Micah, although I may be stating the obvious, there are some things that perhaps your experiments with enhancing the psychomanteum experience might benefit from:

1) Binaural entrainment could be built into the room or the noise generators. More effective than theta waves is actually hypnagogia — generate this by switching between entraining theta and alpha waves.

2) It might be useful to prime things subliminally and determine whether or not the primed information comes through in the psychomanteum experience (or otherwise affects the experience).

Also, as for the EMF ‘noise’ — how close is it to microwave range, when it generates altered states resulting in apparent hallucinations? One of the various explanations for microwave audio induction (that amusing government-researched effect that tinfoil hats are intended to counter) is that waves in this range activate neurons, and if that is the case, noise in this range might activate this state just as effectively as listening to white noise and watching television static.

Excellent questions, and sorry for the belated reply! I’ll excerpt each of the questions below, with the appropriate responses attributed to each.

1) What does Moody and you) think of implementing the psychomanteum sessions inside or near a sismologically charged area? somewhere like the subterranean caves filled with teluric energy that were commonly used in ancient times to commune with the spirit world? Do you think that would help to amplify the effect of the psychomanteum?

A) I’m not certain what Moody’s take on this would be, but instantly I’m reminded of seismic release of geomagnetic energy, which might have a similar effect on the human physiology. This, in essence, is something very similar to an experiment Joshua and I have proposed for further study in our LEMUR lab, in which we would produce intense static electric fields within a psychomanteum chamber. To do this, we would likely use a combination of a high-output Tesla coil we have designed, linked to a laboratory-grade coil antennae that would “broadcast” RFs into the environment, as well as a Van de Graff electrostatic generator that produces a static charge. In previous experiments, placing one in close proximity to such a setup has resulted in minor headaches, as well as a “giddy”, almost euphoric sensation. plus, the Tesla coil produces a good amount of noise (similar to “white noise” static between radio stations) which might be useful in helping tune-out audible distractions.

2) Does any type of mirror work? I ask because reading the passage made me think of Guillermo del Toro’s novel ‘The Strain’. In it, one of the characters (and old vampire hunter) explains that for detecting vampires, there’s nothing better than old mirrors made of silver; he claimed that the new mirrors made of chromium were not as good. And yes, I’m aware this is a work of fiction, but still…

B) So far as I know, any mirror will work, since it’s the reflective property of the mirror’s surface that evokes an effect similar to “The Ganzfeld effect,” in which one can stare into a sort of infinite optical depth. This, as I understand, evokes a Theta brain state, which can be conducive to various psychic phenomenon (some would say this is merely psychological trickery… I wouldn’t refute this, since many of the perceived effects of the psychomanteum are clearly psychological and archetypal in nature also).

3) What does Moody (and you) say about the effect of electromagnetic fields emmanated from modern electrical appliances affecting the psychomanteum?

C) Again, I can’t answer for Dr. Moody, but as I’ve outlined in answer A), I feel that inducing an electrostatically hyper-charged environment within a psychomanteum might in fact heighten the likelihood that an “encounter” will take place. This is substantiated somewhat by the 1980s research conducted by Dr. Michael Persinger, who found that EMF fields, when exposed to certain regions of the brain, could illicit altered states where subjects felt that they were joined by an unseen presence, as well as reports of hearing “voices.” Certainly, the psychomanteum would be one ingredient in this ever-growing psychological cocktail.

4) And finally, have you had the chance to read the essay ‘Reflections at Tinkinswood’ by John Higgs (included in Darklore 4)? In it, he offers the hypothesis that Neolithic rock art in England and other European sites might have been meant to serve as a place to observe the ripples and reflections produced by rippling water. Anyway, maybe those places are the very first examples of Moody’s psychomanteum!

D) I haven’t read that yet… but it sounds similar to scrying! This only differs from the psychomanteum in that the reflective surface is the surface of a liquid, rather than a mirror (which, in effect, is more similar to what the ancient greeks were using in the labyrinth beneath the Hill of Saint John the Baptist). I’ll have to look at Higgs’ essay very soon!

Cheers,

-Micah!

* What does Moody and you) think of implementing the psychomanteum sessions inside or near a sismologically charged area? somewhere like the subterranean caves filled with teluric energy that were commonly used in ancient times to commune with the spirit world? Do you think that would help to amplify the effect of the psychomanteum?

* Does any type of mirror work? I ask because reading the passage made me think of Guillermo del Toro’s novel ‘The Strain’. In it, one of the characters (and old vampire hunter) explains that for detecting vampires, there’s nothing better than old mirrors made of silver; he claimed that the new mirrors made of chromium were not as good. And yes, I’m aware this is a work of fiction, but still…

*What does Moody (and you) say about the effect of electromagnetic fields emmanated from modern electrical appliances affecting the psychomanteum?

* And finally, have you had the chance to read the essay ‘Reflections at Tinkinswood’ by John Higgs (included in Darklore 4)? In it, he offers the hypothesis that Neolithic rock art in England and other European sites might have been meant to serve as a place to observe the ripples and reflections produced by rippling water. Anyway, maybe those places are the very first examples of Moody’s psychomanteum!

Saludos,

RPJ

Funny you mention the Ganzfeld effect; I discuss that in the chapter that follows the one excerpted above! In fact, I have experienced far more interesting effects using this than the psychomanteum itself, although many swear by using mirrors to evoke altered states.

Regardless, they both seem to do the same thing, essentially: shift the mind into a different brain-state (like the Theta state, for instance) under which the individual becomes a bit more receptive to “psychic” phenomenon. As to what the nature (or source) of the aforementioned “phenomenon” may be, the verdict is still out…

The book seems worth buying. I expect to get it at some point.