal claims. It's an intelligent and readable analysis of scientific research into the paranormal which, uniquely, also closely examines the arguments of well-known sceptics.
More Spirit Teachings,firstpublished in 1892, follows on from Spirit Teachingsexpounding wisdom and truths from Imperator and his group of discarnate communicators. Subjects discussed include Christ's purpose for incarnating on Earth, spirit influence, reincarnation, capital punishment, the hierarchy of communication, the nature of God, truth and fallacy in the Bible, divine judgement versus self judgement and much more. During one communicationon capital punishment they explained: "Under no circumstances should it be allowed. The soul, suddenly severed from the body is thrown back and becomes grievously dangerous to humanity. The guardians cannot draw near and great difficulties are set in the way of its progress. It is only those who have passed away that know what evils follow from this rude and barbarous punishment. "To punish by the withdrawal of what you call life is an act of senseless folly. … Reform or seclude the criminal but never kill the body, as you sever from a body a spirit that has not fulfilled its time in your sphere of being." * * * * * "Your Bible contains within it many gems of truth but if man is to benefit from it, he must learn discrimination." ~ Imperator "In the Man Christ Jesus the spiritual principle was most fully evoked, and fitly was He called the 'Son of God' in the language of Eastern hyperbole. The Son of God He was in the sense of being the most godlike of any who have walked this earth."~ Imperator
William Stainton Moses, an Anglican priest, authoredSpirit Teachingsin 1883, nine years before his passing. It is now considered a classic in the Spiritualist genre. Initially, Moses was antagonistic toward spirit communication, calling the mediumship of D. D. Home "the dreariest twaddle". However, in 1872 he attended a séance for the first time and five months later became aware he had psychic abilities which eventually manifested as automatic writing. Later that same year, a communicator writing through his hand introduced himself as Imperator Servus Dei, claiming he was the leader of a band of 49 spirits communicating from the seventh sphere - their purpose, to work out the will of the Almighty. Much of the communication came via a spirit named Rector, who claimed to reside in a lower sphere than Imperator's team, one closer to our physical vibration, which enabled dialogue. Imperator and the other communicators answered many questions Moses put to them such as the nature of reality, life after physical life, spirit influence, skepticism, Jesus, the Second Coming, prayer, disposal of the body and much more. Moses found his Christian dogma constantly challenged by what came through his hand. During one sitting, Imperator explained, "Friend, you must discriminate between God's truths and man's glosses". Stainton Moses' writings have become essential reading for truth seekers with an interest in life and death and despite the nineteenth century vernacular, the messages of wisdom are timeless and appeal to reason.
Claims of Reincarnationis one of the foremost works to have been published in India during the latter part of the twentieth century. Dr. Satwant Pasricha has investigated hundreds of cases in her native land and is considered to be one of the leading authorities in the field of empirical investigations into past-life claims. First published in 1990, this book is as relevant today as it was when it made its debut and is a valuable addition for scholars and anyone interested in the subject.
During the first half of the twentieth century A. T. Baird edited One Hundred Cases for Survival After Death. At the time he wrote, "A thousand equally good cases could be produced as easily; in fact, at times I was embarrassed with the wealth of material at my disposal. … Perhaps later, someone more energetic and enthusiastic, with more time and patience than I have, may publish Five Thousand Cases for Survival, and even then there will be plenty in reserve."Since that time, thanks to the internet and organizations such as the Society for Psychical Research, more and more cases are coming to light across the world every day.Subjects in this book include but are limited to, trance phenomena, deathbed visions, haunted houses, book-tests, direct voice phenomena, dreams and materialization. Some of the cases will be known to researchers, others less so. The vast majority have one thing in common - compelling evidence that we are more than physical bodies and that death, far from being the end, maybe the gateway to a great adventure.I am absolutely convinced of the fact that those who once lived on earth can and do communicate with us. It is hardly possible to convey to the inexperienced an adequate idea of the strength and cumulative force of the evidence.~ Sir William F. Barrett, F.R.S.The facts revealed necessitate the complete overthrow of the materialistic physiology and conception of the universe.~ Dr. Gustave Geley, Metaphysic Institute, Paris.
What exactly is psi? Why has the paranormal consistently been condemned by the scientific establishment? Why have its manifestations - ESP, psychokinesis, poltergeists and so on, which have been reported from every era, from every part of the world and all its walks of life - been so scathingly dismissed by supporters of scientism? Brian Inglis was bought up to regard science 'almost as a religion'. Such, he now fears, is precisely what it has become. Like other faiths, 'scientism' has developed dogmas which are founded, the faithful believe, on scientific facts, but which in reality are derived largely from the materialist assumptions of the Victorian physicists. Many of these assumptions, he argues, have now been revealed as fallacious, yet the scientific establishment clings to them tenuously. In this fascinating and remarkably clear study of attitudes, Inglis is concerned principally with the massive accumulation of evidence - historical, anecdotal and experimental - for the existence of action and communication at a distance of a kind which does not fit materialistic preconceptions. The force, all forces involved - for convenience labeled psi - can be observed in operation, at all biological levels, in the behaviour of plants, insects, animals and people, and Inglis has collected a striking body of evidence to illustrate the fact. He also examines how the force has been demonstrated in recent times - to the satisfaction of eminent quantum physicists. Yet, as the author shows, scientism's reaction has been either to ignore the evidence, pointing to some kind of extrasensory perception at work, or to explain it away with the help of far-fetched scientific theories which, however implausible, at least accord with prevailing scientific dogma. More alarming than this, Inglis reveals how some of the defenders of the faith have used their authority to stamp out heresy and discredit those, past and present, who have been courageous enough to explore this territory, in defiance of scientism's edicts. Heretics (and their works) may no longer be burned, but their academic prospects can be blighted and their reputations damaged. That the public should have been so misled by distorted versions of facts which would tend to support the case for psi is the most alarming disclosure to emerge from Inglis's investigation. The Hidden Poweris far from being merely a debunking of the debunkers. There has been no comparable survey of the psi evidence, including the flaws, to date, and none which so effectively removes the subject from its former murky associations. Bernard Levin said of Inglis's earlier book, Natural and Supernatural, 'I believe it to be an extraordinary important and valuable work, sensational in what it contains and even more so its implications … he has piled up a mountain of evidence, searchingly examined and scrupulously evaluated. Arthur Koestler praised that work for being 'both scholarly and readable'. Now, in this book, Inglis points to a clear way forward in our understanding of the hidden power which is universally denied any useful application in everyday affairs.
Poltergeists was first published in 1979 and rapidly established itself as a leading work on the topic. It has been frequently referred to as groundbreaking and a classic of the genre. Illustrative cases from all over the world are presented, dating from the sixteenth century to the late twentieth. Included are destructive cases, fantastical cases, poltergeist assaults, phenomena that are allegedly brought about by a witch or a demon, and others which appear to be the handiwork of a deceased human being. Most cases are sourced from contemporary notes or diaries, often little known or unknown but nevertheless fascinating, with many translated from non-English language sources. The book includes a computer analysis of the leading characteristics of hundreds of cases of poltergeists and hauntings, and offers tentative conclusions as to the natural 'clusters' into which the cases fall. Poltergeists is essential reading for anyone who is interested in parapsychology and the paranormal.
In this book Professor Stafford Betty pulls together the best evidences for survival of death. The very best, he maintains, come from psychical research. The near-death experience, deathbed visions, reincarnational memories of children, communication from the so-called dead through mediums, apparitions, poltergeists, spirits that reach out to us through electronic instruments, spirits that attach themselves to our bodies, and episodes of terminal lucidity in Alzheimer's patients are all included.But philosophy has a lot to say as well. In simple terms Betty lays out the evidence against reductive materialism that claims all our experience is generated by the brain and that we perish at death. Viewing the brain as an instrument put to good use by the immaterial self is much more consistent with the evidence. Finally, he surveys the universal affirmation by the world's religions that we survive death. Betty brings together memorable examples and careful analysis of each type of evidence. Each type is imposing enough by itself, but taken together they build a case for survival of death that is insurmountable. He shows that life after death, as mysterious as it is, should no longer be regarded as a hypothesis, but, like dark matter, a fact.
Following an experience with a Ouija board at a party during March 1918, Betty White, wife of the famous America novelist, Stewart Edward White, discovered she had mediumistic gifts and subsequently began receiving messages from a group of discarnate beings who called themselves the Invisibles. Initially the messages came via automatic writing and later while Betty was in an entranced state. The messages amounted to hundreds of thousands of words which dealt with life's big questions such as our purpose here, the nature of life after physical death, and a philosophy of life as seen from the perspective of the invisibles who claimed to be a little further along the cosmic highway than we are. Communication continued after Betty passed away in 1939 via another medium and continued with Betty's help until Stewart passed away in 1946. Stewart penned a number of books compiled from the messages including, The Betty Book (1937), Across the Unknown (1939), The Unobstructed Universe (1940), The Road I Know (1942), The Stars Are Still There (1946), and With Folded Wings, which was delivered to the publisher shortly before White's death and published in 1947.These so-called Betty Books have become classics in 20th century Metaphysical literature. "Walk through your days as a creature with folded wings, consciousof the possession of another element and your ability to enter it."INVISIBLE
As a long-standing member of the Society for Psychical Research and President of the College for Psychic Studies, Paul Beard was an authority on psychical research and in particular the study of life after death. He wrote numerous books on the subject including his trilogy, Survival Of Death, Living On: How Consciousness Continues and Evolves After Death, and Hidden Man, followed by Inner Eye, Listening Ear: An Exploration into Mediumship. During his lifetime study the author followed the evidence wherever it took him; 'sitting' with many mediums he gained their confidence and meticulously recorded what he discovered. The result is a comprehensive account of our most important questions; Why are we here? Do we have a karmic footprint? What happens after we physically die?As a result of his studies Beard was enthusiastic about his impending death. In 1986, three years before his passing he wrote: "Whatever is learned on earth, or we think has been learned, the path still winds forward, the quest goes on. The horizons extend, not diminish.""Quite outstanding... no reader can fail to be convinced of the author's complete integrity and fairness, or of his ability and insight". ~ Rev. Leslie D. WeatherheadA valuable contribution towards... improved understanding and collaboration. Dr Ian Stevenson, author of Twenty Cases Suggestive of Reincarnation "Acclaimed by some psychical researchers as one of the best works of its kind for general readership". ~ Parapsychology Foundation Newsletter
As a long-standing member of the Society for Psychical Research and President of the College for Psychic Studies, Paul Beard was an authority on psychical research and in particular the study of life after death. He wrote numerous books on the subject including his trilogy, Survival Of Death, Living On, and Hidden Man, followed by Inner Eye, Listening Ear. During his lifetime study the author followed the evidence wherever it took him; 'sitting' with many mediums he gained their confidence and meticulously recorded what he discovered. The result is a comprehensive account of our most important questions; Why are we here? Do we have a karmic footprint? What happens after we physically die?As a result of his studies Beard was enthusiastic about his impending death. In 1986, three years before his passing he wrote: "Whatever is learned on earth, or we think has been learned, the path still winds forward, the quest goes on. The horizons extend, not diminish.""You find it difficult to believe that the sickness, loneliness or tribulation you suffer is the result of your own soul's wish, but it is so. Never blame other people for your troubles. Always look within . . . then the reason for the condition which limits you will become clear and you will see the work you have to do within yourself". ~ A Mentor
As a long-standing member of the Society for Psychical Research and President of the College for Psychic Studies, Paul Beard was an authority on psychical research and in particular the study of life after death. He wrote numerous books on the subject including his trilogy, Survival Of Death, Living On, and Hidden Man, followed by Inner Eye, Listening Ear. During his lifetime study the author followed the evidence wherever it took him; 'sitting' with many mediums he gained their confidence and meticulously recorded what he discovered. The result is a comprehensive account of our most important questions; Why are we here? Do we have a karmic footprint? What happens after we physically die?As a result of his studies Beard was enthusiastic about his impending death. In 1986, three years before his passing he wrote: "Whatever is learned on earth, or we think has been learned, the path still winds forward, the quest goes on. The horizons extend, not diminish.""... At once deeply spiritual and yet expressed in simple and clear language. Not every reader will agree with that scenario, but none looking sincerely for spiritual truth will finish it without enrichment". ~ David Christie-Murray "This book completes Paul Beard's trilogy... As usual, he exercises an exemplary caution and discrimination in handling this delicate area of research... Readers will find themselves illuminated by this lucid account of his spiritual odyssey, and will see much to be applied to their own conditions". ~ David Lorimer, Scientific and Medical Network
Though Gnosticism long preceded Christianity, the Gnostics were the first Christians; they accepted Christ in the full realization of the word; his life, not his death, was the keynote of their doctrine and their practice. Thousands of years before the Egyptian Seers prognosticated the spiritual evolution of the soul in the seven stages of probation in the life beyond the grave. They conceived of a mystical Christos, a divine type of character that could only be attained through the soul's conflict with evil in the spiritual spheres of nebulous idealism. The Gnostics welded the ancient mythos into mundane practicability. They recognized the divine nature of the Universe, the eternal progression of all things, and of the human in particular.Therefore, it is easily conceivable that they were misunderstood, maligned and discredited by the crude primitive minds of the Goth, the Vandal and the Hun, who had drunk too deeply of the draught of oblivion to remember their former phases of existence."...Swiney has much in common with modern scholars like Elaine Pagels or Elizabeth Schüssler Fiorenza, who attempt to restore the lost voices of the women of early Christianity... The Esoteric Teachings of the Gnostics is an important book." ~ by Philip Jenkins, Distinguished Professor of History, Baylor University.
Adi Shankara was a South Indian sage and the foremost teacher of Advaita Vedanta, the perennial philosophy that lies at the heart of all religions. Such is his stature that even Ramana Maharshi, probably the best-known modern exponent of Advaita, referred to him simply as Acharya - 'The Teacher' - and translated some of his works from Sanskrit for his own devotees.Advaita offers a vision of life as the manifestation of an absolute, non-dual consciousness transcending all time, space and causation, and it provides the direct means to experience this divine ground of all being as our own Self. from being some dry and dusty 'Indian philosophy', Advaita is a system of practical psychology, based on meditation and insight, that draws the practitioner into the deepest consideration of their own status and what it means to be a human being. As such, it is of immediate relevance to us today, torn as we are by questions of identity and purpose, and the struggle to resolve the age-old problems of ignorance, suffering and inequality.This book presents the teachings of Adi Shankara in a highly approachable form through modern translations of his original writings, set in the lively context of his life and mission.The author, Alistair Shearer, is well-known for his translations of Sanskrit classics: Selections from the Upanishads and The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. He is a long-time teacher of meditation in the lineage of Shankara.Previous critical acclaim:The Upanishads:'A lovely decanting of this very old wine into a sparkling new bottle.' John Updike 'This is the kind of text that one keeps close at hand like an old, wise and compassionate friend.' Ram Dass'An elegant and valuable contribution to the growing corpus of Upanishadic texts in English.' Dr. Karan SinghThe Yoga Sutras of Patanjali:'A wonderful translation, full of contemporary insight yet luminous with eternal truth.' Jacob Needleman
In this eagerly awaited sequel to her successful book, Things You Can Do When You're Dead, foremost psychical investigator Tricia Robertson digs deeper into her extensive casebook to discuss a wide range of physical and mental phenomena which provide evidence for survival after death. Yet again this book is written with a no-nonsense approach to phenomena and in a knowledgeable, enjoyable, easily understood style.Book one really fired up people's appetite for more about paranormal phenomena in general and survival in particular. More Things You Can Do When You're Dead examines more cases of genuine poltergeist activity, apparitions, mediumship, paranormal healing and reincarnation, but also digs a bit deeper into direct voice mediumship, drop-in communicators, psychic art, near-death experiences, materialised spirit figures, earthbound spirits, automatic writing, inspiration, obsession, possession, genius and informed discussion on what an afterlife may be like. Tricia also discusses science and psi and resistance, in general, to the acceptance of the reality of such clearly demonstrable events. This book contains a great deal of original material, humourous at times, which is not available anywhere else.You may love it, you may hate it, but once again you will certainly not be bored.
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