Mediumship communication with the spirit world is heaven-sent

Special Note

PDN presents this insightful mediumship article in memory of its author Robin Foy, ‘Ambassador for the Spirit World’, who passed away peacefully in his sleep on April 10, 2022, aged 78. It was originally published in The Afterlife Magazine which is now part of Paranormal Daily News.

Robin was a co-founder of ASSMPI (American Society for Scientific Mediumship and Parapsychological Investigation) and co-founder of the infamous ‘Scole Experiment’, a five-year scientific investigation from 1993-1998 seeking evidence for Consciousness in the Afterlife and Hyperlife. The Scole group reported experiencing paranormal phenomena including unexplained lights, voices from mid-air, and the appearance of objects that seemed to teleport.

In 2018, Robin headed a campaign to establish a physical mediumship research center, ‘The Spiritual Science Foundation in Spain, believed to be a world first. He also published two books about his psychical research and experiences: In Pursuit of Physical Mediumship and Witnessing the Impossible, based on his meticulously recorded events of the Scole Experiment.

Scole Group co-founders Robin Foy (2nd from right) and Sandra Foy with Alan and Diana Bennett

The Scole Experiment review excerpt

The Scole Group investigation by psychical researchers set several firsts. It was:

– the first study of persons acting together as a mediumistic team;

– the first to link alleged oral communications through trance mediums with photographic, visual, auditory, tactile and tangible phenomena;

– the first to investigate a range of tangible physical phenomena not associated with ectoplasm and which could be examined outside of the seance room.

When the investigation results were publicized, the case immediately became controversial.

Rosemary Ellen Guiley - Visionary Living

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Why mediumship and the spirit world are heaven-sent

A medium is not simply ‘born’ with this ability

Mediumship in its various forms has taken place since the beginning of time. Most people assume that it only began with the launch of the official religion of ‘Spiritualism’ in 1848 through the Fox sisters at Hydesville in the New York State of the USA.

Mediumship can be traced right back to the time of ancient civilizations. In ancient Greece, mediums were referred to as Oracles. Those who consulted the famous Oracle at Delphi in Greece for example, gazed into a large mirror or the highly polished surface of a large metal vessel to enjoy a personal interaction (of a physical nature) with the spirit world. This method is still used today with mirror-based equipment called a ‘Psychomanteum’.

In Atlantis, communication with the spirit world and other dimensions was conducted through the use of a massive crystal that hung in a special room. Knowledge of communication through crystals was lost over the millennia but is resurfacing once again, as we witnessed from 1993 to 1998 during our 5-year-long experiments in the village of Scole, situated in the county of Norfolk, eastern England.

Mediumship in its proper forms is a serious business. The specific job of a medium is to bring real evidence to the public of the reality of life after death, by delivering evidential messages to those seeking connection with deceased friends and relatives. A medium is not simply ‘born’ with this ability. They work hard for many years to develop and hone their mediumistic talents. Some mediums tend to specialize in aspects of mediumship that suit them best, and, after years of careful development, determine where they can best use their gifts and talents for the benefit of mankind.

Believe me – mediumship is not an easy life, but one of constant service to others. In my case, I have been intimately involved in the rare field of physical mediumship for almost 42 years and gathered vast experience and knowledge of this specific form of mediumship.

These strange images, with clearly discernable though rambling German phrases, originated from a Polachrome film bought and controlled throughout the sitting by the Schnittgers after it was placed by them in a locked box held in Walter Schnittger’s hand and developed the same evening after a sitting attended also by a Dr Schaer on 22nd November in 1996. The Scole Experiment (Chapter V1, Appendix D)

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How different forms of mediumship work

As stated in the title of this article, mediumship is a natural communication process with the Spirit World and other dimensions in several different ways.

Mental Mediumship:

Mental Mediumship is the most common of the two types of mediumship practiced today. There are literally hundreds of thousands of ‘mental’ mediums throughout the world. Most people (if they have the desire and patience to do so) can develop one or more of the three main forms of mental mediumship to some degree if they regularly sit in a development circle under a good teacher.

It is possible to learn and develop the basics of mental mediumship in a relatively short space of time; sometimes within weeks of starting to train as a medium. A much longer period of development is, however, necessary for the ‘fledgling medium’ to achieve a good standard in their mediumistic work.

Three main forms of mental mediumship

1)  Clairvoyance   2)  Clairaudience   3)  Clairsentience

Clairvoyance:  The ability of the medium to ‘see’ spirit personalities. Sometimes the medium sees spirit people as though they are real people, moving about in a normal and natural way. At other times, the medium might ‘see’ them on the ‘mirror of their mind’ within their head. What distinguishes this as mental mediumship however, is the fact that only the medium sees these spirit people. Anybody else who is present does not. The medium can pass on to his or her ‘sitter’ what they are seeing, by way of evidence.

Clairaudience:  The ability of the medium to hear what the spirit personalities are saying. This gift often goes together with clairvoyance. Sometimes the medium hears spirit voices as though they are real and coming from another real person in the room. At other times, the medium ‘hears’ the voices within their head again ‘on the mirror of their mind’. The medium is the only person who hears these voices, and can pass on to their sitter (client) what the spirit person is telling them, by way of evidence of the existence of life after death. Such a message can provide great comfort for a bereaved friend, relative or loved one.

Clairsentience:  The ability of the medium to sense the presence of spirit people, and to sense what they are saying. Again, the medium is the only person who can (through their training) sense the presence of spirit personalities, and sense the message from a specific spirit person that they can then pass on to their sitter who during a private reading, or who might receive such a message in a spiritualist church.

Trance mediumship is an altered state

Trance Mediumship is a bit of a grey area. There are indeed many different ‘levels’ and depths of trance. When a medium is in a state of being ‘overshadowed’ and in a ‘deep trance’, they are fully unconscious and unaware of anything that is happening within themselves and around them. I believe that it is more accurate to describe any level of trance as an ‘altered state’.

In most cases, it can be logically argued that even if an entranced medium is aware of every word that is spoken through them, the medium has no physical control over the content of what is said. Apart from when a medium is in a very light trance (overshadowed), this is essentially an accurate statement.

It can be further argued that since the medium has no physical control over the content of what is spoken through their own larynx whilst in an altered state, the process of a spirit person speaking through them in this way is an aspect of physical mediumship.

Whilst I can personally see the logic of this argument, I do not regard trance mediumship as an aspect of physical mediumship but – simply – in some cases (not all) a tool to enable the production of physical phenomena when properly managed by a team of spirit personalities who work with a particular medium.

Direct voice vs trance communication

We have to be careful not to mix up the terms used for a type of physical phenomenon with trance communication through the human larynx of a medium. I know of several experienced psychic researchers, for instance, who have gone for a private sitting with a trance medium that advertised ‘direct voice’, only to discover that instead of physical phenomena, they have simply been treated to trance communication through a medium. It might be an honest mistake on the part of the medium, but it can be very misleading and, hopefully, we can help set the record straight.

When sitting specifically for physical phenomena in the more traditional ectoplasmic-based way, the physical medium is usually in a deep trance state. There are exceptions to this; the famous Independent Direct Voice medium Leslie Flint comes to mind, as he was fully awake during his sittings and able to join in the conversations with the spirit voices that occurred through his mediumship.

When a medium is capable of producing full ectoplasm-based materialization, however, it does seem essential for them to be in a deep trance throughout this process.

Physical phenomenon captured on film with Robin & Sandra Foy, Alan & Diana Bennett (Image: The Scole Experiment)

Energy-based physical phenomena groups

Experienced experimental physical phenomena groups choose to work in the modern energy-based way, where no ectoplasm is involved. We were told by our spirit helpers that trance is not always necessary for phenomena to be produced. In fact, Sandra and I sat for some time in an experimental group in South London, and witnessed amazing physical phenomena with nobody in an altered state. The group did not even know who the medium of the circle was at the time, although we did eventually discover his identity. The gentleman had no idea himself!

However, when an experimental group first starts sitting to develop physical phenomena, having one or more of the group in trance is particularly helpful, as communications and instructions to help the group with their development can then be received. Throughout the history of the Scole Experiment in the 1990’s (where the energy-based method was pioneered) we had two of the group members in deep trance throughout the sittings, but the Scole Group was unique at that time.

A more likely scenario today is that one or more of the sitters might be used in an altered state to bring through communications from the spirit team who work with the group in an energy-based format, but when this happens, the trance state will not be as deep as when the circle is developing in the more traditional ectoplasm-based format.

I must stress here, however, that neither way of working is better than the other. They are just different ways of working. And both require equal amounts of dedication, love, patience, harmony, and determination to develop positive results. It is also true that the energy-based format has certain advantages, which I will explain soon.

Two Types of Physical Mediumship

So far, we have covered a few of the basic properties of the mental and physical mediumship that are practiced today amongst spiritual and psychic research communities. Now we will explore the different types of physical phenomena that can happen under controlled conditions when an experimental group or physical circle sits specifically to witness or demonstrate phenomena.

The main difference between mental and physical mediumship is that during demonstrations of physical mediumship, everybody present can see, hear, feel, and experience physically, everything that is going on in the room and/or interact physically with the spirit personalities who are present.

Not everyone is aware that physical mediumship is practiced in two different ways. The traditional view within the Spiritualist Movement is that physical phenomena can only be presented by spirit helpers using the controversial substance known as ectoplasm. This method has been used by physical mediums and their guides and helpers since 1848.

Generally, it involves just one physical medium, who is usually in deep trance throughout the proceedings. The medium often sits in a cabinet throughout to concentrate the power. Most physical mediums operate in total darkness, or use a dim red light for illumination, but a number of developing physical mediums and scientifically-minded researchers are now experimenting with various other forms of lighting (including spirit lights brought by the spirit teams of the mediums concerned).

Ectoplasmic-based physical mediumship

The ectoplasmic-based physical medium often takes many years to fully develop their mediumship. The ‘ectoplasm’ is exuded from the physical medium’s body (from any or all of the body’s natural orifices). It can be molded by the spirit guides and helpers to form a solid ‘materialization’ of a spirit person, which is often positively identified by friends and relatives of the spirit person.

For the manipulation and levitation of objects such as a trumpet (a megaphone-like object used for amplification of direct-voice communication from spirit) in the seance room, an ectoplasmic rod with a pseudopod for gripping is used by the spirit people. In every case, the ectoplasm remains connected by an umbilical cord-like structure to the medium whilst phenomena takes place. The ectoplasmic connection also makes proceedings potentially physically dangerous for the medium.

If a sitter does something silly, like switching on an electric light in the middle of a seance, the ectoplasm shoots back into the body of the medium at an alarmingly fast rate; causing (at best) burns to the medium’s body and (at worst) occasional internal damage that has, on occasion, led directly to the death or serious injury of the medium. Such was the case with Helen Duncan and Alec Harris, both famous materialization mediums. Consequently, in all sittings where physical mediumship is conducted through an ectoplasmic-based system, stringent precautions have to be observed for the safety of the medium.

Energy-based physical mediumship

The second, and more modern method of producing physical phenomena is by way of an energy-based procedure. This form of physical phenomena was largely pioneered by the spirit team working with us during the Scole Experimental Group in the 1990’s. There may indeed be one or more mediums in a group where this method is being used and they may, or may not necessarily be used in deep trance; sometimes, the group are not even aware of who the medium or mediums might be!

The spiritual energies of all the group members are blended and involved in the energy-based process. Whilst groups of this sort should start out in total darkness, the spirit team working with a particular group often provides their own spirit-lighting during the early stages of the development of the phenomena to provide adequate illumination.

Three types of blended energy used by the spirit team

The energy used by the spirit team is a blend of three different types of energy which can provide one creative energy that can be used by the spirit team or individual spirits in a physical way to produce the phenomena:

1) Spiritual energy taken from all the sitters in the group.

2) Spirit energy brought by the spirit team from the spirit world, especially for the purpose of producing the ‘creative energy’ needed at a particular sitting.

3) Columns or ‘pillars’ of natural earth energy that exist in certain geographical locations around the world. Groups sitting for physical phenomena can attract one of these columns of energy to them or even create a new column in the place where the sittings take place.

There are several advantages to working with energy, although neither method is better than, nor superior to the other. These advantages include:

a) Phenomena can develop quicker with energy. Sometimes, within in months rather than years.

b) There is absolutely no danger whatsoever to mediums or sitters if somebody does something stupid during an energy-based sitting. The phenomena will simply stop.

c) The energy-based method is more versatile in that more types of phenomena can be developed in this way. At Scole, we counted around 180 different types of phenomena that were developed during the 5-year history of the Scole Experimental Group.

Types of physical phenomena produced by spirit helpers

Next, we will be looking at the actual types of physical phenomena that can be produced by the spirit helpers using these two methods. The list below describes some of the phenomena that can be witnessed when the medium, group or circle works in either an ectoplasmic-based way or an energy-based way.

I will first describe the types of phenomenal that are typical of ectoplasm-based. EVERYTHING that happens in an ectoplasm-based way can be duplicated in an energy-based way. It is important to realize, however, that although the same effects can be reproduced in either way, the method of production is definitely different. Consequently, there are sometimes different names for a similar effect produced through the creative energy method and where this is the case, I include the new energy-based names in brackets.

Physical phenomena that can be witnessed

1) DROP IN TEMPERATURE: Self-explanatory; one of the first signs in a physical circle, around knees and below. 

2) PSYCHIC BREEZES: Can be felt around the experimental room, particularly when a spirit person is very close.

3) PSYCHIC SMELLS AND AROMAS: Can be scents, the smell of tobacco or something associated with a spirit person.

4) RAPS AND TAPS: Of various strengths and intensities can be heard around the room coming from any surface.

5) RINGING OF BELLS: That are present in the room; perhaps hanging from the ceiling or placed on the floor.  

6) SITTERS BEING SPLASHED WITH WATER DROPLETS: In a playful way occasionally by members of the spirit team.

7) ELECTROSTATIC CRACKLING IN THE AIR: The noise of ectoplasm/energy being moved about and manipulated.

8) LEVITATION: Of small objects; then large ones such as heavy tables, chairs, or people, sometimes to the ceiling. 

9) DIRECT SPIRIT WRITING: On a piece of paper or pad that has been left in the room, specially for the purpose.

10) APPORTS: Objects brought into the seance room from elsewhere during a sitting – sometimes little presents.  

11) ASPORTS: Opposite to apports; objects in seance room at the start, removed by spirit team during a seance.  

12) SPIRIT LIGHTS: Usually are more limited in type, variety, size and duration than those produced by energy.

13) TRANSFIGURATION: Mask of ectoplasm covering medium’s face molded by spirit into face of communicator.

14) PLAYING OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS: By spirit musicians, (or less well by enthusiastic child spirit guides!)    

15) DIRECT VOICE: This refers to spirit voices speaking through a ‘trumpet’ (aluminum cone like a megaphone -specially for the purpose) which is usually levitated in mid-air at the time.                                                   

16) INDEPENDENT VOICE (Energy voices in new way produced without ectoplasm): A superb type of phenomena where the spirit team build a replica of a human voice-box in mid-air out of ectoplasm. Spirit voices can speak through this, sometimes in their own exact voice whilst on earth. The two way conversation between sitters and spirit communicators sounds just as though two earthly physical people are talking.        

17) MATERIALISATION (Teleportation in new way of actual spirit person without ectoplasm): This is an amazing phenomenon to witness. An animated replica of a spirit person is created by the spirit team from a substance called ectoplasm, appearing totally solid and fully recognizable; able to interact with relatives, friends and loved ones. These materializations are generally unable to stay for long, and return to the ‘cabinet’ to dematerialize in order to make way for more materializations.                                                            

18) MATTER THROUGH MATTER: Spirit team can dematerialize any matter (such as part of the medium’s own body or chair) and re-materialize this in the same place or elsewhere.

19) MANY AND VARIED DIFFERENT TYPES/COLOURS OF SPIRIT LIGHTS/LUMINOSITY: These are self-explanatory.    

20) HEALING AS SPIRIT LIGHT ENTERS A SITTER’S BODY: This is fully visible. The light has weight and substance and can move freely around the patient’s body (always felt physically by patient) till it emerges visibly again from patient. Healing given in this way was always extremely effective. It happened to me many times.        

21) ANY SOUND CAN BE DUPLICATED IN CIRCLE: This includes the sound of any musical instrument that is not in the room at the time; a spirit team can also, for instance, pretend to give a ‘haircut’ to a sitter. The scissors can be heard opening and closing; the comb can be heard being drawn across a chair, when none of these instruments or objects are in the room in reality!                                                                           

22) EXTENDED VOICE: this occurs when the trance communication from a medium (through his or her larynx in the normal way) suddenly seems to come from a different place in the room, although the medium is still sitting in the same place. What happens here is that by using energy, the spirit team is able to make the source of the medium’s voice appear to move anywhere in that room within a split second, without the medium moving. The voice can even, on occasion, seem to come from within the walls of the room.             

23) TELEPORTED SPIRIT BEINGS AND (in some groups) STELLAR FRIENDS FROM OTHER DIMENSIONS: Can move freely around the room in solid form and interact constantly with sitters. There seems to be no time limit on their presence and they are able to undertake many normal tasks whilst they are present, which would seem to be beyond the ability of ectoplasmic-based materialization; we have personally experienced the presence of eight or more of these teleported beings in an experimental room at the same time!                                 

24) PSYCHIC PHOTOGRAPHY: Many different types. Sometimes appearing on a 35mm film in a camera which is levitated by a spirit team and proceeds to take pictures in total darkness; at other times, a complete 35mm film still in its shop wrapping and locked into a security box can be covered from end to end with pictures and writing produced by a spirit team. We had pictures and portraits also captured on a video camera as we sat.  

25) SVO’S – SOLID VISIBLE OBJECTS: These were self-illuminated objects that had no name on our earth but were common in the spirit world. They were brought by our spirit team for us to see and examine in a solid form before they were again taken back to the spirit world.                                             

26) VSB’S – VISIBLE SPIRIT BEINGS: Not spirit people but ANGELIC BEINGS. Self-luminous; they would build up on a table in front of our eyes to a height of about two to three feet (resembling a Madonna-type figure), before floating around the room in front of our eyes, allowing their robes to trail over our hands. The wonderful love that emanated from these beings was amazing! The room was ‘charged’ with energy when they were present.  

27) VOICE-TO-VOICE COMMUNICATION WITH SPIRIT BEINGS: Of excellent clarity and volume through the simple amplifier of a cheap tape recorder.                                                                                               

28) TELEPORTED PRESENCE OF MINIATURE UFO: Which flew around the room on a number of occasions, pausing in front of each sitter so they could examine it closely, with its illuminated portholes.                                  

29) VOICE-TO-VOICE COMMUNICATION WITH ‘STELLAR FRIENDS’ AND OTHER WORLD BEINGS: Through the amplifier of a cheap tape recorder attached to the simple TRANS-DIMENSIONAL COMMUNICATION DEVICE that was designed by our spirit team. A blueprint of this device was received by us on an unopened film when we were asked to build it. An IDOLIS (Inter-Dimensional Oral Language Interpretation System) was incorporated into this device by the spirit team for use during our communications so we could hear the communications in ENGLISH through a ‘robotic’ voice.

Spontaneous, natural occurrences of physical phenomena

Finally, it is important to recognize that not all physical phenomena occur within experimental groups and physical circles that sit under strictly controlled conditions. Here are a few examples of natural, spontaneous phenomena that occur during our everyday lives:

A) SPIRIT ‘ORBS’ OCCURRING IN EVERYDAY PHOTOGRAPHY   

B) CROP CIRCLES   

C) DOWSING                         

D) DRV (DIRECT RADIO VOICES): On a one-to-one basis through a functioning radio (as in the case of Italian medium Marcello Bacci)

E) PSYCHIC SURGERY    

F) EVP (ELECTRONIC VOICE PHENOMENA)  

G) PHONE CALLS FROM SPIRIT PEOPLE      

H) SPIRIT MESSAGES LEFT ON ANSWERPHONES                                                                                          

I) ITC (INSTRUMENTAL TRANS-COMMUNICATION): A whole sub-category by itself. Includes: IMAGES OF SPIRIT PEOPLE AND OTHER DIMENSIONAL PEOPLE ON TELEVISION SCREENS. Also communication received through any other technical devices such as COMPUTERS. Strictly speaking, communications on answer phones and EVP loosely fit into this category, too.

The types of phenomena I have mentioned here – both ectoplasmic-based and energy-based – are the main types you are likely to come into contact with if you research this exciting subject thoroughly. However, the list is by no means comprehensive. There is much more to discover as you delve deeper into the topic.

Robin & Sandra Foy

Further Reading

The Scole Experiment - https://www.thescoleexperiment.com/

The Scole Group Physical Mediumship Experiments - Rosemary Ellen Guiley https://www.visionaryliving.com/the-scole-group/

Eastern Daily Press: Strange case of Norfolk life after death experiment that could become a Hollywood film (2018)

https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/20802266.strange-case-norfolk-life-death-experiment-become-hollywood-film/

Skeptics and Parapsychologists Have Something in Common

A new paper published in Frontiers in Psychology examines the similarities and differences between skeptics, parapsychologists, (scientists who study psychic ability), and believers in psychic ability. It challenges the idea that skeptics somehow possess different or superior thinking skills in evaluating the evidence for psychic ability. Here’s the introduction:

Introduction: Belief in psi, which includes psychic phenomena such as extra-sensory perception and post-mortem survival, is widespread yet controversial. According to one of the leading and perhaps most tested hypotheses, high belief in psi can be explained by differences in various aspects of cognition, including cognitive styles. Most of this research has been conducted with lay individuals. Here, we tested the hypothesis that academic researchers who investigate psi may exhibit different cognitive styles than lay individuals interested in psi, and are more similar to skeptics.

And this was their overall conclusion:

Discussion: Our research shows that academics who work with psi differ from lay psi individuals, but not from skeptics, in actively open-minded thinking. In other words, despite their high belief in psi phenomena, psi researchers demonstrate a commitment to sound reasoning about evidence that is no different from that of skeptics.

One of the myths that this research dispels is that skeptics are somehow superior critical thinkers when it comes to psychic research. This is certainly consistent with my own observations over the years. I have personally never seen any case where skeptics demonstrated superior skills at evaluating parapsychological research, or indeed, anything related to the paranormal or psychic ability at all. At best, they are equal in their critical thinking and at worst, they demonstrate obvious biases in their evaluations.

A very important aspect of this discussion is the idea of objective vs. subjective experience. This line isn’t clear cut and there is a lot of ambiguity on the table. What this means is that people who rely on their subjective experiences to create their worldview aren’t necessarily worse thinkers, only different in what they rely on. Objectivity itself relies ultimately on choosing what data to believe.

Better Informed Equals better at Being Objective

Also, lay individuals, whether skeptics or experiencers, were generally worse at critical thinking. No surprise there either. Objective evaluation is a scholarly skill that has to be learned. In general, lay skeptics and experiencers tend more towards knee jerk reactions to data that they don’t like and both exhibit more defensiveness over their positions.

A lot of bias comes from having an emotional attachment to a particular position. Spending more time with a subject includes careful considerations of contrary positions, which in turn will slowly erode strong emotions surrounding a subject and introduce more objectivity.

So these study results shouldn’t be very surprising. Informed people are better at evaluating a subject than uninformed people. Having said that, my long history with the controversies in parapsychology tells me that the situation is decidedly more complicated. This has less to do with logic and rational thinking and more to do with the nature of psychic ability. Believers are not really believers and skeptics aren’t really skeptics. There are deeper layers to this situation.

Who is Really the Believer?

Belief implies a reliance on faith without evidence and skepticism implies objectively examining evidence and not drawing unsupported conclusions. Yet “believers” often rely on evidence, it’s merely a question of interpretation and how much evidence they think that they need. And skeptics often begin from their own sets of beliefs before they examine evidence.

One complication comes from the self reporting nature of the study. It can only measure people’s view of themselves, not the accuracy of their self reflection.

For example, when examining beliefs about psychic ability, it is important to establish the reality of psychic ability first. If, for example, we were examining a discussion about whether trees exist, we would immediately divide that group into rational people who know that trees exist and irrational people who did not believe in trees.

The believers in trees would not be criticized for being inflexible about the reality of trees nor would their critical thinking skills be questioned for refusing to entertain any discussion about it, rather the tree skeptics would be criticized as tree deniers. The entire narrative completely flips depending on what we agree is real.

Who is the Rational One?

So if it’s assumed that psychic ability is real, then of course people are not going to be open to changing their minds about it. Doubt about whether a particular experience is real is weighed against whether it is within the boundaries of ordinary psychic experiences. If psychic experiences are not considered to be exceptional, then the bar for acceptance is not very high. In this case the classification of “believer” is grossly misleading because they are operating on knowledge based on experience, not on personal beliefs.

The other thing to consider is that skeptics tend to talk big about being open minded, and often sincerely believe this to be true about themselves, but in practice most of them demonstrate just the opposite to be true. What passes for careful rationality and critical thinking is often just pride and stubbornness with a lot of ego mixed in. So a skeptic might claim that their mind can be changed by evidence, but when push comes to shove, it gradually becomes obvious that no evidence will ever be enough. In the study, this was somewhat acknowledged by measuring a “need for closure.” While this is certainly related to stubbornness, there may still be a gap between what a person thinks about themselves and what they actually do.

Measuring Skeptical Stubbornness

Skeptical stubbornness is difficult to uncover because it requires repeatedly probing the skeptic to see whether they will change their mind in the face of contrary evidence, but revealing this trait is extremely important in evaluating their critical thinking skills. Part of stubbornness is the belief that one isn’t being stubborn, merely holding steadfast to the truth, so a survey or a psych test that is not designed to specifically uncover this is probably insufficient.

For example, if you asked a skeptic if sufficient evidence would change their mind, they would say that yes, it would. If you instead forced them to quantify exactly what evidence would definitively change their mind, (a successful telepathy test? A personal experience?) they would likely refuse to commit to a concrete answer that would force them to concede, or choose an answer that will always be out of reach. Either path demonstrates stubbornness and a deficiency in critical thinking.

When it comes to these two things: sorting out whether belief is actually experience or whether claims of being open minded and objective are just lip service, it’s very hard for academic studies to sort these two things out, but they have huge ramifications for the conclusions. The flaky believer magically transforms into an open minded holistic thinker and the critically thinking skeptic becomes a stubborn fool.

Know Your Universe Before Passing Judgment

This is an important point because evidence is mounting that we live in a universe where consciousness, not the material world, is fundamental to reality. In that case, reality itself is relative to the observer, which must necessarily change our perception about what constitutes belief vs. reality. It no longer becomes a question of whether someone is correctly viewing reality, but about how far off they are from what is often referred to as “consensus reality.”

The takeaway here is that I think that we have to be careful in our assessments of the strengths and weaknesses of “believers” and “skeptics.” It is a question with far more depth and nuance than first appears. If we don’t question our underlying assumptions, we may lose sight of thinking processes that are far more complex than first appears.

Haunted Waters: The Enigma of the Isle of Demons

Amid the windswept waters of the Strait of Belle Isle, where fog clings like a ghostly veil and waves crash against unseen perils, lies a tale that refuses to be forgotten. The Isle of Demons, a name whispered with equal parts dread and fascination, appeared on 16th-century maps as a phantom island hovering on the cusp of history and myth. Its story, rich with marooned aristocrats, supernatural horrors, and unanswered questions, has lured dreamers and adventurers alike, daring them to unravel its eerie enigma.

But was it real? Or is it merely a cautionary tale born of imagination and fear? Let us journey into the heart of this chilling legend to uncover the truth behind the Isle of Demons and its place in the broader history of phantom islands.

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Origins of a Phantom: Charting the Isle

The Isle of Demons first appeared on Johannes Ruysch’s 1508 world map, nestled between Newfoundland and Greenland. Alongside it was an ominous inscription: “Demons assaulted ships near these islands, which were avoided, but not without peril.” This chilling note foreshadowed the island’s sinister reputation.

By 1556, Giacomo Gastaldi, an Italian cartographer with a flair for the dramatic, etched the Isle of Demons onto his map of New France with unsettling precision. Unlike its shadowy debut on earlier maps, Gastaldi’s version brimmed with macabre imagination, an island more imposing than Newfoundland, swarming with fantastical creatures: bat-winged demons poised to strike and monstrous gryphons that seemed to defy both reason and reality. Its location, the Strait of Belle Isle, a treacherous corridor known for its bone-chilling winds and labyrinth of jagged rocks, only magnified its ominous allure. Was it a cartographic exaggeration or a reflection of sailors’ whispered fears?

Phantom islands were a frequent feature of early maps, and their inclusion often reflected the uncertainty of the Age of Exploration. The Age of Exploration wasn’t just about discovery; it was about filling the blank spaces of the world with possibilities, some credible, others bordering on absurdity. Phantom islands like the Isle of Demons emerged as placeholders for the unknown, equal parts superstition and cartographic necessity. Their names alone conjured unease: Hy-Brasil, a fabled utopia shrouded in mist, said to reveal itself briefly every seven years; Sandy Island, a phantom that persisted on nautical charts until satellites betrayed its nonexistence in the 21st century. Such islands were more than cartographic curiosities, they were reflections of humanity’s eternal grappling with the unknown.

A Noblewoman’s Nightmare: The Tale of Marguerite de La Rocque

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No story embodies the eerie allure of the Isle of Demons more than that of Marguerite de La Rocque. A French noblewoman, Marguerite’s life of privilege darkened in 1542 during a voyage to New France. Her cousin, Jean-François de La Rocque de Roberval, Lieutenant-General of the colony, marooned her on the island, reportedly for an illicit affair with a young man aboard their ship.

Marguerite was left with her lover, a maidservant, and minimal supplies: a gun, some gunpowder, knives, and a Bible. According to André Thevet, a French cosmographer who chronicled her ordeal, the island was plagued by demonic forces. “It was as if a great tempest buffeted them,” Thevet wrote, “and they heard voices making a great din, but no form to their speech.”

Her companions succumbed to the island’s hardships; the maid and her lover died, followed by the infant Marguerite gave birth to while marooned. Left alone, she hunted game with the single firearm, even killing and skinning a bear for warmth. For two years, Marguerite survived, her endurance a testament to human resilience amidst an unforgiving landscape. She was finally rescued by fishermen in 1544 and returned to France, where she became a schoolmistress, her tale immortalized in history.

Marguerite de La Rocque’s story breathes life into the legend of the Isle of Demons, grounding its ghostly myths in harrowing human reality. Betrayed and abandoned, she faced a landscape as hostile as her fate: her strength tested by death, isolation, and the relentless bite of the wild. Yet, her survival is as haunting as the island itself, a testament to the sheer tenacity of the human spirit, even in the shadow of unimaginable hardship. Her story forces us to confront the fragility of our own resilience when set against the dual spectres of nature and betrayal.

Phantom Islands: More Than Just Myths

The Isle of Demons was far from the only phantom island haunting the maps of Renaissance Europe. These “geographical ghosts” were born from misinformation, superstition, and the limitations of navigation technology.  Many cartographers of the time lacked reliable instruments to verify locations, so they often relied on hearsay or embellished accounts from sailors.

As mentioned earlier, one of the most famous phantom islands, Hy-Brasil was a recurring feature on maps for over 500 years.  Believed to be a utopian paradise, it was said to emerge from the sea only once every seven years. Similarly, Sandy Island was first “discovered” in the 19th century and remained on official charts until modern satellite imagery revealed its nonexistence.

Cartographers were not always complicit in these errors; many repeated the mistakes of their predecessors. However, some were not above fabricating discoveries to gain fame or funding. Robert Peary, for instance, claimed to have discovered Crocker Land near Greenland in 1906, a landmass that was later proven to be fictional, whether accidental or deliberate; phantom islands reveal the delicate interplay between exploration, imagination, and the human desire to map the unknown.

Demonic Noises or Natural Phenomena?

What gave rise to the Isle of Demons’ fearsome reputation? Accounts from sailors passing near its supposed location tell of disembodied cries echoing through the mist and invisible forces shaking the masts of their ships. Could there be a natural explanation?

Some historians suggest that the “demonic” sounds were likely the cries of seabirds, amplified and distorted by the dense fog. Others propose that the island’s howling winds and the eerie calls of walruses or seals contributed to its supernatural aura. Yet, such explanations fail to account for the vivid descriptions of spirits and terrifying illusions.

Marguerite herself claimed to have encountered natural predators and spectral apparitions, manifestations that seemed to mock and torment her at every turn. Were these hallucinations born of isolation and desperation? Or did the Isle of Demons truly harbor something otherworldly?

Andre Thevet map of Isle of Demons

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The Disappearance of the Isle

As cartographic knowledge of the North Atlantic expanded, the Isle of Demons vanished from maps. By the mid-17th century, it was no longer charted, relegated to the annals of phantom geography. Some believe it was inspired by Quirpon Island, a rugged outpost off Newfoundland’s northern tip. Others point to Harrington Harbour in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, where a cave known as “Marguerite’s Cave” is said to have sheltered the castaway.

Yet the island’s absence from modern maps does little to quell its enduring mystique. Its spectral presence lingers in the imagination, a reminder of the unknown waters that once terrified mariners and the tales that sprang from their encounters.

Why the Isle of Demons Endures

What makes the Isle of Demons so compelling, even centuries after its disappearance? Perhaps it’s the human need to find wonder and fear in the unknown. The legend speaks to when the edges of maps were adorned with dragons and warnings of danger when the world still held secrets waiting to be discovered or avoided.

The story of Marguerite de La Rocque adds a profoundly human dimension. Her survival in the face of betrayal and unimaginable hardship is as haunting as the island itself. As we delve into her tale, we are reminded of the strength of the human spirit and the fine line between reality and legend.

Conclusion: A Mystery That Stirs the Soul

The Isle of Demons has long since vanished from our maps, but its shadow persists in our imaginations, a spectre of mystery and fear. Was it a sailor’s fever dream, a misunderstood trick of the natural world, or a realm touched by the supernatural? Its legend lingers because it taps into something primal: our terror of the unknown and the tantalising possibility of uncovering something extraordinary.

Reflecting on Marguerite de La Rocque’s ordeal, one cannot help but wonder, if cast into such an abyss, would we muster her fortitude, or would the whispers of unseen demons unravel us? The island’s true power lies not in its geography but in its ability to hold a mirror to our fears and our strength, compelling us to ask what lies within when the world outside offers no answers.

References

Ruysch, Johannes. Vniversalior cogniti orbis tabvla, 1508. Library of Congress.

Gastaldi, Giacomo. Nvova Francia, 1556. Memorial University Archives.

Thevet, André. Cosmographie Universelle, 1575.

Smith, Cynthia. “The Elusive Isle of Demons.” Geography and Map Division Blog, 2022.

Parks, Shoshi. “The Phantom Island That Haunted 16th-Century Newfoundland.” Atlas Obscura, 2023.

Hawthorn, Ainsley. “This Phantom Island Was Once Believed to Lie in the Strait of Belle Isle.” CBC News, 2023.

“Marguerite de La Rocque.” Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Accessed 2023.

Southern Highland News. “France’s Robinson Crusoe Was a Woman.” Accessed 2023.

Neuroscientist Dr Jeff Tarrant: Trance, Healing, Psychedelics & Spirituality

Challenging conventional neuroscience and inviting a reevaluation of our understanding of consciousness and psychedelics, the engaging dialogue between former skeptics Deadly Departed host Jock Brocas and Dr. Jeff Tarrant encourages us all to delve deeper into the uncharted terrains of psychic phenomena and the boundless mind-brain connection. Dr. Jeff Tarrant's pioneering research into the brain activity of mediums during psychic and mediumship readings offers groundbreaking insights and pushes the boundaries of scientific inquiry into psychic perception.

Part Two of this podcast overview delves into the potential impact of psychedelics on spiritual experiences, and contemplates the interplay between psychedelics, the brain's self-referential networks, and expanded perception. Dr. Jeff Tarrant's candid discussion of his Ayahuasca experience, including the clear message that steered the trajectory of his life, uncovers the intriguing potential for psychedelics to catalyze profound spiritual insights and transformative decision-making.

Listen to the Deadly Departed podcast (Run time: 1 hr 07 mins)

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How the brain can interfere with natural psychic abilities

Dr Jeff Tarrant: I think one of the challenges that you're highlighting is that there's not a lot of data for people in trance conditions, or especially trance mediumship... Certainly we have data on people being in trance, because that can be a lot of different things… Shamanic traditions or hypnosis, deep meditation...

There are too many different people with different brain structures, so everybody won't look the same. One of the primary things we see in trance state is this increase in slow brainwave activity. Especially theta. And, you know, theta is an interesting brainwave because it's also associated with things like the subconscious and memory. So this gets into an interesting issue, and it's kind of what you were bringing up - is this coming from you? Even if you don't think it is, if it's coming from your subconscious… it's below consciousness. You're not normally aware of it.

So, is this you? Or are you actually tapping into another consciousness out there? I don't know.

Background Image: Canva

I work with a lot of technology… not just measuring the brain, but also to train the brain, like neurofeedback or brain stimulation technologies. And I talk about this in the book because we've done enough… mini experiments. We've seen that we can stimulate the brain in a way that does seem to expedite the process for people. It kind of helps them tap in quicker or more easily or have different kinds of experiences.

One of the things that's interesting is… if I put really slow frequencies into the brain, then what it's doing is actually shutting it down…A lot of times we get bigger results in terms of mediumship or psychic activity if we shut down certain parts. At least from my perspective, I think the brain is largely interfering with our natural psychic abilities. It sort of prevents it. It limits information, which is largely what the brain does. That's its job… to filter information.

Very often what you'll see is that with these high level psychics and mediums, one part of the brain will shut down. There'll be an increase of slow activity, but another part of the brain will actually increase fast activity at the same time. And what I suspect is that this is how they are able to, first, connect with this information that's in a broader field, we'll say. But then you have to have some activation in order to bring it into your conscious mind and retain it, hold on to it, put words to it, explain it, right? Like, you kind of got to do both…

I think of it like a dream state… like where you have an interesting dream, and then you wake up and you can't hold on to it. It just disappears. And so, you're transitioning from this really deep state of consciousness to waking consciousness, and if there's not some sort of a way to connect those two, then, you lose it. You can't hold on to it. And so I feel like that's one of the skills that these really high level mediums and psychics have. Somehow they have figured out how to enter a state of consciousness where they can do both or shift really quickly between the two.

Jock Brocas: From the mediums you've researched, do you feel they're particularly adept in one part of the brain for one particular strength in their mediumistic capacity. Like, clairvoyance, claircognizance, clairaudience?

Dr Jeff Tarrant: So far, I have not been able to see anything that shows that really clearly… And part of the problem may be that most of the mediums I've talked to work out of multiple clair senses. They're not just clairvoyant or not just clairaudient. They work out of multiple senses. And so that's going to confuse things. But the one thing that I do see a lot is activation and by activation, in this case, I mean increased fast brainwave activity, especially gamma, in the occipital lobe in the very back of the brain, which is the visual processing… I see it all the time. And it's interesting because that's visual processing.

…The other big one would be clairaudience. We would probably target that in the temporal lobes, you know, where we process more of the auditory information. I haven't done as much with that. One of the other areas that we've explored more directly is the God spot… the right parietal lobe back here, which seems to be not for everybody, but I'd say 70% of the mediums. They show some unusual activity back there.

Energy healing & biodynamic craniosacral therapy

Dr Jeff Tarrant: It’s not like I can show that I've healed cancer or something, but over the weekend I was doing a training in energy work… and you take turns with being on the table. I had somebody on the table and was checking in beforehand, what's going on, is there anything I need to know about?

She said, “My left shoulder is… it's chronic…a wreck, so if you feel like going up there, that would be great.”

So I'm doing my normal kind of process going through the session. I was like, okay, I'm going to go up to that left shoulder, because she asked me to. I wasn't particularly drawn to go there. But I went up there, and because of the way the room was set up, I couldn't get to it very well. It was very awkward. I couldn't stay there for more than a couple of minutes, so I just left it alone and said, well, whatever… I can't do anything with that.

And then I went to the head and… this process that I'm using involves touch, physical touch… I wasn't touching the head - I was working with the energy field around the head and really just sensing it, holding it, supporting it, not trying to make anything happen, almost kind of tapping into… zero point or something like that… Getting into this no mind state where I'm just supporting the energy field of the person. So I did that for a while and wrapped it up. And honestly… I have no idea if I'm doing anything here or not. Right? Like, I don't know.

So, we wrapped it up and then we processed afterwards. The person on the table said:

“Dude, I could totally tell when you were on my head and what you were doing up there… And my shoulder… as soon as you let go of the energy around my head, my shoulder pain went away. It's completely gone.”

And I'm like, oh, okay.

We had training the next day, and she said, “My shoulder still doesn't hurt… it doesn't hurt at all.”

And I was like, that's brilliant. So, it's interesting, right? Because it wasn't like I went in and said, I am going to fix your shoulder. No. In fact, I felt like I wasn't doing anything.

Jock Brocas: That's the important point… I think that's a really fundamental point to think about because if you're in the way, nothing's gonna happen. And if you're out of the way, the expectation is not there… if you're not attached to the expectations, then wondrous things can happen. I think you've just proven that, or to a point.

Dr Jeff Tarrant: This process that I'm doing right now is called biodynamic craniosacral therapy… And I like it because it has this very non-directive approach. It's like, I'm not curing you. I'm not assessing you, even. I'm just making contact with you and with your energy and supporting you. I'm trying to drop myself into a place that's very centered and grounded and supportive. And I trust that your energy field can use that to heal itself. I don't have to do anything. And so, I really like that approach. It feels very, respectful of the other person. And effective. It really seems to work.

How psychedelics have a tendency to launch spirituality

Jock Brocas: So, does the technology enhance psychedelics? Do the psychedelics enhance the technology? Or do they both have separate correlates to what you're trying to do? Because you've got experience in the psychedelic world.

Dr Jeff Tarrant: I do. Both personally and professionally. So, are you asking the question, do psychedelics facilitate more psychic-type development? Yeah.

Jock Brocas: Yeah, so they facilitate more of these mystical experiences that we can measure from a psychic or evidential point of view, and is there a potential they're bringing technology into that as well?

Dr Jeff Farrant: Yes. It's pretty clear that people who work with psychedelics, whether it's psilocybin or ayahuasca or 5-MeO-DMT, whatever, it does tend to launch people's spirituality. And because people have these experiences of unity or connection and intense love, meeting other entities in these other realms, you know, all these things that are very convincing from a subjective perspective. When you have them… nobody ever comes out and goes like, oh, that was garbage. They come out and they go, that was more real than this is. People say that all the time. So, from a subjective perspective, it's really hard to argue with. And in fact, I've made major life decisions based on information that I received in psychedelic sessions.

Jock Brocas: No way, have you really? That's crazy.

Dr Jeff Tarrant: I was working at the University of Missouri and had a pretty cushy job. I went to… my second ayahuasca ceremony or something like that. And in the ceremony, I had the very, very, very clear download of information that I needed to leave the university. And I was kinda like, man… seriously? That's a big ask, right?... I was like, I don't have a plan… but it was so strong that I was like, I have to listen… And so I did. I left the university, and then that's what started everything. That's what started the Neuro Meditation Institute, got my first book out, and led to all this.

None of this would have happened if I had stayed at the university.

Jock Brocas: Wow. And that's all because you had that experience with a psychedelic, wow.

Dr Jeff Tarrant: Yeah. One of the primary effects of psychedelics is to temporarily shut down the networks in the brain that create your sense of self, right? We talked before about how the brain is this filtering mechanism, that it limits information and says, oh, here's reality right here. And that's it.

And then with psychedelics, it essentially shuts down those mechanisms for a little while, so that all of a sudden, what you can see and perceive and experience becomes way bigger than what your brain normally allows. Right? And if you do this and have the right experience under the right conditions, or you do it enough times…you can start to connect to that spaciousness and that energy without the psychedelics. It's not the same, but you can start to have more flexibility.

Jock Brocas: Which is what we do as mediums. It's interesting because I thought myself, Okay. Alright. You've worked in mediumship for a long time, and I've spoken to many people and researchers. If I took a psychedelic, would it enhance the experience because I had a mediumistic ability?

Here's an interesting thing. I was working as a professional medium, and… I was fairly good. But I had a near death experience. I had a car crash that nearly took us out, and I had a really strong out-of-body near-death experience. And when I came back, the abilities enhanced even more. So I had this feeling of an interconnectedness. Even now.

So I wonder, then, because I've never done psychedelics, but it's in my mind now because of the amount of research, do I try this to see where this will go? And am I holding on to that experience that maybe I had in that near-death experience, or is it gonna even go even deeper? Would it affect a trance medium in some way, or is there gonna be a different effect from someone who's just awakening to try a mystical experience or someone like Laura Lynne Jackson? Like, that'd be interesting. Has Laura Lynne taken any ayahuasca and had a completely different experience? Laura, if you're listening, have you? I want to know.

Dr Jeff Tarrant: Yeah… What's funny is, most of the mediums that I've talked to have no interest in psychedelics. They're almost kind of like, in a sense… I don't need to be any more open. You know, like, I'm already plenty open.

Jock Brocas: That's exactly how I feel, but I'm intrigued.

Dr Jeff Tarrant: It’s interesting.

Jock Brocas: It is. I said for years… there's no need to do that, I can have the same experience. But what if I did do that and take something and then had an even deeper experience… or even get back to the point where I felt that same interconnectedness as I did with the near-death experience? Is there a potential even for more research in that way? So, it does intrigue me. I haven't done it. And today, I'm like… it's there, it's in there, I'm thinking about it, and it would be interesting. And I think it might be an interesting field of research.

Dr Jeff Farrant: I think it would be…there's so much, right? I mean, like even in this brief conversation, we've come up with probably 100 ideas. There's so much to do and explore, which is also what's exciting for me… part of this is it's just the sheer exploration, right? Feeling like there are areas that we don't understand. And mystery. There's mystery out there. And to me, that's the stuff I'm interested in. Like, who cares about all the boring day-to-day stuff? Right? I mean… we got to make money, and we got to pay bills, and we got to do that. But the mystery is for me, the fun stuff.

Connect with Dr Jeff Farrant

Psychic Mind Science - Sign up for the twice-a-month newsletter and receive Dr. Tarrant’s free 30-page e-book Exploring Your Psychic Brain. A clear summary of brainwave basics, followed by an explanation of the most common brainwave patterns observed in Dr. Tarrant's research with mediums, psychics, and healers.

NeuroMeditation Institute

Deadly Departed podcast Part One: Dr Jeff Tarrant - Understanding Mediums and Psychics

Neuroscientist Dr. Jeff Tarrant - Understanding Mediums and Psychics

Dr. Jeff Tarrant is known for his pioneering work in the field of integrative mental health, blending traditional psychology with mindfulness, neurofeedback, and other alternative therapies. He is a leading expert in the use of technology and meditation for mental health and has authored several books on the subject. Dr. Tarrant's journey from skeptic to innovator has earned him recognition as a thought leader in holistic mental wellness. His latest book ‘Becoming Psychic’ received the Spring 2024 First Place Award in the Body, Mind, & Spirit: Parapsychology category from The Book Fest.

If you haven’t had time to listen to ‘Unveiling the Mysteries of Psychic Minds’, presented by Jock Brocas on his award-winning Deadly Departed podcast, please feast your mind on a selection of expansive highlights from his compelling discussions with Dr. Jeff Tarrant. They candidly discuss their respective journeys from skepticism to belief in psychic phenomena, the neuroscience behind psychic experiences, Dr. Tarrant's compelling mediumship research, and the potential connection between psychedelics and spiritual development.

Neuroscientific Talking Points

~ Dr. Jeff Tarrant's research on mediumship and psychic abilities challenges traditional scientific perspectives on consciousness and the mind-brain connection

~ The role neuroscience plays in validating psychic experiences, and brainwave activity can offer insight into the validity of mediumship and psychic perception

~ Trance mediumship vs Glossolalia, light language and channeling energy

~ How Dr. Tarrant's experience with psychedelics influenced his understanding of spirituality, interconnectedness, its potential impact on psychic development, and how ethical studies could be conducted in a controlled and responsible manner

~ Dr. Tarrant's work with non-directive healing modalities like biodynamic craniosacral therapy reflects the interconnectedness of energy and the potential for healing within the context of psychic and spiritual experiences

~ How Dr. Tarrant's findings on brainwave activity in relation to psychic experiences serve to broaden our understanding of consciousness, memory, and accessing information from broader fields of awareness

~ How the findings and discussions can contribute to ongoing research and discourse surrounding the relationship between consciousness, brain function, and the development of psychic and mediumistic abilities

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Part 1 of this 2-part series focuses on the neuroscience of Mediumship, glossolalia and channeling. Listen to the podcast. (Run time: 1 hr 07 mins)

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Transitioning from ‘I want to believe’ to ‘I do believe’

Dr Jeff Tarrant: ‘As a kid, I was totally into all this stuff, and, I loved it… all I kind of cared about was the weird stuff. But then, as I got older I started questioning things and learning more, and trained as a psychologist and a neuroscientist. I attribute a lot of my professional training to kind of beating that out of me, so to speak, and kind of encouraging the idea that, ‘well, if we can't prove it in a laboratory, then it doesn't exist. It's not real.’ And so, there were many years where I was a pretty hardcore skeptic.

And then, as life does, it presented me with some opportunities to actually study this. And now I've come back around to the other side again. I've become more of, I do believe as opposed to I want to believe. I've still got a significant skeptical nature, but I've seen too many things, and it makes too much sense to me at this point to try to deny it.

Jock Brocas: You go through loads of examples in the book, and I love the fact that you get so excited. You can't wait to get a hold of measuring people's brainwaves and their activity... But there had to be one pivotal moment where the information... just didn't make sense, right?... That point you were like, there's gotta be something more in this because this doesn't materialistically make sense in the world. What was that pivotal moment for you?

Dr Jeff Tarrant: There's probably been several of those... I think it's been a building process of lots of weird little moments that don't make sense or don't fit with a strictly materialistic viewpoint. But when you were asking the question, the thing that jumped into my brain was, when I first was able to measure Laurel Lynne Jackson, a well-known medium…

The thing that really stood out with her that was so interesting and unique, especially from a neuroscientific standpoint, is that she has this very distinct way of how she perceives information when she's doing a psychic reading versus doing a mediumship reading. For her, they're two very different processes.

When she's doing a psychic reading, she sees it on her inner screen, she calls it, on the left visual field. And when she's doing a mediumship reading, she sees it in her right visual field... this is just something she's noted about herself often. But what was really cool is that when we measured her brain while she was doing a psychic reading and a mediumship reading, that's exactly what showed up - the opposite sides of the occipital lobe where the visual processing was happening corresponded with exactly what she was reporting.

That was a really interesting one where I was like, wow, wait a minute, she's not seeing anything out here. Like, we're just in a boring conference room, but her brain is processing information and it's processing it exactly the way she describes. So for me, even though it doesn't prove anything, it’s pretty convincing that something is going on here.

This isn't just make-believe, right? The brain is processing information even if I can't see it.

Displacement and unawareness during mediumship work

Dr Jeff Tarrant: I've seen Laurel work several times and a lot of times it's a group situation where she's doing a gallery reading, where she's kind of just picking up whatever she picks up in the room and goes over there and does a short reading and then moves along. And when I've seen her do this, and she's described this to me... she's kind of not there. Like she's doing it, but she's almost unaware of the external environment. And so it lends me to sort of believe that maybe she's not really tuned into her body as much when she's in that zone, that it's like she's kind of out here somewhere.

Jock Brocas: … That correlates to my own experiences and my wife's experiences. We used to serve and run our own church back in in the UK. And the way I can explain it would be, if you were up on platform or you were doing… a gallery setting... you would have no idea where you were going to, but all of a sudden, you get up and… you're not there, and… you know exactly where you're going. You know exactly who you're going to, and you know what's actually happening. So, it's interesting because it is almost that there's a sense of displacement of the self or whatever we want to call that… it displaces and then something else takes over and, boom, you're in that flow.

Trance states Spontaneous tribal languages

(Image: Canva)

Jock Brocas: In your book, you talk about...the trance states and xenoglossia and the ability to confirm, and you worked with a woman who developed...

Dr Jeff Tarrant: Janet Mayer.

Jock Brocas: Janet Mayer, yeah... What you experienced there, would that be similar to what they call speaking in tongues or... this whole idea of light language, which is not something that I'm drawn to in any way. Or was there some kind of coherent intelligence behind what she was what she was bringing through?

Dr Jeff Tarrant: Yeah. And so just to give kind of a quick background to Janet and what her story is. She was the very first person that I worked with in this field. And, it’s funny because we're still friends and we still talk periodically. And I jokingly blame her... I'm like, it's your fault that I'm doing this…in a good way, of course.

Janet is a wonderful psychic medium. About 15 years or so... she had this experience during a holotropic breath work exercise... It was a group environment. You're breathing rapidly. There's evocative music. Anyway, she sat up in the middle of this session and what sounded like a language just started coming out of her and she had no idea what was happening. She couldn't really control it. She didn't even know if it was a language for sure because she didn't know she was saying something.

After this experience, it kept happening… when she was in the grocery store and when she was cooking dinner and driving her car, right? This language would just kind of come through. It took four years before she found somebody who would actually listen to her… some experts… linguists, and anthropologists.

She finally found somebody who would listen to her tapes and this person was an anthropologist at the Smithsonian, who was also a shaman in a previous lifetime in South America and recognized her language and so over time, translated several of her tapes. She was speaking up to four different South American tribal languages. Usually when they were translated, they were prayers or healings or teachings. A lot of it had to do with honoring Mother Earth and being connected to nature and important spiritual ways, things like that.

But it was interesting because she... she still doesn't know what she's saying. She can turn it on or off now, but she has no idea what she's saying...

Dr Jeff Tarrant: You brought up speaking in tongues, which, you know, the official term is glossolalia and… it's a Pentecostal kind of a thing, right? Where people get worked up into a religious fervor and they start saying something that sounds like a language. And so for Janet, a lot of the people that she approached, professors and what not said, oh, that's glossolalia....and kind of dismissed it because glossolalia is not an actual human language… so there's nothing to translate. Right?

Jock Brocas: Yes. That's the difference.

Dr Jeff Tarrant: So for me, it can't be glossolalia because these are actual languages and she's actually saying something that could be translated. And it sounds funny when I say this, but the only logical explanation is that she's channeling some kind of either shamans in South America or some other entities but somehow she's able to allow that energy to move through her. How that works… I've got some ideas about how it might work, but that's the only explanation because otherwise, it doesn't make any sense. She's gotta be getting information from somewhere.

Jock Brocas: I want to go into your ideas because I find that fascinating, especially from trance conditions and channeling because I have my own feelings on it. But I think it's important for anybody who's listening out there to make the distinction. And I've said this many times, and you can hate me if you want, guys but this light language stuff that goes out there is just… glossolalia. It's the same as anything that's on the Pentecostal side and... for me... my personal opinion, and you can write in all you want... there is no evidence. And you all know me. I'm very hard on evidence. I need evidence... whether it's scientific evidence or spiritual evidence, there has to be continuity. There has to be a pattern. There has to be a serious evidence. We don't see that.

What is interesting is that... and I think this is fascinating, and I think this gives credence as well to a mediumistic aspect of it, she had no idea what she was speaking. She had no idea at all, and it took a shaman to be able to bring that forward and really say this is the language, and there is a coherent intelligent pattern to it. And I think that's really important. This is not gobbledygook. There was an a a coherent pattern.

Thinking about this, I love how you're getting at channeling because that's my next thing. People are gonna hate me for this as well. I have an issue with channeling. I don't seem to have an issue with trance conditions and going into a trance state because I've had experiences of that myself as well... I know that when the trance condition happens and we allow that connection, that melding of energies, whether the spirit's coming through. There's intelligence. And often, a really, really good trance medium - I don't like to use the term trance channel - but the trance medium…they don't remember. They have no idea of what's going on. There's a sense of disassociation that happens - and this is another argument people come up with - they separate the idea of self going away and an intelligent force or intelligent being that will come in and communicate.

My issue with the channeling side of things is… are they channeling and it's coming really from their own perceptions, their own knowledge, their deep un-subconscious? Because I can perceive a massive difference between someone who's in deep trance, to someone who's just channeling wisdom, that they're saying is coming from such and such. But I feel I discern that it's coming from them, and it's coming from their intellect and their knowledge of maybe what they've studied or what they've been interested in. Where do you fit in that side of things?

Dr Jeff Tarrant: That is a tough one. That's a really tricky one… I've been able to work with quite a number of mediums now. I've not kept track, but… let’s say 20 or 30. And these are pretty high-level mediums, for the most part. And it's interesting because they seem to have levels of trance. Most of them will say that they're at least in a light trance or what they would characterize as a light trance.

And that might be like what Laurel experiences. Because, you can get her attention. If she's doing a reading, and she's kind of in her own zone. It's hard to get her attention. I can be jumping up and down in the background going Laurel, Laurel…

Jock Brocas: She's in the flow.

Dr Jeff Tarrant: She's in the flow. She hadn't even seen me. But eventually she will, right? She'll kind of click in... And so a lot of them talk about being in a light trance but those are… what I would consider... more mental mediums. Where they're in telepathic communication with these other entities, and then they're translating it. So they're getting this information in their own head, theoretically from another entity, and then they're translating it and trying to make sense out of it and put it in human words. I've only worked with... a handful of what we might consider trance mediums where their voice kind of changes a bit, they're much more disconnected, a lot of times they have no memory whatsoever of what they've said. And, I kind of have mixed feelings as well…

Jock Brocas: Awesome, alright, let's get into it. Yeah. (Laugh) Let's go there.

Dr Jeff Tarrant: Certainly I've been sitting with people where they've done this and there's just something in my gut that's like, this feels weird. This feels like they're kind of making stuff up... but then there have been other times where I've not had that feeling and it does feel like a higher wisdom of some kind, right? But all I've got to go on is my gut feeling and this is part of the problem. From a scientific perspective, I can't prove any of it one way or the other. And that's where I have trouble… especially trouble from a scientific perspective… you know, people say, oh, I can communicate with angels or fairies or aliens or… It's like, well, that's cool, but I can't prove anything there. There's nothing… Yeah, I just have to trust them or not. But… usually I'm just agnostic about it.

At least with mediumship where you're talking to somebody who's deceased, you could verify some things… you could verify that the things they're saying make sense and in the physical world. And that there's some way to sort of demonstrate that like, oh yeah, they did have that relationship, or they did live in this place, or they did go by that nickname, whatever. So it's tricky, you know? I don't know… it sounds like maybe you're even more skeptical than me. I don't know.

Jock Brocas: Yeah. I'm like you. But, I've been a professional medium for over 2 decades. I have experienced seances and trance and all sorts of things, but I have a very discerning nature when it comes down to it. And like you, I've been in conditions where I'm like, okay - pardon the French anybody who's listening now - that's bollocks, that's coming from them or, wait a minute, that has got substance to it.

And I am really fascinated. I have a passion for the trance condition and part of the reasons why I'm now on an academic path is because I want to understand more of psychosis, obsession, I want to understand permitted possessive states such as in the trance condition and I'm really fascinated about where can we go with this scientifically.

I think there's a potential bridge in terms of evidential research that can maybe go into it. If we go back to, you know, SPR studies, way back in the day, where we had cross correspondences where people were in trance conditions and was able to identify verifiable evidence that distance and time made no real the problem. I think there's a possibility that we can look more into the science of it… which brings us into your whole realm as the brain and mind connection.

Because I always say to people... when Lisa (Miller) and I were chatting , and I wrote an article on PDN about this, Defending the Soul, but my whole idea is that your mind is a psychological building block to your reality. That's how I feel. And so I always ask the question, is the mind in the brain, or is the brain in the mind? And this is like one of these massive arguments...

So I feel for me, there's a great deal of miscommunication and misunderstanding in mediumship or even in psi when it comes down to channeling, trance, and things like that. But I think there's an exciting possibility to move forward in doing further research in the trance conditions, and there's very little of it. There's very little science research in psychometry which I find fascinating from my own experiences.

So I think there's an element that we haven't really dove into deeper, and I think we can. How do we do it? I don't know. Maybe this is where you come in with the whole idea of the brain and the cerebral and working with mediums that are legitimately in trance conditions and not making it up. And that's the difficulty.

Resources:

Dr Jeff Farrant websites: Psychic Mind Science & NeuroMeditation Institute

Article: Dr Lisa Miller Sparks a Paradigm Shift in the Science of Spirituality

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