BAE 2.6

Magazine Overview

This issue of the Bulletin of Anomalous Experience (BAE), Volume 2, Number 6, dated December 1991, is a 7-page publication that explores the intersection of UFO phenomena, mythology, and psychology. The editor expresses uncertainty about the future of the publication due to a lack of reader submissions, suggesting it may be the last issue unless there is significant reader response.

Editorial: The Future of BAE

The editorial section addresses the potential cessation of BAE. The editor states that the original goal of fostering a dialog among therapists and scientists interested in the abduction phenomenon has not materialized, despite positive feedback from readers. The editor attributes this to a high ratio of passive readers, a common trait in such projects, and suggests that other publications like IUR, MUFON Journal, and the Journal of Scientific Exploration may already fill the niche BAE aimed for. Consequently, BAE has evolved into a collection of book reviews, literature searches, and current abstracts. The editor requests opinions and ideas from readers regarding the future of BAE, proposing potential changes such as altering the focus or reducing publication frequency. The issue marks the completion of the 1991 series, fulfilling subscription obligations, with a possibility of a small issue in early 1992 depending on the response.

Finally -- a Question!

This section features a request for information from John Robert Colombo, author of "UFOs Over Canada." He is seeking details about the French Islamic scholar Henri (or Henry) Corbin, who coined the term "imaginal" to describe the domain between the real and the imaginary. Colombo believes this concept sheds light on the nature of anomalous experiences.

"Angels and Aliens": UFOs and the Mythic Imagination

This section reviews Keith Thompson's book "Angels and Aliens," which examines UFOlogy from a mythological perspective. Thompson, described as an independent scholar and journalist interested in the cultural imagination, presents a scholarly overview of the abduction phenomenon. The review highlights how contactee and abductee experiences, despite their differences, both open onto larger archetypal universes. Abductee encounters are compared to mythological journeys to the underworld, characterized by confinement and dark, oppressive environments, reminiscent of Alice's adventures in Wonderland. The review notes that the idea of abductions being purely secular events, unlike religious experiences, is challenged. Instead, abductions are often described with terror before a numinous presence, akin to religious experiences. Thompson suggests that while UFO encounters, angelic visitations, and near-death experiences have surface differences, they share archetypal images of initiation and journeys involving otherworldly beings. The review also touches on how embracing the 'marginal, liminal, twilight realms' of uncertainty can lead to new insights and a re-evaluation of reality, challenging dichotomies like mind/matter and spirit/body.

Thompson argues that the experience of the underworld in abduction accounts is often described as gloomy and oppressive, mirroring descriptions in global mythologies. He also notes that many who report being abducted do not identify with the 'victim status' promoted by researchers, but rather find the experience transformative, akin to a cosmic rite of passage. The review contrasts the 'ufologically correct' victim status with the transformative aspect of the experience. It is suggested that abductions, far from being devoid of religious implications, are often described with a sense of awe before a 'wholly other' presence, echoing religious experiences. The review points out that while ufologists may seek to differentiate UFO encounters from other phenomena, there is no evidence to suggest that UFO beings originate from a different realm than beings described in other anomalous experiences.

Thompson posits that the experience of being on the 'margins' can lead to a freedom from clinging to a single identity, allowing for new ways of constructing reality. This perspective challenges conventional ideas about the separation of mind and matter, spirit and body, and other dualities.

"UFOs Over Canada" by John Robert Colombo

This section reviews John Robert Colombo's book, which compiles first-person accounts of UFO sightings and close encounters in Canada. The review emphasizes the powerful effect these experiences have on individuals, noting that some of the author's clients discuss their experiences in the book. The book is described as a collection of "personal accounts" of UFO sightings, offering numerous first-person descriptions. The accounts are presented as eye-witness testimonies, allowing witnesses to express their senses, feelings, and thoughts in their own words. Some accounts extend to memories and impressions of "close encounters" with alien craft and abductions. Colombo highlights the narrative nature of these accounts, stating that they are compelling stories with a beginning, middle, and end, which begs questions. He distinguishes these narratives from contemporary folklore and urban legends.

The review introduces the concept of a "memorate" from folklore studies, defining it as a truthful account of an anomalous event or experience, told in the first person, made significant by ordinary and outlandish elements, and concluding with a realization that the episode is contrary to common sense and science. The review clarifies that using this term does not imply the experience is mere folklore but could be factually true.

Recent Abstracts

This section presents summaries of several research papers:

• Hypnotic Susceptibility and Subjective Psychic Experiences: A study by Douglas G. Richards suggests that while hypnotic susceptibility may explain a small portion of subjective psychic experiences, other factors like actual psi and temporal lobe symptoms likely play a larger role.
• Subjective pseudocyesis (false pregnancy) and elevated temporal lobe signs: Research by MA Persinger indicates a correlation between symptoms of pseudocyesis and elevated temporal lobe signs, particularly in women prone to such symptoms, with a higher incidence in Roman Catholic women.
• Time distortion--a comparison of hypnotic induction and progressive relaxation procedures: A study by von Kirchenheim and Persinger found that hypnotic experiences are associated with significant distortions in time estimation, primarily underestimations, suggesting this is more than an artifact of relaxation or instruction.
• melatonin-mediated microseizuring in the temporal lobe?: This study by MA Persinger hypothesizes that bereavement apparitions may be evoked by transient electrical instability within the temporal lobes, possibly facilitated by suppressed melatonin levels due to geomagnetic activity.
• Temporal lobe signs and enhanced pleasantness scores for word generated during spontaneous narratives: Ruttan LA and Persinger MA found that enhanced activity in deep mesiobasal structures is correlated with the evaluative dimension of words generated during narratives, suggesting a link between temporal lobe function and affective language use.
• Temporal lobe signs and Jungian dimensions of personality: Huot B, Makarec K, and Persinger MA correlated temporal lobe lability with Jungian personality indicators, finding that people with frequent temporal lobe indicators were more intuitive and perceiving, suggesting a link between psi belief, experiences, and cognitive styles.

The "Trickster" Archetype

This extensive section delves into the Trickster archetype, drawing from the work of Dr. Lutz Müller, an analytical psychologist, and referencing Karl Kerényi and C.G. Jung. The Trickster is described as a divine, demonic, superhuman, or brutish figure appearing in diverse forms across mythologies, fairy tales, and sagas, personified by figures like Hermes, Loki, Eshu, and the Devil. In everyday life, the Trickster manifests as strange coincidences, errors, and unpredictable turns of events, causing surprise, dismay, and a loss of footing, thereby jeopardizing the existing system of consciousness.

The article posits that paranormal phenomena are "trickster phenomena par excellence." This is supported by several points:

1. Appearance: Psi phenomena crop up spontaneously and unpredictably.
2. Phenomenology: Psi experiences are often linked with affective-negative occurrences and are difficult to evaluate, leading parapsychologists to feel like pioneers or fools.
3. History of Research: The history of parapsychological research is characterized by a fight against deceit and fraud, which the Trickster's nature provokes. The inextricable interlacings of genuine and fraudulent phenomena are seen as proof of the Trickster's control.
4. Mediums: Psi mediums are described as trickster-like personalities, even those who produce convincing phenomena.

The Trickster archetype is associated with boundaries, transitions, and thresholds, such as the transition from childhood to adulthood. Trickster-like attitudes can be strengthened when adolescents fail to integrate into standard behaviors, leading them to become outsiders or eccentrics. The "rogue" is described as someone who occupies a middle ground between a wag and a villain, reacting to malice with malice but not actively seeking evil, surviving through craftiness and knowledge of human weaknesses.

The author concludes that the manifestations of paranormal phenomena are controlled by the Trickster archetype. This hypothesis implies that the quest for a purely scientific, technical method to prove psi phenomena may be futile, as questionable, shady, and deceitful aspects are inherent to these phenomena. Eliminating the trickster-like qualities would also eliminate psi. The article suggests that our current scientific worldview is ill-equipped to grasp this archetypal reality, and future investigators may need to adopt a "state-of consciousness-oriented science" approach, risking being considered crazy.

The Last Word

This concluding thought, from David Young's "Cry of the Eagle," discusses anthropologists who lived with a Cree shaman and were profoundly changed. It argues that good science involves setting up creative opposition between multiple systems to explore experiences from various angles, suggesting that a single worldview is limited. The piece encourages allowing worldviews to interact and being stimulated by the resulting experiences.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The primary recurring theme is the exploration of anomalous experiences, particularly UFO phenomena and abductions, through the lens of psychology, mythology, and archetypal theory. The issue challenges conventional scientific approaches to parapsychology, suggesting that the inherent nature of these phenomena, characterized by the Trickster archetype, defies easy categorization and scientific proof. The editorial stance is one of open inquiry, acknowledging the limitations of current understanding and inviting reader participation to shape the future of the publication. There is a clear interest in the subjective, transformative aspects of anomalous experiences, moving beyond simple factual reporting to explore their deeper psychological and symbolic meanings.