From My Viewpoint

Here we are. Summer is over and we are moving into the season of cool days and cooler nights. There will be time now, I hope, to assess realistically the last six months and the direction towards which we are heading.

For me, I have just lived through the summer that never was. Except for the wonderful conference days in August, the rest of the time was a blur of preparation for the event and the follow-up work that such a meeting entails. As a member of the program staff wrote to me after it was over, “The whirling Dervishes have nothing on you.” She was accurate in describing my feelings, but I was glad to be able to write back, “The top has run down.” Life in the fast lane is not for me. In such a life there is a slack time to contemplate and evaluate the past on an inner microcosmic basis and how it may relate to a larger macrocosmic level. There also needs to be time to think about the future and to begin moving in that direction.

In my closing remarks at the conference I said that although the conference would soon be history we should make it a never-ending story. I felt we should carry forth, into the future, what we had learned during the last four days, expanding horizons for ourselves and trying to bring closer a quality future for all.

An AA-EVP member called me recently and said she felt like a “fool” at times for trying to communicate with a loved one without success. She has to wonder if there is anyone there; if there is anyone listening. I reminded her about the hundreds of people around the world who are having contact, at times very evidential contact, from those who have made their transition into the next life. She agreed and said this was one reason why she found our newsletter so comforting. We are helping Mrs. X to expand her horizon and to give her hope that life survives.

Life should not be static. I doubt it could be even if we wished it. We do, however, have the freedom to minimize or maximize life and I suspect this carries over into the life beyond life.

This brings us to an apropos comment from Plotinus, a great philosopher and religious genius of the third century A.D., who wrote in the Enneads, “Souls which once were in men, when they leave the body, need not cease from benefiting mankind. Some indeed, in addition to other services, give occult messages, thus proving by their own case that other souls also survive.”

We should never forget that the unseen who speak to us from the other side of our tape recorders, especially those we have never known, are providing a service which they hope will benefit all of us still here. Each message I receive is treated as a treasured gift. Plotinus felt “souls” gave messages to prove survival. This being the case, it becomes the responsibility of those involved with EVP not to break the link but to reach out, extending it as far as possible to let others know that life is a never-ending story.

Conference Report

Where to start? I could use the next five pages reporting on all that took place:

On our excellent program staff; the interesting workshops and outstanding Thursday seminars and lectures which we had Friday through Sunday; I could try, but probably fail, to describe the wonderful cohesiveness which emerged very quickly and went further than I dared hope. I can mention, but unless you were there you will not appreciate, the positive energy flow that was almost tangible and lifted me, and I think everyone, to a high which still has not completely left.

One of my greatest joys, and I think the joy of others, was greeting again those I had met for the first time two years ago at our first conference. I also met many new friends who, until August, had been just a name to me. A special pleasure was welcoming Sheila Ostrander and Lynn Schroeder, two conference registrants. I first heard about EVP ten years ago when I read their book, Handbook of PSI Discoveries. As I told the group when I introduced Sheila and Lynn on Saturday, it was thanks to them that not only had my own life been so completely changed but that the AA-EVP had been started over three years ago.

The success of any conference should not be measured in just how much hugging and kissing and yes, even tears, occurs at the end, but to what degree it has affected the lives of the participants. There was certainly ample evidence that many who came were responding in a positive way, and the countless letters received since then indicate that this continues. There is not room to quote from all of the letters but I think you will be interested in reading some of the remarks:

Virginia Bates, VA, “Let me tell you again how much I appreciate your producing such a high level conference. I’ll mentally relive many, many of the moments many times.”

Bruce English, MA, “Just a short note to tell you how very, very much I enjoyed the AA-EVP conference. It was much more than I ever imagined, and I’m sure I’ll be riding a high for many days. I was so impressed by the caliber of the speakers. All in all it was a beautiful event.”

Richard Galston, FL, “I was happy to meet you at the conference. I had a good time there. Best of luck. May the EVP forces be with you.”

Dale Kaczmarek, IL, “First of all I want to tell you how much I enjoyed being a part of your conference and meeting everyone involved. It was a truly enjoyable time! The speakers and workshops were excellent. I just wish it were possible to attend all of them.”

Clara Laughlin, VA, “An excellent conference—even better than 1983, if possible. It has taken some time to come down to earth. I’m sure the room was packed with unseen friends and relatives of all. It is extremely encouraging to meet people working so devotedly on the technical end for better communication. Again, let me say it was a memorable weekend.”

Conference Experiment

Saturday morning, some of the conference registrants chose to go with Carol Barron to give a message to a loved one, while others decided to take part in an experiment.

Mercedes Shepanek, Clara Laughlin, and I had prepared short tapes each lasting just a minute or two. The messages, played three times, were not interpreted until the conclusion. The audience wrote down their interpretation and the idea was to see if anyone gave the same interpretation to any of the messages that the EVP taper had given. Out of a total of eleven messages, two messages were interpreted the same way as the taper and many of the other messages had at least one or two words with the same interpretation. Considering the general difficulty of people agreeing on EVP message interpretation, the results of our conference experiment were interesting and encouraging.

Lost and Found

A tan, spiral ring notebook was left on one of the book tables in the rear of the Washington room at the conclusion of the conference. Very careful notes, starting with Thursday, were taken of the different events. If it is yours, just let me know and I will be happy to return it to you.

To Russia with Love

In the last three months two articles have appeared in weekly tabloids claiming that scientists in Russia and East Germany have successfully contacted the dead. These were sent to me by George Fathman, AZ AA-EVP member, and Ted Morrison, IL AA-EVP member.

The first said that Professor Dr. Pyater Mazurov of the University of Tashkent in Russia, using sensitive electronic equipment, had established a communication link between a dead child and her mother. The conversations described the child telling her mother what it was like during early months of spirit life. Her description was similar to that received by mediums in trance as well as what some of us have recorded through tape recorders.

I wrote to Dr. Pyater and asked for further information about the equipment that was used and enclosed a copy of our Summer newsletter along with some other information.

The second article told about some supposedly excellent results Dr. Otto Stangl, an East German physicist, is having. Working with Arkady Kurylev, a Soviet electronics expert, they have recorded communications with more than a dozen deceased people. The research team is using computers linked to satellite dishes located in the Soviet Union to change frequencies until a clear connection is established. The article quoted Stangl as saying, “Once the proper frequencies were determined, the results were swift and shocking even to us.”

Further attempts are being made to contact the researchers involved to learn more about their work.

From Italy with Love

Rosalba Harris, PA AA-EVP member, has offered to send me a review/translation of the Milan, Italy EVP newsletter published twice a year. I accepted her offer with thanks.

The first two pages of their No. 20 1st semester 1985 newsletter is devoted to a review of several issues of our AA-EVP News. They mentioned the work of Ernst Senkowski and quoted the opinions of Urbain Berthelot and Mercedes Shepanek as to why some people are more successful than others in recording EVP messages. Page 2 concluded with information about our conference and a complete schedule of the events was given.

A number of pages were devoted to members’ opinions relating to EVP. In trying to answer the question as to how the EVP phenomena occurs, a member reported receiving the message, “Our energies are so deep that for you and your experiments a long time has to pass before you succeed in establishing the method to use to hear us better.”

Again, we are grateful to Rosalba for her efforts and will look forward to reading more from future Milan EVP newsletters.

VTF News

We reported in the Summer NEWS, the kind offer of Hans Heckman, PA AA-EVP member, to give a review/translation of the quarterly German VTF newsletter for our newsletter. At the August conference, Hans gave me another review of the German paper.

Raymond Cass of England was quoted as having written that public opinion in England was unfavorable towards Para voices. Mr. Cass feels British parapsychologists are twenty years behind development. A new German magazine, Atlantis, is mentioned and that the new publishers consider Spirit voice research of importance in proving continuous life after death.

A debt of gratitude is owed Hans for his help.

Urbain Berthelot

Word has been received that Urbain Berthelot, AA-EVP member in Belgium, has died. Urbain was an engineer who joined the Association two years ago. He was an active member, writing to me frequently and was often quoted in our newsletter. In the November, 1983 newsletter, I quoted a saying of Aristotle that he had sent me: “The ignorant affirms, the experts doubt, and the wise reflect!”

I am sure all of you will keep Urbain in our thoughts as we wish him an active, happy spirit life.

Parallel Universe-Opposite

Much has been written about whether there is a parallel universe. My question about it years ago brought a Class A positive response.

Dan McKee, IL State Coordinator, has received numerous messages on the reverse side of his tapes which support the idea of its possible existence. In an excellent tape which he sent to me recently, some of the messages were: “If you’re going to Earth and that’s reverse.” “In Earth they’re within the reverse class.” “This is an opposite. Now I know what they are.” “I knew him. That’s opposite.” “Were opposite in ‘ya.” “And therefore he’s opposite of him.” “Our Christ there kept saying, opposite is the same.”

With the tape Dan included a review of an article from the July/August 1985 Science magazine, pages 73-74, which seems to support the theory of a parallel universe. Quoting in part, “An atom of antioxygen linked with two antihydrogen atoms makes a molecule of antiwater. Many of them packed together will make an ocean of antiwater, and this ocean will be indistinguishable from ours.”

If you are interested in reading more, visit your local library. They probably have the magazine on file.

Simultaneous Recording Experiment

At our August conference I met two new AA-EVP members from CA. Judith Ann Christie and her daughter Rosemarie unfortunately had to return home early Friday morning for a family emergency but we found the time to talk Thursday evening.

Judith Ann thought it might be interesting to make a simultaneous recording. I agreed and so have chosen October 27, 10 P.M. EST. as the time for the experiment. In order to coordinate our efforts, please use EST. as your key. In other words, CA members will make their recording at 7 P.M., while those of us in the east will sit down at 10:00 P.M.

Some suggestions for our “game” plan: Make one ten minute recording. Ask: (1) “How do you speak to us?” (2) “In what world do you live?” (3) “Where do your voices originate?” and (4) “What can we do to help you come through?” It is my practice to ask each question several times, allowing about thirty seconds between questions for a response. I would also suggest that during the last recording you make before the experiment, that you tell them about it, ask for their cooperation in trying to speak, and set the time for your (and their) return.

Please write to me about any responses you get, whether they are in answer to your questions or not. I would like to feature this in the Winter NEWS. Deadline, December 30.

Phone Calls from The Dead?

In their book, Phone Calls From The Dead, Raymond Bayless and Scott Rogo described telephone calls many people have received that appear to come from deceased friends and loved ones. A number of people have also told me about being recipients of such calls. Two individuals recently reported discovering brief messages on their phone answering system from someone they loved who had died.

After Ernst Senkowski’s lecture Saturday evening at the conference, I played several tapes sent to me by AA-EVP members who were unable to attend. Ernst then played two tapes in which the messages had come via a telephone. The first was from a young couple who had been killed in an automobile accident. The second, lasting eighteen minutes, was a two-way conversation between Manfred Boden, a German researcher, and several entities who said they were “pure” energy. Those of us who were privileged to hear his tapes found them fascinating and some said they were going to try to have telephone contact with other dimensions as soon as they returned home. Mercedes Shepanek, VA State Coordinator, was one such individual. Her report follows: “I have been working with the telephone technique for a short period of time and have had a few results, mostly whispers. Two of the transmissions were, ‘We will call you.’ and, ‘We will ring you.’

“This technique requires a telephone recording control (available from Radio Shack for $24.95) and a telephone jack adapter ($4.95). To convert your existing telephone jack to a “two-holer” the device jacks into the telephone wall jack along with your telephone and also into the microphone and remote input of a cassette recorder. The method is as follows: Put the recorder into record mode (it will not be activated until the telephone receiver is lifted). Lift phone receiver and dial any single digit. Make a brief announcement as you would in any tape session. You will have 34 seconds of clear line before the taped offer of assistance breaks in. Hang up and repeat the procedure. The obvious shortcoming is the brevity of the clear line time. I am in the fortunate position of having two trunk lines into the house. Thus, I dial one from the other, leaving the second receiver off the hook and have as much time as desired. Another alternative is to arrange with a friend (preferably one acquainted with your strange life style) to call at a preset time and leave his/her telephone off the hook for whatever period is agreed upon. One of our VA experimenters reports still another system. She has just begun telephone taping; dials time and is recording voices in the pauses between the time announcements.”

Members Report

Carol Barron, MA State Coordinator, reports recording one day while driving in her car. A drunk approached the car as she slowed down and yelled, “Hey! You got a cigarette?” On tape playback you can hear his question followed five seconds later with an EVP voice which whispers, “Habit.” Carol will be teaching an EVP workshop in October at the New England Spiritualists conference near Boston.

Betty Evans, VA, reports that she has been getting some good results taping since our August conference. One day, using her portable Panasonic tape recorder, which was sitting beside the telephone with the receiver off the hook, she asked, “How about some raps?” A Class A tonal voice replied, “It is not a good day. It is sad to always be dead and always wandering.” This was followed by a number of church bells chiming. Betty said there are no churches in her area or on her TV, which she was using as a sound source. The same voice added a moment later, “Betty Evans.” After this, a cheerful voice said, “I’m Mick!” Betty found it especially interesting that in the middle of the long message the voice paused for a moment when the TV was silent. It continued again, when the talk-show host began talking. Betty feels the unseen voice was waiting for the TV voice to give it added energies and to help provide it with sounds to conclude its own message. She is not sure if this is a telephone voice, speaking through the receiver, or if the voice originated somewhere else.

Clara Laughlin, VA, had an interesting experience a week after the conference. She was sitting in the den with the TV on. At one point, she saw the word “Spirit” in letters at least three inches high on the screen. It stayed there for several minutes before disappearing. Later, the word was back. A day or two after this, she received a taped message which said, “Watch your television. We have a surprise for Clarissa.” (Clara)

I have suggested to Clara that she keep her camera handy to try to take a picture of anything that may come through in the future.

Tina Laurent, Wales, wrote that she not only will tape the name of the father of someone who is with her, but twice she has recorded the sound of his former profession. Once they heard the clink of glasses (the man had been a bar tender) and another time the sound of a loudly ticking clock (the person had repaired watches and clocks before dying). On another occasion, a woman was with Tina and told about seeing the paw prints of her dead dog. Tina was taping at the time and an unknown male voice said on her tape, “Marks of the king.” The woman then told Tina the name of her dead dog was Rex.

Best of ‘85 Reminder

For the last two years we have had the special feature, suggested by Dan McKee, to share with other members the one or two messages we have recorded during the year that we think are the most interesting. I would like to feature this in the Winter NEWS. Deadline for your contribution is December 30.

Roll Call

We have taken in a number of new members, including one from Belgium, in the last three months. Welcome to everyone!

Cross-Country Up-date in Winter Newsletter

I hope to mail, with your next NEWS, an updated cross-country list. The names of those who have not renewed membership will be removed. Those who are not on the list, but would like to be, will be added. If you aren’t receiving a list each time with your NEWS, you are not on it. When renewing membership, it is important to check the line on the form if you want to continue to be listed. If you want to have your status changed either to be on the list, or to have your name removed, let me know promptly!

Conference Tapes

You who were saddened that you were unable to attend our conference; those who did come but had difficulty in choosing among the interesting workshops; to everyone who want to discover or relive memories as to what took place during a seminar; workshop, lecture, tape demonstration or panel discussion—take heart—all of this is possible! Ray Dietz, assisted by his son Jeffrey, and Vincent Monico, did an excellent job taping ours. Look over the cassette order form and order your tapes directly from Ray at Spirited Communications. The tapes contain a wealth of information and suggestions that will help all those interested in EVP.

Government Garage Sales

Do you like garage sales? Are you always looking for a bargain? Then the government auction sales are for you! These sales, held frequently all over the country, are a delight to many people. Everything is offered at such sales—from kitchen tables and chairs, to highly sophisticated electronic equipment. At some sales it is necessary to be present. For others you send in your bid. To get on the mailing list and to be notified about upcoming sales write to: DoD Sales, P.O. Box 1370, Battle Creek, MI 49016.

Odds and Ends

Having difficulty with your holiday (or birthday) list? How about a membership to AA-EVP for that person who is difficult to buy for, or who seems to have everything? Send me the necessary information, and I will be happy to send an appropriate card, their membership card, and a personal note to them so they will know this is your gift. Several people have already done this and the giver, as well as the receiver, is pleased with the idea.

As mentioned several times in the newsletter, the deadline for all contributions for the Winter newsletter is December 30. If you think you have something appropriate to share with other members, please send it to me by then. No one has ever been scolded for getting their news to me early. I run a very tight schedule—usually less than 2 weeks from deadline until I take the NEWS to the printer. Since I never know how much material I’ll have until I hear from you, I appreciate hearing from you promptly. Those people are especially cherished who send in a contribution before the due date.

Always my best wishes, Sara Estep

Established to Investigate Evidence as a Result of the Electronic Voice That We Survive Death