Throughout the 20th century and into the new millennium, humanity has made enormous advancements in science and technology. Spiritual enlightenment, however, has gone relatively neglected, as fascination with material progress tends to keep us focused on the physical world, giving less importance to universal values, to being, to spiritual life. Parapsychological research has produced significant findings over the last few decades, and science has the obligation to continue exploring this area, seeking to contribute to the spiritual enlightenment of humanity. This book examines evidence of traditional psychic phenomena, promoting a more comprehensive understanding of them, and offering new perspective to see ourselves as particles of "universal energy," interconnected with all others.
This intriguing new book presents an exploration of the unconventional side of psychology: parapsychology. Assuming no prior knowledge of psychology, Roberts explores a wide array of unusual phenomena (dream telepathy, near death experiences, alien abductions, astrology, the placebo effect, and awareness during anesthesia and in comas), addressing the myths surrounding paranormal experience and placing them within the context of scientific study.
Discussing all aspects of the subject of parapsychology, this book describes the debates about the validity of paranormal experiences, distinguishes between what is "known" and what is speculation in each field and discusses research from India and Russia. Case histories are included.
"This is the bst piece of writing for the public on serious parapsychology to come along in many years. It is both well written and well time, providing hot-off-the-press coverage of themost recent developments in parapsychological research and thinking." ROBERT L. MORRIS Koestler Chair of Parapsychology University of Edinborough In this impressively documented work, Dr. Richard S. Broughton, Director of Research at the world-renowned Institute of Parapscyhology, illuminates the history and evolution of parapsychology and directly addresses the raging controversy over its very existence as a science. At the heart of the book he brings together a broad range of recent parapsychological research, from the U.S., China, and the former Soviet Union, complete with full descriptions of the actual techniques and explanations of how researchers apply scientific methods to study the baffling experiences that qualify as psi phenomena. Selected by the Quality Paperback Book Club
Master magician Harry Houdini and English ghost researcher Harry Price were true pioneers in both establishing skepticism and scientific methods in the newly created field of paranormal research. They set the foundation for future 20th Century researchers such as J.B. Rhine. Joseph Banks Rhine was a botanist who later developed an interest in parapsychology and psychology. Rhine founded the parapsychology lab at Duke University, the Journal of Parapsychology, and the Foundation for Research on the Nature of Man. He also initiated the Parapsychological Association. Rhine also coined the term ESP.I think the reader will find that 1957's Parapsychology: Frontier Science of the Mind is as relevent today as it was when it first written.
Yoga and Parapsychology are two areas in which a significant amount of professional research is awaited. Parapsychology, considered as the discipline to study psi(psychic abilities), is essentially the science of siddhis (extraordinary human abilities). Yoga is considered to be an effective psycho-spiritual pursuit that results in the manifestation of a variety of supernormal phenomena. In fact, Patanjali's Yoga-Sutras is the foundational text of psychic science. One of its four parts, Vibhuti Pada, is filled with the description and discussion of a variety of paranormal phenomena. There is thus an intrinsic commonality between yoga and parapsychology, which remains essentially unexplored in any systematic way. A serious and scientific study of the two and the resultant synergy of their confluence could result in resolving many of the riddles that puzzle parapsychology today and be a harbinger of a vibrant science opening up new frontiers. Further, it could be seen as a productive East-West meet in a profound sense. Keeping this in view, a national conference and a workshop were organized during January 3-23, 2006 at Andhra University by the Institute for Human Science and Service with international participation. The present volume is a compilation of the major presentations at the conference and workshop, which are appropriately revised and edited in light of the discussions. The contents of the volume contain theoretical articles and reviews as well as experimental reports. Contributors come from different countries besides India, including the United States of America, Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom, Germany and the Netherlands. Thus, the volume is international in scope and coverage.
A factual and conscientious argument against materialism’s vehement denial of psi phenomena • Explores the scandalous history of parapsychology since the scientific revolution of the 17th century • Provides reproducible evidence from scientific research that telepathy, clairvoyance, precognition, and psychokinesis are real • Shows that skepticism of psi phenomena is based more on a religion of materialism than on hard science Reports of psychic abilities, such as telepathy, clairvoyance, precognition, and psychokinesis, date back to the beginning of recorded human history in all cultures. Documented, reproducible evidence exists that these abilities are real, yet the mainstream scientific community has vehemently denied the existence of psi phenomena for centuries. The battle over the reality of psi has carried on in scientific academies, courtrooms, scholarly journals, newspapers, and radio stations and has included scandals, wild accusations, ruined reputations, as well as bizarre characters on both sides of the debate. If true evidence exists, why then is the study of psi phenomena--parapsychology--so controversial? And why has the controversy lasted for centuries? Exploring the scandalous history of parapsychology and citing decades of research, Chris Carter shows that, contrary to mainstream belief, replicable evidence of psi phenomena exists. The controversy over parapsychology continues not because ESP and other abilities cannot be verified but because their existence challenges deeply held worldviews more strongly rooted in religious and philosophical beliefs than in hard science. Carter reveals how the doctrine of materialism--in which nothing matters but matter--has become an infallible article of faith for many scientists and philosophers, much like the convictions of religious fundamentalists. Consequently, the possibility of psychic abilities cannot be tolerated because their existence would refute materialism and contradict a deeply ingrained ideology. By outlining the origin of this passionate debate, Carter calls on all open-minded individuals to disregard the church of skepticism and reach their own conclusions by looking at the vast body of evidence.
This book is a volume in the Penn Press Anniversary Collection. To mark its 125th anniversary in 2015, the University of Pennsylvania Press rereleased more than 1,100 titles from Penn Press's distinguished backlist from 1899-1999 that had fallen out of print. Spanning an entire century, the Anniversary Collection offers peer-reviewed scholarship in a wide range of subject areas.
