In Sydney, Australia, a group of researchers have been turning the tables on parapsychologists - or to put it more succinctly, table turning, or tilting, their way into a field that is principally the domain of psychologists and academics. The group has borne witness to noises and movement of an ordinary card table that defy conventional physics - and recently their experiences made it into the Australian Journal of Parapsychology, a publication devoted to theories, statistical analysis and experiments relating to Psi (Psychokinesis) and ESP (Extrasensory Perception). Inspired by the work of the Philip Group, a '70s research project initiated by the Toronto Society of Psychical Research, the group of non-academics was established in May 2001 in a bid to replicate the successes of the Canadians in creating an "artificial ghost". Briefly, the Philip Group were able to direct Philip to effect lights, tap under the table, tap on walls and move the table vigorously around the room. During later sessions Philip produced - upon request - raps in the adjoining plaster walls. The Philip Group also found that if the table flipped over, the tap noises started coming through from the top of the table, which was now the underside. Of course for the Aussies it all went horribly wrong. Or to put it another way, absolutely nothing happened. For five long months the group sang, chanted, meditated and pleaded with the powers that be for some kind of response - be it a rap, creak, groan or shuffle from the table around which they had dutifully gathered every fortnight. But for whatever reason Skippy Cartman, the improbably-named entity they had created and with which they were trying to make contact, had declined to comment. So what to do? Well, the Philip Group certainly wasn't the only table-tilting act in town, so the group threw out the Philip Group brief and decided to turn to the works of Kenneth Batcheldor for further inspiration.
View: Full Article | Source: Phenomenon Magazine