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where
a
materialized
entity
writes
or
talks
in
a
language
perfectly unknown
to
the medium
holding the
stance.
To
underline
this
peculiar
event,
the
author
presents
some
documented
examples.
The
article
starts
with
the
phenomenology
of
Laura
Edmonds
obtained
during
her
stances
in New
York.
She was
able
to
talk
fluently
in
languages
she
absolutely
did
not
know,
so
that
the
researchers considered
the
possibility
of an outside
posses-
sion.
We read about Major Tudor
Pole who was
able
to
talk
and
understand
Persian,
a
language
absolutely
un-
known
to
him.
The
article
describes
Thirese Neumann
who, during
her mystic
raptures, used
to
talk
in Aramaic,
perfectly
recognized
as
the
real
Christ
language
by
the
scholars who had
the
possibility
to
assist
her.
"Ncphentes"
materialized
herself
during
the
s£ances
held
by
E.
D’Esperance.
She
was
able
to
write
a
message
in
the
memo book of a
researcher
assisting in the stance.
In
the
end
of
the
article we
read
of
an
ancient poem
corrected
for a
better comprehension by the "Confucius" entity.
This
request came from
Doctor Whymant during
a
sitting
with
the medium
Valiantine.
The
author
ends
the
article
by
saying
that
during
his
life
he had
the
opportunity
to
at-
tend many xenoglossy manifestations where many languages
and
dialects were spoken.
He
is sure
that such languages
were unknown
to
present people, and
for
this reason he
is
perfectly sure of the autonomy of the
entities.
- DA
03049.
Ravaldini,
Silvio.
In memory of Gastone De
Boni.
Luce e Ombra, 1987 (Jul/Sep), 57(3), 205-208.
On
the 23rd of September
1986 Gastone De Boni
left
us,
having
finished
his human
experience.
Only
after
having
put
in
order
all
the
material
he
left
us
will we
fully
understand
the
importance
of
his
wide
knowledge.
De
Boni’s aim was knowledge
of
the
psyche-that defined
by
Myers
as
"the
subliminal
self
and
evidenced
in
his
book,
Human
Personality and
Its
Survival of Bodily
Death.
We must
not 'forget
that Myers was considered
a
teacher
by De
Boni.
In
fact,
he
wrote:
"In
this
psychic
microcosm we only can
catch
a glimpse
of
the power and
shining
of
psychic
macrocosm."
As
a
follower
of
Jung’s
thought,
he
rationally
examined
the
possibilities
of
the
psyche
under
its
different
appearances,
and
he once
said:
"Our
position makes
us
fight
in
favor
of an
idea,
which,
even
if
it
grows
and
finishes
under
the
control
of
pure
thought, must and
will have an
important
place
in human
life."
- DA
03050.
Giovetti, Paola. Near-death experiences in other
cultures.
Luce e Ombra, 1987 (Jul/Sep), 57(3), 209-213.
Dr. Giorgio Fonzo
is
a medical doctor who for many
years
worked
for
the
World
Health
Organization,
being
constantly
in
touch
with Moslem
people.
On several
occa-
sions
he
had
the
opportunity
to
deal
with
persons
who
were
near death and
to
listen
to
their
impressions.
They
reported
experiences
that
were
very
similar
to
the
ones
reported
by
so many
people
of
different
religions,
which
have
been
collected
all
over
the
world
in
recent
years.
Dr.
Fonzo’s
patients
reported
out-of-body
experiences and
"tunnel
experiences,"
visions
of
beautiful
places and
of
a
marvelous
light,
encounters
with dead
friends
or
relatives,
etc.
Those who are
familiar with the specialized
literature
will
recognize
in
Dr.
Fonzo’s
material
some
transcultural
elements of great
interest.
- R.A.W.
0305L
Iannuzzo,
Giovanni.
Studies
of
the
history
of
parapsychology
in
Italy from
1982
to
1986: A
report
and
a
critical
revision.
Luce e Ombra,
1987
(Jul/Sep),
57(3), 214-225.
refs;
table
After a
detailed review of
the most important
Italian
parapsychology journals
in order
to better analyze
the way
scientific
research
has been
carried on from
1982-1987,
the
author
thinks
more
scholars
are
interested
in
pursuing
studies
in
this
field.
His
research examines
the
quantita-
tive
data
at
our
disposal
that
specifics
which
research
areas
are
the most
studied, and he
suggests a way
to im-
prove such researches qualitatively.
- DA
03052.
Ravaldini, Silvio.
Daniel Dunglas Home.
Luce
e Ombra, 1987 (Jul/Sep), 57(3), 226-244.
54 refs
It
is not easy
to
discuss
all the
different phenomena
Daniel
D. Home
produced
during
his
life,
especially
the
physical
ones.
Therefore
the
author
has put
in
evidence
only three of them: the
telekinetic phenomena produced on
an
accordion,
those
concerning
levitations,
and
the
fire-
immunity
ones.
The
accordion
was
playing
while
the
medium was
holding
it on
the
side
with no
keys,
but
it
was
playing
as
well
as
when
anybody
was
touching
it.
This peculiar phenomenon was fully described by
trustwor-
thy
people.
In
addition,
a
journalist
for
the Times
was
not
able to find any
trick.
Home’s
ability
to hold burning
coals
in
his hands was confirmed
by
scholars
such
as
Sir
William Crookes and Charles RicheL
The author describes
Home’s
levitations
in
more
detail,
especially
the
one
at
Ashley
House
where Home
went
out
one
window
and
came
back
in
another.
In
considering
every
side
of
the
problem, the author thinks these phenomena
actually took
place. He proposes that the phenomena Home produced
are
still
happening nowadays,
for example,
those
produced
by
Roberto Sctti, the Florence medium.
- DA/RA.W.
03053.
Heim, Albert.
Death from
falls. (Trans, by
Paola
Giovetti.)
Luce e Ombra,
1987
(Jul/Sep),
57(3),
245-25Z
This
article
was
written
in
1892
by
the
Swiss
geologist.
Dr.
Albert Heim, and
published
in
the
Bulletin
of
the
Swiss Alpine
Club.
The
author
describes
his
per-
sonal
experiences and
those of several
persons who
nearly
died
because
of mountain
falls.
Their
sensations and
vi-
sions were
wonderful: They
felt no
fear, no
pain.
Sensa-
tions of peace, well-being, and
beautiful
visions were com-
mon.
This
is
very
similar
to
modern
near-death
ex-
periences, and
in
this sense
Dr. Heim’s
analysis
is
really
a
pioneer one and worthy of note.
- DT/R.A.W.
03054.
Giroldini,
William.
Parapsychology
and
research.
Luce e Ombra, 1987 (Jul/Sep), 57(3), 253-259.
refs
The
author
critically
debates
the
proposal
many
researchers have advanced
to reevaluate the study
of spon-
taneous
ESP-PK
phenomena.
Many
believe
that
spon-
taneous phenomena are more repeatable and
of
a
"superior
quality"
than
the
results
obtained
in
the
laboratory
using
the
traditional experimental
criteria derived from
the
nor-
mal
sciences.
Giroldini
thinks
that
all
the
existing
studies
of spontaneous
cases overlook the problem of chance
coin-
cidence.
Because of
this,
it
is not
possible
to know
if the
collected events are mainly "true” or "spurious."
Therefore,
the
study
of
spontaneous
events
runs
the
risk
of
being
worthless
because
of
this
underlying
ambiguity.
The
author
proposes
that
the study of spontaneous events must
be
made
following
a
method
which
makes
it
possible
to
evaluate
the
probability
of
chance
coincidences.
The
phenomena
that seem most suitable could be hallucinations
in
connection
with
the
death
of
a
relative.
If
this
proposal
is accepted by scholars, then
it would
be
possible
to
increase
our
knowledge
of
paranormal
phenomena
by
concentrating the study on the
less polluted phenomena
in-
stead of the spurious ones.
- DA/R.A.W.
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111396-01401
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chologie und Grenzgebicte der Psychologic,
1972, 14(4), 244-251.
33 refs
In a survey of the literature concerning parapsychic phenomena
and drugs, the author concludes that obviously only the use of
so-called hallucinogens (such as LSD, mescaline, psilocybin, and,
with
reservations,
hashish and
marijuana)
is
associated
with
parapsychic abilities, whereas the use of opiates (such as opium,
heroin, and morphine) does not seem to touch
this
field.
It
is
hypothesized that because of the different pharmaco-psychological
functioning of hallucinogens,
intoxication by these substances
might
be
rather
suitable
for
stimulating
the
aggressive and
instinctive parts of man. They seem to be a characteristic feature of
psi abilities also. Opiates, on the other hand, do not seem to affect
this sphere because these substances are mainly narcotizing. The
effects of cocaine, amphetamines, tranquilizers, and soporifics
cannot be judged on the basis of the surveyed literature. It is shown
that
the
possible
relevance of drug use
to parapsychology
is
completely ignored by most textbooks dealing with drugs, the
authors
of which
are
mainly
medical
men,
psychiatrists,
or
pharmacologists. — G.H.
01396. Schmidbauer, Wolfgang. On the psychology of the oracle.
Zeitschriftfur Parapsychologie und Grenzgebiete der Psychologie,
1972,
14(4),
222-234.
[Originally
published
in
Psychologische
Rundschau, 1970, 21, 88-98.] 30 refs
The author describes various practices of oracles with reference
to ethnographic
reports and attempts
to sketch a model
that
optimally
includes
psychological aspects
in these
reports. The
function of trance within the oracle and
its sociopsychological
moorings (shamans)
are pointed
out. An analysis of oracular
practices
with
principles
derived from
projective
tests shows
certain structural similarities with the situation in which a person
seeking advice finds himself. — DA/R.A.W.
ITALIAN LANGUAGE
LUCE E OMBRA
(Editor: Paola Giovetti
)
01397. Di Simone, Giorgio. The “Entita A.” case. Luce e Ombra,
1985 (Jan/ Mar), 85(1), 22-29. 8 refs
After a long preamble mostly dedicated to the historical and
technical aspects of the seances of “Mister X” (a trance medium
whose name he is not allowed to mention), the author underlines
the
great
importance
of
the
revolutionary
contents
of
these
seances, which took place in Naples more than 30 years ago (about
1950-1980). These contents are extremely
logical, rational, and
coherent, and the author collected them in several books, first of all
Rapporto
dalla dimensione X, (Roma
1973/84). The author
mentions also the experiments he organized (1971 and 1974) in
order to check the independence of the supposed communicating
“entity” (Entita A) from the medium (comparative analysis of the
voices with the “voice-print” method and an EEG of the med ium,
awake and during his speaking-trance). — DA
01398. Iannuzzo, Giovanni. Parapsychology and anthropology:
A note. Luce e Ombra, 1985 (Jan/ Mar), 85(1), 30-34. 18 refs
The author analyses the connections between parapsychology
and anthropology, and asserts that these connections should be of
different kinds: accounts of psi phenomena should be evaluated
according to both parapsychological and anthropological patterns,
and accounts of psi phenomena also should be evaluated only from
the
parapsychological
point
of view
(a
“parapsycographical
pattern). Experimental methods, utilized in some field researches,
are considered insufficient. The author suggests a new methodo-
logical approach in which “paranormality” is considered a cross-
cultural event. According to this model, it seems to be necessary, in
psychical research, to utilize the methods and conceptual patterns
of the “human” sciences. — DA
01399.
Ravaldini, Silvio. A pioneer of psychical research: Alex-
andre N. Aksakof. Luce e Ombra,
1 985 (Jan/ Mar) 85(
1 ), 43-54. 8
refs
The author describes the lile and work of one of the pioneers ol
psychical research, Alexandre Aksakof. His activities were directed
at establishing the reality of paranormal phenomena. His early
work was published in Germany, due to the censorship exerted in
Russia by
religious and
lay authorities. Aksakof was an
alert
experimenter and had the occasion to be present in the seances of
two great mediums: D.D. Home and Florence Cook. In the year
1874,
Aksakof founded
in Germany
the journal
Psvchische
Studien, which later had a great importance for both theoretical
study and for practical experimentation. Later he published (
1 890)
his
important
book. Animism and
Spiritism,
which
can
be
considered a positive answer to the book, Spiritism, of E. von
Hartmann, which
practically denied
the
physical phenomena.
Aksakof devoted nearly all his
life to promulgating spiritualistic
ideals
in a world where materialism was dominant, and
left an
important legacy, both as man and as researcher.
DA/' R. A. W.
01400.
Giovetti, Paola. The possession case of Siano (Catanzaro).
Luce e Ombra, 1985 (Jan/Mar), 85(1), 55-59.
ref.
The author interviewed Dr. Pericle Assennato, a retired magis-
trate who long ago (1936) was present when an exceptional case of
possession took place in a little village of South Italy, Siano near
Catanzaro. Three years earlier the dead body of a young man,
Giuseppe Verardi of Catanzaro, had been found under a bridge.
The investigation concluded that it was suicide. Three years later,
Maria Talarico, 17, a young girl of Siano, passed over the bridge
and had asudden and strange metamorphosis that lasted 36 hours:
Her voice changed and became that of a man, she insisted that
she was Giuseppe Verardi and acted as
if she were. She did not
recognize
her
parents,
but
she
did
recognize
the ^mother
of
Giuseppe and revealed that Giuseppe did not commit suicide but
was killed. She mentioned the names of the killers, as well. The
population of the whole village assisted in uncovering the facts.
After 36 hours Maria went under the bridge, took the position the
dead
body
of Giuseppe
had
had,
and “awakened"
without
remembering anything. After that, a new investigation concluded
for a case of murder. Dr. Assennato gives his interpretation of this
interesting case. — DA
METAPSICHICA RIVISTA
ITALIANA DI PARAPSICOLOGIA
01401. Crosa, G. Report of the First International Congress on
Parapsychology of the Italian-Swiss Center for Advanced Studies.
Metapsichica Rivista Italiana di Parapsicologia,
1969 (Jul
Dec),
24(3/4), 109-116.
Thanks
to
the
hospitality
of
the
Italian-Swiss
Center
for
Advanced
Studies (Campione
d’ltalia),
the
First
International
Congress on Parapsychology of Campione d’ltalia was held on
March
29,
1969.
The
general
topic
was
Mysterious
Psychic
Phenomena.
Introductory speeches were made by Mr.
F. De
Baggis, Mayor of the host town; Dr. Naegeli-Osjord, President of
the Schweizer Parapsychologische Gesellschaft; and Mr. E. Men-
goli. President of the Associazione Italiana Scientifica di Meta-
psichica. In this report we have the main features of the papers
presented
by
four M.D.s and
psychiatrists
(Crosa,
Granone,
Naegeli-Osjord, Cassoli) and the theologian Resch are summarized.
During the evening session some
slides about hypnosis
(with
commentary by Granone) and one about Ted Serios were pro-
jected, followed by a discussion masterly directed by Prof. Beonio
Brocchieri.
In addition
to the
previously mentioned
speakers,
presentations were made by two medical doctors,
Inardi and
Buscaino; a newspaperman, Altavilla; and a theologian, Pisoni,
who cleverly aroused the participation of the public. The Proceed-
ings have been published by Silva of Rome. — DT/R.A.W.
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