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Exceptional Human Experience
is the
Self"
(p.
6).
Everyone moves on
a different
path, and he
classifies
the various experiences
as
occurring
to
those
on
the
following
paths:
the
way
of
Beauty,
the way
of
action,
the way
of
il-
lumination,
the way
of dance and
ritual,
the way
of
science
the way
of
devotion,
and
the way
of
tne
will.
He does not conceive of
these ways
as
set courses-on
the
contrary,
"it
is
a
process
that
engages us in ever new situations” (p.
7).
Each
in-
dividual,
in
proceeding
along
a way
to
the
Self
comes
into
contact
with
an
entirely new
realm
that
transcends
the
confines
of
individuality— the
transpersonal
level"
(pp.
8-9).
In
seven
chapters
each
devoted
to
one
of
the
above
ways,
he
describes
that way and
provides many
published
examples to illustrate
it.
At first glance, these tan-
talizing quotations annoyingly
are not referenced
but the citations are listed by page number
at
the’
end of the book.
It
is
the
aim
of
this
worthwhile
book
to
change our image of ourselves and others through
the
study
of
these
transpersonal
experiences
Moreover,
transpersonal
states ...
are communi-
cated
and
resonate
in
those who
are exposed
to
in
f
)v
.ri“ en
form "
(P-
11)-
Finally,
descriptions
of
higher
states evoke
in many
the
desire
to experience
them.
This
desire
is
not
a
passing whim, but
a deep aspiration that may take
the shape of a Way to the Self" (p.
II).
- R.A.W.
SCHOLARLY OVERVIEWS
— Alvaxailfl,
Carlos
S.
Parapsychology
and
!
TOlglon: Recent contributions from
Italy.
Journal of the t
'225
f
rci{
SyChiCa! Research
'
1990
(Jul ).
55(820),
221-
The author discusses
the relationship of para-
Pn
S
<&cho °# y and
rell § lon
within
the
context
of
a
100 Q
c2,nference on
the subject held
at Bologna
in
iy88.
the proceedings of this conference comprise
an
entire
issue
of
the
Italian
journal
Quaderni
di
Parapsicologia
(1989, vol.
20).
Alvarado briefly sura-
manzes
and
then
comments
on
the
papers.
Andreas
Resch
presented
an
overview
of
ideas
about psychic phenomena
in
the Catholic Church.
Oiorgio
Gafgliardi
and
Marco
Margenelli
sum-
marizes
psychophysiological
studies
of
children
claiming
to have had
visions of
the
Virgin Mary
mu
Ce
!>
at Medjugorje,
Yugoslavia.
Keginaldo
p-»P eL W
/5
S
, ab ? ut
P s i
phenomena
as-
sociated
with
St.
Catherine
of
Sienna
and
Gian-
carlo Rosatio and
the same
for
Sai Baba.
Emilio
oervadio
theorized
the
psi phenomena
are
partly
transcendental
and
partly
physical.
Sergio
Ber-
nardi
spoke
of
the
different
levels
of
reality
in
Eastern philosophy and
religion.
Alfonso di Nola
rejected a transcendental world and postulates that
m roP,Lran0rmal
phenomena,
including
so-called
miracles,
are
explicable
in
terms
of human
psi.
Pilipo Liverziani differentiates between mediumis-
ic
and
saintly
levitations.
The
author
suggests
that parapsychology
is
not
sufficiently
well
ad-
vanced
to answer some
of
the questions
raised
at
the conference.
He also warns that one should not
contuse
ignorance
of
causal
mechanisms
with
„
, traas^end
T?ntal realities or nonphysical
properties
(p.
224).
He also points
to our
lack
of
knowledge
concerning
the
naturalistic
context
of
miraculous
phenomena:
If
narapsychplQ^y. Js
.
Approved For Release 2000/08/1
Vol.
9, No.
June 1991
going
to
be
meaningful
for
issues
such
as
the
study of miracles or the influence of religious en-
vironments
on
the
manifestation
of
psychic
phenomena
it
will have
to pay more
attention
to
its
subject
matter
as
it
occurs
outside
of
the
laboratory" (p. 224).
- R.A.W.
SURVEYS
04508. Hixon, Lex.
Coming Home: The Experience of En-
lightenment in Sacred Traditions.
Los Angeles* Jeremy
p . Tardier, 1989.
215p.
Bibl. notes: 210-214; il illus
This book
is about spiritual enlightenment but,
as Ken Wilber points out in the Foreword, Hixon’s
approach
is
fresh.
He
takes
of
the
world’s
major
spiritual
traditions
and
in
each
case
presents
its teachings and precepts with the aim of
leading the reader to "release [him- or herself
into
spirit
as
it manifests
itself through each
of
those
traditions"
(p.
xiii).
Hixon
is not concerned with
the historical and doctrinal trappings of these
dis-
ciplines but with the timeless awareness
that
is
at
ttie
core.
Each
discipline serves
as
a
vehicle
for
realization, or as Wilber puts
it, "experimental prac-
tices.
They
are experiments
to perform (and
thus
see through
form).
They are something
to do and
then
be,
not something
to merely
think and
then
believe
(p. vm).
Hixon himself writes: "These
es-
says
present
several
universes
or
languages
of
Spirit
whose
central
theme
is
Enlignteiiment.
bach
is unique,
yet
all
are
rich
with mutual
cor-
respondences
because
they
reflect
one
primal
awareness.
The
spiritual dimension
of
culture
is
not
/in
array
of
dogmatic
world
views
bristling
with
contradictions But
a spectrum
of contempla-
tive
practices,
equivalent
in
essence,
which
lead
toward
experience
rather
than
toward
doctrinal
assertion.
Coming Home attempts
to open
various
^ 0°TLin '° *his
sP irdual dimension" (p.
xi).
The
teachings covered are
the "European and
Asian
Approaches
of
Heidegger
and
Knshnamurti,
"Ramakrishna
of
Bengal," "Ramana
Maharshi,
Zen
Ox-herding,"
"Plotinus
and
the
Metaphysics
of
Spiritual
Quest,"
"Jewish
Soul
Knr
r
*T°
f
J*he
Has,dic
Way,"
"Letters
of
Saint
ff,
.
j?c“ ln
.£s
op tbe Contemporary Sufi Bawa
Muharyaddeen
"The Oracle Text
of the
I Ching,"
R
nAW°
Ward
thC Tunya
of
Advaita
Vedanta."
-
p
aski
’.
Marghanita.
Ecstasy: In Secular and
Religious Experiences.
Los Angeles,
CA: Jeremy P
Stables
961 '
544p '
2 graphs; Index:
-Jeremy Tarcher
has
initiated
a new
series
of
reprints
entitled
"Library
of
Spiritual
Classics"
rennrt' ^
rtainly belongs
in
this category.
It
is
a
pl.fl /
an
. em P lrlca l
survey
Laski
made
of
ecstatic experience,
not wanting
to prejudge such
as o
e
thfr
n
wr
S
*t
aS bemg ei
,ther supernormal or morbid
fn„
fi
i /
lters seemed to have done.
After read-
ing
the
literature on
ecstasy,
she devised
a
Ques-
tionnaire and gave
it to 63 acquaintances
to obtain
thkhV^-n
“Hirmativdylo her
first question
V
'
h was
you know
a sensation
of
transcen-
dent
ecstasy ?
She
also searched
published
texts
for accounts of ecstatic experience,
dividing them
MIU
w!^
ryJT d
reli Siou s.
In the
first
: ^IX-lR[3lF^6^b7^2R^02|0t)t2O(MMh0d
of
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chologie und Grenzgebiete 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 ofthe 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), 55(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 medium,
awake and during his speaking-trance). — DA
01398. lannuzzo, Giovanni. Parapsychology and anthropology:
A note. Luce e Ombra, 1985 (Jan/Mar), 55(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, 1985 (Jan/ Mar)55(
1 ), 43-54. 8
refs
The author describes the life and work of one of the pioneers of
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
Psychische
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), 55(1), 55-59.
ref.
The author interviewed Dr. Pericle Assennato, a retired magis-
trate who long ago ( 1 936) 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 a sudden 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 RI VISTA
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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Approved For Release 2000/08/11
: CIA-RDP96-00792R008400^20004*0-
^^Afc—»»
Parapsychology Abstracts International
03055.
Costa, Alfonso.
About the visions of dying per-
sons and survival.
Luce e Ombra, 1987 (Jul/Sep), 37(3),
260-270.
refs
The
attention
recently
addressed
to
near-death
ex-
periences has confined
to the background a phenomenon to
which much more
attention was
paid
in the
past:
that of
visions
of
dying
persons.
Reconsidering
once
again
two
books
which
can
be
considered
as
classics
of
this
matter,
the
author
re-opens
a
discussion
about
this
specific
phenomenon.
He
classifies deathbed visions in four
classes:
(1)
visions
of dead
people whose death was known
to
the
dying
person;
(2)
visions
of dead
people whose death was
unknown
to the dying persons but not to the present ones;
(3)
visions
of dead people whose death was unknown both
to
the dying persons and
to the present ones; (4) collective
visions shared by both
the dying person and
the one who
is
looking
after
him
or
her.
In
considering
the
typical
characteristics of these
classes and
in
trying
to explain the
facts,
both
naturalistic
and
spiritistic
hypotheses
are
dis-
cussed.
Finally,
the
possibility
is suggested
that sometimes
alien
"beings"
able
to induce
psychic experiences
are
truly
present.
- DA
03056.
Iannuzzo, Giovanni.
The fifth parapsychologi-
cal meeting in Bologna.
Luce e Ombra, 1987
(Jul/Sep),
37(3),
271-275.
On
May
9-10,
1987,
the
Parapsychological
Study
Ccnter-CSP-held
its
fifth meeting in Bologna.
The author
presents
a
critical synthesis of the works presented
for the
occasion
by
the
various
researchers.
The
most
important
was
the
debate
held by
the
scholars belonging to
the two
parapsychological
movements:
the
positivists
and
the
spiritualists.
- DA
03057. Simone, Giorgio di.
Jacopo Comin: Evidence on
the "Entity A" case.
Luce e Ombra, 1987 (Jul/Sep), 37(3),
276-281.
In
this
article,
the
author
relates
Jacopo
Comin’s
opinion about the "Entity A," in
particular
as concerns
all
the
data
leading
us
to
consider
such
an
entity
as
most
likely
independent from
the medium and
from
people
as-
sisting
at
the
stance.
In one
of
his
letters Comin
wrote:
"We are
in the presence of a Teacher
in the
highest
sense
of
the
word,
who
undertook
the
burden
of
an
high
spiritual teaching for the few able to understand
it"
- DA
03058.
Ravaldini,
Silvio.
The Riccardi case: A "drop-
in” communicator. Luce e Ombra, 1987 (Oct/Dec), 37(4),
307-319.
figs; 7
refs
The
author
brings
to our
attention a case
of
spiritis-
tic
identification.
In
fact, during
a
stance
held
in
1948 a
drop-in communicator
told
the
sitters he was a
priest who
died
in
Canton,
0,hio
in
1929.
In
telling
his name
the
communicator added he was
shot dead by
a woman
inside
his
church.
Successively
in
1949
and
1950,
always
as
a
drop-in
communicator,
he
confirmed
what
was
previously
said
but
used
different
words.
Researches
made
in
America
by
Dr.
Stevenson’s
assistant
proved
the
com-
municator
told
the
truth,
i.e.,
a
priest
having
the
same
name
was
shot
dead
in
a
church
in
the
same
year
the
communicator
told.
The
article
goes on
with
a
detailed
analysis, made by the author, about a
possible explanation
of
facts
besides
the
spiritistic
one:
cryptomnesia,
psychomctry, and so
on.
There
is the very
interesting
ap-
pendix signed by
Dr. M.
Biondi
in which
the above
story
is viewed from
a more
materialistic parapsychological
point
of
view.
- DT/R.A.W.
Vol. 6, No. 2
December 1988
03059.
Garzia,
Picrangelo.
Survival:
Belief
or
research?
Luce e Ombra, 1987 (Oct/Dec), 37(4), 320-324.
Three
hundred
years
ago,
the
Italian
scientist
and
man
of
letters
Francesco
Redi
(1626-1698)
exploded
the
traditional
doctrine
about
spontaneous
generation.
In
the
same way,
psychic
researchers
in
the
20th century
are
en-
gaged
in exploding the traditional doctrine of conscience as
a brain chemical product.
Psi phenomena, in their complex
whole, show
conscience
as able
to much further extend
it-
self
in
connection
with
those
activities
allowed
by
brain
activity.
Furthermore,
conscience could be
preexistent
to
the
formation
of
the
biological human
organism
and may
survive
its disintegration.
The
survival
theme
has
always
been
the
domain
of
faith.
For
the
first
time
in
human
history,
thanks
to
psychic
research,
the
survival theme
develops
from
objec-
tive
facts and rational considerations.
Even
if,
historically,
parapsychology
can
be
considered
as
an
"ibridum,"
form
came
out
from
the
meeting
of
religious
need
and
the
scientific
one.
In
fact,
without
this
hotchpotch
of
belief
and
research, parapsychology would have
never been
born.
Actually we
absolutely
need
a
certain
part
of
faith
to
have
the
possibility
of
demonstrating
survival
for
sure
without
feeling ashamed
about
it.
For
mutual
admission
happens
in every knowledge
field.
Without
faith we
can-
not go further-it being impossible to follow the glimpse
of
initial
purpose.
Without
continuous,
ceaseless,
tireless
research, we would already be dead.
- DA
03060.
Marabini,
Enrico.
Psi phenomena: Normal
or
paranormal?
Luce e Ombra,
1987 (Oct/Dec),
37(4),
325-
336.
refs;
1 table
By
this
report,
the author confronts a
basic theme
in
order
to
obtain
a
refitting
of
the
whole
problem
coming
out
of the study of
psi phenomena,
starting from
the con-
sideration that
psi
is an event resulting from an expression
of human behavior and considering people as animated
sys-
tems. The author presents a “classifications" conception.
He
explains what a
psi phenomenon
is and
gives
the
basis
of
what
particular
characteristics
such
that
an
event
can
be
considered and
classified
in
this way. Next he discusses the
theme.
Firstly, he
talks about "normality" through
its
dif-
ferent
meanings:
a
"fixed
rule"
and
a
"constitutive
rule."
This
last
is the only one which offers the possibility of
ra-
tionally
facing
the
"normality" argument
(and
respectively
the
"abnormality"
one)
about
certain
types
of
events
or
about
certain
well-defined
human
behavior
situations.
Then
he
analyzes
the
word
"paranormal"
and
all
the
definitions
deriving from
it
that
are
used
to qualify
para-
psychological
discipline.
Returning
to human
behavior,
the
author
points out
that
to every
behavior
state
there
is
a
corresponding coherent conscious
state.
Although these are
different knowledge
positions
in
themselves,
every
state
is
a normal and natural event.
Since
"psi behavior”
is an
al-
tered
state
of
consciousness,
the
information and
realistic
contents involved are necessarily normal expressions of that
particular behavior
state.
Therefore, the uncommonness
in
the
phenomena
does
not
mean
they
are
not
normal
or
deviate
or paranormal
or
supernormal.
Rationally
it
can
be
asserted
that
the
laws
subtending
the
psi
phenomena
must
be
necessarily
different from
those orthodox
science
considers
and
applies
in
studying
other
types
of
natural
events.
The
parapsychologists’ work
is
to
identify
them.
Otherwise,
in order
to obtain
concrete
results,
it
is
neces-
sary
to the research to study the problem from a different
point of view.
- DA
03061. Simone,
Giorgio
di.
Metaphysical
reality: The
spirit "program."
Luce e Ombra,
1987
(Oct/Dec),
37(4),
Approved For Release 2000/08/11
: CIA-RDP96-00792R0004001 20001-0
Approved For Release 2000/08/11
: CIA-RDP96-00792R0004001^0t)OW^-^
Parapsychology Abstracts International
03055.
Costa, Alfonso.
About the visions of dying per-
sons and survival.
Luce e Ombra, 1987 (Jul/Sep), 57(3),
260-270.
refs
The
attention
recently
addressed
to
near-death
ex-
periences has confined to the background a phenomenon
to
which much more
attention was
paid
in
the
past:
that of
visions
of
dying
persons.
Reconsidering
once
again
two
books
which
can
be
considered
as
classics
of
this
matter,
the
author
re-opens
a
discussion
about
this
specific
phenomenon.
He classifies deathbed visions
in
four
classes:
(1)
visions
of dead
people whose death was known
to
the
dying
person;
(2)
visions
of dead
people whose
death was
unknown
to the dying persons but not to the present ones;
(3)
visions
of dead people whose death was unknown both
to
the dying persons and
to the present
ones; (4) collective
visions shared by
both
the dying person and
the one who
is
looking
after
him
or
her.
In
considering
the
typical
characteristics
of
these
classes and
in
trying
to explain the
facts,
both
naturalistic
and
spiritistic
hypotheses
are
dis-
cussed.
Finally, the
possibility
is suggested that sometimes
alien
"beings” able
to induce
psychic experiences
are
truly
present.
- DA
03056.
Iannuzzo, Giovanni.
The fifth parapsychologi-
cal meeting in Bologna.
Luce e Ombra, 1987
(Jul/Sep),
57(3), 271-275.
On
May
9-10,
1987,
the
Parapsychological
Study
Ccnter-CSP-held
its
fifth meeting
in Bologna.
The author
presents a
critical synthesis of
the works presented
for the
occasion
by
the
various
researchers.
The most
important
was
the
debate
held by
the
scholars
belonging
to
the two
parapsychological
movements:
the
positivists
and
the
spiritualists.
- DA
03057. Simone, Giorgio di.
Jacopo Comin: Evidence on
the "Entity A" case.
Luce e Ombra, 1987 (Jul/Sep), 57(3),
276-281.
In
this
article,
the
author
relates
Jacopo
Comin’s
opinion about the "Entity A,"
in
particular
as concerns
all
the
data
leading
us
to
consider
such
an
entity
as
most
likely
independent from
the medium and from
people
as-
sisting
at
the
stance.
In one
of
his
letters Comin
wrote:
"We
are
in the presence of a Teacher
in the
highest sense
of
the
word,
who
undertook
the
burden
of
an
high
spiritual teaching for the few able
to understand
it."
- DA
03058.
Ravaldini,
Silvio.
The Riccardi case; A "drop-
in" communicator. Luce e Ombra,
1987 (Oct/Dec), 57(4),
307-319.
figs; 7
refs
The author
brings
to our
attention a
case
of
spiritis-
tic
identification.
In
fact, during
a
stance
held
in
1948 a
drop-in communicator told the
sitters he was a
priest who
died
in
Canton,
Ohio
in
1929.
In
telling
his name
the
communicator added he was shot dead by
a woman
inside
his
church.
Successively
in
1949
and
1950,
always
as
a
dropin
communicator,
he
confirmed
what
was
previously
said
but
used
different
words.
Researches
made
in
America
by
Dr.
Stevenson’s
assistant
proved
the
com-
municator
told
the
truth,
i.e.,
a
priest
having
the
same
name
was
shot
dead
in
a
church
in
the same
year
the
communicator
told.
The
article
goes on
with
a
detailed
analysis, made by the author, about a
possible explanation
of
facts
besides
the
spiritistic
one:
cryptomnesia,
psychomctry, and so
on.
There
is the very
interesting ap-
pendix
signed by
Dr. M.
Biondi
in which
the
above
story
is viewed from
a more
materialistic parapsychological point
of
view.
- DT/R.A.W.
Vol. 6, No. 2
December 1988
03059.
Garzia,
Picrangelo.
Survival:
Belief
or
research?
Luce e Ombra, 1987 (Oct/Dec), 57(4), 320-324.
Three
hundred
years
ago,
the
Italian
scientist
and
man
of
letters
Francesco
Redi
(1626-1698)
exploded
the
traditional
doctrine
about
spontaneous
generation.
In
the
same way,
psychic
researchers
in
the
20th century
are
en-
gaged
in exploding the traditional doctrine
of conscience
as
a brain chemical product.
Psi phenomena,
in their complex
whole, show conscience
as able
to much
further extend
it-
self
in
connection
with
those
activities
allowed
by
brain
activity.
Furthermore,
conscience
could
be
preexistent
to
the
formation
of
the
biological human
organism
and may
survive
its disintegration.
The
survival theme
has
always
been
the
domain
of
faith.
For
the
first
time
in
human
history,
thanks
to
psychic
research,
the
survival
theme
develops from
objec-
tive
facts and
rational
considerations.
Even
if,
historically,
parapsychology
can
be
considered
as
an
“ibridum,"
form
came
out
from
the
meeting
of
religious
need
and
the
scientific
one.
In
fact,
without
this
hotchpotch
of
belief
and
research, parapsychology would have never been
born.
Actually we
absolutely
need
a
certain
part
of
faith
to
have
the
possibility
of
demonstrating
survival
for
sure
without
feeling ashamed
about
it.
For
mutual
admission
happens
in every knowledge
field.
Without
faith we
can-
not go further-it being impossible to follow the glimpse of
initial
purpose.
Without
continuous,
ceaseless,
tireless
research, we would already be dead.
- DA
03060.
Marabini,
Enrico.
Psi phenomena: Normal
or
paranormal?'
Luce e Ombra, 1987 (Oct/Dcc),
57(4),
325-
336.
refs; 1 table
By
this
report,
the author confronts a
basic theme
in
order
to
obtain
a
refitting
of
the whole
problem
coming
out of
the study
of
psi phenomena,
starting from
the
con-
sideration that
psi
is an event resulting from an expression
of human behavior and considering people as aniihated
sys-
tems. The author presents a "classifications" conception.
He
explains
what a
psi phenomenon
is and
gives
the
basis
of
what
particular
characteristics
such
that
an
event
can
be
considered and
classified
in
this way. Next he discusses the
theme.
Firstly, he
talks about
"normality" through
its
dif-
ferent
meanings:
a
"fixed
rule"
and
a
"constitutive
rule."
This
last
is the only one which offers the
possibility of
ra-
tionally
facing
the
"normality" argument
(and
respectively
the
"abnormality"
one)
about
certain
types
of
events
or
about
certain
well-defined
human
behavior
situations.
Then
he
analyzes
the
word
"paranormal"
and
all
the
definitions deriving from
it
that
are used
to qualify
para-
psychological discipline.
Returning to human
behavior, the
author
points
out
that
to every
behavior
state
there
is
a
corresponding coherent conscious
state.
Although these are
different knowledge
positions
in
themselves, every
state
is
a normal and natural event.
Since
"psi behavior"
is an
al-
tered
state
of
consciousness,
the
information and
realistic
contents involved are necessarily normal expressions of
that
particular behavior
state.
Therefore, the uncommonness
in
the
phenomena
does
not
mean
they
are
not
normal
or
deviate
or paranormal
or
supernormal.
Rationally
it
can
be
asserted
that
the
laws
subtending
the
psi
phenomena
must
be
necessarily
different from
those orthodox
science
considers
and
applies
in
studying
other
types
of
natural
events.
The
parapsychologists’ work
is
to
identify
them.
Otherwise,
in
order
to obtain
concrete
results,
it
is
neces-
sary
to the
research
to study
the problem from a
different
point of view.
- DA
03061. Simone,
Giorgio
di.
Metaphysical
reality: The
spirit "program."
Luce e Ombra,
1987
(Oct/Dec),
57(4),
Approved For Release 2000/08/11
: CIA-RDP96-00792R0004001 20001-0