CIA-RDP96-00787R000400100012-6

CPYRGHT
ASPR NEWSLETTER
1
Approved For Release 2001/03/07 . CIA-RDP96-09787R000400100012-6
01972 AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR PSYCHICAL RESEARCH, INC., 5 West 73rd St., New York, N. Y. 10023, 212-700.0. 4
RECEPTION FOR INGO SWANN
A showing of seven paintings by Ingo Swann, "Expanded
Awareness in Art," was featured in a reception at the
ASPR on April 26. Mr. Swann is participating extensively
in ASPR experimentation on out-of-body states. The
gathering provided members with an opportunity to re-
late visually to his subjective experience of out-of-body
travel, and to hear about the scientific study of this as-
pect of parapsychology.
When Mr. Swann became involved with psychical research
he discovered what for him is a new painting style. His
pictures convey his experience of expanded conscious-
ness. "Aft-Ship's View of Sagittarius," for example, re-
produces on canvas, so that viewers may get a feeling of
it, his awareness of the cosmos during his out-of-body
states. More than 300 people were present at the event,
which was made possible by the invaluable help of ASPR
members: Mrs. Ruth Brod, Mrs. Judy Skutch, Mrs. Rita
Livingston, Mrs. Lucille Kahn, Mrs. Sandra Ohrstrom, and
of the administrative staff. Included in the program was a
tour of the laboratory. Demonstrations were conducted
on the ESPateacher and the Polygraph; Dr. Osis gave an
informal talk on visual perception and on the current
research.
Number 14-Summer 1972
OUT-OF-BODY EXPERIENCES
Comments by Ingo Swann
What is the import of out-of-body experiences? What do
they imply about reality?
Captain Edgar Mitchell, the astronaut, recently said (at
the Annual Convention of the American Psychiatric As-
sociation), " ... In contemporary thought, we are direct-
ing scientific effort and resources increasingly toward
the understanding of life processes and beyond that, to
the understanding of behavior and then consciousness."
This is a truly revolutionary idea.
-
It may be premature to try to establish a definition of the
OOB ability, and I find that there are enormous difficulties
in developing even a working premise to cover all the
phenomena associated with it. But enough has now been
established to justify increased efforts toward understand-
ing it. It is one of the most widespread of the psychic
phenomena.
As I have developed my own ability to "exteriorize," the
AT RECEPTION FOR INGO SWANN
Mr. Swann and "The Supremacy of Consciousness Number One"
Guests; Dr. John Wingate (Trustee) and the artist
**** Approved For Release. 2001/03/07 CIA-RDP96-00787R000400100012-6

CPYRCHT
experience has begun to reveal it- if cogently as one of
set up for myself metaphysical and ethical standard.
the most astonishiss acerbiRelease 2001/03/07 : CIA RDP96-00787R000400100012-6bilit ;. I ha
I my powers, I Have found that the old superstitions and
book legends which surround the experience fall away,
till OOB begins to appear as a primary "life process," as
a behavioral concept. Becoming aware of greater and
greater magnitudes of complexity, I have felt the need to
also found increasing social awareness of these phenol
ena and their implications. The ASPR deserves all possible
support as it pushes ahead in the fascinating realm of
OOB-one of the most meaningful of the life processes.
NEW ASPR RESEARCH ON OUT-OF-THE-BODY EXPERIENCES
Karlis Osis, Ph.D .- Director of Research, ASPR
In the current research on out-of-body experiences (part
of the program undertaken within the scope of the ex-
pected James Kidd legacy), our central hypothesis is that
a human being has an ecsomatic aspect, capable of operat-
ing independently of and away from the physical body.
This part of the personality may also be conceived of as
leaving the body at death and continuing to exist. We
want to combine all our information from OOBE, ap-
parition cases and deathbed-observation experiences, to
see whether this ecsomatic-existence hypothesis is
strengthened by our new data and its theoretical inte-
gration. If the hypothesis indeed proves justified (in op-
position to the counter-hypothesis that OOB consists only
of ESP coupled with fantasies of traveling) we expect to
arrive at something like Myers' concept of a phantasmo-
genic center which operates outside the body. This con-
cept assumes that the center of the projection is capable
of perceiving from the point of view of the location in
space to which it has projected itself-rather than from
the subject's actual eye-level.
We have now contacted over 100 individuals who re-
sponded to our appeals for participants. Out-of-town sub-
jects were invited to project themselves to my office and
try to identify target objects arranged on a coffee table
there. Several people obtained very encouraging results.
Our major subject to date has been Ingo Swann, with
whom Janet Mitchell has conducted exploratory sessions.
The general procedure has been as follows: Mr. Swann
sits quietly in a semi-dark experimental room, attached
to a polygraph (in an adjoining room) which records data
concerning his physiological state, i.e., brain waves (EEG),
heart rate, respiration, etc. The targets are on a shelf sus-
pended two feet from the ceiling of the experimental
room. This shelf is divided by a partition, on each side of
which is a tray containing an arrangement of target ob-
jects, placed so as to look distinctively different as seen,
say, from the south or from the north. We used objects
having strong form and color, e.g., an umbrella, a black
leather scissors-case, an apple. We asked Mr. Swann to
tell us the position from which he saw the objects. He
gave us verbal descriptions of the targets, as well as sket-
ches. We developed psychological scales for rating the
quality and clarity (as subjectively described) of his OOB
vision, which varied from time to time. The results were
evaluated by blind judging: that is, a psychologist was
asked to match up Mr. Swann's responses without know-
ing which
matched all the 8 sessions (the likelihood of getting 8 out
of 8 by chance is 1 in approximately 40,000).
Perception: Ingo Swann sometimes (though not always)
was able to give very clear identifications, e.g., the shape
of a black leather case on a red background, or a blue
cross. His OOB perception was organized in much the
same way as if he were indeed looking at the stimulus shelf
from the point where he felt he had projected his spiritual
self. So OOB vision seems in one respect at least to be
more like normal vision than does ESP. Whereas the ESP
processes mostly elude conscious awareness, OOB vision
appears to be directly observable. For instance Mr. Swann
was keenly aware of the lighting conditions in the stimulus
area.
Does OOB vision follow the laws of optics? On the high
shelf we arranged stimulus material (for example a small
letter "d") inside a closed box with a small opening and a
two-mirror system. We wanted to see whether in the OOB
state Mr. Swann could see the target through the opening,
as he would normally see it from that point (as reflected
via the mirror), or whether he would see it directly by
clairvoyance, without using the mirrored image. On the
basis of our preliminary results, we are now developing
sophisticated optical systems for testing the ecsomatic
hypothesis of OOBE. Several physicists, engineers and
psychologists are enthusiastically cooperating. (See page
4 for names.)
-
Physiology: What is happening to Ingo Swann's body at the
times when he feels his spiritual self to be somewhere
else? We have accumulated a considerable mass of physio-
logical records, now in process of analysis. The autonomic
nervous system responses seem quite within normal range,
indicating that there is no danger to the organism during
OOB states. Mr. Swann was also given biofeedback train-
ing for the slower brain-wave frequencies (alpha and
theta). He identified these states and after a while could
reproduce them at will. Until our analysis. is complete,
we can say nothing definite about brain-wave activity
during the OORE, but the voltage changes do appear to
be important.
As this project continues, members can give us invaluable
help by reporting names of persons who can go into the
OOB state at will. We need new talent, and there ought
to be plenty of it in a population of 200 million Ameri-
Approved For Release 2001903/07 : CIARBP96-00787R000400100012-6
-

Approved For Release 2001/03/07 : CIA-RDP96-00787R000400100012-6
CPYRGHT
Dr. William Gardner and Miss Frances Kish
VOTING MEMBER COMMITTEE FORMED
With the approval of the Officers and Trustees, a Com-
mittee of Voting Members of the ASPR was formed early
in 1972, with Frances Kish as chairman. A number of
meetings have been held to date.
Voting Members are elected by the Board of Trustees to
serve three-year terms. They have the important task of
voting on the election of the Trustees at the Annual
Meeting.
The Voting Member Committee is engaged in exploring
new ways of developing and implementing the role of the
Voting Members so as to help them take a more active
part in the affairs of the Society. It will keep in year-round
touch with all Voting Members, advise them of new devel-
opments or changes in the policy of the ASPR, and cor-
relate ideas and recommendations for direct transmittal
to the Board. It is believed that these changes will be
mutually helpful to Board, Voting Members and all the
ASPR membership.
Letter from a Student
A student recently wrote to Dr. Gertrude Schmeidler:
"I'm excited and pleased to tell you that thanks to your
help and tips from some of your colleagues I was able to
convince a friend/teacher in our psych department to
sponsor me in an independent research project (my senior
seminar) in a critical evaluation of the research currently
in progress in parapsychology. It will be quite an arduous
venture, but I'm very excited to have her guidance il in-
vestigating the area, and be able to do it within my aca-
demic structure. This way I get credit and have the time
to do a thorough job . . .
-- Felice Weiner, '72
Approved For ReigDiversit
at AToany
1064/63/69
AT ANNUAL MEETING:
TRUSTEES AND VOTING MEMBERS
Mr. Michael Knudsen, Dr. Gertrude Schmeidler (Trustee)
and Dr. Genevieve McEldowney
To Students and Teachers:
The Education Department of the ASPR has an ongoing
file of courses and other opportunities for serious study
of parapsychology. (Copies of the current course list are
available through this department, on receipt of a stamped
16-cent self-addressed #10 [91/2 x 4| envelope.) Do you
know of any course now being given, especially at the
graduate or college level? If so, will you send us informa-
tion about it: college, instructor's name, department?
Is academic credit given? Will the instructor supervise
individual reading or research projects? Are there ap-
prenticeships,
workshops? Can you provide other
information?
We want to make the NEWSLETTER as useful as pos-
sible to you. Several recent articles have reported on
teacher and student interests (for instance, "Hints to As-
piring Parapsychologists," in #12, and "Educators Dis-
cuss Resources and Needs," in #13), Other articles cover
current research, in simple language with a few lead-out
references. Have you found these valuable? Do you have
ideas for other such articles? Write to Mrs. Nester, Di-
rector of Education, ASPR. We welcome your ideas,
CIA-RDP96-00787R000400100012-6

+ GPYRGHT
Approved For Release 2001/03/07 : CIA-RDP96-00787R000400100012-6
AFFILIATION WITH THE ASPR
As a result of frequent inquiries, the ASPR has decided
to consider requests, from societies and similar groups,
for formal affiliation with it. The organization applying
must have as its primary purpose the study of paranormal
phenemena; have 25 or more members, and meet certain
other requirements. The ASPR will permit use of its name
by the affiliate, and provide several special services. Ap-
plication will not, of course, assure acceptance. The Trus-
tees will consider each request on its merits.
Write to the Executive Secretary, ASPR, for additional
information.
i
Members who have generously donated their
time and advice for the Out-of-Body Research:
Physicists: Mr. L. F. Barcus, Mr. Thomas Etter, Mr.
Robert J. Kleehammer, Mr. James Merewether.
Psychologists: Miss Bonnie Preskari, Dr. Carole K.
Silfen.
Engineers: Mr. Kenneth Cohen, Mr. Martin Ruder-
fer, Mr. G. M. Smith.
7
EDITOR: Marian L. Nester
Staff Photographer: Ann T. Johnson
NEWSLETTER #14-SUMMER 1972
American Society for Psychical Research, Inc.
5 West 73rd Street
New York, New York 10023
FIRST CLASS MAIL
PARAPSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHIATRY
At its annual convention last May in Dallas, the American
Psychiatric Association sponsored a formal symposium on
psychical research, generating considerable response
among professionals and laymen. The program, "Science
and Psi: Transcultural Trends," was coordinated by Dr.
Stanley Dean, a member of the APA's Task Force on
Transcultural Psychiatry. He spoke on "Cosmic Con-
sciousness." Other speakers were: Dr. Jan Ehrenwald
("A Neurophysiological Model of Psi Phenomena"); W. G.
Bod ( Psychical Research in the 1970's"); Dr. Jule Eisen-
Bud:#Research in Precognition"); and Dr. B. E. Schwarz
("Telepathy and Humor"). The chief discussant was Capt.
Edgar Mitchell, NASA astronaut, whose subject was
"Awareness in Science." Prof. Howard Rome moderated.
This symposium, Dr. Dean reports, has been widely re-
ported in the media.
"PARAPSICOLOGIA E PSICHIATRIA"
at the University of Modena
A Symposium on Parapsychology and Psychiatry was
held in September 1971 at the University of Modena.
Italy, sponsored by the Italian Society of Psychiatry. This
was parapsychology's first official entry into an Italian
university.
Speakers included Drs. Piero Cassoli and Emilio Servadio.
well-known members of the Parapsychological Associa-
tion (international organization of professional psychical
researchers).
Approved For Release 2001/03/07 : CIA-RDP96-00787R000400100012-6

SG1B
Approved For Release 2001/03/07 : CIA-RDP96-00787R000400100012-6
Approved For Release 2001/03/07 : CIA-RDP96-00787R000400100012-6