2001 DPE Reports

December 2002 DPE Report

Authentication Requirements: We would like to clarify the requirements for notary authentication and signatures for phenomenal reports and affidavits that can be used by the DPE.  If the report or affidavit concerns a phenomenal event that has occurred during a NSAC Spiritualist church activity, then two officials of the church, including at least one Ordained Minister, can authenticate the witness’s signature.  If the event occurs outside of a church activity, then the witness’s signatures will need to be notarized.

Environmental Influence on Phenomena: The Rev. Barbara Thurman expressed interest if, “. . . weather has any influence upon physical phenomena.”  Robert Egby did give her an answer, sighting reports from Hereward Carrington who argued that dryer air helped Phenomena, and William Eglinton, who said that wet or depressing weather hindered Phenomena.  This is a question that has come up in the AA-EVP as well.  Some researchers have noted that EVP experiments are more successful when the weather is dry.  Also, haunting activity apparently increases and more high quality EVP are collected during extremes in solar activity.

Development Circles: One of the important tools for personal development in mediumship and healing is the development circle.  This is much like the training classes your church provides to teach spiritual healing, mediumship and Spiritualist concepts.  However, a major difference is that, unlike the classes usually offered by the Spiritualist churches, these are generally smaller groups of people who meet on a regular basis for years.  The group’s focus is generally on mediumship and the typical séance model is used.  A good example of this can be found in the work done by the Scole Group.  The Scole Group address is New Spiritual Science Foundation, P.O. Box No.75 Diss, IP21 4DA. England. www.psisci.force9.co.uk/subjects.htm/mainframe.htm.

Search for the Divine: The Rev. Sandy Pfortmiller recently sent us an article that was published in the December, 2001 Reader's Digest titled, Search for the Divine by Vince Rause.  In it, he describes the work being done by Eugene d'Aquili and Andrew Newberg concerning brain scans and how they change with people experiencing the detachment of deep meditation.  Their work suggests that the part of the brain dealing with the orientation of the person with the environment changes during deep meditation.  Their conclusion is that there is a direct relationship and that there may actually be a real perception of a greater reality under such conditions.  They have noted that spiritually inspiring circumstances can also cause this response, but to a lesser degree.  The implication is that there is a greater reality and that we are able to become aware of it under certain conditions.

Evidential Photograph Update: Last month, we reported on the photograph taken by Peter Berg, in which a sport of light can be see over The Rev. Gene Pfortmiller’s face.  Brad Gross sent us an email indicating that, “When I first saw it (the photograph on the back display of the camera), it did look like a hand.  The Rev. Gene Pfortmiller also reported seeing the hand.  The spot definitely changed shape from what I first saw and the second time I saw it, the size also increased from the first look and the second look.”  We continue to be impressed by the quality of phenomena associated with this photograph.  We would like to remind those of you who have photo editing capability to take a close look at spirit lights or orbs in your photographs.  We know that the entities are able to use these high-energy exposures to cause phenomena.

Balanced Development Circles: This may be interesting to those of you who have had doubts about the usefulness of balancing the energies in a circle.  From the Abstract of The mediumship of Stella Cranshaw: A Statistical Investigation by John L. Randall, Journal of the SPR, January 2001. “Sittings in which women sitters outnumbered men, or in which the numbers were equal, showed higher levels of activity than sittings in which men outnumbered women.  This effect was independently significant in all three series.  It is suggested that PK might be regarded as some kind of interpersonal field effect, and that interactions between the sexes may be important in its generation.”  Please note that we feel the balance is that of masculine and feminine energy, not necessarily male and female sexes.  Some people believe that it is also helpful to distribute people who are thought to be mediumistically “stronger,” around the circle to help balance the circle.

We wish you all a most spiritual holiday season.  May you be graced with most exciting phenomena to report to us next year.