Sokaren - 1968 No 10

Magazine Overview

Title: SÖKAREN
Issue: 10
Volume: 1968
Date: October 1968
Publisher: ARKIVET FOR UFO-FORSKNING (Archive for UFO Research)
Country: Sweden
Language: Swedish
Price: 2:50 SEK (including cover)

This issue of Sökaren, a Swedish magazine focused on UFO research and parapsychology, presents a diverse range of articles exploring unexplained phenomena, personal accounts, and scientific inquiries.

Articles

Kan Väggarna Tala? (Can Walls Talk?) By Claude Thorlin

This article delves into the intriguing possibility of inanimate objects, specifically walls in old houses, accumulating and replaying sounds and vibrations from past events. The author poses the question of whether these phenomena are real or merely speculative. The focus then shifts to Hälleby gård (Hälleby farm) near Strängnäs, a location reportedly experiencing strange occurrences. These include disembodied baby cries (despite no children being present), footsteps on stairs, and beautiful, inexplicable music. The author introduces the owners, Rudi and Elisabeth Wollhausen, who share their experiences. Rudi Wollhausen recounts finding old court documents detailing how Anders Jansson, a former owner, lost custody of his two young daughters in 1846 due to his dissolute lifestyle. The daughters reportedly sought refuge in the barn, crying from fear and anguish. This historical context is suggested as a possible explanation for the reported baby cries. Elisabeth Wollhausen describes hearing footsteps on the stairs and other unexplained sounds, likening them to a gathering. She also mentions hearing wonderful music and mumbling sounds outside the windows, which upon investigation, revealed no one present. She prefers to call these phenomena 'spirits' rather than 'ghosts,' finding the latter term too negative. The Wollhausens have also used a tape recorder to capture 'voices' they believe are from the dead, referring to them as 'die tote' (the dead).

Möte med främmande varelser (Encounter with Strange Beings) By Joël Mesnard and Claude Pavy

This article details a UFO sighting that occurred on August 29, 1967, at 10:30 AM near the village of Cussac in France. François Delpeuch (13.5 years old) and his sister Anne-Marie (9 years old) were watching their cows when they observed what they initially thought were four children behind a hedge, about 40 meters away. Near these figures, they noticed a large, half-hidden sphere that emitted a bright light. The beings, described as about 1.00-1.20 meters tall, were entirely black and appeared to be wearing tight-fitting suits. They had long, thin arms, short legs with webbed feet, and pointed heads with a small beard. The children could not discern eyes or ears. One being was seen holding an object that reflected sunlight like a mirror. The beings then entered the sphere, which began to ascend in a spiral motion. As it lifted, a loud, whistling sound, mixed with a draft-like noise, was heard, and a smell of sulfur permeated the air. The cows became agitated, and the children's dog barked at the object. The sphere then flew off at high speed towards the northwest. François experienced eye irritation for about a quarter of an hour after seeing the object, which Anne-Marie did not. The children's account was corroborated by local authorities who confirmed the presence of a sulfur smell at the landing site. The article notes the similarity of the event to other UFO reports, but highlights the unique detail of the sulfur smell and the specific description of the beings.

Paul Brunton och mentalismen (Paul Brunton and Mentalism) By K. L. Wikman

This section discusses the philosophy and practices of Paul Brunton, an author known for his work on spiritualism and mentalism. The author highlights Brunton's emphasis on self-discipline, meditation, and the exploration of inner consciousness. Brunton's approach is described as a blend of Eastern mysticism and Western psychology, advocating for a path to self-realization through disciplined mental training. The article touches upon Brunton's views on the power of the mind and its potential to influence reality, a concept central to mentalism. It suggests that Brunton's teachings offer a practical guide for individuals seeking to develop their mental faculties and achieve a higher state of awareness.

Parapsykologiskt årsmöte (Parapsychological Annual Meeting) By Nils-Olof Jacobson

This article reports on the 11th annual meeting of the Parapsychological Association, held in Freiburg, West Germany, from September 5-7. Over 100 researchers from around the world attended, presenting and discussing more than 50 scientific papers. Key highlights include:

• Sister Justa Smith (nun and biochemist): Presented research on the healing effects of 'laying on of hands' on enzyme activity. Her experiments showed that enzymes, including inactivated ones, increased in activity when influenced by a known healer, suggesting a potential scientific basis for healing.
• Dr. Ian Stevenson: Continued his research on reincarnation memories, presenting a report on 50 cases from Turkey. He noted that individuals with such memories often have birthmarks that correspond to the injuries of the person they claim to have been in a past life.
• Eckart Brockhaus: Presented findings from a survey of 241 college students in Ivory Coast regarding their beliefs in magic, fetishes, invisibility, shape-shifting, and witchcraft. He also described witnessing rituals in West Africa involving self-inflicted wounds that healed rapidly.
• Professor Bender and colleagues: Reported on poltergeist-like phenomena in Rosenheim, Germany, including moving furniture, ringing telephones, and swinging lamps, which were linked to a young female employee. Investigations by local authorities and the Max Planck Institute could not explain the events through known natural laws.
• Ullman and Krippner: Presented their research on the telepathic influence of dreams, using EEG monitoring and randomly selected images to influence dream content. Their findings suggested a significant telepathic connection in a portion of their test subjects.

Kärlekslärans vetenskap (The Science of Love's Teaching) By Olle Wedholm

This article profiles the life and work of Pitirim Alexandrovich Sorokin, a renowned Russian-American sociologist. Sorokin's life was marked by significant hardship, including losing his parents at a young age, experiencing imprisonment multiple times, and facing a death sentence. He survived these trials and became a professor at several universities, eventually holding a position at Harvard University. Sorokin's extensive work focused on the causes of war and revolution, and he advocated for the development of 'creative altruism' as a means to achieve lasting peace. He believed that negative forces like hatred and cruelty could not build a better future, but only love and compassion could. Sorokin emphasized the importance of 'integral knowledge,' which combines rational, sensory, intuitive, over-rational, and supersensory understanding. He argued that traditional methods for preventing war were insufficient because they were negative in nature. Sorokin's institute at Harvard was dedicated to researching how to make individuals and societies less egoistic and more altruistic. The article quotes Sorokin's three core beliefs: that life is a precious gift, that fulfilling one's duty brings happiness, and that only love can create a better future.

Magnus von Platen on Peace Research

This brief section criticizes current peace research for focusing too much on conflict and negative factors, rather than on positive forces that promote peace and harmony. The author suggests that the world is threatened by a "war-like world catastrophe" and that humanity must change its ways to live in accordance with natural laws.

Nyheter (News)

This section contains several short news items:

• Jung's Ghost in London: Recounts a personal experience of Carl Gustav Jung in London in 1920, where he reportedly encountered a spectral female head. The house was known locally as a "haunted house."
• Premonitions Bureau: Reports on the establishment of a premonitions bureau by Peter Fairely of the London Evening Standard. The bureau collects premonitions of future events, with a significant number relating to air disasters and earthquakes. Notably, it received four premonitions about the assassination of Senator Robert Kennedy.
• Dowsing on English TV: Describes experiments with dowsing and telepathy shown on English television. A dowsing experiment involving locating hidden objects and distinguishing between salt and fresh water showed results that professor John Cohen admitted were better than chance.
• UFO Invasion over South America: Cites reports from UFO Nachrichten in Germany about numerous UFO sightings and alleged landings in South America during June and July 1968. It mentions a case where a couple reportedly lost consciousness and found themselves in a different location (Mexico instead of Argentina).
• Rhine's Spirit or...: Critiques the statistical approach of parapsychologist J. B. Rhine, suggesting that more direct investigation of phenomena like spontaneous ESP or faith healing would be more effective.
• Måndagsgruppen (Monday Group): Announces lectures organized by this Stockholm-based group, which explores various spiritual and philosophical topics.
• Sökaren Mentioned: Notes that Sökaren magazine has been mentioned positively in other publications for its articles on vivisection and spiritual matters.

Nya böcker (New Books)

• Den osannolika verkligheten (The Unlikely Reality) by Olle Holmberg: A book by a literature historian and critic who is also interested in parapsychology. Holmberg approaches the subject with skepticism but openness, examining phenomena like table tipping and discussing figures like J. B. Rhine and Charles Richet.
• Naturligt och övernaturligt (Natural and Supernatural) by Hans Herlin: A book translated from German that covers topics such as clairvoyance, telepathy, mediums, and doppelgangers. It presents various cases, including a claim about British Air Marshal Lord Dowding receiving information from deceased German flyers.
• Siare i norr (Seers in the North) by Karl Andersson: Features three individuals with alleged supernatural abilities: Anton Johansson ('the Finnmark Prophet'), 'Noak in Virisen' (a healer), and Gustaf Karlsson (a clairvoyant).
• Världsreligionerna i dialog (World Religions in Dialogue) by Ninian Smart: A book presenting dialogues between representatives of various world religions.

Brev (Letters)

One letter addresses the 'Ingeborg Ekkersen' case, claiming it was fabricated by K. G. Gottschalk and that the details provided were false. The letter states that the case was never published in Norwegian press and that the name Ekkersen is rare.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently explores themes of the unexplained, including UFOs, parapsychological phenomena (telepathy, clairvoyance, reincarnation), hauntings, and spiritualism. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, presenting evidence and personal accounts while often maintaining a degree of skepticism or encouraging further scientific investigation. There is a clear interest in bridging the gap between the scientific and the paranormal, as evidenced by the reporting on parapsychological research and the profiles of scientists and thinkers in the field. The magazine also seems to have a philosophical bent, with articles discussing the nature of reality, peace, and human potential, often drawing from sociological and spiritual perspectives.