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* A Pioneering Psychotherapist Points Her Profession Back to Its Roots *

Dr. Shakuntala Modi is a psychiatrist and author of two books, Remarkable Healings and Memories of God and Creation
I highly recommend Remarkable Healings to anyone who is interested in learning how to keep their auric field clear, reclaim lost energy due to soul fragmentation (or "soul loss"), and improve their physical and emotional health. Remarkable Healings is simply the most ground-breaking and helpful book I have EVER read in the metaphysical genre, and you'll find it amazing, too.

Basically, through working with hypnosis on her patients, she stumbled across information she hadn't expected to find. People described various entity attachments ranging from the human (discarnate entities, often loved ones!) to the demonic (negative beings who are opposite from angels in vibration and seek to drag a person down spiritually.)

The accumulation of these energies in a person's body and energy field proved to be the sole source of their ailments, both on the physical and the emotional level.

The implications of this work are astonishing... The auric egg or energy envelope surrounding the body can be penetrated by these various entities, if a person's psychic "immunity" isn't strong enough. And this is the number one cause of ailments of every kind - including many conditions modern medicine has never been able to cure, like depression and chronic fatigue.

These are usually the by-product of parasitic entity attachments, and, once they are removed, the person's well-being is restored.

Dr. Modi gradually discovered some simple forms of invocation which can clear out these entities and attachments and relieve many physical and emotional ailments in the process. She works with a person's angelic helpers and spiritual guides and, of course, the power of God/Goddess/Great Spirit/The Great Kahuna. :)

This is amazing work. By adapting her techniques in my own healing work (and also through having other complimentary techniques revealed to me by my own higher guidance,) I have been able to help people to release core stuff that they didn't even know they were carrying around.

Other healers who practice similar techniques have reported astonishing levels of success, too. This stuff works!

Many times, people are so saturated with attachments that what they think of as their "core personality" isn't even their own! It's more of an overlay of all of these entities...

I've also used an adapted form of her techniques on myself and loved ones, to great effect. For instance, I used to be the type of person who would catch a cold or the flu at the drop of a hat. I haven't been sick in three years now, with anything. So learning how to maintain a clear auric field by starting with some of what Dr. Modi teaches set me on the path to this level of well-being.

Through diligent self-clearing work (which you can learn how to do with this book,) you'll experience many amazing changes on a physical and emotional level. The more comfortable you are with invoking and working with the angels for healing, the more readily you can incorporate what she teaches in the book.


Remember The Exorcist? Those chilling scenes caused various reactions among audiences: While some enjoyed the intense effects and dismissed it as entertainment, many experienced an uncomfortable encounter with energies we would like to relegate to Hollywood's active imagination, but can't.

Indeed, there is ample evidence that evil manifests on earth, acting through humans, animals and nature itself. From swine trapped in the body of a demented man (cast out by Jesus) to heartless, senseless murder and twisted tortures all over the globe, the evil shows its face. And it's not just the gross deviations that constitute evil.

A growing number of people say they are experiencing demonic possession in subtle ways that manifest as various physical, mental and emotional symptoms and conditions. For them, phrases such as, "The devil made me do it," "He's wrestling with his demons," or, "What possessed you to do that?" are more than mere adages. These people are sure they are being influenced by uncorporeal entities and, after trying conventional means, many are turning to a technique known as "spirit releasement."

Dr. Shakuntala Modi, a board certified psychiatrist practicing in Wheeling, W.V., notes that while seemingly 'new-age' spirit releasement has a significant history.

"The earliest evidence of the need to deal with spirits is the work of primitive medicine men, or shamans," she says. "Later, the medicine man emerged, using prayers, herbs, drinks and music to induce the spiritual awareness necessary to ward off evil spirits. The Greeks and Romans believed mania to be possession by evil spirits who represented 'the cult of the dead'."

According to Modi, the history of psychiatry traces a backward movement. "Over the years, psychiatrists have wandered down countless blind alleys, looking for alternative, 'more scientific' answers to mental illness than those purported by the ancients," she states.
"Today, the mental health community is coming full circle, back to the understandings of their early counterparts."

Dr. Modi's own history began in central India; as a child, she lost her father and was raised by an uncle, along with her siblings and cousins. She wanted to become a doctor for as long as she can remember. When family finances became such that only she or her brother could become a doctor, her brother sacrificed his own ambition so that she could achieve hers, an astounding act considering the country's gender prejudice.

Modi became an obstetrician/gynecologist, and married a general surgeon. Their son, Raju, was born in India. When they moved to America, Modi realized that, without the extended family system they had enjoyed in India, either she or her husband would have to make a career change. "I had been interested in psychiatry and thought it would be a way I could be a working mother," she says. After graduate school, she practiced traditional psychiatry; using hypnotherapy as an adjunct, she earned an excellent reputation among her peers and enjoyed hospital admittance privileges.


Eleven years ago her practice began a radical evolution. She became aware of the concept of past-life regression when a patient suffering with claustrophobia instantly regressed to another life where she was being buried alive. After the session, the patient was totally relieved of her long-standing and disabling condition. These results are what keep Dr. Modi pursuing what she often calls "God's Work," and which form the case studies for her popular book, Remarkable Healings.

Replete with case histories, it details the stories of patient after patient describing similar phenomenon. "The results speak for themselves," she states. "People are getting well, their symptoms are clearing and they are able to resume normal lives." According to Modi, relief is often immediate and dramatic, with patients reporting that they feel more alive and energetic than ever before, or light and empty, as if a great weight had been lifted from them. Others say they can breathe more easily, and that relationships have improved.

Modi emphasizes that hypnotism is not the dramatic, induced state we stereotypically think of. It is, rather, a "parallel awareness" achieved when we focus our concentration deeply and slip into fantasy, or become so absorbed in conversation that we tune out those around us.
"The subconscious contains the soul memories of every lifetime," says Modi, adding that, "Everything we have ever touched, sensed, smelled, felt, heard, experienced and done is recorded-not only from our current lifetime, but from all past lives, the time between incarnations and even from the time of our soul's creation and the creation of the Universe."

While the subconscious can bring up these memories, Modi feels it is vital to include the conscious mind as well. She deliberately avoids using classic relaxation techniques associated with hypnotism (such as counting backwards or suggestions that the patient is becoming sleepy). "Learning takes place consciously," she states emphatically. "We need to be consciously aware of what's going on, not push the memories back into the subconscious!"

According to hypnotized patients, some people have firm boundaries around their energy field, or aura, as if they are heavily armored. This boundary prevents outside spirits from entering them. Other people have soft, porous, fuzzy boundaries, making it easier for the spirits to penetrate their shields and bodies.

Different physical and emotional conditions, behaviors and situations can open one to psychic possession. "We are most vulnerable when ill, injured, unconscious, sedated or anesthetized," says Modi. Playing with conjuring games such as Dungeons and Dragons, using a Ouija board, engaging in automatic writing or channeling can also invite unwanted "guests."

It's scary stuff-as if we don't have plenty to deal with during birth and present-life trauma, Modi says our souls can fragment, leaving a "core" self bereft of various parts that took off during past or present life trauma or to help or stay with a deceased loved one.

We can also be possessed by earth-bound spirits, or by demon entities who can plant false past-life memories within us. Even worse, they claim to implant mechanical devices that interfere with heavenly guidance and influence us negatively, as Modi's patient Josephine, who had severe bulimia, experienced. According to her, dark beings would project a food commercial through devices implanted over her mind that would cause her to think about those foods and then consume them until she would throw up.

Other patients described devices that pushed, pulled or applied pressure to various organs and tissues in their bodies. They claimed these devices were either active or passive 'physical displacement' devices, each tailored specifically to achieve a particular aim, such as throwing off a joint by a fraction, putting pressure on a nerve or squeezing two bones tightly so they would grate and scrape together. Other devices discovered were 'focusing and amplifying devices, such as a focusing dish or wave machine and 'black energy absorbers' which, rather than causing active pain, induced a state of chronic fatigue.

Though demons are deliberate and diabolical, Modi advocates practicing releasement with compassion - "I actually treat the entity as a secondary patient," she says. According to her, even the darkest spirit can be transformed and released into the Light.

She notes a distinction between exorcism and releasement, stating that, "exorcism is a religious ritual marked by the forceful expulsion of a demon entity. It is confrontational, wrenching, and physically and emotionally exhausting to the exorcist and the subject. It directs judgment upon the entity itself, damning it and casting it out. It can be grabbed by Satan and brutally punished, it can go to another host, or return to the person from whom it was cast out." Modi cautions that, before considering spirit releasement, potential patients should rule out biochemical causes and organic brain disorders, such as those which have been clearly implicated in schizophrenia.

A typical session involving past life regression generally includes the following steps: grounding and identification, during which the patient is asked to look at his or her feet and describe what they are wearing, which leads to a recognition of who they were in that life; processing the traumatic event, during which Dr. Modi guides the patient through the event, encouraging them to recall, relive and release the trauma completely; process of death, transition to heaven and experiences in the light.

These experiences are commonly reported to consist of: Being greeted by light beings, "ventilation" (where they may be invited to vent pent-up emotions), soul cleansing, a life review, an opportunity to recognize other people and to make connections between the past and current life, and the opportunity to forgive others as well as themselves. "Forgiving yourself for hurting others is the most difficult step in forgiveness," states Modi. "When I ask patients to look back and see when they were hurting someone, they almost always say they see demon entities telling them and pushing them to do the wrong things."

After these experiences are completed, Modi moves on to locating, retrieving and integrating fragmented soul parts, integrating the past life personality. Modi says that her patients often describe heaven as a sphere with two sections. "The outer section is like the porch of a house, where things are in an earthly form. After cleansing, reviewing and resting, the soul goes down a pathway into the gate of an inner section, where everything is in spiritual form. Here, patients state that they learn, have discussions with others and plan for the next life. This planning includes personal and group goals.

Once cleared of past life trauma or entity/demon possession, patients are counseled to stay in the light through a protection prayer given twice daily. Modi suggests her patients request their angels to "remove all the earthbound, demon and other entities, dark shields, dark energies, dark devices and dark connections from my body, aura, soul and silver cord, and also from my home, workplace, car and places of recreation, then ask them to fill and shield you in a bubble of light and reflective 'spiritual mirrors'. You, and only you, have a right to live in your bodymind..."

Science has proven the existence of atoms, the smallest building block of all matter. Atoms are composed of three sub-atomic particles each having a unique electrical charge to it. Protons have a positive charge. Neutrons have a neutral charge. Electrons have a negative charge. It is through the interactions of these sub-atomic particles that all the necessary chemical reactions for life occur. That potential for a chemical reaction to occur is a form of energy. Heat, light, and sound are other forms of energy. Everything is made up of energy. Rocks, trees, and animals are composed of energy. All have energy radiating from them to form spheres of energy around their physical bodies termed auras. Auras are like the halos you see around moon sometimes.

Your vital life energy, often referred to as "chi", is the total energy you possess in all frequencies combined. The chi of any object is seen by its aura. The entire aura is composed of the energy of all your chakras. A chakra, literally translated to mean “spiral wheel,” is where energy of a certain frequency is concentrated and either adsorbed or released during psychical, emotional, or spiritual interactions. These chakras are feed energy through meridians, channels used to transport energy to and from chakras in the body. This concept can be difficult to firmly grasp, so we shall use an analogy. For example, your physical body is made up of blood vessels which carry nutrients and waste products to feed organs which have a pre-defined task. If we stick with that analogy, meridians can be viewed as energy blood vessels. They are channels used to transport energy to and from chakras. Chakras would be like organs in this analogy. Each chakra has a specific frequency of energy which it uses to communicate with a particular level of consciousness. Continuing with the body analogy, the sum of individual organs work together to form bodily systems, such as circulatory or nervous systems, that complete an essential goal. When all of the bodily systems are viewed together the whole person is seen. Similarly, chakras combine to produce your chi which is viewed as your aura.

There are eight major chakras, each corresponding to a different energy frequency (color) and affected by specific thoughts and actions.

1. Root chakra is located at the base of the spine and is associated with the color red. It is the lowest energy vibration, correlating to the physical plane of existence. It is affected by concerns of basic survival and sustenance (home, food, career). It is connected to the urinary tract organs.

2. Sacral chakra is located along the spine behind the naval region. It is associated with the color orange, is directly affected by physical concerns, and in connected with the reproductive organs. It is the second lowest energy vibration, correlating to the emotional plane of existence.

3. Solar plexus chakra is centered along the spine behind the stomach region. It is the chakra responsible for receiving messages through clairsentience and is affected by power, control, and irrational fear. It corresponds to the digestive system of the physical body (stomach, intestines, etc.) and it the color yellow.

4. Heart chakra is centered along the spine behind the heart region and is a deep emerald green in color. It is responsive to your feelings of love and completeness as a person. It affects the circulatory system of the physical body.

5. Throat chakra is located behind the Adam’s apple (mid-throat region). It is associated with the color blue. It is affected by your forms of communication, truth, and being able to ask when your needs are not met.

6. Ear chakra is the center for clairaudience. They are a red – violet (maroon) color spiraling just above your ears near the temple region. It reacts to what you hear or have heard and your desire to hear spiritual guidance.

7. Third eye chakra is the basis for all clairvoyant works. It is a purple color which emanates from the center of the forehead (just above your eyebrows). It is affected by your beliefs about spirits and your feelings about the past, present, and future of your life.

8. Crown chakra is located near the inside of the top of the head or slightly above your head and corresponds to the connection to divine energy. It is the highest energy vibration. It is affected by prayer, meditation, and one’s feelings toward Deity. Any extra external energy you need for cleansing purposes with come through this chakra.

Through the art of aura reading, the color of an aura can be seen by the naked eye. The color of an aura corresponds to the frequency of energy that person is most in tune with. Auras will often change colors depending on the mood of the individual and other outside factors. Through these auras, energy from one object can interact with the energy from another object and often the auras will blend during the interaction. For example, if you are in a positive mood and feel completely balanced your aura will most likely be white in color. Now you get a phone call from a friend who angry and depressed because they are having a bad day. The aura of that person will probably be dark in color, possibly black depending on how focused their negative energy is. As you interact with that person, you feel drained and less upbeat than you did before the interaction. By the time this interaction is over, your friend feels better but you feel tired and irritable. On a conscious level you may not understand what is actually going on. The black aura from your negative friend is interacting with your perfectly white aura, causing you to lose positive energy to that individual. After the interaction, both of your auras are now grayish in color. You should to do a chakra balancing meditation to regain the energy you lost to your friend.

There are three steps to every chakra balancing meditation. First, you must clear each chakra of negative energy. Negativity is represented by a dirty, murky looking chakra. You must change the color of the chakra to the most brilliant shade you can imagine. Sprinkles of white can be mixed into any chakra to lighten the color to the shade you need. Second, you must balance them. Similar to the tires on a car, chakras must be balanced to ensure proper alignment and direction. Each chakra should be rotating in a clockwise direction. This may mean that you stop a chakra from spinning and forcefully reverse its direction. Third, you must charge them by infusing them with energy. This is done by making the chakras larger or smaller so that each chakra is the same size. The mediation presented here will help you with these steps.

An aura can be worn down from any number of things. Imbalanced diet, dehydration, alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, tobacco products, and drugs of any kind severely wear down the strength of an aura. Emotional stimuli will also affect the strength of your aura. Interactions with surrounding objects, people, or spirits will alter your aura depending on the type of interaction that occurs. An aura can be re-built up through prayer, meditation, and psychic shielding. We will discuss these techniques in detail in later lessons. Remember, you are dealing with energy here. Science has proven that energy can not be created nor destroyed, it can only change form. Therefore, the amount of time, concentration, and intensity you put behind a thought or action will determine how likely it is to occur because you are changing the form and direction of the energy you have. This places great responsibility on your part because any thought, positive or negative, could potential alter someone else’s reality. It is imperative that you reflect on your intentions and desire to develop psychically before continuing into more advanced work.

Chakra Balancing

Began by completing the more advanced version of Exercise #1: Rhythmic Breathing. Visualize a little red ball of light spinning at the base of your spine. This is the root chakra. Mentally note any color that it is and the direction it is spinning if possible. Begin to mentally change the hue of the ball to a brilliant, clear, ruby red. Force the chakra to spin in a clockwise direction if it is not already doing so. Once the root chakra is spinning in the proper direction with the correct hue, expand it until your whole body is surrounded by this brilliant red light. Diminish the red sphere until it has returned to the little red ball of light at the base of your spine. Slowly turn your attention upward to the orange ball of light slightly above the root chakra. This orange ball of light is your sacral chakra. Mentally note any color that it is and the direction it is spinning if possible. Begin to mentally change the hue of the ball to a stunning orange. Force the chakra to spin in a clockwise direction if it is not already doing so. Once the sacral chakra is spinning in the proper direction with the correct hue, expand it until your whole body is encased in orange light. Diminish the orange sphere until it has returned to the little orange ball of light behind your naval region. Slowly turn your attention upward to the yellow ball of light slightly above the sacral chakra. This yellow ball of light is your solar plexus chakra. Mentally note any color that it is and the direction it is spinning if possible. Begin to mentally change the hue of the ball to a bright sun yellow. Force the chakra to spin in a clockwise direction if it is not already doing so. Once the solar plexus chakra is spinning in the proper direction with the correct hue expand it until this yellow light surrounds your whole body. Diminish the yellow sphere until it has returned to the little yellow ball of light behind your stomach. Slowly turn your attention upward to the green ball of light slightly above the solar plexus chakra. This green ball of light is your heart chakra. Mentally note any color that it is and the direction it is spinning if possible. Begin to mentally change the hue of the ball to a clear emerald green color. Force the chakra to spin in a clockwise direction if it is not already doing so. Once the heart chakra is spinning in the proper direction with the correct hue, expand it until your whole body is surrounded by this green light. Take a moment to breath in this green. Diminish the green sphere until it has returned to the little green ball of behind your heart. Slowly turn your attention upward to the blue ball of light slightly above the heart chakra. This blue ball of light is your throat chakra. Mentally note any color that it is and the direction it is spinning if possible. Begin to mentally change the hue of the ball to a sky-blue. Force the chakra to spin in a clockwise direction if it is not already doing so. Once the throat chakra is spinning in the proper direction with the correct hue, expand it until your whole body is covered in blue light. Diminish the blue sphere until it has returned to the little blue ball of light from your throat. Slowly turn your attention upward to the maroon ball of light in the temple region (just above the ears). This maroon ball of light is your ear chakra. Mentally note any color variance in the chakra and the direction it is spinning. Begin to mentally change the hue of the ball to a clear, redish purple color. Force the chakra to spin in a clockwise direction if it is not already doing so. Once the ear chakra is spinning in the proper direction with the correct hue, expand it until your whole body embraces this purple light. Diminish the maroon sphere until it has returned to the little maroon ball of light near your ear. Slowly turn your attention upward to the purple ball of light in your eye brow region. This purple ball of light is your third eye chakra. Mentally note any color variance in the chakra and the direction it is spinning. Begin to mentally change the hue of the ball to a clear, deep purple. Force the chakra to spin in a clockwise direction if it is not already doing so. Once the third eye chakra is spinning in the proper direction with the correct hue, expand it until your whole body embraces this purple light. Diminish the purple sphere until it has returned to the little purple ball of light near your third eye. Slowly turn your attention upward to the white ball of light descending down from the sky above. This white ball of light is your crown chakra beginning to open to receive messages from the divine. Take a moment to feel the warmth and love from this light. Mentally note any distortion in color and the direction it is spinning. Begin to mentally change the hue of the ball to the most brilliant white light that you can imagine. Force the chakra to spin in a clockwise direction if it is not already doing so. Once the crown chakra is spinning in the proper direction with the correct hue, expand it until your whole body is covered in brilliant white light. Feel the warmth on your skin. Feel it penetrate deep into your tissues and muscles. Feel it warm your bones. Then diminish the white sphere until it has returned to the little white ball of light at the top of your head. Begin to wiggle your toes and fingers. Become aware of the position of your physical body. Slowly move your legs and arms. Open your eyes then take a moment to become aware of the room around you. Immediately, record all of the colors, images, etc. from this meditation in your journal

I'm sorry, but I don't want to be an emperor. That's not my business.

I don't want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone if possible; Jew, Gentile, black man, white. We all want to help one another. Human beings are like that.

We want to live by each other's happiness, not by each other's misery. We don't want to hate and despise one another. In this world there is room for everyone, and the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone.

The way of life can be free and beautiful, but we have lost the way. Greed has poisoned men's souls, has barricaded the world with hate, has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed.

We have developed speed, but we have shut ourselves in. Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge as made us cynical; our cleverness, hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little.

More than machinery, we need humanity. More than cleverness, we need kindness and gentleness... Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost.

The airplane and the radio have brought us closer together. The very nature of these inventions cries out for the goodness in men; cries out for universal brotherhood; for the unity of us all.

Even now my voice is reaching millions throughout the world, millions of despairing men, women, and little children, victims of a system that makes men torture and imprison innocent people. To those who can hear me, I say, do not despair!

The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed, the bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress. The hate of men will pass and dictators die and the power they took from the people will return to the people.

And so long as men die, liberty will never perish...

Soldiers! Don't give yourselves to brutes, men who despise you, enslave you; who regiment your lives, tell you what to do, what to think and what to feel! Who drill you, diet you, treat you like cattle, use you as cannon fodder.

Don't give yourselves to these unnatural men - machine men with machine minds and machine hearts! You are not machines, you are not cattle, you are men! You have the love of humanity in your hearts! You don't hate!

Only the unloved hate; the unloved and the unnatural...

Soldiers! Don't fight for slavery! Fight for liberty! In the seventeenth chapter of St. Luke, it is written that the kingdom of God is within man, not one man nor a group of men, but in all men! In you!

You, the people, have the power, the power to create machines, the power to create happiness! You, the people, have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure.

Then in the name of democracy, let us use that power. Let us all unite. Let us fight for a new world, a decent world that will give men a chance to work, that will give youth a future and old age a security.

By the promise of these things, brutes have risen to power. But they lie! They do not fulfill that promise... they never will!

Because dictators free themselves - but they enslave the people.

Now let us fight to fulfill that promise. Let us fight to free the world! To do away with national barriers! To do away with greed, with hate and intolerance! Let us fight for a world of reason, a world where science and progress will lead to all men's happiness. Soldiers, in the name of democracy, let us all unite!

Hannah, can you hear me? Wherever you are, look up Hannah! The clouds are lifting! The sun is breaking through! We are coming out of the darkness into the light! We are coming into a new world; a kindlier world, where men will rise above their hate, their greed, and brutality...

Look up, Hannah! The soul of man has been given wings and at last he is beginning to fly... He is flying into the rainbow! Into the light of hope, into the future! The glorious future, that belongs to you, to me and to all of us...


Look up, Hannah. Look up!


Charlie Chaplin, "The Great Dictator"

1: Inter-Relationship of the Two Worlds


THE reality of an invisible world surrounding the physical world is for many difficult to comprehend, since the mind sphere is often limited to the visible and tangible; however, it requires but little thought to realize the constant change of matter as it occurs in three forms, solid, liquid and gaseous, in its range back and forth between the visible and invisible.

Visible nature is but the invisible, the Real, made manifest through a combination of its elements; science informs us that fully ninety-five per cent of vegetation is derived out of the air, or atmosphere. Is not mankind living at the bottom of an invisible ocean, the atmosphere, which is even more important to physical existence than any of the visible physical substances, since life can continue but a few moments out of it?

Nitrogen gas, constituting the greater bulk of the atmosphere, enters vitally into vegetable and animal growth and existence. Hydrogen and oxygen gases are constantly changing from a state of invisible vapor to visible and solid form. Carbon offers another example of similar transformation. Sounds, odors, the thermic law of heat and cold. and multitudes of other phenomena, ranging from the infinitesimal electron to the energy which moves the planets and suns, are all intangible, invisible factors.

All activities, whether chemical, vital or mental, operate invisibly, as observed in chemical affinity, in energy, in plant life, in animal life, in intelligence and mentalization. So in every department of our manifest physical nature it is evident that all elements have their root and permanence in the invisible.

The invisible is the source of the visible.

Thus when we realize that the objective is only a combination of invisible substances and forces, the existence of an unseen world is readily comprehensible. Considering the wonderful advancement of science into the field of nature's finer forces, it is inconceivable that any thinking mind can fail to recognize the rationale of the independent existence of the human spirit apart for the physical body. No subject has been better authenticated through the ages and in all literature than that of spirit existence and a future life.

Allen, in his "History of Civilization" writes: "Rude tribes the world over are found to have ideas of a human soul, a spirit world, and generally a belief in immortality. Savages consider the next life simply a continuation of this; they also recognize an other self which has mysterious powers. Death is the abandoning of the body by this mysterious other self, which is conceived of as still existing in the near neighborhood. The loves and hates of this world are transferred to the spirit world."

The writers of classic times-Socrates. Herodotus, Sophocles, Euripides, Plato, Aristotle, Horace, Virgil, Plutarch, Josephus, Maximus of Tyre — repeatedly refer to spirit existence as a well known fact. Cicero wrote: "Is not almost all heaven filled with the human? Those very gods themselves had their original here below, and ascended from hence into heaven."

That early Christianity recognized spirits is too well authenticated in the writings of St. Anthony, Tertullian, Origen and their contemporaries to require emphasis.

The Bible is replete with references to spirit existence. "We also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses." Heb. 12:1. "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits, whether they are of God." 1 John 4:1. "The spirits of just men made perfect." Heb. 12:23. "There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body . . . First that which is natural, and afterward that which is spiritual." 1 Cor. 15:44, 46. Many other similar biblical citations might be given.

Swedenborg contributed volumes on this subject. Dr. Samuel Johnson said: "I do not believe in spirits-I have seen too many of them."

John Wesley wrote in "The Invisible World": "It is true that the English in general — indeed most of the men of learning in Europe — have given up all accounts of witches and apparitions as mere old wives' fables. I am sorry for it, and I willingly take this opportunity to offer my solemn protest against this violent compliment which so many that believe in the Bible pay to those who do not believe it. Such belief is in direct opposition, not only to the Bible, but to the suffrage of the wisest and best of men in all ages and nations. They well know that the giving up of witchcraft is in effect giving up the Bible."

Shakespeare, Milton, Wordsworth, Tennyson, Longfellow, and many other poets wrote with profound understanding of the continued existence of man.


The spiritual world and the physical world are constantly intermingling; the spiritual plane is not a vague intangibility but is real and natural, a vast zone of refined substance, of activity and progress, and life there is a continuation of life in the physical world. On the physical plane of expression the soul obtains knowledge through experience and contact with objective things, and intelligence finds itself by manifesting through physical organs; in the spiritual plane progression of the individual continues, the mind unfolding along lines of reason, through spontaneity of service, the attainment and appreciation of high ideals and an ever broadening conception of life's purpose.

The change called "death,"-the word is a misnomer-universally regarded with gloomy fear, occurs so naturally and simply that the greater number, after passing out of the physical are not aware that the transition has been made, and having no knowledge of a spiritual life they are totally unconscious of having passed into another state of being.

Deprived of their physical sense organs, they are shut out from the physical light, and lacking, a mental perception of the high purpose of existence, these individuals are spiritually blind and find themselves in a twilight condition — the "outer darkness" mentioned in the Bible — and linger in the realm known as the Earth Sphere.

Death does not make a saint of a sinner, nor a sage of a fool. The mentality is the same as before and individuals carry with them their old desires, habits, dogmas, faulty teachings, indifference or disbelief in a future life. "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." Prov. 23:7.

Assuming spirit forms which are the result of their thought life on earth, millions remain for a time in the earth sphere, and often in the environment of their earth lives, still held by their habits or interests. "Where your treasure is there will your heart be also. Matt. 6:21.

Those who have progressed to the higher spirit world ever endeavor to enlighten these earthbound spirits, but the latter, due to preconceptions concerning the hereafter, labor under the delusion that the departed are "dead," or are "ghosts," and often refuse to recognize their friends or to realize their own condition.

Many are in a state of heavy sleep, others are lost or confused; troubled minds may be haunted by fear of the strange darkness, those conscience stricken suffer in anguish or remorse for their, earth conduct; some, impelled by selfish or evil inclinations, seek an outlet for their tendencies, remaining in this condition until these destructive desires are outgrown, when the soul cries out for understanding and light, and progressed spirits are able to reach them and aid them.

Lacking physical bodies through which to carry out earthly propensities, many discarnated intelligences are attracted to the magnetic light which emanates from mortals, and, consciously or unconsciously, attach themselves to these magnetic auras, finding an avenue of expression through influencing, obsessing or possessing human beings. Such obtruding spirits influence susceptible sensitives with their thoughts, impart their own emotions to them, weaken their will power and often control their actions, producing great distress, mental confusion and suffering.

These earthbound spirits are the supposed "devils" of all ages; "devils" of human origin, by-products of human selfishness, false teachings and ignorance, thrust blindly into a spirit existence and held there in a bondage of ignorance.


The influence of these discarnated entities is the cause of many of the inexplicable and obscure events of earth life and of a large part of the world's misery. Purity of life and motive, or high intellectuality, do not necessarily offer protection from obsession; recognition and knowledge of these problems are the only safeguards.

The physical conditions permitting this impingement are varied; such encroachment is often due to a natural and prediposed susceptibility, a depleted nervous system, or sudden shock. Physical derangements are conducive to obsession, for when the vital forces are lowered less resistance is offered and intruding spirits are allowed easy access, although often neither mortal nor spirit is conscious of the presence of the other.

This encroachment alters the characteristics of the sensitive, resulting in a seemingly changed personality, sometimes simulating multiple or dissociated personalities, and frequently causes apparent insanity, varying in degree from a simple mental aberration to, and including, all types of dementia, hysteria, epilepsy, melancholia, shell shock, kleptomania, idiocy, religious and suicidal mania, as well as amnesia, psychic invalidism, dipsomania, immorality, functional bestiality, atrocities, and other forms of criminality.

Humanity is surrounded by the thought influence of millions of discarnate beings, who have not yet arrived at a full realization of life's higher purposes. A recognition of this fact accounts for a great portion of unbidden thoughts, emotions, strange forebodings, gloomy moods, irritabilities, unreasonable impulses, irrational outbursts of temper, uncontrollable infatuations and countless other mental vagaries.


The records of spirit obsession and possession extend from remotest antiquity to modern times. Dr. Tyler, the noted English Anthropologist, in his "Primitive Culture," says: "It is not too much to assert that the doctrine of demoniacal possession is kept up, substantially the same theory to account for substantially the same facts, by half the human race, who thus stand as consistent representatives of their forefathers back in the primitive antiquity."

In Muller's "Urreligionen" we find: "The general belief of the barbaric world today is that such attacks as epilepsy, hysteria, delirium, idiocy and madness are caused by some demon gaining control of the body."

Homer referred repeatedly to demons and said: "A sick man pining away is one upon whom an evil spirit has gazed." Plato held that demons obsessed mortals. Socrates speaks directly of demons influencing the possessed (insane). Plutarch wrote: "Certain tyrannical demons require for their enjoyment some soul still incarnate; being unable to satisfy their passions in any other way, incite to sedition, lust, wars of conquest, and thus get what they lust for." Josephus says: "Demons are the spirits of wicked men."

Obsessing or possessing spirits are frequently mentioned both in the Old and New Testaments. In I Samuel 16:23, we read: "David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him."

So common was the belief in spirits and spirit obsession in the time of the apostles that the ability to cast out evil spirits was considered one of the most important signs of genuine discipleship, and it must be admitted that a considerable portion of the work accredited to Jesus was the casting out of demons.

A few quotations from the New Testament will suffice. "Jesus gave his twelve disciples power against unclean spirits, to cast them out." Matt. 10:1. "'Jesus preached . . . and cast out devils." Mark 1:39. "A certain mad which had devils long time . . . Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man . . . He that was possessed of the devils was healed." Luke 8:27, 29, 36. "Vexed with unclean spirits." Luke 6:18. "The evil spirits went out of them." Acts 19:12.

"Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit ... And he asked his father: How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child ... Jesus rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou deaf and dumb spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose." Mark 9:17, 21, 25-27. (Similar occurrences are not at all uncommon in psycho-pathological research.)

Dr. Godfrey Raupert, of London, who several years ago was especially delegated by Pope Pius X to lecture to Catholic audiences in America on Spiritualism, said in substance: "It is no longer possible to put the the subject of psychic phenomena aside. The scientific men all over the world have recognized spiritism as a definite and real power, and to shelve it is a dangerous policy. Consequently the Pope has asked me to tell Catholics the attitude to take toward the subject ... The Church admits the reality of these spiritistic phenomena and their external intelligences, in fact, it has always admitted their reality. The problem at present is to discover the nature of the intelligence. We are now on the borderland of new discoveries which may revolutionize the world. It is not the time yet for an explanation of all the phenomena. We must suspend our judgment until the subject is better known. The study of spiritism is a new one and therefore dangerous . . . A partial knowledge of the subject may cause grave dangers." (Resulting in obsession or possession.)

"There is no doubt about the fact of diabolical obsessions in the olden time. That the Church (Catholic) recognizes the possibilities is evidenced by the rules prepared for exorcising," is the quoted statement of Monsignor Lavelle, Rector of St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York.

Julian Hawthorne wrote, in one of the leading newspapers: "Thousands of evil-minded and evil-acting men and women die every day. What becomes of their souls, or spirits? They want to get back here . . . the increasing boldness and frequency with which they take advantage of their opportunities is illustrated in many ways. . . Two acts of defense are open to us. We may stop the source of supply of these undesirable visitors and we may close the doors."

Dr. Axel Gustafson', who publicly acclaimed his views regarding the fact of spirit obsession, in quoting cases which had come to his attention, said: "The spirits of the revengeful have power after death to enter into and possess the living under certain conditions."

Prof. Herbert L. Stetson, of Kalamazoo College, Michigan, stated, in a lecture at the University of Chicago: "Demon obsession is no myth; illness is often due to demoniacal possession. . . . Belief in demons is widespread."

"I often see the spirits who cause insanity," is the statement of Dr. E. N. Webster, of the mental section of the American Medical Association. "At times I even hear their voices. Insane persons who are spoken of as hopelessly insane are frequently lost under the overwhelming control of a spirit or crowd of spirits. We frequently find by post-mortem examination that no physical disorder exists in the brain or nervous system of such persons."

Prof. William James wrote in "Proceedings S. P. R.": "That the demon-theory will have its innings again is to my mind absolutely certain. One has to be 'scientific' indeed, to be blind and ignorant enough to suspect no such possibility."

Prof. James H. Hyslop, while editor of the Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research, wrote: "There is growing evidence of the fact of obsession which lies at the basis of much insanity and can be cured. The medical world will have to wake up and give attention to this problem or materia medica will lose control of the subject."

In one of Prof. Hyslop's latest books, "Contact with the Other World," we find the following:

"The existence of evil spirits affecting the living is as clearly taught in the New Testament, and implied in the Old Testament, as any doctrine there expounded. . . . The term obsession is employed by psychic researchers to denote the abnormal influence of spirits on the living.... The cures effected have required much time and patience, the use of psychotherapeutics of an unusual kind, and the employment of psychics to get into contact with the obsessing agents and thus to release the hold which such agents have, or to educate them to voluntary abandonment of their persecutions. . . .
Every single case of dissociation and paranoia to which I have applied cross-reference has yielded to the method and proved the existence of foreign agencies complicated with the symptoms of mental or physical deterioration. It is high time to prosecute experiments on a large scale in a field that promises to have as much practical value as any application of the scalpel and the microscope."

In "Modern Psychical Phenomena," Dr. Hereward Carrington states: "It is evident . . . that spiritual 'obsession' is at least a possibility which modern science can no longer disregard, while there are many striking facts in its support. This being so, its study becomes imperative-not only from the academic viewpoint but also because of the fact that hundreds and perhaps thousands of individuals are at the present moment suffering in this manner, and their relief demands some immediate investigation and cure. Once grant the theoretical possibility of actual obsession, and a whole vast field of research and investigations is opened up before us which demands all the care, skill and patience which modern enlightenment and psychological understanding can furnish."

Never before in the history of medical science has there been such widespread interest, by the public at large, as well as by medical men and public officials, in the subject of the cause, treatment and cure of nervous and mental diseases. Statistics show that insanity is increasing with alarming rapidity everywhere, yet medical experts differ widely as to the causes of mental deterioration, and science is not yet in possession of knowledge of the exact etiology of functional insanity. "The whole world will go mad before long," declared Dr. Winslow of England.

The greater number of neurologists and alienists (psychiatrysts) entertain the belief that the active and underlying cause of insanity has its origin within the deranged nervous system, but very little as yet is actually known of the true cause.

Dr. W. M. L. Coplin, Director of the Bureau of Health and Charities, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, said "Insanity, in most cases, is unaccompanied by any perceptible change in the brain structure. The brain of the patient, when examined under a microscope, shows absolutely nothing which differs in any way from the appearance of the brain of the perfectly sane person. It is therefore evident that the insanity might be due to toxemia, the effect of some subtle organism in the nature of bacilla.... Something causes insanity but what it is, we do not yet know."

Dr. Britton D. Evans, Superintendent of the Morris Plains, New Jersey, Insane Asylum, stated: "Brain tumor or brain fever may not affect the mind.... A man may have trouble of the brain and still have a normal mind."

Dr. Th. Ziehen, a noted German alienist, and an authority on hysteria, wrote: "For many functional neuroses there is as yet no accurate limitation and definition. As pathological anatomy does not aid us, no uniform and exclusive cause for hysteria can be demonstrated."

Dr. William Hanna Thomson, physician to the Roosevelt Hospital and Professor of the Practice of Medicine and Diseases of the Nervous System, New York University Medical College, in referring to Tuke's Dictionary of Psychological Medicine, asserted that: "The contributors to this great encyclopedia are from the most eminent professors, experts, and superintendents of insane asylums in Great Britain, the United States, France, Germany, Hungary, Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland and Russia. In the articles by the writers on kleptomania, dipsomania, chronic mania, etc., there is not a word about the pathological anatomy, (because none can be found). Just so it is in the article on melancholia, puerperal insanity, katatonia, circular insanity, homicidal insanity or epileptic insanity; in none of these is there a word about pathological anatomy, for the sufficient reason that not one of these forms of insanity shows any pathological or diseased condition in the brain different from the sound brain of a healthy man killed in an accident."

Statistics compiled by the United States Government, as well as by others, show that the increase in the number of the insane is proportionately greater than the increase of the general population.


To the investigator in Abnormal Psychology on the spiritistic hypothesis much of the symptomatology of the "War Neurosis'' or shell shock, — excepting cases of malingering — as recorded by Dr. F. E. Williams, Acting Medical Director, National Committee for Mental Hygiene, New York City, suggests obsession or possession by spirits of dead soldiers, unconscious of their transition, as the exciting cause. This is indicated by "delirium, hallucinations, anxiety states, functional heart disorders, paralysis, tremors, gait disturbances, convulsive movements, pain, anesthesia, hyperesthesia, blindness, disorders of speech, etc."

The spirit hypothesis regarding War Neurosis is further evidenced by the rapid recovery of patients under severe electrical treatment — (driving out obsessing entities?) — "as instituted by Dr. Vincent who, Dr. Williams stated, would cure in a few hours Patients that had been in the care of other psychiatrists for months, and would have them walking about and climbing ladders."

The success credited to hydrotherapy as practiced in institutions for the insane, especially when a strong stream of water, or a continuous bath, is used, can also be accounted for by the dislodgment of obsessing entities, who object to the discomforts incident to such treatment.

Dr. Prince, in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology, wrote: "If we are to establish sound principles underlying the mechanism of the mind we must correlate the findings of all methods of research, experimental as well as clinical, and give due consideration to the results obtained by all competent investigators."

After careful elimination of all superstitious notions and absurdities adherent to the subject of Normal and Abnormal Psychology, excluding also febrile and idiopathic psychoses or idiosyncrasies, as well as all neuro-pathogenic psychoses, there still remains a residuum of abnormality in a majority of cases of mental aberrations.

That alienists of renown and the foremost authorities widely disagree as to the cause of insanity is sufficient reason for thinking men to investigate any theory which promises to lead to results, regardless of personal or popular prejudice. The situation which confronts us is a serious one, and nothing but the broadest toleration and liberality can cope with it. Since insanity is chiefly a manifestation of mental or psychological disturbance — a Psychic neurosis-the symptomatology therefore should offer a guidance in ascertaining the etiology, and assist as well in arriving at a solution of the mental pathology.

This proposition, however, necessitates not only research and study of Normal and Abnormal Psychology but, in order to have a complete premise, also implies the recognition of the duality of man, matter and spirit, physical and spiritual.

Insanity is not a stigma; the public attitude toward this affliction should be one, not of aversion but of understanding, and a realization of the close inter-relationship of the visible and invisible worlds.


Spirit obsession is a fact — a perversion of a natural law — and is amply demonstrable. This has been proven hundreds of times by causing the supposed insanity or aberration to be temporarily transferred from the victim to a psychic sensitive who is trained for the purpose, and by this method ascertain the cause of the psychosis to be an ignorant or mischievous spirit, whose identity may frequently be verified.

By this method, and without detriment to the psychic, it has also proven possible to relieve the victim, as well as release the entity from its condition of spiritual darkness through an explanation of the laws governing the spirit world, which the experiences to follow will demonstrate.

Inter-communication between the visible and invisible worlds is a natural privilege and is established through a person of a certain psychic constitution, capable of acting as an intermediary, through whom discarnate intelligences can readily come en rapport with the physical plane. Of the various phases of contact the most valuable for research purposes is that of unconscious trance, whereby direct communication may be established with the invisible world and the mental condition of discarnate intelligences, either advanced or ignorant, may be ascertained.

Ignorant psychic experimentation may prove injurious when dabbled in by those who neglect the necessary precautions and lack understanding of the laws which govern the subject, just as ignorance and disregard of the laws governing everyday life may prove dangerous. The misuse of a thing is no argument against its use.

Psychical Research belongs especially to the domain of science; common sense and discrimination are essentials in all such experimental work, as well as a thorough mastery of the laws involved. Under these conditions scientific research becomes an invaluable factor in the investigation of Spiritual Science.



2: Psychical Research


PSYCHICAL Research contains elements of the greatest importance to humanity, and has already become a vital factor in the social life of the world at large. It is undoubtedly true, however, that the various branches of research are endeavoring to classify their findings on purely psychophysiological bases.

The Psycho-Analyst advances the theory that many of the psychoses have their seat or origin in some psychic lesion, or trauma, either concealed or forgotten. The Analytical-Pychologist, by mental measurements and intelligence tests, is making the segregation and classification of mental defectives possible. So also the Neurologist and Psychiatrist are diligently seeking to isolate the etiological factors in the various neuroses, mental aberrations and insanities, and to ascertain the best methods of prevention and treatment.

While these branches of research are loath to accept the hypothesis of discarnate intelligences as contributing, exciting factors in many of the psychoses and aberrations, they are nevertheless rendering important service in uncovering and bringing to light the unstable qualities in the neurotic, the susceptible and those predisposed to mental unbalance.


Psychical Research presents two general phases for investigation: the Normal and the Abnormal.

The Normal phase, from the standpoint of the physician, as well as the minister, deals, among other issues, with the question: What becomes of the Dead? This problem is of vital interest to the patient who lingers on the borderland of transition, doubtful of the future, or perhaps trembling in fear of his probable condition after the tomorrow of death. Should it not be the noblest part of the physician's calling, in such situations, to be in a position to assure his patient from actual knowledge, that there is no death, but a birth into new fields of activity and opportunities in the higher mental spheres?

In the Abnormal phase of Psychical Research there is demand for broadest Possible knowledge on the part of the physician pertaining to the mysterious functioning of minds, discarnated as well as incarnated. Research in Abnormal, as well as Normal psychology, indubitably indicates, not only the existence of spirits, but also unquestionably demonstrates that such entities play an important role in the various psychoneuroses and insanities.

The physician, undoubtedly, comes in more intimate touch with the consequences of promiscuous dabbling in Psychical Research, so frequently resulting in mental aberrations, than any other person, for he is usually the first one to be called into consultation, and upon his decision depends largely the disposal of such an unfortunate victim. For this reason, if no other, it should surely be not only the privilege, but also the urgent duty of the physician to become thoroughly acquainted with the various phases of Psychical Research, particularly its dangers in the hands of thoughtless investigators, especially the predisposed psycho-neurotic.

The alarming results often occurring in connection with Psychical Research prompted me to follow up a line of investigation to ascertain the underlying causes thereof, for these also concern the physician.

The serious problem of alienation and mental derangement attending ignorant psychic experiments was first brought to my attention by the cases of several persons whose seemingly harmless experiences with automatic writing and the Ouija Board resulted in such wild insanity that committment to asylums was necessitated.


The first of these cases was that of Mrs. Bl., whose attempts at automatic writing led to mental derangement and altered personality. Normally she was amiable, pious, quiet and refined but became boisterous and noisy, romped about and danced, used vile language, and, claiming she was an actress, insisted upon dressing for the stage, saying that she had to be at the theatre at a certain time or lose her position. Finally she became so irresponsible that she was placed in an asylum.

Another case was Mrs. Bn., who, through the practice of automatic writing, changed from an artist and a lady of refinement to an altogether different and violent personality. Screaming at the top of her voice she continually rubbed her temples and eed, "God save me! God save me!" Rushing into the street she knelt in the mud, praying, and refused food, declaring that if she should eat before six o'clock P.M. she would go to hell.

Mrs. Sr., who had followed the same practices, also became mentally deranged and violent, necessitating police interference. Rising in the night she posed in the window of her millinery shop as Napoleon, whom she presumed herself to be, and after commiting many other irresponsible acts, requiring restraint, was sent to the Detention Hospital.

In like manner, Mrs. Wr. became obsessed with hallucinations that God was constantly talking to her and condemning her for wrong acts of which he accused her; after attempting suicide at the request of this so-called God she was taken to the asylum.


Many other disastrous results which followed the use of the supposedly innocent Ouija Board came to my notice and my observations led me into research in psychic phenomena for a possible explanation of these strange occurrences.

My wife proved to be an excellent psychic intermediary and was easily controlled by discarnate intelligences. In answer to her doubts concerning the right of "disturbing the dead" these intelligences asserted that a grievously wrong conception existed among mortals regarding the conditions prevailing after death.

They stated that there is in reality no death, but a natural transition from the visible to the invisible world, and that advanced spirits are ever striving to communicate with mortals to enlighten them concerning the higher possibilities which await the progressive spirit. But death — the freeing of the spirit from the body — is so simple and natural that a great majority do not, for a longer or shorter period, realize the change, and owing to a lack of education concerning the spiritual side of their natures, they continue to remain in their earthly haunts.

They maintained that many such spirits were attracted to the magnetic aura of mortals — although the spirit, as well as the mortal, might be unconscious of the intrusion-and thus, by obsessing or possessing their victims, they ignorantly or maliciously became the cause of untold mischief, often producing invalidism, immorality, crime and seeming insanity.

The risk of interference from this source constituted, they said, the gravest danger to the unwary novice in psychic research, but to be in ignorance of these facts was an even greater risk, especially in the case of the susceptible neurotic.

These intelligences also stated that by a system of transfer, that is, by attracting such obsessing entities from the victim to a psychic intermediary, the correctness of the hypothesis could be demonstrated and conditions could be shown as they actually exist. After this transference of psychoses the victims would be relieved, and the obsessing spirits could then be reached by the advanced spirits, who would care for them and instruct them regarding the higher laws of life.

They claimed they had found my wife to be a suitable instrument for such experimentation and proposed that, if I would cooperate with them by caring for and instructing these ignorant spirits, as they allowed them to take temporary but complete possession of my wife's body, without any injury to her, they would prove their assertions were correct.


Desirous of learning the truth or falsity of such important claims, which, if true, would have a great bearing on the cause of much that is otherwise baffling in criminology, as well as in psycho-pathology, we accepted what seemed a hazardous undertaking.

In order to carry out their purpose the Guiding Intelligences allowed many manifestations to take place, often very unexpectedly, and some of these occurred while I was pursuing my early medical studies.

The ease with which spirits assume control of the psychic intermediary, Mrs. Wickland, is so perfect that the majority of them at first fail to comprehend the fact that they are so-called dead and are temporarily occupying the body of another.

Those intelligences whose reasoning faculties are alert can generally be made to realize that their situation is unusual when attention is called to the dissimilarity between their own former bodily features, hands and feet, as well as clothes, and those of the psychic. This is especially so when the spirit is a man, for the difference will then be more readily noticed. Following the statement that the body which is being controlled belongs to my wife, spirits usually retort: "I am not your wife," and a great deal of explanation is required before they can be brought to a recognition of the fact that they are in temporary possession of another's body.

On the other hand, there are spirits, fixed and rooted in obstinate skepticism, who stubbornly refuse to understand that they have made the transition out of the physical. These will not listen to reason and fail to be convinced of their changed condition, even when a mirror is held before them, declaring that they have been hypnotized, and prove so obdurate that they must be forced to leave, and are taken in charge by the invisible co-workers.

The transference of the mental aberration or psychosis from a patient to the psychic intermediary, Mrs. Wickland, is facilitated by the use of static electricity, which is applied to the patient, frequently in the presence of the psychic. Although this electricity is harmless to the patient it is exceedingly effective, for the obsessing spirit cannot long resist such electrical treatment and is dislodged.

Induced by our invisible helpers the spirit may then entrance the psychic, when it becomes possible to come into direct contact with the entity, and an endeavor is made to bring him to a realization of his true condition and of his higher possibilities. He is then removed and cared for by the advanced spirits and Mrs. Wickland again returns to her normal self.

In many cases remarkable evidence that discarnated entities were the offending cause of aberration has been obtained by a system of experimental concentration in a psychic circle. Obsessing spirits have been dislodged from victims frequently residing at a distance, conveyed to the circle by the co-operating intelligences and allowed to control the psychic. Such spirits often complain of having been driven away, yet are ignorant of being spirits, or of having controlled or influenced anyone.

But the similarity between the actions of the controlling spirit and the symptoms of the patient, as well as the relief obtained by the latter through this removal, indubitably prove the spirit to have been the cause of the disturbance. In many cases the identity of the spirit has been unquestionably authenticated. After this transfer and permanent dislodgment of the obsessing spirit, the patient gradually recovers, although there may be a number of spirits requiring removal from the same patient.

It may be asked why advanced intelligences do not take charge of earthbound spirits and convert them without having them first control a psychic intermediary. Many of these ignorant spirits cannot be reached by the intelligent spirits until they come in contact with physical conditions, when they are compelled to realize their own situation and are then started on the road to progression.

While the control of the Psychic by an ignorant spirit in a circle generally brings the spirit to an understanding and is of interest to the investigator, at the same time groups of other spirits in darkness are brought to profit by the lesson conveyed through the actions of the controlling spirit.

Many controlling spirits act as if demented and are difficult to reason with, this condition being due to false doctrines, fixed ideas and various notions imbibed in physical life. They are often unruly and boisterous, when it is necessary to control them by holding the hands of the psychic to keep them in restraint.

Upon realizing their true condition many spirits experience a sensation of dying, which signifies that they are losing control of the psychic.

Other spirits, again, are in a sleepy stupor, wishing to be left alone, and severe language is at times required to arouse them, as will be observed in the records following. In these records reference is often made to a "dungeon" in which refractory spirits may be placed, and controlling spirits sometimes complain of having been kept in a dungeon.

Due to a certain psychic law, intelligent spirits have the faculty of placing about an ignorant spirit a condition simulating a prison, an impenetrable, cell-like room from which there is no escape. Herein stubborn spirits must stay' seeing nothing but the reflection of their own personalities, their past actions appearing before the mind's eye until they become repentant and show a willingness to adapt themselves to the new condition and to conform to the spiritual laws of progression.


The nature of Mrs. Wickland's psychism is that of unconscious trance; her eyes are closed and her own mentality is held in abeyance in a sleep state for the time being. She herself has no recollection of anything that transpires during this period.

Mrs. Wickland is not subject to any negativism between these experiences; she is at all times her rational self, clear minded and positive, and after thirty-five years of psychic work has not suffered impairment or detriment of any kind.

She is constantly protected from the invisible side by the supervision of a group of strong intelligences known as "The Mercy Band," which is guiding this work, endeavoring to bring humanity to a realization of the simplicity of the transition called death, and the importance of a rational understanding of what becomes of the spirits.

The purpose of our work has been to obtain reliable and incontestable evidence at first hand regarding "after death" conditions, and detailed reports of hundreds of experiences have been stenographically made in order to record the exact situation of the communicating intelligences.



3: Subconscious Mind and Auto-Suggestion Hypotheses Untenable


DURING THIRTY YEARS of indefatigable research among the "dead" such startling conditions have been revealed that it seems incredible intelligent reasoners along other lines of thought could have so long ignored the simple facts, which can so readily be verified. There is utter impossibility of fraud in these experiences; foreign languages, totally unknown to Mrs. Wickland, are spoken, expressions never heard by her are used, while the identity of the controlling spirits has again and again been verified and corroborations innumerable have been made.

On one occasion I conversed with twenty-one different spirits, who spoke through my wife, the majority giving me satisfactory evidence of being certain friends and relatives known to me while they were incarnated. In all, they spoke six different languages, while my wife speaks only Swedish and English.

From one patient, Mrs. A., who was brought to us from Chicago, thirteen different spirits were dislodged and allowed to control Mrs. Wickland, and of these, seven were recognized by the patient's mother, Mrs. H. W., as relatives or friends well known to her during their earth lives.

One was a minister, formerly pastor of the Methodist church of which Mrs. H. W. was a member, who had been killed in a railroad accident nine years previous, but was still unconscious of the fact; another was her sister-in-law; there were also three elderly women, family friends for years, a neighbor boy and the mother-in-law of the patient--all entirely unknown to Mrs. Wickland.

Mrs. H. W. conversed at length with each one, as they spoke through Mrs. Wickland, verifying innumerable statements made by the spirits and assisted in bringing them to a realization of their changed condition, and of the fact that they had been obsessing her daughter. This patient is today entirely well and actively occupied with social, musical and family affairs.


One of our early experiences in Chicago occurred on the 15th of November, 1906. During one of our psychic circles, Mrs. Wickland, entranced by a strange entity, fell prostrate to the floor, and remained in a comatose condition for some time. The spirit was at last brought to the front, and acted as though in great pain, repeatedly saying:

"Why didn't I take more carbolic acid? I want to die; I'm so tired of living."

In a weak voice the spirit complained of the dense darkness all about, and was unable to see an electric light shining directly into her face. She whispered faintly: "My poor son! " and when pressed for information said that her name was Mary Rose, and that she lived at 202 South Green Street, a street entirely unknown to us at that time.

At first she could not remember any date, but when asked: "Is it November 15th, 1906?" she replied: "No, that is next week." Life had been a bitter disappointment to her; she had suffered constantly from chronic abdominal ailments, and finally, resolving to end her miserable existence, she had taken poison.

She could not at first realize that she had succeeded in destroying her physical body, for, like most suicides, she was in total ignorance of the indestructibility of life and the reality of the hereafter. When the real purpose of life, experience and suffering had been made clearer to her she was overcome with repentance and offered a sincere prayer for forgiveness.

Then her spiritual sight opened slightly and she saw dimly the spirit figure of her grandmother, who had come to take her to the spirit world.

Subsequent inquiry at the address given by the spirit proved her statements to be true; a woman by the name given had lived at this house, she still had a son living there, and we were told that Mrs. Rose had been taken to the Cook County Hospital and had died there the week before.

Upon investigation at the hospital we found further verification of the facts and were given a copy of the record of the case: Cook County

Hospital, Chicago, Ills.
Mary Rose.
Admitted November 7th, 1906. Died
November 8th, 1906.
Carbolic Acid poisoning.
No. 341106.


Another case will show that identification of a spirit is often possible.

Mrs. Fl., a patient who had been declared incurably insane by several physicians, was a refined lady of gentle disposition, who had become very wild and unmanageable, swearing constantly, and fighting with such violence that several persons were required to restrain her.

She was also subject to coma states, again to fainting spells, would refuse food, announce that she "had been married above by celestial powers," and used extraordinarily vile language; these various phases alternated constantly, but no full proof of obsession was evidenced until one day when Mrs. Fl. lost all power of speech, and, mumbling idiotically, simulated perfectly a deaf and dumb person.

At this time a gentleman from an adjoining state came to the house to visit a patient and, shortly after his arrival, the nurse who attended Mrs. Fl. reported that the patient had again changed and was talking like a little child. So striking was this alteration that the gentleman was asked to step into the room to observe the patient.

He was a total stranger to her but as he entered the room she pointed to him and said, in a high childish voice:

"I know that man! He used to put bows on my shoulders. Arid he pulled my toofies! He took me to a gypsy camp too! He lived right across the street from me, and he used to call me Rosebud. I'm four years old."

The astonished gentleman corroborated every statement, saying that he had known such a child in his home town in Iowa, but that she had died the year before. He explained that he was very fond of children and had on several occasions taken the child to a gypsy camp, and that whenever he bought taffy-on-a stick for the little girl, he would tug at the stick while she was eating the candy and playfully threaten to pull her teeth.

It was evident that affection had attracted the spirit child to her friend, and that she found in Mrs. Fl. a vehicle through which she could make her presence known to the gentleman.

The patient was relieved of this spirit and gradually of other obsessing influences, and several months later was pronounced entirely competent to sign legal papers, being declared normal and sane by a judge and jury.


Another case in point was that of Mrs. 0., who was a cook in a restaurant. She had observed a waitress acting queerly, laboring under delusions and hallucinations, and brought her to my office. After an electrical treatment the patient declared she felt greatly relieved and returned to her home.

But that night Mrs. 0. herself became disturbed by an unaccountable condition which prevented her from sleeping, and her restlessness continued until ten o'clock the following morning, when, in the midst of her preparations for dinner, she suddenly became wild, tore her hair, and threatened to harm herself.

I was sent for and arriving, found Mrs. 0. raving in a demented condition, complaining of being chased here and there and being unable to find a resting place. Suspecting the presence of an invisible entity, I placed Mrs. 0. in a chair, pinioned her arms to prevent a struggle, and after several remarks the entity declared it was a man, but denied being dead, or obsessing a woman.

The spirit said his name was Jack, that he was an uncle of the troubled waitress, and that he had been a vagabond in life. After reasoning with the intelligence he began to realize his situation, and, promising to cause no further annoyance, left. Mrs. 0. then immediately became her normal self and returned to her work without any further disturbance.

It was later ascertained from the waitress that she had bad an uncle named Jack, who had been a vagabond, and that he was dead. In this experience Mrs. 0. had acted as the psychic intermediary to whom the spirit obsessing the waitress had been transferred.


A number of years ago Dr. Lydston wrote in the Chicago papers of a patient who, although having no knowledge of French or music sang well the "Marseillaise" in French when placed under the influence of an anesthetic. Dr. Lydston, denying the continued existence of the ego, explained this phenomenon as one of subliminal consciousness, or unconscious memory, comparing it with the case of the uneducated domestic, who, in delirium, recited classic Latin as perfectly as her former employer, a Professor of Latin, had done during his life.

I replied, in a newspaper article, that such phenomena were frequently met with in psychic research, and stated that, despite the classification of materialistic scientists, these cases clearly proved the posthumous existence of spirits and their ability to communicate through mortals. I added that if the truth were known about these two cases, we would find that the man who sang French was a psychic sensitive and had at the time been controlled by some outside intelligence, while in all probability the domestic who recited Latin was obsessed by the spirit of the former professor.


In the study of cases of "Multiple Personalities," "Dissociated Personalities," or "Disintegrated States of Consciousness," modern psychologists disclaim the possibility of foreign intelligences on the ground that these personalities give neither evidence of supernormal knowledge, nor of being of spiritistic origin.

Our experience, to the contrary, has proven that the majority of these intelligences are oblivious of their transition and hence it does not enter their minds that they are spirits, and they are loath to recognize the fact.

In the case of Miss Beauchamp, as recorded by Dr. Morton Prince, in "The Dissociation of a Personality," reporting four alternating personalities, no claim was made that any outside intelligences were responsible for the various personalities, and yet "Sally" (personality 3) insisted that she herself was not the same as Miss Beauchamp (Christine), that her own consciousness was distinct from that of Miss Beauchamp, and told of Miss Beauchamp's learning to walk and talk. "When she was a very little girl just learning to walk ... I remember her thoughts distinctly as separate from mine."

Similarly in the case of Bernice Redick of Ohio, the young school girl who constantly changed from her normal self to the personality of "Polly," an unruly child, every indication is given of the influence of a discarnate spirit, probably ignorant of being dead, controlling Miss Redick.


That such "personalities" are independent entities could easily be proven, under proper conditions, by transference of the same to a psychic intermediary, as similar experiments have so' abundantly demonstrated.

Any attempt to explain our experiences on the theory of the Subconscious Mind and Auto-Suggestion, or Multiple Personalities, would be untenable, since it is manifestly impossible that Mrs. Wickland should have a thousand personalities, and since it is so readily possible to cause transference of psychosis from a supposedly insane person to Mrs. Wickland, relieving the victim, and in this way discovering that the disturbance was due to a discarnate entity, whose identity can often be verified.

Individuals who are clairaudient suffer greatly from the constant annoyance of hearing the voices of obsessing entities (the "auditory hallucinations" frequently observed by alienists), and when such a person is present in a psychic circle where the spirits are dislodged and transferred to the psychic intermediary, interesting developments occur.

An illustration is the case of Mrs. Burton, a clairaudient patient who was constantly combatting obsessing spirits, and who, while attending our circle, was relieved of her unwelcome companions. In the following records the conversation of the spirits through the psychic, Mrs. Wickland, will elucidate the characteristics of the several entities.

Spirit: CARRIE HUNTINGTON Patient: MRS. BURTON.

Doctor Tell us who you are.
Spirit I do not wish you to hold my hands.
Dr. You must sit still.
Sp. Why do you treat me like this?
Dr. Who are you?
Sp. Why do you want to know?
Dr. You have come here as a stranger, and we would like to know who you are.
Sp. What are you so interested for?
Dr. We should like to know with whom we are associating. If a stranger came to your home, would you not like to know his name?
Sp. I do not want to be here and I do not know any of you. Somebody pushed me in here, and I do not think it is right to force me in like that. And when I came in and sat down on the chair you grabbed my hands as if I were a prisoner. Why was I pushed in here? (Brought in control of psychic by guiding intelligences.)
Dr. You were probably in the dark.
Sp. It seems somebody took me by force.
Dr. Was there any reason for it?
Sp. I do not know of any reason, and I do not see why I should be bothered like that.
Dr. Was no reason given for handling you in this manner?
Sp. It has been a terrible time for me for quite a while. I have been tormented to death. I have been driven here, there and everywhere. I am getting so provoked about it that I feel like giving everything a good shaking.
Dr. What have they done to you?
Sp. It seems so terrible. If I walk around I am so very miserable. I do not know what it is. Sometimes it seems as if my senses were being knocked out of me. Something comes on me like thunder and lightning. (Static treatment of patient.) it makes such a noise. This terrible noise — it is awful! I cannot stand it any more, and I will not either!
Dr. We shall be glad if you will not stand it any more.
Sp. Am I not welcome? And if I am not, I do not care!
Dr. You are not very particular.
Sp. I have had so much hardship.
Dr. How long have you been dead?
Sp. Why do you speak that way? I am not dead. I am as alive as I can be, and I feel as if I were young again.
Dr. Have you, not felt, at times, as if you were somebody else ?
Sp. At times I feel very strange, especially when it knocks me senseless. I feel very bad. I do not feel that I should have this suffering. I do not know why I should have such things.
Dr. Probably it is necessary.
Sp. I feel I should be free to go where I please, but it seems I have no will of my own any more. I try, but it seems somebody else takes possession of me and gets me into some place where they knock me nearly senseless. If I knew it, I never would go there, but there is a person who seems to have the right to take me everywhere, but I feel I should have the right to take her. (Referring to patient.)
Dr. What business have you with her? Can't you live your own life?
SP. I live my own life, but she interferes with me. I talk to her. She wants to chase me out. I feel like chasing her out, and that is a real struggle. I cannot see why I should not have the right just as well as she has.
Dr. Probably you are interfering with her.
SP. She wants to get rid of me. I am not bothering her. I only talk to her sometimes.
Dr. Does she know you talk to her?
Sp. Sometimes she does, and then she chases me right out She acts all right, but she gets so provoked. Then, when she gets into that place, I am knocked senseless and I feel terrible. I have no power to take her away. She makes me get out.
Dr. You should not stay around her.
Sp. It is my body, it is not hers. She has no right there. I do not see why she interferes with me.
Dr. She interferes with your selfishness.
Sp. I feel I have some right in life-I think so.
Dr. You passed out of your body without understanding the fact, and have been bothering a lady. You should go to the spirit world and not hover around here.
Sp. You say I am hovering around. I am not hovering around, and I am not one to interfere, but I want a little to say about things.
Dr. That was why you had the "thunder" and "the knocks."
Sp. That was all right for a while, but lately it is terrible. I must have understanding.
Dr. You will have it now.
Sp. I will do anything to stop that terrible knocking.
Mrs. B. (Recognizing the spirit as one who had been troubling her.) I am mighty tired of you. Who are you, anyway?
Sp. I am a stranger.
Mrs. B. What is your name?
Sp. My name?
Mrs. B. Have you one?
Sp. My name is Carrie.
Mrs. B. Carrie what?
Sp. Carrie Huntington.
Mrs. B. Where do you live?
Sp. San Antonio, Texas.
Mrs. B. You have been with me a long time, haven't you? (It had been a number of years since Mrs. B. had been in San Antonio.)
Sp. You have been with me a long time. I should like to find out why you interfere with me. I recognize you now.
Mrs. B. What street did you live on?
Sp. I lived in many different plates there.
Dr. Do you realize the fact that you have lost your own mortal body? Can you remember having been sick?
Sp. The last I remember I was in El Paso. I do not remember anything after that. I went there and I do not seem to remember when I left. It seems that I should be there now. I got very sick one day there.
Dr. Probably you lost your body then.
Sp. After El Paso I do not know where I went. I went some distance. I traveled on the railroad and it was just like I was nobody. Nobody asked me anything and I had to follow that lady (Mrs. B.) as if I were her servant, and I feel very annoyed about it
Mrs. B. You worried me to death because you sang all the time.
Sp. I had to do something to attract your attention, because you would not listen to me any other way. You traveled on the train and it took me away from my home and folks, and I feel very much hurt about it. Do you understand?
Mrs. B. I understand you far better than you do me.
Dr. Can't you realize what has been the matter with you?
Sp. I want to tell you that I do not want those knockings any more. I will stay away.
Dr. Understand your condition; understand that you are an ignorant, obessing spirit, and that you have no physical body. You died, probably at the time you were sick.
Sp. Could you talk to a ghost?
Dr. Such things certainly do happen.
Sp. I am not a ghost, because ghosts cannot talk. When you are dead, you lie there.
Dr. When the body dies, it lies there. But the spirit does not.
Sp. That goes to God who gave it.
Dr. Where is He? Where is that God?
Sp. In Heaven.
Dr. Where is that?
Sp. It is where you go to find Jesus.
Dr. The Bible says: "God is Love; and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God." Where will you find that God?
Sp. I suppose in Heaven. I cannot tell you anything about it. But I know I have been in the worst hell you could give me with those knockings. I do not see that they have done me any good. I do not like them at all.
Dr. Then you must stay away from that lady.
SP. I see her well now, and I can have a real conversation with her.
Dr. Yes, but this will be the last time.
SP. How do you know it will?
Dr. When you leave here you will understand that you have been talking through another person's body. That person is my wife.
Sp. What nonsense! I thought you looked wiser than to talk such nonsense.
Dr. It may seem foolish, but look at your hands. Do you recognize them?
Sp. They do not look like mine, but so much has taken place lately, that I do not know what I shall do. That lady over there, (Mrs. B.) has been acting like a madman, and I have taken it as it came, so I shall have to find out what she thinks of doing, and why she does those things to me.
Dr. She will be very happy to be rid of you.
Mrs. B. Carrie, how old are you?
Sp. You know that a lady never wants to tell her age.
Dr. Especially if she happens to be a spinster.
Sp. Please excuse me, you will have to take it as it is. I will not tell my age to any one.
Dr. Have you ever been married?
Sp. Yes, I was married to a fellow, but I did not care for him.
Dr. What was his name?
Sp. That is a secret with me. I would not have his name mentioned for anything, and I do not want to carry his name, either. My name is Carrie Huntington, because it was my name, and I do not want to carry his name.
Dr. Do you want to go to the spirit world?
Sp. What foolish questions you put to me.
Dr. It may seem foolish to you, but, nevertheless, there is a spirit world. Spiritual things often seem foolish to the mortal mind. You have lost your body.
Sp. I have not lost my body. I have been with this lady, but she does one thing I do not like very well. She eats too much. She eats too much and gets too strong, then I have no power over her body, not as much as I want to. (To Mrs. B.) I want you to eat less. I try very much to dictate to you not to eat that and that, but you have no sense. You do not even listen to me.
Mrs. B. This is the place I told you to go to, but you would not go by yourself.
Sp. I know it. But you have no business to take me where I get those knockings. I do not want to stay with you if you take those awful knockings.
Dr. They are in the next room. Do you want some?
Sp. No, thank you. Not for me any more.
Dr. Listen to what is told you, then you will not need any more. You are an ignorant spirit. I mean you are ignorant of your condition. You lost your body, evidently without knowing it.
Sp. How do you know?
Dr. You are now controlling my wife's body.
Sp. I never saw you before, so how in the world can you think I should be called your wife? No, never!
Dr. I do not want you to be.
Sp. I don't want you either!
Dr. I don't want you to control my wife's body much longer. You must realize that you have lost your physical body. Do you recognize these hands? (Mrs. Wickland's hands.)
Sp. I have changed so much lately that all those changes make me crazy. It makes me tired.
Dr. Now, Carrie, be sensible.
Sp. I am sensible, and don't you tell me differently, else you will have some one to tell you something you never heard before.
Dr. Now Carrie!
Sp. I am Mrs. Carrie Huntington!
Mrs. B. You listen to what the Doctor has to say to you.
Sp. I will not listen to any one, I tell you once for all. I have been from one to another and I do not care what becomes of me.
Dr. Do you know you are talking through my wife's body?
Sp. Such nonsense. I think that's the craziest thing I ever heard in my life.
Dr. Now you will have to be sensible.
Sp. Sensible? I am sensible. Are you a perfect man?
Dr. No, I am not, but I tell you that you are an ignorant, selfish spirit. You have been bothering that lady for some time, and we have chased you out by the use of those "knocks." Whether you understand it or not, you are an ignorant spirit. You will have to behave yourself, or else I will take you into the office and give you some more of those "knocks.
SP. I don't want those knocks.
Dr. Then change your disposition. Realize that there is no death; when people lose their bodies they merely become invisible to mortals. You are invisible to us.
SP. I will have nothing to do with you!
Dr. We want to help you and make you understand your condition.
Sp. I don't need help.
Dr. If you don't behave you will be taken away by intelligent spirits and placed in a dungeon.
Sp. You think you can scare me! You will find out what will happen to you.
Dr. You must overcome your selfish disposition. Look around; you may see some one who will make you care. You may see some one who will make you cry.
Sp. I don't want to cry. I like to sing, instead of cry.
Dr. Where is your mother?
Sp. I haven't seen her for a long time. My mother? My mother! She is in Heaven. She was a good woman, and is with God and the Holy Ghost, and all of them.
Dr. Look around and see if your mother is not here.
Sp. This place is not Heaven, — far from it. If this is heaven then it is worse than hell.
Dr. Look for your mother; she will put you to shame.
Sp. I have done nothing to be ashamed of. What business have you to give me those knocks and have me put in a dungeon? That lady and I made a bargain.
Dr. She made a bargain to come here and get rid of you. You have been fired out by electricity. You have lost your company.
Sp. Yes, for a while they all left me. I can't find them. (Other obsessing spirits.) Why did you chase that tall fellow away?
Dr. This lady wants her body herself; she does not want to be tormented by earthbound spirits. Would you like them around you?
Sp. I don't know what you mean.
Dr. Can't you realize that you bothered that lady and made her life a perfect hell?
Sp. (To Mrs. B.) I have not bothered you.
Mrs. B. You woke me up at three o'clock this morning.
Sp. Well, you have no business to sleep.
Dr. You must live your own life.
Sp. I will.
Dr. That will be in a dark dungeon if you do not behave yourself.
Sp. How do you know?
Dr. You cannot stay here. You had better be humble and ask for help — that is what you need. My wife and I have been following this work for many years, and she allows all sorts of spirits to use her body, so they may be helped.
Sp. (Sarcastically) She is very good!
Dr. You ought to be ashamed of yourself. Do you see your mother?
SP. I don't want to see her. I don't want to call her away from Heaven.
Dr. Since Heaven is a condition of happiness she could not be in any "Heaven" with a daughter like you, — she could not be happy. Suppose you were in Heaven, and had a daughter, would you like her to act as you do?
Sp. I do not act contrary. What is the situation? Tell me that!
Dr. I have already told you the situation. You are controlling my wife's body.
Sp. How do I do that?
Dr. Because of higher laws, and because you are a spirit. Spirit and mind are invisible. You are so selfish that you do, not care to understand.
Sp. This is not Heaven.
Dr. This is Los Angeles, California.
Sp. For God's sake, no (An expression never used by Mrs. Wickland.) How did I come here?
Dr. By staying around that lady. That is how. She had to, take those "knocks" to get you out.
Sp. She's a fool to do it.
Dr. She wants to get rid of you and she will get rid of you.
Sp. I will not have those knocks any more.
Dr. Higher spirits will show you something you do not like, if you do not behave yourself.
Sp. (Shrinking from some vision.) I don't want that!
Dr. It is not what you want; it is what you get.
Sp. Is that so!

As nothing could be done to bring the spirit to an understanding, she was taken away by intelligent spirits.

Upon a later occasion, when the patient, Mrs. Burton, was in the circle, another spirit was removed from her and, controlling Mrs. Wickland, spoke in a very individualistic manner.


Spirit: JIMMIE HUNTINGTON Patient: MRS. BURTON

The spirit kicked off both shoes, and seemed greatly disturbed.

Dr. What seems to be the trouble? Have you been in an accident of some kind? (Holding psychic's hands firmly.) You have no shoes on.
SP. I took them off.
Dr. Tell us who you are.
Sp. I don't know whether I want to.
Dr. Tell us where you came from.
Sp. I don't know that I have to do that.
Dr. We would like to know who you are. What seems to be the trouble? You don't seem to be comfortable.
Sp. I am not.
Dr. What have you been doing lately?
Sp. I haven't been doing anything. I have just been walking around.
Dr. And what else?
Sp. Why, nothing in particular. It seems that I have been shut up somewhere. (In patient's aura.)
Dr. In what way?
Sp. I don't know how it is, but I couldn't get out.
Dr. How would you explain that?
Sp. I can't explain it in any way.
Dr. Did you hear any talking?
Sp. Yes, many people talked.
Dr. What did they say?
Sp. One said one thing, one another. They all think they are so smart.
Dr. Did you ever have any chance to say anything?
Sp. Yes, but I got so mad, because there was always a woman there; she knew all I wanted to say. I felt that some, times I should have a chance. Whenever they talked, that woman talked. A man has no chance to say anything when a woman begins to talk.
Dr. You must have been a married man.
Sp. Why yes, I am married.
Dr. Was it a success, or a failure?
Sp. I don't know what it was — an excuse anyway. I was not so very happy. Women always talk too much. They can't leave a fellow alone a minute at a time.
Dr. What did they talk about?
Sp. It's that woman, she talks and talks and talks. (Patient, Mrs. Burton, who talked constantly.) She never can keep still very long at a time. I felt sometimes like shaking her good. We just had some new company come in. They talk and talk. It makes me sick; they make me get out. They are the worst I ever saw.
Dr. Did anything happen at all?
Sp. Lightning played around my head, until I didn't know where I was. (Electrical treatment given patient.) I thought it was far distant, but, my God and Stars in Heaven, how it hit me!
Dr. What did you want to do at such times?
Sp. I wanted to get hold of that lightning and try to stop it hitting my head, but the lightning strikes every time — it never misses. Lightning used to be different; it didn't always strike, but now it never misses. I never saw anything like it. There are stars before your eyes, and it feels terrible, but even while the lightning strikes that woman keeps right on talking. (Patient talked throughout treatment.)
Dr. What does she talk about?
Sp. Nothing. She wants to be boss, and I want to be boss; so there we are.
Dr. What does she say?
Sp. You know how it is with women — they talk and talk, but there is never anything to it.
Dr. Does the lady address you?
Sp. She torments me all the time. I feel like shaking her, but I don't seem to have any power any more. Then there is another woman, and she goes right at it too. It makes me sick. What can you do with a woman to make her stop talking? If you can get any woman to stop talking, you'll have a pretty hard time to do it.
Dr. What is your name?
Sp. It's a long time since I heard it.
Dr. Where did you come from? Are you in California?
Sp. No; I'm in Texas.
Dr. What did your mother call you when you were a boy?
Sp. James was my name, but they always called me Jimmie. Gosh! I don't know what is the matter with me. That lightning gets on my knees and feet, then from my head to my feet, but what I can't understand is, it never misses its aim.
Dr. How old are you?
Sp. I will say that I am a man about fifty years of age, but I want to say that during all my life, I never saw such lightning before, and what I can't understand is that nothing ever catches fire from it. Gosh! Yesterday I got into a regular nest; it was the worst I ever saw in my whole life. I think every one was a devil. (Obsessing spirits.) There's another one standing over there, and that came yesterday.
Dr. How long have you been dead, Jimmie?
Sp. What do you mean?
Dr. I mean, how long is it since you lost your body?
SP. I haven't lost it yet.
Dr. Don't you realize that you are in a strange condition?
Sp. I have been that for a long time.
Dr. Did you ever work in the oil business in Texas?
Sp. I don't know where I have been working; things are very queer.
Dr. Where did you work?
Sp. In a blacksmith shop.
Dr. Do you know what year it is?
Sp. No, I don't.
Dr. How are you going to vote this Fall? For whom will you vote for President?
Sp. I don't know yet.
Dr. How do you like the present President?
Sp. I like him; he is pretty good.
Dr. Do you know anything in particular about him?
Sp. He's all right; there's no flies on Roosevelt.
Dr. Is he President?
Sp. Of course he is. He just got in. McKinley was also a good man, but you know, Mark Hanna had an awful influence over him. It is a long time since I bothered with politics. I have been shut up a long time, but, my God and Stars in Heaven, I'm nearly crazy from that woman talking all the time.
Dr. What woman is it that talks so much?
Sp. Can't you see her?
Dr. She might not be here
Sp. Oh, yes, she is, it's that woman. (Indicating patient.)
Dr. What does she talk about?
Sp. Nothing but nonsense. She makes me sick.
Dr. What does she say in particular?
Sp. Nothing; she has not sense enough. She mocks me every once in a while. I'm going to get her some day! Stars in Heaven, she's terrible!
Dr. Now, friend, I want you to understand your condition. You have lost your physical body, and are now a spirit.
Sp. I have a body. If only that woman would keep still.
Dr. This is not your body.
Sp. Stars in Heaven, whose body is it?
Dr. My wife's.
Sp. Stars in Heaven and the Heat from the Sun! I'm not your wife. How could I be your wife when I'm a man? That's funny!
Dr. You are an invisible spirit.
Sp. Spirit? Do you mean a ghost? For Heaven's sake, talk United States.
Dr. Ghosts and spirits are the same thing.
Sp. I know ghosts and I know spirits.
Dr. They both mean the same thing. (Taking hand of psychic.)
Sp. Say, it's not nice for a man to hold another man's hand. If you want to hold hands, get hold of some lady's hand and hold that. Men don't hold each other's hands, — that's cold joy.
Dr. Tell us what that woman says.
Sp. She just talks and says nothing.
Dr. Is she young or old?
Sp. She's not so very young. I get so mad at her.
Dr. I am telling you the fact when I say you are a spirit.
Sp. When did I die then?
Dr. It must have been some time ago. Roosevelt has not been President for many years. He is a spirit like yourself.
Sp. Just like I am? Why, he's dead then.
Dr. So are you.
Sp. When I am here and listening to you, I can't be dead.
Dr. You have lost your body.
Sp. Say, don't hold my hand. It's such cold joy.
Dr. I am holding my wife's hand.
Sp. Well, you can hold her hand, but let mine alone.
Dr. Do you recognize this hand as yours?
Sp. That isn't my hand.
Dr. It is the hand of my wife.
Sp. But I'm not your wife.
Dr. You are using my wife's body only temporarily. You lost your own body a long time ago.
Sp. How did that happen?
Dr. I don't know. Do you know you are in Los Angeles, California?
Sp. God, and Stars in Heaven, how did I come to California? I had no money. You know, there are two women here. One doesn't talk so much. She looks to me like she was sick. (Another spirit obsessing patient.) She doesn't say much, but I suppose she is so annoyed because that other woman talks so awful. Please don't hold my hand; I like 'to feel free. If I were alone with a lady, and I could hold her hand, that would be a different story. Aren't you satisfied to hold just one hand?
Dr. I have to hold both because you will not be quiet. Now, let us not lose any more time.
SP. I wish sometimes I didn't have so much time on my hands.
Dr. We will give you something to do.
Sp. You will? That's good. If you can give me some work of some kind, I shall be very glad. Do you want me to fix horses, shoes? I used to shoe horses.
Dr. In what state?
Sp. Texas. That's a big state.
Dr. Did you roam around a good deal?
Sp. Yes, quite a little. I was in Galveston, Dallas, San Antonio, and many other places. I traveled everywhere I wanted to go. I went to Houston and other cities.
Dr. You are a spirit and have been allowed to control my wife's body for a short time. We do not see you.
Sp. Say, just look at those devils there, limping around like a bunch of little imps. (Obsessing spirits.) They are all around that woman. (Mrs. B.)
Dr. You take them all with you when you leave.
Sp. Not much I won't. (Touching necklace.) What in the world is this?
Dr. That is my wife's neck ornament.
SP. Your wife?
Dr. You have been brought here for enlightenment. You were fired out from that other lady.
Sp. Yes, with lightning. For the life of me, I never saw anything like it. There used to be thunder and lightning storms in Texas, and in Arkansas, but lightning did not strike every time as it did on me.
Dr. You will not have that thunder and lightning any more.
Sp. I will not? That's good.
Dr. Was your mother living in Texas?
Sp. Certainly, but she is dead. I should know, because I was at her funeral.
Dr. You were at the funeral of her body, not her spirit, soul or mind.
Sp. I suppose she went to Heaven.
Dr. Look around and see if you can see her.
Sp. Where?
Dr. She might be here.
Sp. What place is this anyhow? If I am your wife I have never seen you before.
Dr. You are not my wife.
Sp. You called me your wife.
Dr. I did not say you are my wife. You are temporarily using her body.
Sp. For God's sake in Heaven and hell, how can I get out of your wife?
Dr. Be sensible. What do those imps say?
Sp. They say they are going to stay, but I say, and say it strong, that they are all going to go.
Dr. Do you want them to go with you?
Sp. I should say I do.
Dr. You can help them a great deal by reforming them and making them understand their condition. They need help. You are all ignorant spirits and have been bothering that lady. I am the one who gave you "lightning" and chased you out. You can all 90 to the spirit world and learn how to progress.
Sp. Is that woman going too? There is a whole lot, a gang, but I haven't seen any of them until lately.
Dr. Can you see anybody you know? Just sit quietly for a moment and look around.
Sp. (Excitedly) Why, here comes Nora! (A spirit.)
Dr. Who is Nora?
Sp. Nora Huntington; she's my sister.
Dr. Ask her if your name is Jimmie Huntington.
Sp. She says it is, and that she hasn't seen me for such a long time. (Suddenly puzzled.) But — she's dead.
Dr. Let her explain the situation.
Sp. She says: "Jimmie, you come home with me." Where shall I come ?
Dr. What does she say?
Sp. She says: "To the spirit world," — but I don't believe her.
Dr. Was your sister in the habit of lying to you?
Sp. No.
Dr. If she were honest before, would she lie now?
Sp. She says she has been hunting for me for years and she didn't know where I was.
Dr. Where has she been?
Sp. Why, she's dead. I was at her funeral, and I know well that she was not buried alive.
Dr. You went to the funeral of her body, not her spirit.
Sp. This is her ghost then?
Dr. She is probably an intelligent spirit. We do not need to argue about that any more. Let her explain.
Sp. She says: "Let us go, Jimmie, and take the 'gang' with us." She says she is a missionary and helps everybody she can; she says she helps unfortunates. I have been unfortunate too.
Dr. Tell this lady, this other spirit you have been talking about, to go with you.
Sp. She says if she leaves she has no body.
Dr. Tell her she has a spirit body. She doesn't need a physical body. Tell her that they will teach her how to progress. You take the imps along too.
Sp. I can't carry them all with me. How do you know they all want to go with us?
Dr. They will go if you can show them anything better than they have now. Probably they never had any chance in life.
Sp. I never thought of that.
Dr. We cannot blame them altogether. Show them the better way and they will follow.
Sp. Where am I now?
Dr. In California.
Sp. Where in California?
Dr. Los Angeles.
Sp. If you are in California, it doesn't mean that I am there too.
Dr. How could you be anywhere else, since you are here?
Sp. Of course, that is reasonable. The last I remember, I was in Dallas, Texas, and the first thing I knew I was struck on the back of my head. I was shoeing a horse when I was struck. Did he kill me?
Dr. He evidently chased you out of your body. Nobody ever dies. If you don't go soon, your sister will become tired of waiting for you.
Sp. I'll go with her, if you'll let me, but I'll have to walk.
Dr. How are you going to walk? With my wife's body? You will have to learn a new lesson. Just think yourself with your sister and you will be there instantly. You will have to travel by thought.
Sp. Stars in Heaven, that's a new wrinkle!
Dr. Now, friend, you can't stay any longer.
Sp. That's a nice way to talk to me!
Dr. I don't want you to use my wife's body any longer.
Sp. What body will I get hold of when I get out from here?
Dr. When you leave this body you will have your spirit body. That is invisible to us.
Sp. Can I jump from this body into a spirit body?
Dr. Your sister will explain. Just think yourself with your sister. You do not need any physical body for that purpose.
Sp. I am commencing to get sleepy.
Dr. Go with your sister and follow her instructions; you will learn many new lessons in the spirit life. Take all the gang and the little imps with you.
Sp. (To spirits) Now you come along with me, all of you, the whole lot of you.
Dr. Will they all go with you?
Sp. Now we are going. Come on, the whole gang of you. Goodbye.


On a subsequent date a spirit "Harry" was brought to the circle for enlightenment, and, controlling Mrs. Wickland, maintained an interesting conversation regarding another spirit that had been troubling Mrs. Burton.


Spirit: HARRY

Dr. Where have you come from?
Sp. I don't know where I am, and I don't know what is the matter with me.
Dr. Would you care to know what is the matter?
Sp. I don't know what is the matter.
Dr. Did something happen to you?
Sp. That is what I should like to find out.
Dr. What have you been doing lately?
Sp. I don't know.
Dr. Tell us who you are. Do you know?
Sp. Well, I should say-well, I think I do.
Dr. Where do you think you are?
Sp. I don't know.
Dr. Yes, you do.
Sp. No, I don't know. Everything is so queer, and it just seems to me I don't know what's the matter.
Dr. Can't you look back and see whether something happened to you?
Sp. I can't look back, I have no eyes in my back.
Dr. I mean, think back.
Sp. Think of my back?
Dr. No, think of your past. Just use your thinking faculties.
Sp. I don't know anything.
Dr. You must not be so mentally lazy.
Sp. What can a man do?
Dr. This is a woman sitting here. Are you a man or a woman?
Sp. I am a man, that fellow is a man, and the others are women. I have always been a man. I was never a woman, and never will be. You know I am a man.
Dr. Look at your hands; where did you get them?
Sp. Those are not my hands.
Dr. Look at your feet.
Sp. They are not mine, either. I never was a woman, and I don't want women's hands and feet, and I don't want to borrow any one's body now.
Dr. Are you old ?
Sp. Well, I'm not a young kid.
Dr. You are probably old in years but not in knowledge.
Sp. No, I don't know that I have so much knowledge.
Dr. If you had knowledge you would not be in your present position.
Sp. That has nothing to do with knowledge.
Dr. Knowledge is just what you lack. Tell us what your name is. Is it Mary?
Sp. Have you ever heard of a man being named Mary? That's ridiculous.
Dr. Then tell us what your name is. I can only guess.
Sp. For goodness sake alive, man, it is a man's name, not a woman's.
Dr. Introduce yourself.
Sp. What in the devil do you need my name for?
Dr. You are well versed in English. Did you have white hair as you have now? (Referring to hair of psychic.)
Sp. I had gray hair.
Dr. Did you wear curls as you are doing now?
Sp. No, I don't like them.
Dr. Did you wear a comb?
Sp. Did you ever know of a man wearing a comb?
Dr. Where did you get that wedding ring?
Sp. I didn't steal anything. I don't want a woman's hand.
Dr. John, where did you come from?
Sp. I'm not named John.
Dr. What did your wife call you? What did your mother call you?
Sp. She called me Harry. I was not married.
Dr. What is your other name?
Sp. I do not need to tell my name to a lot of women.
Dr. There are some gentlemen present.
Sp. How in the world did I get into this crowd of women? I hate women.
Dr. You must have been disappointed in love. What was the trouble?
Sp. I'd be a big fool to tell my secrets to a lot of women.
Dr. Why did she marry the other man?
Sp. Who?
Dr. The girl who jilted you.
Sp. She never in my life — no!
Dr. Weren't you disappointed in love?
Sp. No.
Dr. Then why do you hate women?
Sp. I must not tell you any of my secrets before this bunch of women, so they can sit here and laugh at me. I should like to know why all these women are staring at me. What's the matter with that man over there? (Spirit.) I mean the one behind that lady (Mrs. Burton seated in circle).
Mrs. B. I'm a man hater; he can keep away from me.
Sp. Why is that man around her? Is he her husband? Lady, what does he hang around you for? What's the matter with You? Do you like him so well that you want him to stick to you like glue?
Dr. Ask him how long he has been dead.
Sp. He sure is an ugly thing. I'm afraid of him. He looks like he wants to fight.
Dr. Ask him how long he has been dead.
Sp. Dead? He sticks so she can't move without him. Whenever she moves, he moves. He seems to me like a monkey.
Mrs. B. Say, take him away with you, will you?
Sp. Why should I take him for? For God's sake, I don't know the fellow! Do you like him, lady?
Mrs. B. No, I don't. I'm tired of him.
Sp. What's the matter with him? Is he your husband?
Mrs. B. No, he is not, and I don't understand it myself.
Sp. Do you like him?
Mrs. B. No, I want him to get away from me.
Sp. Where am I, anyhow?
Dr. You are in Los Angeles, California.
Sp. There's also a woman around her, and she sticks like glue.
Mrs. B. Are you here to help us? Can't you take those things away from me?
Sp. Do you like that man who is with you?
Mrs. B. No, I am wild to get rid of him. The door is wide open; he can surely go.
Sp. For God's sake, shut the door! I don't want such a man following me. Why don't you tell the police? Can't the police take him away from you, if you don't want him?
Dr. They are all spirits.
Sp. Spirits?
Dr. Yes, like yourself.
Sp. Oh, you tell me that man is a ghost, the one standing behind that woman there?
Dr. Can you see him?
Sp. He's no spirit, he's a man. He stands there. He's afraid she will get away from him and he can't follow. He says he is sick of her.
Dr. He is a spirit but does not understand it. She does not see him and neither do we. He is invisible to us.
Sp. What kind of a place is this I came to?
Dr. We cannot see you either.
Sp. You can't? Don't you hear me?
Dr. We hear you, but we can't see you.
Sp. Is this a crowd of blind people? I can see them all and lots more. The whole room is full of people.
Dr. We can hear you, but we can only hear you talk through a woman's body.
Sp. Now, you're kidding me. You think that I — I would ever talk through a woman? Not much! I would not go across the street to talk through a woman. You know, I can't understand what this thing is. I don't know why I should be here. I don't know what's the matter; all of you are sitting around looking at me. Why are there people standing around each one here? There are others, standing around looking at me too. Could they have conversation with a fellow?
Dr. If I explain to you, will you try to understand? In the first place, you are dead, as people would say.
Sp. If I'm a dead one, that's a good thing!
Dr. You yourself are not dead.
Sp. But you said I was dead.
Dr. You are dead to your own people and friends. We know you are not dead in reality; you only lost your physical body. But you also have a spirit body when you pass out of your mortal body. You find yourself alive, and you have a spirit body, but you cannot explain it.
Sp. I know I have been walking a very great deal, and it seems to me I never get anywhere. I saw a lot of people here. I came here with the crowd, and before I knew it, everything was light, and I saw you all sitting around in a circle, singing. I thought it was a prayer meeting, so I stopped, and before I knew anything, I could talk. Before then I thought I must be deaf and dumb and blind, because I could not see anything, and I am so tired.
Dr. Most of those you see here are spirits like yourself.
Sp. Why are we here?
Dr. Many have been brought to obtain understanding. You yourself are controlling my wife's body. You are not my wife, but you are using my wife's body. It does not make any difference how strange it seems to you, it is a fact. You are invisible to us, and you are speaking through my wife's organism. That man you speak of is a spirit too. Take him with you when you go. He is invisible to us.
Sp. I should like to fight him.
Dr. Did you ever read the Bible?
Sp. Yes, a long time ago. I have not seen one for a long time.
Dr. You remember reading in the Bible about obsessing spirits that Jesus cast out? He is one of that kind.
Sp. They are all around that woman (Mrs. B.).
Mrs. B. I have the door closed now.
Sp. If you keep the door closed, I'll take them along with me. I want to fight with that fellow anyhow. What's your name?
Dr. What does he say?
Sp. He says his name is Jim McDonald. Don't you know him, lady? If he is a spirit, for goodness sake, why does be hang on to that woman when she doesn't want him?
Dr. Perhaps he found himself there, as you find yourself here. You say you saw a crowd, a light, and here you are.
Sp. That man says he was walking in the dark and saw that lady. Say, will I always have to stay here too?
Ques. What are the names of those around me? (This was asked by another patient.)
Sp. There are two. They fight once, in a while. I see them fighting.
Ques. I fight them too.
Dr. Do not fight them physically; that gives them strength and magnetism. When you fight them in that way, you give them much more strength. You hold them by fighting them as you do. Fight them mentally. Why don't you try to close up?
Sp. I will take them along too, if I can. Don't fist fight them any more. I don't know what's the matter with me. I feel strange.
Dr. Where was your home?
Sp. It was in Detroit, Michigan.
Dr. What year can you recall?
Sp. I can't recall any.
Dr. Who is President?
Sp. I don't know for sure, but I think Cleveland.
Dr. He was President a long time ago.
Sp. I have been walking so long that I feel tired. Is there any rest for a weary person? Have you a bed so that I can lie down and rest?
Dr. If you look around you will see intelligent spirits.
Sp. Why, I see some beautiful girls. No, girls, I will not come with you. Don't try to fool me. I'm not going with you, not much!
Dr. They are different from the girls you have known. They are not mortal girls, they are spirits.
Sp. They have a smile like others to give to a man.
Dr. They are different altogether. They help spirits who need help.
Sp. Those girls seem to be honest, but you know, I hate women.
Dr. You should not condemn them all because one was false.
Sp. You see, I want to take all those folks with me. If I can, I will take them with me. I think I will follow those girls, anyhow. (Surprised.) Why, there's my mother! She's been dead and gone a long time.
Dr. She's not dead.
Sp. Don't you think she's in Heaven?
Dr. Ask her. She can speak for herself.
Sp. She says she is in a beautiful place called the spirit world.
Dr. The spirit world surrounds the physical. "Heaven" is a condition within you; when you have found that, you will be contented and happy. That is what Jesus taught also.
Sp. I should like to go with my mother. She's a good old lady. I want to take McDonald along too. Come here, McDonald. I don't want to stay around here any longer, and I want you to come along. He acts as if he is trying hard to wake up. Say, come on, McDonald, let us be good fellows and go with those girls, for they might be honest and sincere. Mother, you come along too. I will go now. Goodby. Come on, you fellows. Say, what do you stick to that woman for, anyhow? I should be ashamed of myself, hanging around her. I'm going. Goodbye.
Mrs. B. Be sure and take them along with you.
Dr. What is your name?
Sp. Harry. That is all I can remember. I have not heard my name for many years.
Dr. Make the others understand the folly of staying.
Sp. I'm going to take those fellows along. Now, you look here! You're going to come along with me. I'll fight every damned one of you that won't come. You ought to be ashamed to stick around a woman like you do. Now, come along with me! You see, they come. I'll look after them all right. Goodbye.


During another circle "Frank," one of the spirits interfering with Mrs. Burton, left her, and controlled the intermediary, exhibiting little trace of memory in any form.


Spirit: FRANK Patient: MRS. BURTON

Dr. Where did you come from?
Sp. I don't know.
Dr. Do you know any one here?
Sp. I don't see anybody I know.
Dr. Don't you know where you came from?
Sp. I don't know myself. How can I answer questions when I don't know?
Dr. How long have you been dead?
Sp. Dead! The idea! Say, what's the matter with me? I think it looks very funny to see you all sitting around here. Are you having a meeting, or what is it called anyhow?
Dr. Yes, it's a meeting. Try to tell us who you are.
Sp. I don't know why I should tell you that.
Dr. You are a stranger to us.
Sp. I don't know whether I shall stay here or not. I am always peculiar among strangers, you know.
Dr. Tell us where you came from.
Sp. For my dear life, I don't know myself, so how can I tell you? Say, why do you hold my arm? I'm a strong man, and can sit still by myself.
Dr. I thought you were a woman.
Sp. God above! Why do you think I'm a woman? You'll have to look again, because I am a man, sure enough, and I've always been a man. But things are funny, and I don't know; it has been so peculiar with me for some time. You know, I was walking along and then I heard some singing, so I thought I would peek in, and before I knew it I was feeling fine. You know I have not been feeling well for some time; everything has seemed unusual. (After becoming enmeshed in aura of sensitive.) I don't know what is the matter with me anyhow. Somebody said to me that if I came in where the singing was, I would find out what is the matter with me. I have asked everybody I saw, but everybody passed by; they were so stuck up they wouldn't talk to a fellow any more. The people all looked like wax to me. Dear life! I've been talking and talking, and walking and walking, and, for dear life, I could never get any one to answer me, or take any notice of me before. (As a spirit he was invisible to mortals and therefore unnoticed by them.) You are the first one to answer any question. I have some little peculiar kind of thing in my throat once in a while, and I can't talk, and then I seem to get well again. But I feel queer, so queer.
Dr. Can you remember anything happening to you at some time?
Sp. Something happens every day. One time I remember one thing and another time something else, but I don't remember anything clearly. I cannot, for dear life, know where I am at. It is the most peculiar thing I ever saw.
Dr. How old are you?
Sp. I cannot tell you that. I haven't known my age for some time. Nobody ever asks me about that and the natural circumstance is that I forgot. (Hearing a passing train.) Why, there's a train coming! It's a long time since I heard that. It seems I live again for a short time. I don't know what it is.
Dr. Where did you live formerly? Where do you think you are now?
Sp. I don't know where I lived before, but right now I am in this room with a lot of people.
Dr. Do you know you are in Los Angeles, California?
Sp. For dear life, no!
Dr. Where do you think you ought to be?
Sp. I cannot seem to recall things. There are times that I can tell you that I am a woman, and then I get some kind of funny thing I do not like. (Static treatment of patient.)
Dr. What do you get?
Sp. When I am a woman, I have long hair, and when the hair is hanging down this funny thing begins. (Mrs. Burton was in the habit of taking her hair down during a treatment.)
Dr. What do you mean?
Sp. It seems like a million needles strike me, and, for Gods sake, it is the worst thing I ever had in my whole life! I don't want to be a woman. I only get that funny thing when I am a woman. (Seeing Mrs. B. in circle.) She's the one with the long hair! (To Mrs. B.) I'm going to get you!
Dr. Do you know that lady?
Sp. Yes, she gets so mad at me at times and wants to chase me away.
Dr. She probably doesn't want you around. Possibly you bother her.
Sp. She bothers me too.
Dr. Try to understand your condition. Cannot you realize that you are so-called dead? At this time you are a woman. Look at your clothes. You say you are a man and yet you are wearing the clothes of a woman.
Sp. For God's sake, I don't want to be a woman any more! I'm a man and I want to be a man. I used to be a man all the time, but I cannot, for dear life, know how I can get out of this condition. That woman says to go, and I try to get out, but I cannot. (Suddenly recognizing Dr. W.) You are the one that gave me that fire! Praise the Lord! I want to get rid of you. I don't like you with all those fires you give me. I don't want to have anything to do with you.
Mrs. B. How long have you been with me?
Sp. With you? You always chase me out. What did you do with that woman that was with me? (Another spirit* obsessing the patient, dislodged previously.) She sang for me. We have lost her. I have been hunting and hunting for her. Can you tell me where she is?
Dr. She left that lady and controlled this same body as you are doing now. After that she went to the spirit world. That is where you are going when you leave here.
Sp. That woman (Mrs. B.) has no business to scold me like she does. I haven't done her any harm.
Dr. Suppose you were a lady and some spirit bothered you would you like it?
Sp. Certainly I would not like it very well.
Dr. You bothered her. You are a spirit and she is a mortal. She wants to get rid of you.
Sp. She bothers me with all those needles. They hit her on the head and it seems like the needles are hitting my head.
Dr. She is in her mortal body, but you are a spirit, invisible to us.
Sp. What do you mean?
Dr. Just exactly what I say. Your mind is invisible to us. You are temporarily controlling my wife's body.
Sp. Why, I never saw your wife, and I do not want to. I Will tell you one thing, I am a man, and will never be anything else, and I don't want to be married to you.
Dr. You may be a man, as you claim, but I want you to recognize the fact that you are invisible to us. This is my wife's body.
Sp. For God's sake, sure I am a woman! (Noticing clothes of psychic.) For the land's sake alive, when did these clothes come on me?
Dr. They have been on you quite a while. How did you get here ?
Sp. Somebody said: "You go in there and you will get understanding, because you do not need to wander as you are doing." And now I am a woman!
Dr. Only temporarily. Try to understand what I am telling you. You lost your body, perhaps a long time ago.
Sp. That woman (Mrs. B.) is the fault of it.
Dr. You have been bothering that lady, probably for many years, and you may have been troubling others. What is your name?
Sp. I can't think.
Dr. You lost your own body and have been wandering around in that outer darkness which is described in the Bible. Were you a religious man?
Sp. I don't want to have anything to do with the churches. I am sick and tired of them all.
Dr. Well, you have died.
Sp. I did not die.
Dr. You are a spirit and are now using my wife's body.
Sp. How in the world did I get into your wife's body? Do You like your wife to be all kinds of tramps?
Dr. Yes, long enough to give the spirits an understanding regarding the invisible side.
Sp. Are these your wife's clothes? Did I borrow them for a while? Did your wife dress me? I am sorry to show myself like a woman and not like a man. What will these people think — that I'm crazy? (Laughter.) It isn't funny.
Dr. You are an ignorant spirit, in outer darkness. Intelligent spirits have brought you here to control this body temporarily, so that you can understand your condition. Also, they took you away from that lady. (Mrs. B.)
Sp. Will she get those awful needles again?
Dr. Are there any more persons where you came from? Or are you the last one?
Sp. The woman and the other man. went; then you gave me the needles. I kicked like a steer to get out, but I could not. How could you expect me to do any better? I thought of the minister that talked about hell.
Dr. That hell was not like this. There are spirits here who will teach you how to progress in the spirit world; they will help you. Is your father living?
Sp. I don't know. I haven't seen my father for about twenty-five or thirty years. Mother is dead, but I don't know whether father is or not. I don't know any of my relatives.
Mrs. B. Did I meet you last November?
Sp. Yes, I have been ill ever since that time. I was not the one that was with you close; that was the young lady. My head is hurting me terribly.
Dr. What year do you think it should be?
Sp. I should think about 1888 or 1891.
Dr. It is 1920 now.
Sp. I think there must be something the matter with me.
Dr. You have been in outer darkness for some time.
Sp. I have been walking and walking, and I got with that lady over there. (Mrs. B.) I wanted to go. I kicked and she kicked, and we had regular kickings. Oh, look there! See! My Mother! Oh, Mother! Can you forgive me? I was not as you wanted me to be. Mother, will you take me? I am so tired; I need your care and help. Will you take me? Oh, my Mother!


Several weeks later the last intruder left Mrs. Burton, and, through Mrs. Wickland, inquired for the companions who had preceded her, resenting having been held captive.


Spirit: MAGGIE WILKINSON Patient: MRS. BURTON.

Dr. Good Evening, friend; who are you? (Taking psychic's hand.)
Sp. Don't hold my hand! Don't touch me!
Dr. What is your name?
Sp. My name is Maggie.
Dr. Maggie what?
Sp. Maggie Wilkinson.
Dr. Do you know that you are in Los Angeles? Where did You come from?
Sp. I came from Dallas, Texas.
Dr. How did you reach Los Angeles?
Sp. I am not in Los Angeles, I am in Texas. I have been kicking and
kicking all the time.
Dr. Why did you do that?
Sp. I have been kicking because I have been in a prison. (Victim's aura.) There were several of us, but they have all disappeared. (Other obsessing spirits, previously dislodged from patient.) They have all gone but me, and I don't like it.
Dr. Would you like to go where your friends have gone?
Sp. I don't care. I really don't care for the others, anyway. They always wanted to have everything, and I was always behind.
Dr. Don't you realize that you are in a strange condition? Tell us how long you have been dead.
Sp. Dead! Why is that woman with me all the time? (Patient.) She always gets fire. She gets the worst kind of things. She gets up on something, puts something over her head, and then fire comes! (When Mrs. Burton seated herself upon a platform beside the static machine, she covered her head with a woolen blanket to make the electricity more effective.)
Dr. Do you feel that you are in the right place?
Sp. Where shall I go?
Dr. To the spirit world.
Sp. What is that?
Dr. That is where people go, after passing out of their bodies, when they have understanding. Don't you realize that something strange has happened to you?
Sp. If you could get that blanket from being put on my head, and that fire, I should be all right. It seems that I was knocked to pieces. How in the world can anyone stand being shot at like that?
Dr. That was done to chase you out. Do you not feel free now? What have you been doing since you last had those shots"?
Sp. I am glad I was chased out, for I feel better now than I have for some time.
Dr. Do you realize that you are controlling my wife's body?
Sp. Thank God, I am not.
Dr. This body, which you are using, belongs to my wife.
Sp. Your wife, nothing!
Dr. Do you recognize the clothes you are wearing?
Sp. That's nothing to me.
Dr. Where did you get them?
Sp. I'm no thief! I am going to have you arrested for calling me a thief. The first police station I find, I shall swear out a warrant against you.
Dr. Maggie, what is the color of your hair?
Sp. Brown-dark brown.
Dr. (Touching psychic's hair.) This hair is not brown. These clothes belong to my wife.
Sp. I don't care whether they are my clothes or not; I never asked for them.
Dr. Tell us how long you have been dead.
Sp. I'm not dead. One time you say one thing, and another time you say another.
Dr. I mean, when did you lose your body?
Sp. I haven't lost my body; it's not in the grave.
Dr. Were you ever sick, and did you suddenly become better?
Sp. I was very sick, and when I got better, I was in a prison. I was moving around and some woman bothered me. There were lots of us, but they all got so seared of the fire that they left.
Dr. When did you come to Los Angeles?
Sp. I'm not in Los Angeles; I'm in Dallas, Texas. If I am in Los Angeles, how did I get here?
Dr. You must have come with a lady who has red hair. (Mrs. B., seated nearby.)
Sp. She had no right to bring me here.
Dr. She also came from Texas.
Sp. What became of the others?
Dr. They were brought to an understanding and went to the spirit world. That is where you should be. Why should you hover around that woman?
Sp. Hover around — nothing! I have been in a prison, but I could not help it. I did what I could to get out. Those people I saw said they would help me out, but they didn't. I made quite a disturbance, and they went away from me.
Dr. Probably they brought you here.
Sp. All I see is people sitting around.
Mrs. B. Did you come out here with me? What do you want to bother me for?
Sp. I have nothing to do with you. Oh! you're the one that kept me in the prison!
Mrs. B. What was the name of that girl friend of yours You used to be with? (Referring to another spirit that had been troubling Mrs. B)
Sp. Where? In Texas?
Mrs. B. Yes.
Sp. Her name was Mary, and there was another one, Carrie.
Mrs. B. Did Carrie come with you?
Sp. Yes, of course. Say, what did you keep me closed up for? Why didn't you let me out?
Mrs. B. I kept telling you to get out.
Sp. I know you did, but you didn't open the door so I could go.
Dr. All you had to do was to think yourself free from that lady.
Sp. I can't think myself free.
Dr. Intelligent spirits can think themselves anywhere; it is only ignorant spirits who cannot.
Sp. (To Mrs. B.) Say, what did you keep me around you for?
Dr. You were an uninvited guest.
Mrs. B. I'm glad to get rid of you.
Sp. I'm glad too. I'm mighty glad to get out of that prison. Why didn't you let me out? I knocked and knocked, but you kept me there. (To Dr. W.) You gave me those fire things, then I got out, and I'm glad of it.
Dr. Did you get out after the last treatment?
Sp. You call that a "treatment"?
Dr. If you got out of that lady, I should call it a good treatment.
Sp. You don't know how I suffered from that fire, especially the shooting. You are the one that gave me that fire, and I don't like you!
Dr. I had to give the lady those treatments to get you out.
Sp. You think that devil-machine is a little god. You want me to go — where?
Dr. To the spirit world.
Sp. Where is that?
Dr. A place where the discarnated spirits go to get understanding. You have lost your physical body but do not understand it, and you have been bothering that lady. (Mrs. B.)
Mrs. B. When once I get you and the others out, I shall keep the door closed, and closed so tight that none of you can get in.
Dr. Think yourself free and you will not be in a prison. Mortals cannot travel by thought, but spirits can. You are invisible to us. You are temporarily using the body of another; this body, belongs to my wife.
Sp. You have told me that before.
Dr. Can't you see you are in a strange condition?
Mrs. B. Do you know Maggie Mackin? (Another spirit whose presence Mrs. B. had clairaudiently been aware of.)
Sp. Yes, and I know Mary too.
Dr. How old were you when you passed out of your body? Can you recall something of your past?
Sp. I remember being out riding and the horses ran away, then everything became dark, and since then I do not seem to remember much.
Dr. Do you know what year it is?
Sp. I don't have to answer you. Are you a lawyer or a judge? Who are you?
Dr. I'm a "fireman." Can you realize that it is 1920?
Sp. It doesn't bother me that much. (Snapping fingers.) I don't care.
Dr. I thought you were anxious to get out of your trouble.
Sp. I wanted to get out of that prison, and now I feel better than I have for years.
Mrs. B. You ought to thank Doctor for getting you out.
Sp. That man ought to be arrested for giving those shots. It made you feel like your head was going to the dickens.
Dr. Can you see any of your friends here?
Sp. There are two Indians, one is a big fellow, and one is a girl, and there is a lady with curly hair and light blue eyes. (Spirits.)
Dr. Does the Indian girl answer to the name of "Silver Star" ? (One of Mrs. Wickland's guides.)
Sp. Yes.
Dr. These spirits will help you to progress in the spirit life.
Sp. There's one thing sure, I'm going to Heaven, and not to the other place. I went to church and was a good woman.
Dr. Those persons whom you see are spirits like yourself. We do not see them.
Sp. They are there, just the same. They say if I will go along with them, they will show me a nice home. That would be nice, for I haven't had a home for a long time. Am I going to have that fire any more? I won't go to that woman with the red hair any more, either, and I thank God for that.
Dr. Now think yourself free and go with these friends.
Sp. All right, I will go. Goodby!


When Mrs. Burton first came to us she could not follow any occupation, but after the obsessing spirits were removed she was able to take a position in a large commercial house.



4: Earth Sphere Conditions and the Magnetic Aura


UNENLIGHTENED SPIRITS often wander aimlessly for many years in the earth sphere, their lack of knowledge of a higher spirit world, which is attained only through understanding, keeping them in a dreary condition of confusion, monotony and suffering; many remain in the scenes of their earth lives, continuing their former activities, while others fall into a state of heavy sleep from which they are with difficulty aroused.

A spirit who was still following his old occupation without any knowledge of his transition controlled Mrs. Wickland at one of our circles in Chicago.

"Why are you sitting in the dark?" he asked. (We were at that time experimenting with dark circles.)

"I am Hesselroth, from-the drug store," he said.

Mr. Hesselroth, the Swedish proprietor of a Chicago drug store, had died the year before in a hospital, but we knew nothing of this man, his death, or his circumstances; however, on this evening one of his friends, Mr. Eckholm, was in our circle.

The spirit was not aware of his death, claiming that he was still attending to his drug store.

His friend in the circle said he had been informed that the drug store had been sold to the clerk, and so stated to the spirit, but this the latter emphatically denied, saying: "Abrahamson only manages it for me."

The spirit told of a robbery which had occurred in his house recently, and described the three burglars. He said he had been frightened when they entered, but gaining courage, had gone for his revolver only to find that he was not able to pick it up. He had then struck at one of the burglars, but his hand had gone "right through the fellow," and he could not understand why he could do nothing at all.

After his condition was explained to him he saw many spirit friends appear, who welcomed him to his new home in the spirit world.

Later investigation verified the statement made by the spirit that the drug store had not been sold and also the fact that the house had been burglarized.

It could not be held that the subconscious mind of the psychic played any part in this case, nor could the theory of auto-suggestion be maintained, for Mr. Hesselroth was entirely unknown to
every one in the room with the exception of his friend, Mr. Eckholm, and this friend held the opposite idea regarding the sale of the store.


EXPERIENCE, SEPTEMBER 29,1920

Spirit: MR. HESSELROTH

Sp. I have come in to say just a few words, for I have been helped out of darkness, and have become a helper in the Band of Mercy.
Dr. Who are you, friend?
Sp. I am one of the helpers here. I come around sometimes, and I came tonight to say a few words to you. I was once in a very dark condition, but now I am one of your Band. I thought you might like to know. If it had not been for you, I would probably still be in the dark. Many years have passed. I have quite an understanding of life now, through you, and through this little circle of the Band of Mercy. It was not here, it was in Chicago that I was helped.
I am very much pleased to be here with you tonight. I should like to give you my name, but I seem to have forgotten it, because I have not heard it for so long. It will come to me, and then I will give it.
Do you remember an old gentleman you used to know-Mr. Eckholm? He was not so very old either. He was a very dear friend of mine, and through him I came to see you.
Dr. At some meeting in Chicago?
Sp. Yes. I had a drug store in Chicago. My name is Hesselroth! I could not think of my name for a moment. I am one of your helpers here. Mr. Eckholm is with me, and he also does all he can. He is very happy to help with your work here. He was heart and soul with it during his earth life. I also feel that I have to do all I can to help, because if you had not helped me, I should have been in that drug store yet, selling medicine.
For a whole year after I passed out, I attended to the business as I did when on earth, only I did not feel that I was sick any more. I took sick in the store, and was sent to the hospital, and I passed out in the hospital. They took my body to the undertakers, not to my home.
You know, it says in the Bible: "Where your treasure is there will your heart be also." When I woke up from the sleep of death, I thought of my store, and there I found myself. I saw that everything was going on all right, but it seemed so strange that I could not talk to any of my customers. I thought that during my sickness I had lost my faculty of speech, so I did not think much about it.
I attended to business, and I impressed my clerk to do things I wanted done. I was running the store and the clerk was managing it for me. I did not realize that I was dead until I came to this gentleman (Dr. W.) in his little circle.
When burglars got into my home I thought of the revolver that I always ept in a drawer. I went there, and tried and tried to get it, but my hand went me. Then I thought there must be something the matter with me.
I commenced to see things. I saw my spirit father and mother. Then I thought I must be a little out of my head. So I thought I had better go up to see my friend, Eckholm. I always thought he was just a little off, because he believed in Spiritualism. I wanted to see Eckholm to ask him if ghosts could come back — and there I was a ghost myself!
I will not take any more of your time, but I am glad that I could come and talk tonight. It was about fifteen years ago that I first came here.
Eckholm says he feels proud of this work, and he sends love to all of you here.
Now, Good Night!


Pathos and tragedy are often the grim accompaniment of the sufferings of earthbound spirits. The spirit of the following narrative was taken from a patient who was subject to doleful spells of crying and afflicted with intense head pains, all of which ceased after the spirit was removed.

EXPERIENCE, JANUARY 15, 1918

Spirit: MINNIE DAY Patient: MRS. L. W
Psychic: MRS. WICKLAND

Sp. (Crying piteously) Oh, my head hurts so badly! I don't like those needles (electrical treatments given patient), they hurt me so. My head hurts! I am lost, I don't know where I am at. There were thousands and thousands of needles; I had to cry.
Dr. Where do you live?
Sp. I don't know,
Dr. Where did your parents live?
Sp. I don't know.
Dr. Aren't you a little child?
Sp. I am only little, I am Minnie Day.
Dr. Where did you live? How old are you?
Sp. I don't know. Ask Ma.
Dr. Don't you know what city you lived in?
Sp. In St. Louis. Oh! my father is coming! He hit me on the head! And there's Willie.
Dr. Who is Willie?
Sp. He's my brother. Here's my father, and I'm afraid! He says to come with him. Oh, Ma, my head hurts! My Ma says for me to go with her 'cause she has a new home for me and Willie.
Dr. You will go to her home in the spirit world.
Sp. What is the spirit world? What does that mean?
Dr. That is the invisible world around the earth. Do you know that you are dead?
Sp. What do you mean?
Dr. I mean that you have lost your physical body. What have you been doing recently?
Sp. I have been running all over trying to find somebody. Mama died a long time ago when I was a little girl. After Ma died Papa was so mean to me and Willie, and he hit me so many times. I feel so bad, and my head hurts. I have been to so many places and my Ma is dead, and I don't know where to go.
Dr. You were in such mental distress that you did not realize your condition. You have lost your physical body and your friends would call you dead.
Sp. Did I die? Sometimes I feel as if I were in a box. We were a big crowd (spirits obsessing the patient) and they pushed and pushed, and there was one big man and he was so mean to us. He chased us one way, then another, but one day we lost him. (This tormenting spirit had been attracted from the patient two days before.) I felt so glad he was lost and I thought I could be quiet, but I got all those needles.
Dr. You were influencing a lady and making her cry.
Sp. What do you mean?
Dr. You are a spirit, and were in the aura of that lady. When she had an electrical treatment you felt it and left her. You are using my wife's body now. Look at your hands; do they belong to you?
Sp. Oh, look! I have a ring! But that is not mine, and I have not stolen it. (Excitedly) Take it away! I didn't steal that ring!
Dr. This is not your body, and that is not your ring. It is very likely that you died when your head was hurt. The spirit lives after the body dies.
Sp. But I have been alive.
Dr. You were living, but without a physical body, and came in touch with a sensitive, a lady, who is now in the other house. She acts just as you do, and complains of her head hurting in the same place yours hurts you. She has been acting like an insane person, but it is all due to spirit influence.
Sp. The man was so mean that we had with us, but now he is lost, and we are so glad. We were all seared of him, but we could not run away from him. He was awful mean; he bit and scratched and would fight.
Dr. He was very obstinate. He was controlling this body a short time ago, just as you are now. We have circles like this where spirits may come for help.
Sp. Spirits? I don't know anything about them. My head hurts me.
Dr. The body you are using belongs to my wife, and she has no pain in her head.
Sp. Those needles hurt me so much.
Dr. When the lady had a treatment today you evidently were able to get away and are now allowed to control this body So that we can help you. A short time ago you said that your father and mother were here; are they here now?
Sp. Don't you see Mama? She's standing right there.
Dr. Wouldn't you like to go with your mother?
Sp. But she's dead.
Dr. You are "dead" also. There is no "death" really. We only lose our physical bodies. Spirit is invisible.
Sp. Oh, take me away! Take me away! My father is coming, and I'm afraid! He'll strike me again! Take me away!
Dr. Your father probably comes for forgiveness. You understand, he cannot progress in the spirit world until you forgive him. Ask him what he has to say to you.
Sp. He doesn't say anything; he's crying. He comes up to Mama now.
Dr. Doesn't he look sorry?
Sp. He says he is so sorry for what he did.

The child spirit was removed and the distressed father took control of the psychic. Crying in anguish he fell on his knees, with his arms outstretched.

Spirit: William Day

Sp. Forgive me! Forgive me! I didn't know what I was doing. I didn't mean to kill you, Minnie. I was very nervous and the children made such a noise. I was so sad because my wife had died. Give me a chance! Just give me one more chance! I, too, have suffered. If I had only lived! I have been in the dark so long and cannot be helped, and I cannot come near my child, she is so afraid of me.
Dr. Do you realize that you are dead?
Sp. No; I ran away when I killed my child. Somebody got after me and ran very hard, then something hit me in the neck, and I fell down. (Evidently killed.) I got right up and ran, and I have been running so long it seems years. Many times I have seen my wife, accusing me for killing my child. I did kill her, God help me! I have tried to find just a little comfort and light.
Dr. You cannot find light until you have understanding.
Sp. God give me light and understanding! All I see is that poor child's head, split open where I struck her. I tried to ask Minnie for forgiveness, but she shrank from me and I could not get near her, and there was my wife, always accusing me for what I had done.
Dr. She will not accuse you any more.
Sp. Will she forgive me?
Dr. Yes. What is your name?
Sp. William Day.
Dr. Can you recall what year it is?
Sp. My brain is in such a turmoil. I have been running and running for so long, trying to get away from that crowd of people that were after me. Everybody I saw, I ran from, knowing that they too would accuse me for killing Minnie. At nights my wife has stood by me accusing me, and then there was the child, with her head all split open, and the blood pouring out. I have had hell. It could not be worse. Is there no help for me? I prayed and prayed, but it did no good.
Dr. Do you know that you are in California?
Sp. California? When did I get here? Did I run all the way from St. Louis to California?
Dr. Do you understand that you are a spirit controlling the body of a mortal?
Sp. Do you mean that I am dead?
Dr. You have lost your physical body.
Sp. Won't I have to stay in the grave until the dead rise?
Dr. You are here now; how did you get out of the grave?
Sp. I have had no rest for I don't know how long.
Dr. There is no such thing as "death." When you pass out of your physical body you lose your five physical sense organs, and unless you have understanding of the spirit life, you are in the dark, and can only see when coming in touch with some mortal.
Sp. The people are hounding me until I am tired out.
Dr. Now you must try to become reconciled with your wife and child.
Sp. Do you think they will ever forgive me? Please, forgive me, wife! I was not worthy of you. You were an angel and I was such a brute. Will you please forgive me? I have suffered so much. I loved my children, but I had such a bad temper. I really killed my wife by letting her sew just to keep the family together. I made good money, but there were always men around, telling me to come with them, and I did not know anything until my wages were all gone, and I went home feeling like a devil.
Dr. Perhaps the trouble was not all yours, for you might have been obsessed. When you leave here with your wife, you will find a wonderful spirit world.
Sp. I am not worthy to go with my wife, but I will try to do good. I don't want you to go away from me any more, Carrie! (Crying) Minnie, can you forgive your Papa? My dear child, I killed you, but I did not mean to. Forgive your Papa. Will I wake up after a while and find myself in darkness again? Am I asleep or dreaming? Minnie, don't go away from Papa! Please, forgive me!
Dr. You are neither asleep nor dreaming, but are beginning to realize your condition.
Sp. Did they kill me when they hit me in my neck and head? They shot me.
Dr. We can't say certainly, but they probably did.
Sp. If I can just have one more chance I will do my level best to keep my family together.
Dr. There is something else you can do, also, after you acquire understanding — it will be your duty to help poor, unfortunate spirits who are obsessing mortals, making devils of some of them. When you had your own body you may have been obsessed by some spirits.
Sp. I did not care for drink; I hated the very sight of it. But when once I got just a smell of it, something took hold of me and made me feel like a devil and I could not resist it. I could not do anything with myself. God help me and give me just a little comfort.
Dr. When you leave here you will be reunited with your family.
Sp. Are you sure about that?
Dr. Positive; but you must do as the advanced spirits instruct you.
Sp. If there is anything I can do to help you, I will do it, because you have reunited me with my family. I came home drunk and you don't know how I felt when I realized that my wife was dying. I was so drunk that I did not fully realize things until the next morning when I woke up, and there was my wife — dead! I could not understand it. What was I to do? What could I do with the children? My wife dead!
My wife and Minnie say they will both forgive me, and now I have my wife and two children, and I am going to start all over again. God bless you all for what you have done for me and my family.

The confusion and mental suffering existing on the earthplane is vividly portrayed by the spirits who are brought to our circle for help.


EXPERIENCE, MARCH 9,1921

Spirit: MR. MALLORY Psychic: MRS. WICKLAND

The controlling spirit came in while we were singing "That Beautiful Shore" and laughed uproariously.

Dr. Have you found the "Beautiful Shore"? Tell us what you know about it.
Sp. It's all humbug.
Dr. Is that so?
Sp. Yes. (Laughing hilariously.) It's silly to believe in such a thing.
Dr. You are on the other side of life; tell us something about it. Have you found nothing? If you do not believe in a hereafter, tell us why. Explain yourself. If you are a skeptic, tell us your belief.
Sp. Belief? Gosh! (Laughing.)
Dr. Tell us what you are laughing about.
Sp. You might just as well laugh as cry; one is just the same as the other. You were singing "That Beautiful Shore," and while you are singing that, you know you are lying.
Dr. Do you imply that life does not mean anything at all?
Sp. It most certainly does not. There is nothing in it. It is just a lie. The whole thing is nothing but a pack of lies — both life and religion — the whole humbug, life, religion and everything connected with it.
Dr. Have you tried to understand your own life — the mystery of it?
Sp. My own life? Humbug, nothing but humbug! (Laughing.)
Dr. How do you know it is humbug? You are laughing at your own ignorance.
Sp. I might just as well laugh as cry, one is no worse or better than the other. It is all lies — damned lies. I had my troubles.
Dr. Where? Over there, or here?
Sp. Everywhere! (Laughing.)
Dr. Are you happy?
Sp. Happy? Such nonsense. There is no such thing, there never was, and there never will be.
Dr. Do you really know anything about it? Did you seek for truth when you had your own body?
Sp. I prayed to God and all that nonsense. Gosh!
Dr. And you found it all a humbug. What has that to do with the actual facts of life?
Sp. Once I tried to be someone. Then the thought came to me that everything was humbug, humbug, nothing but humbug. As a man, you know what I mean. You are talking to a man and you know all about it.
Dr. You are invisible to us. Have you ever seen intelligence?
Sp. What kind of talk is that? I don't believe in nonsense any more. You can have faith, and believe that you can walk on water, but you fall through, just the same. I said, "I have faith that I can walk on water," but I fell through.
Dr. Because you left reason out.
Sp. Reason? You can't walk on water with reason.
Dr. It was not intended that we should walk on water. Water is for drinking and bathing.
Sp. Why are you holding my hands?
Dr. I am holding my wife's hands.
Sp. You don't know what you are talking about. Do you believe that?
Dr. I know that I am holding my wife's hands.
Sp. I used to have faith like that.
Dr. How did you happen to lose faith?
Sp. It is all humbug.
Dr. Life is the beginning of knowledge.
Sp. I haven't had any knowledge yet.
Dr. You will have before you leave here.
Sp. I had faith, and I believed, and then what?
Dr. What next?
Sp. Yes — what next? I worked like a slave for a "minister of God." I do not work for him now; that was some time ago. I went away from there. He cursed me, and I had my cares and troubles. I swore to God that there is no such thing as God if he could be so mean as to call such a man his "minister." And I lost faith.
Dr. What has that to do with the facts of life and the hereafter?
Sp. When you die you are dead.
Dr. Then why didn't you stay dead when you died?
Sp. Stay dead? I haven't died yet.
Dr. You "died" as far as your body is concerned.
Sp. I have been running away from those hypocrites. In the first place, they took all the money I made. If there is a God, then, for God's sake, why does he always want money? They always say you must have faith; have faith and pay your money to the church, and you should work for God. My work was hard. I worked from six o'clock every morning until late every night — all for God. I worked for God, and often I did not get enough so that I could get along.
Dr. Tell us where you came from.
Sp. All I want is my freedom.
Dr. Won't you tell us where you came from?
Sp. Look at all those devils down there? (Invisibles.) Hear how they curse and laugh. They say: "I know you! I know you!" Look at that one sitting over there. Look at them all. Hear them laugh. They say I should tell you that they want you to pray for them, for they are in darkness.
Dr. We want to help them to a better understanding.
Sp. Oh, listen to them cursing!
Dr. You must show them charity. You do not seem to know what charity is.
Sp. God! Look at that man! They say when you give charity they don't like it.
Dr. I do not mean money. Give them a chance to help themselves. Do you know what year it is now?
Sp. I don't care. I don't care if it is a hundred years from now. I've lost faith in God, humanity and everything and everybody. I used to have faith. Then a "servant of God" took my wife and children away from me, and yet I worked for God from six in the morning to twelve at night.
Dr. But you did not add understanding to your faith.
Sp. I had faith in the Holy Ghost and the Spirit.
Dr. Why did you not add understanding to your faith?
Sp. I had faith enough to move mountains. We were taught to just have faith in the Holy Spirit. Just look at them all, (spirits) sitting there. Look at that one! Here you, Calango! He and I have fights, once in a while, but I always get the best of him. I can talk better now than I have done for a long time. Here, you, Calango, sitting there like a fool! They told me to go in there, so I came in. I think you were afraid of me at first, but I came in just the same.
Dr. How did you come in?
Sp. In here? How did I come in? I don't know.
Dr. Where did you get that hand? (Touching Mrs. Wickland's hand.)
Sp. That hand? I suppose it is mine. It doesn't belong to any body else. Here Calango, you sit here. Now I can talk to you fellows.
Dr. Now stop talking.
Sp. Do you think you are the boss here?
Dr. Yes.
Sp. I have no faith in you, nor any one else.
Dr. I want you to understand that you have lost your physical body. You are controlling my wife's body, yet you are invisible to us. You talk about those men sitting there, — we cannot see them. We are in mortal bodies, but you have lost your physical body.
Sp. Can't you see me?
Dr. We cannot see spirits. You are controlling my wife's body. Intelligent spirits have brought you here.
Sp. You asked me to come. All those in darkness came in too. You invited us. (During a concentration for all, earthbound spirits.)
Dr. I said you should listen to intelligent spirits around you who would help you. You are all in darkness.
Sp. Yes, but you invited us in and here we are. I want to tell you, if you don't want us, I won't talk.
Dr. You were invited by intelligent spirits to come here and allowed to control my wife's body, so that we could help you understand that you no longer have a mortal body. The church has not the right understanding of God. You found humbug in the church, so you think everything is humbug. You lost your body probably a long time ago. My wife is a psychic sensitive and you are temporarily controlling her body. Look about; perhaps you can see some one you know.
Sp. I can see Calango.
Dr. You must realize that life means something.
Sp. I have had faith, and enough of it too. I sacrificed my money and my wife, and you see where I am.
Dr. What has that to do with the facts of life? Did you ever study the wonders of Nature?
Sp. I do not believe in God, there is no such thing.
Dr. God has nothing to do with humbug. Did you understand the Bible at all? The Bible says: "God is Love." Humbuggery has nothing to do with universal life. We want to help you understand better things.
Sp. No one ever helps me.
Dr. Do you know you are in Los Angeles, California?
Sp. No.
Dr. Try to understand what the real life means; it means something you do not know of. Did you ever make a flower? Can you make grass grow, or suspend life? Did you ever study vegetation?
Sp. That's God's Nature.
Dr. Can ignorance produce intelligence? Did you ever study the marvelous things of God? Break an egg, and you do not find life in it. Take another egg, keep it warm for twentyone days and a chicken comes out of it.
Sp. That's natural.
Dr. What produces the chicken? We must add knowledge to our faith. The Bible says: "God is spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." You do not find that in the churches. They only have blind faith.
Sp. I sure had faith.
Dr. The Bible says: "Know the truth and the truth shall make you free." Although the Bible is not a "Holy Book" it contains some wonderful truths.
Sp. I don't believe it. (Laughing.)
Dr. You're laughing at your own ignorance. My wife allows ignorant spirits to control her body so that we can bring them to an understanding of their condition. She wants you to know that life exists on the other side. We do not know where you came from, but we allow you to control my wife's body. Where was your home?
Sp. My home? That was in Canada, near Montreal.
Dr. I was there in 1881. Are you a French-Canadian?
Sp. My great grandfather was.
Dr. Do you remember your name?
Sp. I can't remember things.
Dr. Now we want you to understand things.
Sp. There are hundreds of people living low down, and they don't care where they go.
Dr. Now you are going to care. Let me talk now. You went to church and adopted a blind faith, that you admit.
Sp. I wanted to be a good man.
Dr. Didn't you feel a desire for something higher? You merely had faith and did not add understanding. God gave you sense, he gave you intelligent reasoning faculties, but you adopted a blind faith and clung to it. That was not God's fault. To our faith we must add knowledge and that will make us free. God did not write the Bible.
Sp. It is a Holy Book. That is what they say.
Dr. It was written by man. Did you ever analyze the marvels of the human mind? I am talking of facts now. Did you ever realize how wonderful the human body is, or how the invisible mind is able to control the material body? Did you ever see the wonders of Nature?
Sp. All that has nothing to do with me.
Dr. We do not see you; you are invisible to us and are using my wife's body temporarily. We are interested in the condition of the so-called dead and many of them are brought here to be enlightened. You have been brought here by intelligent spirits so that you can learn to understand your true condition. You have an opportunity to progress in the spirit world, but you must forget your hatred. You lost your physical body. Do you know what year it is? It is 1921, and you are in California.
Sp. How did I get here? I never was in California.
Dr. How does spirit travel? You spoke of other people here, — we do not see them. We do not see you. You are using my wife's organism. Can't you see how wonderful life is?
Sp. Why aren't we taught those things?
Dr. Because "the truth is not in the people." You will have to judge for yourself between the facts of life and the creed of the church. Churches are man-made things; God is Spirit, and you must worship him in spirit and in truth — in spirit and in truth. We have aspirations for a higher life, but that does not give us knowledge. God is Spirit, invisible Intelligence. He manifests himself in all the wonders of the Universe.
Sp. All these people here (invisibles) have had disappointments as I have, but all have different stories. We sit and talk to each other from time to time, all telling of the past. All have their troubles.
Dr. God has nothing whatever to do with that. The Universe is God's Temple and our souls are His Manifestations. Think of the marvelous things in the Universe. You speak of your friends being here, yet we cannot see them.
Sp. They want to know if you can help them all from their troubles.
Dr. Yes, we can. Tell them that life means something. Look around and you may see intelligent spirits who will help you.
Sp. There are six of us and we have all had the same trouble and disappointment, but each has a different story.
Dr. Tell them that none of you need be in the condition you are in.
Sp. There's one group called "The Laughing Fools"; there's another called "The Cursing Fools"; there's another called "The Swearing Fools"; there's another called "The Singing Fools." They sing and pray from morning until night. You get sick and tired of hearing them.
Dr. The Bible says: "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." Religious fanatics are the worst. They have not added understanding to their blind faith. We all have faculties but do not use them. Is that God's fault?
Sp. I have not worked for a long time. Sometimes none of us have any food. We have done without it so long that now we do not seem to need it.
Dr. The spirit does not need food.
Sp. We are starving, starving.
Dr. Spiritually starving.
Sp. We are all starving for something, but we don't know what it is. We are all anxious to know. We all say that our souls cry out for something, but we don't know what it is. None of us want to pray. For my part I cannot. I had faith and prayed, but here I am, in all this trouble.
Dr. God has given each one of you reasoning faculties.
Sp. Would you help us all? They all say they are hungry for happiness. All we can see is our past, and we all want something higher.
Dr. After you have understanding, you can all do a great work in helping others. Listen to the invisible friends who are around you. All be quiet a moment, and your eyes will open to undreamed of things.
Dr. We must all try to find ourselves. As we grow out of our ignorance we see the higher things of existence, both here and in the spirit life. If we were born into a perfect condition, we would not appreciate it. You have seen "hell," and when you progress you will see "heaven' " You will find a beautiful condition and you will appreciate it. You will then be enthusiastic helpers, eager to serve others. You must all open your hearts for higher things.
Sp. (To the invisibles.) No, boys, don't go yet; wait a little while longer.
Dr. The Bible says: "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you."
Sp. (With heartfelt solemnity.) If there is a God, help me! Oh, God! Help us all! We are starving for something.
Dr. His messengers will help you. You will see many who will gladly help you all.
Sp. God help us all!
Dr. If you will look around, you will see spirits who will help you. Don't you realize there is something beautiful ahead of you ? Do you realize now that there is something higher than your past?
Sp. Yes. Now I know there is a God. I do believe in God now, for I know His glory. I see and feel His glory.
Dr. After you have understanding you must help the others you were talking about.
Sp. They are all coming with me. I want them all to come, I cannot leave them. You have helped all of us. Now, we will go; come on, boys. We had names for each other, but they were not our own. In our hatred, and because we laughed, we were called "The Laughing Fools." Most of our time was spent in talking over our past. Now we have all found God; we have found Him in His glory, in His happiness, in the spirit world. We do not need to believe, for we know. He will help us all.
Come on now, boys. We all listened to what this man said, and you see where it brought us. Today I call you our savior, because you have saved us from darkness, and brought us to glory. You saved us all. Not only myself, but the others have opened their eyes to see the glory of God, and not a God of hatred and envy.
Dr. You can thank my wife, who allows her body to be used so that spirits may be helped.
Sp. I will never forget you. You have given me happiness that I have not known for years and years. You say it is 1921. Is that true? I thought it was 1882.
Dr. Can you tell us your name, friend?
Sp. My name? Yes, it's Mallory. They called me a Laughing Fool. We thank you all for your patience. I was full of hatred when I came, but that has all gone now. God bless you all. I have to call you my savior, because you have saved us from that dark condition and brought us to a beautiful place. Clara, you come too, for I love you dearly. You are well now.
Dr. You will now become useful spirits. Find God and forget the past.


A communication of a different type was received from the spirit of a young man, son of one of the members of our circle. The young man had passed over two months before, but having been unbiased and open-minded was readily enlightened by his spirit friends. In his short visit to our circle, he gave an interesting description of conditions as he observed them in both the earth sphere and the spirit world.


EXPERIENCE, APRIL 14, 1920

Spirit: W. Y. Psychic: MRS. WICKLAND.

Sp. Well Dad, I'm here again. The spirit friends gave me the privilege of coming and talking first. Dad, it's queer that I should go so quickly, but my time had come. I am glad the door is not shut for me. I have seen many heartbroken spirits who go to their relatives and friends, and the door is closed in their faces. (Through skepticism and unconsciousness of the presence of spirits.)
Dad, I had a little knowledge of the next life, not much, but a little, and it helped. I could realize that the change of death had taken place. I recognized my relatives and friends.
Uncle F.* says I should tell you that I was much better off than he was when he passed to the other side, and that now his work is to help the unfortunate ones who do not understand the real life.
Dad, wasn't it queer that I should wake up to the new birth of life on my earthly birthday? Now I have my spiritual birthday on the same day as my earthly birthday.
Dad, it's glorious! Tell E. so, and B. and mother; tell all of them that I am happy in the thought that I can come to them and that the door is not closed to me. Tell my little son that I am not dead; that I am not in the grave but am with him, and I will learn the laws governing so that I can guide him through life. Let him have an understanding that I am there with him and that I have more strength and power to help him than before.
Thank God that I also had understanding so that I did not come too close to my dear wife; otherwise, I would have gotten into her magnetic aura and might have caused trouble. My dear little wife, — I am glad that I did not make trouble for us both.
I have seen much of the work done among those who have passed out and do not realize it. They go home to their relatives and friends, and want to stay there rather than go on.
Dad, I'm so glad you could come here again, and I'm glad, so glad, that there is no wall between us.
Mr. Y. (Father of spirit.) I am glad too, that I had an opportunity of being here again.
Sp. I feel now that there is no parting. It is only that I have gone to another country, but I am with you all. I am with you when you are all together and talk about me. I do not feel that I have gone.
Tell mother and my dear little wife not to mourn for me, but to feel glad that I can be with them. It was very hard that we should have to part when verything looked so bright for us in our little home, but it was my time to go, and when our time comes to go from this earth life, we have to go. We do not go away, as people think we do; we are here with our loved ones, only our bodies are not visible.
I wish you could see how Uncle F. works in the dark earth sphere to help and to serve the unfortunate ones there, to prevent them from obsessing any one. He is so anxious to have everybody know the real truth on the other side, and it is a pity that so much dogma and creed are the stumblingblocks. The little time I have been gone I have learned so much.
I thank you, Dad, that you and mother did not force any strong dogma, or religion, or creed, upon my mind. I was free. Thank you for it.
Mr. Y. It's pretty hard, sometimes, to know exactly what to do regarding religion in bringing up children.
Sp. I wish all could have been as free as I was, then there would not be so much sorrow and doubt. Dad, I'm so glad I can come to you again.
The other day, Uncle F., Uncle C. and I went to the earth sphere — not to our home, but to the condition that exists on the lower plane. That is more of a hell than anybody can describe. It's worse than an insane asylum, where one is crazy in one way, and another in another way. You can't imagine what a hell it is.
One has one creed, one another, and they are all in the dark. They are all hypnotized in their creeds and beliefs and you can not get any sense whatever into them. You have to put some object lesson before them to attract their attention. At times music will make them realize their condition. If you can attract their attention, you can sometimes reach the real spirit, but dogmas and creeds are so planted in their minds that they cannot see anything.
If you want to realize in part what the condition of the earth sphere is, go to the worst ward in an insane asylum, and you can then have some realization of the condition on the invisible side when they have no knowledge of the next life.
Imagine a spirit of that character coming in contact with a person's magnetic aura and acting through him, as is often the case. They call that person insane and send him to the insane asylum where there are a lot of other lunatics, both of earth and the spirit side of life. It is terrible to know that such a condition exists and that selfish creeds and dogmas are the cause of it all.
I have to thank you and mother again for not forcing any dogma on me; what little knowledge I had was the real truth of life.
Uncle C. took me, at another time, to different conditions. He said, "Come, we will go," and we went to some place in spirit life. We came to a place which I cannot describe. I can't describe my feelings, I can't describe the conditions, because the music was so sublime, so different from anything I have ever heard. I felt so light; I felt I was lifted up. Such people as were there! I cannot describe them.
Imagine, if you can, a place where there is the most beautiful music, where there is a grand orchestra of masters, all playing in one grand unit of music. Can you imagine what it would be?
I enjoyed it, — but Oh I could not realize its full import, because I wanted you and my dear little wife to hear it. I could not enjoy it alone. I wanted to open the door to you all at home, so that you could all listen to it — then I should have felt satisfied.
I thought and thought, and an old gentleman came up to me and patted me on the shoulder, and said: "Young man, I receive your thought. Do not worry. Soon the time will come for which we are all working, when an instrument will be invented on earth, through which all who wish can hear the grand masters in the spirit world. Not yet, but in time."
Dad, my work is to learn to help others less fortunate than myself, and also to learn to be a help and not a detriment to my dear wife and little boy and to you all. I am learning my lessons, and after knowing them I will come to you.
Don't think I am not with you all, but think I am there, for I am, and in that way I can be much closer, especially when you have music, because music brings us much closer to those we love.
Goodbye, and tell my dear wife I send her best love.


With exquisite grace and courteous inquiry came the spirit of one, formerly a famous actress, whose friends had tried in vain to waken her from the "sleep of death."


EXPERIENCE, JULY 7, 1922

Spirit: LILLIAN R. Psychic: MRS. WICKLAND

Doctor Good Evening, friend! Where have you come from?

Spirit Somebody told me to come here, but I do not know what I should do. My condition is so strange that I cannot understand it. I do not realize where I am.

Dr. You are in Los Angeles, California.

Sp. No! There are many here who wanted me to come, but I cannot understand why. I do not know any of you here.

Dr. You were brought here to be helped.

Sp. I do not know that I need any help. Things look so confusing to me.

Dr. That is because you do not understand your condition. Where do you think you should be?

Sp. Where my home is.

Dr. What state did you live in?

Sp. Of course, most of the time I was in New York, but at times I was in London and other places.

Dr. Cannot you see any one you know, or the one who brought you here?

Sp. Oh! (Disturbed greatly by pain in limb.)

Dr. Were you in some accident? Were you traveling? What is the last thing you remember?

Sp. I was very sick; I had such pain.

Dr. Probably that was your last illness. Did you become well suddenly?

Sp. No, it seems to me that I have been sleeping, and in some way or another, I am just waking up. Everything looks so queer.



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Dr. You do not understand your condition. You do not need to have that pain. If you say: "I will not have that pain," it will disappear. Will you do that?

Sp. Yes, but it seems very hard to say. You are a Christian Scientist, are you not? I looked into Christian Science, but I certainly could not say my pains were imagination.

Dr. You are in a different condition now. Do you ever see any of your friends around you?

Sp. Yes, I sometimes see many of my particular friends that have gone before, and then I think to myself that I have gone crazy. My friends are around me, and some one says: "Wake up!" But I cannot see. I do not want to see them.

Dr. That is because you do not want to understand. Were you afraid of them when they were living?

Sp. No, I was not.

Dr. Then why should you be afraid of them when they have lost their mortal bodies?

Sp. I am afraid and very nervous, and I do not want them to come near me. Why don't my lovely friends come?

Dr. To your earthly friends you are dead, but to your spirit friends you are not dead.

Sp. I was sick, but I cannot remember that I died. I went to sleep but I cannot remember that I failed to wake up. Several of my friends just came and called me to go with them.

Dr. Do you know why they told you to wake up? To your spirit friends you are only sleeping.

Sp. Why do they call me?

Dr. To help you and make you understand.

Sp. I do not know you.

Dr. I am Dr. Wickland. Who brought you here?

Sp. Anna H. (an actress well known to the spirit during earth life) told me to come.

Dr. She spoke to us once as you are doing now.*

Sp. She came to me but I knew she was dead and gone.

Dr. She is not dead. We do not see you, we only hear you talk. You do not see me, you only see my body. Mind is invisible; there is no death.

Sp. So many people have come to me and want me to wake up, and start in my work again.

Dr. If you do not mind telling us, we should like to know who you are.

Sp. Don't you know me? I was an actress. I was known as Lillian R. I am not dead. William Stead came to me, and also the late King Edward. I was his favorite actress. I cannot understand why I came here. They say I was brought here for you to awaken me.

Dr. We are interested in life's problems and in the question, "What becomes of the Dead."

Sp. I studied some, but only understood slightly the phenomena. I studied, but at the same time my life was so busy, so much taken up with others, and I was also trying to live the best I knew how. I am very tired and sleepy.

*See Chap. 12. Pages 285, 289.Spirit: Anna H.



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Dr. What was the nature of your sickness?

Sp. They told me so many different things until at last I do not know what it was. I had such dreadful pains down this way (from the knee down). I was unconscious for a time. I cannot remember things very clearly; in some way I seem to have lost my memory. I cannot recollect anything of the past. I feel different, as if I had nothing to look forward to in the future. I am not unhappy, but at the same time I am not happy.

Dr. We will explain matters to you. You do not need to worry.

Sp. My friends came and I would not have anything to do with them. They said, "Come along," but I said, "No, no, no! I am not ready yet. I do not want to go."

Dr. You had already gone, but did not understand it. Your friends came to help you, but you did not understand it. Do you know where you are now? This is my wife's body you are using. She is sleeping. You are not talking through your own body.

Sp. (Noticing another invisible, formerly a friend.) John J. A.* is here.

Dr. This lady is a psychic. She is my wife and allows spirits to control her so that we can make them understand their condition. Mr. John J. A., Mr. Stead and Anna H. could not make you understand.

Sp. I was afraid of them.

Dr. This is a "Clearing House" for just such conditions as yours. You are a spirit and are controlling a mortal body. We on the mortal side can talk to you because we are in our mortal bodies. You have lost your physical body, but have a spiritual body. When you passed away you only went to sleep, and you are just now waking up. You awaken and find yourself in this twilight.

Sp. Someone seemed to give me an electric shock and I seemed to come to life, but still I am dazed. There is a room full of faces, people whom I have known in life, but who have passed on. They have been around me trying to talk to me, but I would not listen.

Dr. That was your mistake.

Sp. Does the spirit still live?

Dr. Certainly it does. We are mortals, but these others whom you see are spirits.

Sp. They are just as real as you are.

Dr. They are more real than we are, because they are free, and we are in a dream state.

Sp. I feel that my being well is just a dream and that I will wake up in pain.

Dr. When you leave here you will go with the others.

Sp. Do you mean I can go with them?

Dr. As soon as you cease to resist them.

Sp. Here comes one, then another, and they say they want me.

Dr. Don't you remember that Longfellow said:
"Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul."
*See Chap. 12, Page 281. Spirit: John J. A.


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Sp. What beautiful things I see! Are they not beautiful! This is not a dream.

Dr. They are showing you some of the things on the spirit side of life.

Sp. Just look at those beautiful homes on that hillside! Look at those lovely walks, beautiful lakes and hills, lovely flowers that bloom everywhere! Isn't it beautiful! Can I go there?

Dr. There is nothing to hinder you except your own unwillingness and resistance.

Sp. I was an actress in life, still in my heart I believed in a God. You know the church always looks down on actresses. I always liked to give the world the best there was in me. I wanted to show what we can do to help amuse people.

Dr. You can do the same thing now in your new life.

Sp. In a way, many would say that I was not a Christian. In my own way I believed in being good and doing good for others — that was my belief. At times I went to church, but at times I did not feel at home in that atmosphere. I always tried to do my best.

Dr. The reason you did not feel at home in church was because the spirit of truth was not there.

Sp. Look at the lights! Are they not beautiful! they are singing and vibrating into different shades and tunes. The colorings are wonderful.

I will try to do there what I could not do here. I should, many times, have liked to give the world more than good and happy thoughts. I knew at times that life must have a greater purpose than is generally realized. I was true to myself, in my own heart.

Such beautiful things I can see! Is that Heaven?

Dr. Yes, but not the Christian "Heaven." Not the "Heaven of Salvation," but the spirit world surrounding the earth world. Jesus taught the existence of spirits and a spirit world, and Paul says: "There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body . . . first that which is natural and afterward that which is spiritual."

Sp. Anna H. says she is different now from what she was when I knew her. She says I do not know her now. She is serving and helping the unfortunate ones. She says she wanted to do what she could to wake me up. May I ask what you are doing here?

Dr. This is an Institution for research and the obtaining of knowledge concerning what becomes of the dead. This is also a Spiritual Clearing House.

This lady you are controlling is my wife; she is a psychic intermediary and you are allowed to use her body and brain to convince you of your present condition. You are using a body not your own. (Raising Mrs. Wickland's hand.) This is not your hand.

Sp. No, it is not. It is queer.

Dr. The queer part is the human ignorance on these points.

Sp. The church does not teach these things.

Dr. The church limits itself to faith alone, and does not desire to add the required knowledge regarding the natural continuation of the spirit after death.

The Bible says that to our faith we must add knowledge and Jesus taught: "Know the truth and the truth shall make you free."



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If you had understood these truths you would have accepted the spirit friends who came to you when you awakened.

Sp. It is all so beautiful that I should like to go with them. They say that when I am stronger I shall finish my work over there. How will they take care of me? I am very weak.

Dr. You will not be so weak when you leave this body. "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." You will be received with love and taken to a beautiful home. You will be so overjoyed with your new condition that you will not have time to be weak.

Sp. Will I not go into a sleep again?

Dr. When you were sick and in great pain you were probably given opiates and they may have had a stupifying effect.

Sp. Thank you. Now they are calling me and I feel that I want to go. I feel such gratitude to you for helping me, and for being the means of my understanding, and also for helping me to reach my friends so that I may know how to go to them, instead of shutting the door against them and leaving myself in the dark.

I thank you all that I had the opportunity of being awakened to such a beautiful condition as I now see. I was only in the darkness of my own consciousness. They call me, and keep on calling me, and they all say they are glad to invite me to their home in the spirit world.

There is one thing they want me to say, but I do not know whether I am strong enough.

One gentleman says: "I was King Edward in life, but I am an ordinary person now. I wanted to wake you up, because I have been awakened from the life I led. My mother was a Queen, but she is a Queen no longer. She has to serve others more than she did when she was on earth.

"My mother knew of spirit phenomena and she also knew of spirit return, but she did not know what her duty was, and she was waited on all her life. She was never allowed to do anything or have any real responsibility. She serves here and there. Now I have to serve and help until I understand the real life."

This gentleman says that is the message he wished to send. He came to say this because you probably thought he was still a King. He is here only as a man. He wants to help you as the others are doing. He is not of noble or royal blood any more.

All my friends have come to shake hands and they all seem to be one family.

I want to say Good Night, but how will I go?

Dr. "Thought is the solver of Nature's problems." Think of your friends over there and you will be — with them. You will have to fix your mind from here to there. Think, "I am actually there."

Sp. I certainly want to thank you for the opportunity of coming here and for awakening me so that I can be with my friends over there.

__________

The organism of every human being generates a nervous force and magnetism which surrounds him with an atmosphere of vital emanations and psychic light known as the Magnetic Aura. This aura is visible as a light to earthbound spirits in their condition of



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darkness, and they may become attracted to persons peculiarly susceptible to their encroachment.

Such spirits are often unable to leave this psychic atmosphere and in the resulting state of confusion — ("confusional psychosis"?) — although struggling for freedom, they find themselves living the life of the psychic with him, resenting his presence and bewildered by a sense of dual personality.

After a number of spirits had been taken from a patient who was very unmanageable at first, we had the following experience, which clearly shows the suffering that spirits may endure when enmeshed in the aura of a mortal.



EXPERIENCE, JANUARY 23, 1918

Spirit: EMILY JULIA STEVE Patient: MRS. L. W
Psychic: MRS. WICKLAND

Doctor Tell us who you are. We are interested in all spirits who are in darkness. Tell us how long you have been dead.

Spirit I guess something happened to me.

Dr. Do you realize that you have passed out of your own body?

Sp. I don't want my hands held. I am a lady of means (an expression often used by the patient) and want to be shown the courtesies and respect due a lady.

Dr. Did they call you "Mrs." or "Miss"?

Sp. I am a lady of means, and I am not used to this kind of questioning. I just feel like giving you a piece of my mind.

Dr. What seems to be your trouble?

Sp. You, it seems, have such a way of giving me all kinds of strange things in my back, (static treatment of patient) and cannot see why you should do so. You have also kept me in prison. It must have been you that put me in prison. Who are you, anyway?

Dr. I am a friend, and I want to talk to you.

Sp. In the first place, I don't know you, and in the second place I have nothing to talk to you about. Who are you? Tell me your name.

Dr. I am Dr. Wickland.

Sp. I really didn't mean to ask your name, for I'm not at all interested to know it.

Dr. Wouldn't you like to go to the spirit side of life?

Sp. I do not like to hear about such things. I am no spirit.

Dr. Look at your hands; do they belong to you?

Sp. You are the means of my having been kept in prison so long, and now you are trying to show me things that are not true, and so I will not listen to you.

Dr. How did you happen to come here?

Sp. I do not know myself. It is very curious. I seemed to be in prison and before I knew anything, I was here. I do not see how I came. There were a whole lot of us, and somehow I have been left alone. I have been in prison but I do not know what I have done.


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Dr. Where were you, when you had those others with you? Where were you staying? (Referring to obsessing spirits in patient's aura.)

Sp. I was staying where I belonged. There were a lot of us, all bunched together, men and women. We had a home, but we could not get out of it. Sometimes we were in warm quarters. For a time I have been by myself and I have been in a dark place. Before I was in prison we could talk one at a time (control the patient) but now I am all alone. You have no right to put all those burning things on me.

Dr. That kind of electrical treatment is very good for earthbound spirits — ignorant ones.

Sp. Ignorant! How dare you talk like that to me? How dare you ?

Dr. Don't you know that you have passed out of your mortal body? You have lost your physical body.

Sp. How do you know I have?

Dr. Because the body you are talking through is not your own. It is my wife's body.

Sp. I never saw you before you put those sharp things in me.

Dr. You were not using this body at that time.

Sp. What does it all mean?

Dr. It means that you have been using another person's body.

Sp. Well, that explains many things, in a way. Sometimes I felt that I did not belong where I was, then once in a while I felt I was myself again. There was one big old man, a big fool, but we had to do just as he said. (Another spirit* obsessing patient, previously removed.)

I did not feel like doing as he said, because I had all the money I wanted, so why should I bother with such a rascal? I felt I had to do what he said, and yet I could not see why I should. I was not in my own home, and yet I had to be there, and I never could understand why I could not get away. He kept several of us with him.

Dr. Did the electricity help you to get away?

Sp. Yes, it did, but it hurt like fury. It seems as if it tore the life out of me.

Dr. The electricity liberated you, just the same.

Sp. We could not get away from that man. We had to do as he said. He ran and ran all the time, (the patient often ran away) and we had to do the same. There was a little girl, and she cried all the time. (Obsessing spirit,** previously dislodged from same patient.) At times I was free, and at times I was in such misery. Some times I felt I could float from one place to another.

Dr. At such times you were a free spirit.

SP. Don't say that word. How I do hate it. I do not have any use for anything of that kind.

Dr. You do not recognize the fact that when you pass out of the mortal body, you do not die, but that you live; you then become a spirit.

Sp. You know I am not dead. Cannot you understand that I am talking to you, and that I can move my hands and arms?

See Chap. 5, Page 96, Spirit: John Sullivan; Patient: Mrs. L. W.
See Chap. 4. Page 65. Spirit: Minnie Day; Patient: Mrs. L. W.



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Dr. My friend, while you are talking, we cannot see you. We can only see my wife. You are talking through my wife's body. This is Mrs. Wickland sitting here. What is your name?

Sp. I am Mrs. Emily Julia Steve. I was married, but my husband died some years ago.

Dr. Do you know that you are in California?

Sp. I have never been there. I went first to Chicago, and from there to St. Louis. (The patient had also lived in St. Louis and had there first developed her aberration.)

Dr. Where did you live in St. Louis?

Sp. I was traveling, I did not live there. I did once live on La Salle Avenue, Chicago, but I was there for a little while only. It was near La Salle and Division. From there I went to St. Louis, and from there — well, I really don't know where I went. I do know that my head was bothering me a great deal. (Patient complained similarly.)

Dr. Do you remember being sick?

Sp. I cannot recall much of anything. (Suddenly greatly excited.) No! No! I think there is something the matter with me. Do you think I am going crazy? Look! Look! There is my husband! No, no! He is a ghost. Just look at him!

Dr. We are talking to a ghost when we talk to you, and we are not afraid.

Sp. There is my child, too! There is my little baby! I am losing my mind. My Lily, my little Lily! Oh, my Lily! Hugo, my husband! I know I am losing my mind. Why, there's my mother! I know my mind is giving way. I am afraid — they are all coming toward me! Hugo, my husband, is it really you? My little Lily, how I do love you! I am so afraid.

Dr. Understand that you have lost your physical body and are now a spirit. Try to realize this.

Sp. Please explain why Hugo, my mother and Lily are around me. Are they not happy in Heaven? Why don't they stay there?

Dr. Do you know anything about Heaven?

Sp. Heaven is above, where Christ and God are.

Dr. Jesus said: "The Kingdom of God is within you." The Bible says: "Ye are the Temple of God and the Spirit of God dwelleth in you." Again: "God is Love, and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God." God is above, God is below, God is everywhere.

Sp. Don't you believe in a personal God?

Dr. God is Spirit. God could not be only in one place.

Sp. I am getting so tired that it is hard for me to understand what you say. If there were only a place where I could rest, I would gladly go. I cannot describe to you what misery I have been in. I have no home anywhere that I can go to, no place to rest my weary head. I went from one place to another, and I could not find home or peace. I have prayed that I might find rest for just a little while, but somebody always comes and disturbs me. There were so many around, each crowding the other, and I probably was mean myself, but I could not help it. I felt as if a wild beast had gotten hold of me, and I fought everybody like a tiger, and when I was through I was weak for days and, days. I suffered terribly. That



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horrible man was always after us, and that poor little child was crying all the time, she was so crowded.

I wish I had a little home of my own where I could go, and not have that man around me again. He was terrible — you have no idea. He was such a rascal, but he went away and we have not seen him for quite a while.

The little girl who cried so much has also gone. She always had trouble with her head. I did not mean to be a bad woman, but that man tormented us all so much that we did not know what to do.

Dr. Wouldn't you like to go with your husband and mother and little girl, and have them all take care of you, so that you can rest? Try to realize that you have lost your physical body.

Sp. When did I lose my body?

Dr. We cannot tell you that.

Sp. Sometimes I have felt I was a big woman, and I could fight everybody, and then I would seem smaller, and it was very confusing.

Dr. That may have been caused by your influencing different people. You can be free from that condition.

Sp. Then will I have a rest? Will I wake up and find that I have only had a dream, and then have that horrible man and that crying child around me? I do not want to ever see that man again. He used to fight those women as if he were a demon, and he was so angry, and he treated the little girl very badly. She was afraid of him.

Dr. Now try to forget what has happened, and live for the future. Go with your husband and he will explain the beauties of the spirit world to you.

Sp. My husband, Hugo! I love him so dearly, and after he died life was not worth living to me. My dear child went to him just a month afterward. She was a child three years of age. Hugo, my husband, was my life. I did not care what became of me after he left. When my husband lived, we traveled a great deal. We went everywhere. We went to Alaska and there he took cold and had pneumonia, and my little child got very sick. It is hard to live all that over again.

Dr. Why go all over that again, when your people are here to take you away with them?

Sp. I want to go with them but I am afraid, because they are dead. Hugo says he has been looking for me for years and years, but he could not find me, and I cannot tell him where I have been. When Hugo and Lily died, I took very sick, and the doctors said I was a nervous wreck. I grew very much worse, and I remember them taking me to a place called Elgin (probably an asylum). I have just a faint recollection of that. When I grew better (evidently died) I went to St. Louis, because I had a sister there. Since I began to talk I feel different, and now I want to go with all my people. Just look at that beautiful bed. Now I can rest, and with Hugo I shall not have worries any more.

God bless you all and help you. Hugo says to tell you he is so pleased he found me at last and to say we shall be reunited and never part again. God bless you, each and all.

»Čovječanstvo mora razviti način rješavanja sukoba koja u sebi neće sadržavati osvetu, nasilje i odmazdu. Taj način je ljubav,«

»Nenasilje nije oružje slabih. Ono je oružje najjačih i najhrabrijih.«


»Vašoj sili, kojom nam nanosite patnju, suprotstavit ćemo se svojom snagom da tu patnju izdržimo. Vaše fizičko nasilje nadjačat ćemo snagom duše... činite s nama što vas je volja - mi ćemo vas i dalje voljeti...«


Započeo sam ovaj blog kako bih progovorio o kod nas skoro potpuno nepoznatoj temi napada negativnih spiritualnih entiteta, kako se sve može manifestirati i na koji način funkcionira opsjednuće i što čovjek može učiniti kako bi se zaštitio.

Nije mi cilj dokazivati postojanje duhovne stvarnosti, kao ni bilo čega od nabrojanoga nekome tko u to ne vjeruje. Želio bih pomoći onima koji znaju da opsjednuće postoji jer su prisiljeni svakodnevno se nositi s njime...

Jer mislim da je došlo vrijeme da netko ljudima konačno ponudi kvalitetna saznanja koja su nam danas o tome na raspolaganju u modernom misticizmu, na jedan informativan i edukativan način.


Ovdje možete pronaći i informacije o našim energetskim tijelima, o astralnom dimenzionalnom planu ("duhovnom svijetu") i nizu srodnih tema. Oboje je kod nas na žalost slabo poznato i stoga često odbacivano kao nedokazana teorija ili, još gore, "okultne" prakse koje valja izbjegavati...

Ovakvo stanje stvari je apsurdno jer u oba slučaja riječ je o temeljima fizičke stvarnosti na kojima počiva cjelokupno ljudsko iskustvo, sa čijim bi osnovama u današnje vrijeme svatko morao biti upoznat radi ispravnijeg poimanja toga tko smo i odakle dolazimo.

Protivno uvriježenom mišljenju, ta područja danas istražuje iznenađujuće velik broj ljudi. Riječ je vjerojatno o milionima koji širom svijeta polagano spoznaju stvarnost nematerijalne prirode univerzuma i nas samih, osvješćuju postojanje vlastitog energetskog tijela i prakticiraju voljnu vantjelesnu projekciju u više dimenzionalne planove svemira...

Da, sve ovo zaista i provjereno postoji, dio je najnormalnije svakodnevice tolikih... jedna je od najvećih bizarnosti današnjeg svijeta da je postojanje tolikih čuda tako slabo poznato i prezentirano javnosti, običnim ljudima.


Blog se sastoji od niza eseja i postova, threadova sa stranih spiritualnih foruma i izvadaka iz tekstova i knjiga. Građa je dosta fragmentarno posložena zbog ograničenja formata, ali nadam se da će se blog pokazati kao dobar izvor informacija. Nešto je i na engleskom jeziku - isprike onima koji ga slabije poznaju, nastojat ću prevesti gdje i kako bude moguće.


»Put mira je put istine. Istinoljubivost je važnija čak i od miroljubivosti.«

Milost Božja vas pratila na putu i svjetlo istine vas vodilo natrag domu...


»Vjerujem da će gola istina i bezuvjetna ljubav imati zadnju riječ u stvarnosti. Zato je pravda, iako trenutno poražena, jača od zla koje sada trijumfira.«