From My Viewpoint

Good things have happened the last three months to the Association. We have reached and passed that milestone of 200 members. A local chapter of a national organization highlighted the AA-EVP, and the upcoming Seminar-Conference, in their monthly newsletter. As a result, many calls and letters have come from their members.

Other letters, from non-members, from around the world have reached me. Belgium, France, and Italy have been heard from and the gentleman from France then went on to join.

A month ago a Police-Constable from Mauritius wrote wanting to know more about our group. He said he had read something about the electronic voice and was extremely interested in the phenomena. When I took my letter in reply to him to the local post office, the postmaster wanted to know where Mauritius was located for that might affect the rate I had to pay. Fortunately, I had looked it up in my World Atlas and could tell him it was an island in the Indian Ocean a bit east of Madagascar. My answer was reassuring to him for he then had no difficulty affixing the correct postage to the envelope.

We each search and, if we are fortunate, find reassurance in many facets of life. There are always unreachable stars and perhaps in some ways that is good for it keeps us stretching and in the stretching we grow. One of the things that I find reassuring is that more and more people around the world are learning about the voice phenomena. You notice I didn’t say “AA-EVP,” for I feel, in the end, we are unimportant. What is important is the electronic voice and its significance. If we, as an organization, can help others learn about EVP, we have done a good job. When a letter, such as the one from the tiny island of Mauritius comes, I feel we are progressing reasonably well in our objective. We are opening frontiers and helping to shed light to an area that still remains largely dark, shrouded in mystery and a good deal of fear. In the opening up of frontiers we should also keep in mind we are doing this not only for others in our world but for the invisibles who are on the other side of our tape recorders.

A member sent me some information recently that was startling. Although he wrote that he knew it was incredible, it was no more incredible than EVP had once been. This person, when he first joined the Association three years ago, said he was taking a chance on us because he doubted we could communicate with other dimensions. It was a show me-convince me type of membership. Each year he has promptly renewed his membership and evidently from what he has just written, he no longer finds the voice phenomena incredible.

This brings up that well known quote from Arthur Schopenhauer, the German philosopher. “Any unexplained phenomenon passes through three stages before the reality of it is accepted. During the first stage, it is considered laughable. During the second stage, it is adamantly opposed. Finally, during the third stage, it is accepted as self-evident.”

Schopenhauer died 125 years ago but he could have been describing the electronic voice as it is today. There are still a number of individuals in the first two stages but an increasing number are beginning to move into the third stage. You, through your interest and efforts, are helping to bring about this transition.

Realistic Expectations

What can EVP tapers realistically expect to receive through their tape recorders? What can we lead our audiences of one, or one-hundred, or one-thousand to expect? I am constantly challenged on these two questions, both directly and indirectly, and the issues need to be considered by everyone involved with the phenomena.

First, I am reluctant to place limits on anything that we might accomplish in the field in the near or distant future. There are some things, though, that I think experienced researchers have learned from sitting in front of their tape recorders. We are not going to receive a heavenly “pops” orchestra playing uninterruptedly for ten minutes. Someone isn’t going to come through with a long discourse telling us what we have to do to earn a key to the Pearly Gates. Even the choir(s) are not likely to sing for our benefit, at least for any length of time.

In the past I have always told the individual who is considering sitting down at his tape recorder that patience and persistence are important. Human nature being what it is, these words seem to escape the attention of most people. Although I feel other attributes are also important for outstanding successful recording, such as equipment and a special type of mediumship, without patience and persistence nothing much will be achieved.

Upon many occasions someone has said, “I listened to X’s tape and it was noisy or too faint to hear anything.” These are often valid criticisms, although the person criticizing had never tried recording and didn’t understand the immense amount of effort involved with EVP work. A few of these people go on to try recording and are surprised to discover it isn’t as easy as they expected. In most fields, one must pay his “dues” before getting anywhere, as is certainly true with the field of EVP. Those that continue to tape learn many lessons, and not all come from the unseen. Those that drop out at least develop a better appreciation for the struggles that the EVP taper endures.

We come to the second question...What can we lead others to expect when they sit down to listen to a demonstration tape? I have done my fair share of tape demonstrating and I have learned, at times to my sorrow, that a large part of most audiences expect to be entertained with heavenly music or at least long, clear as a bell, expositions as to what life is like over there. Many in such an audience have visited mediums where Uncle Joe, or some exalted being in flowery language, comes through and clearly describes spirit life or what the sitter needs to do with his own life to achieve his goals. This is fine, as far as it goes, and the value of such contacts received in this type of communication rests directly on the worth of the medium involved, whether s/he is having a good day or not, and how truly exalted “St. Eureka!” is. It has always baffled me how the import of the electronic voice escapes the awareness of so many. This is the only phenomena from other dimensions that affects matter objectively, and this effect, captured on tape, can be played over and over and examined and measured in scientific laboratories. I would rather have one genuine “boo!” from an unseen entity than hear from the lips of a well-meaning medium that Aunt Susie is happy in her “heaven” world. In demonstrating a tape, however, we must remember we are demonstrating to a largely unschooled audience of the phenomena.

Obviously, my belief in the significance of EVP is high. At the same time, I can stand back and see that from a technical standpoint, it leaves much room for improvement. I think we who are actively working in the field must do two things when playing a tape for others. First, we should demonstrate only the best Voices. It is far better to play a ten to fifteen minute tape of excellent quality Voices than a thirty minute one with which our audience will have difficulty. We need to be aware that most, if not all, of our group has never heard an electronic voice before. What is good and clear to us and may, in fact, be regarded as a good Voice by other tapers who are familiar with the electronic voice, may come out as a jumble to the audience. We have had years of learning to listen to these voices. Those who are facing us, have not. The second thing we should do before playing a tape is to try to give the listener(s) a realistic expectation as to what they are going to hear and the Voices sound as they do at this point in time. If we do these two things, those who are listening will have a greater understanding as to what we have done and what we hope eventually to accomplish. I always issue a challenge at the end of my lectures for those on the other side of the podium to join me in the field, whether as a taper, in research and development of equipment, or just as a person interested in this type of communication who wants to be kept abreast of what others are doing. At times the challenge is accepted and this has led to growth for the field and for all those involved.

Evidential Message Received

David Lothamer, California State Coordinator, taped a message from a friend which must be considered evidential.

An individual by the name of Bob T. was a friend of David’s and they would frequently discuss David’s taping Voices through his tape recorder. Bob had little faith in the phenomena and according to David, they would argue about this for hours. Quoting Bob, David wrote, “Well let me tell you something. If you ever take me to one of them SEANCES of yours, I better never see any antennas or any electronic stuff.”

One morning David recorded, “I’m across David ... Bob T ... FREE.” David was shocked because as far as he knew, Bob was still living. Upon checking, David learned that Bob had died a short time before the message was taped! David commented, “Isn’t it ironic that he should come through on the EVP?”

Listen To Your Overlaps

An interesting letter has been received from Dan McKee, Illinois State Coordinator. Dan writes, “Of all the strange happenings in EVP taping, the changing overlap must be the strangest. When I finish recording, the tape counter is returned to zero, or the starting point, and the momentum normally carries the tape past so I have to run forward a few numbers to line up the zero again. As this is done each day, what is on the overlap soon becomes quite familiar. Most often it is random nothing but several times a year a distinct voice will leave a message for me to ponder its meaning. One that just came through was a clear voice that said, “I touched your photograph.” A slightly different version of the same effect was when the senders repeated a previously received message two times saying, “I think he said to know with you, Oh God. You hear ‘em, I’d heard ‘em, It loves you.” Then the identical wording was repeated again, all on the overlap. One time a voice stated, “All over the overlap, I need to make an answer.” In most instances the quality is better than average and there must be something special about them as this is done without the recorder in the record mode. It is tricky at first to catch these overlaps but with some persistence and careful record keeping, I believe this is happening to others who tape.”

Reverse Tape Experiment Results

The results are in from our reverse tape experiment. We are grateful to Hu Custer, owner of STAR cassette custom copy and direct mail company, Elizabethtown, PA, who originated the experiment and to Mercedes Shepanek, VA State Coordinator, who worked closely with Hu and helped to analyze the results. Hu’s report follows:

“Two tapes were chosen. The first was a Spiritual Frontiers Tape made in 1975 at their Elizabethtown retreat. Only three AA-EVP members requested this tape and only two were returned with completed data sheets. One person received nothing and the other, seven bits of communication. Mrs. Shepanek detected 17.

“Since there were so few responses to the first offer, another was made. At the request of our consultant a different tape was chosen. (This was a tape made at the first national AA-EVP conference.) “A number of people participated (on the tape) including the audience. Four AA-EVP members requested this one and two completed their work. One received 11 communications and the other, 15, with Mrs. Shepanek hearing 19. Only this writer (Hu Custer) knew which tapes had been chosen. Samples of what was heard follow:

Tape #1: Now, see, we all hear voices. Will all eat with us. Now see you’ll hear voices. Born again. Scouts (many times). Examination. Etched granite. Yours and yours, it’s enough.

Tape #2: What have you to say? They were in Vietnam. The odds are there. Not yet, you certain GI’s. Loved Pittar News. Don’t be afraid to be reared by her folks. The worst are in Vietnam. Not yet, you certain gizar. Messier needs help. Tho there was news of Vietnam.

“In addition, Mrs. Shepanek heard panting on one tape. Also: Etched in granite. Hiroshima. Something must have happened. It has. The earth, the earth. You live in reality.

“The writer was disappointed that more people did not take part in this experiment. It might be wise to hand pick tapes that have more variation in content for future work. He was very discouraged that he did not hear communications and quite encouraged that Mrs. Shepanek and the others did.”

Follow-up Reports

During the last three months more letters and phone calls have come from members than ever before. Many of these individuals contacted me for the first time. The “fuel” that seemed to ignite these letters were two subjects in the Spring NEWS: EVP Voices from the Living? and, Mediumship and the Tape Recorder. To each of you who got in touch with me, many thanks! Since I think you are interested in the ideas of fellow members, I will quote briefly from some of the letters received.

Concerning EVP Voices from the Living?, Gary Hickethier, from WI wrote, “The first thing that came to my mind was that the tape is picking up the sender’s thoughts that were transmitted (perhaps unconsciously) by the sender via telepathy. ...It might help if the person who made the recording could remember the exact time that he received the voice. If the person who’s voice appears on the tape was asleep or meditating at the time, this would add weight to the astral projection theory.”

Shirley Matthews, a new member from UT wrote, “Perhaps I can be of some help regarding the recorded voice of a person still living. ...It’s not at all puzzling when you understand the mechanics of an out-of-body experience and communication. When the astral body leaves its physical shell it operates on an entirely different wavelength. Communication is by thought energy and when impressed on magnetic tape, takes on the form of voice sound.”

Ernst Senkowski, from Germany wrote, “I several times observed at least the name and possibly the voice of a living person some 300 miles away. ... (A) case seems to have happened in Italy wherein an EVP experimenter succeeded in taping the contents of the mind of a far absent living person. So we have to be very careful in stating that all ‘our’ voices came from the ‘dead.’ This is by no means correct. Whether it is necessary that a living person be in a dreamlike state of mind seems doubtful to me—it may well be that a ‘telepathic’ connection works independent from the conscious mind which may be busy with something quite different. ... It becomes quite clear: there is a general interconnectedness on the unconscious levels—not only between earthbound people but at the same time between the inhabitants of the different ‘worlds’ or “levels” including the deceased. ...”

Mediumship and the Tape Recorder also brought a good response.

Richard Busse, from IN wrote, “I’ve been at this study for twenty years Sarah. I wholeheartedly agree that a person who is a “proven” medium, or a person who may have unrecognized mediumistic qualities, can be used as a conduit to help bring in the discarnate on tape, but on TAPES, Sarah. The tapes must do the talking, not the medium. ...I went through, years ago, the “faith in mediums” stage. It’s no longer enough. ...“

Philip Carroll, from MD wrote, “I have the feeling that mediumistic ability is necessary for EVP.” Philip also commented about the “nonsense words” referred to in the last newsletter and although this is apart from the subject at hand, I think you will find it interesting. “Have you ever listened to someone talk in their sleep? Sometimes they come out with perfectly clearly pronounced words of this kind. Do you suppose there could be some sort of connection?”

And finally, Ernst Senkowski closed his letter with, “Correct: Outstanding (EVP) success depends on a special type of mediumship and probably to a lesser degree on equipment—as long as we have no theoretical understanding we completely depend upon the faculties and possibilities of our friends over there! And completely agreeing: Every—and anybody must be considered as a medium—so welcome to the club of those who are just starting to awake to other dimensions!”

Looking for Books?

Alan Cameron, AA-EVP member from Maryland, very kindly sent me the book, Raymond or Life and Death, by Sir Oliver Lodge. In it, Sir Oliver describes the evidential contacts he and other members of his family had with his son, Raymond, after he was killed in the first World War. I had long wanted a copy for my library but Raymond is out of print and hard to find.

VTF Newsletter

A letter was received from Hans Heckman, PA AA-EVP member, who subscribes to the German VTF (quarterly newsletter which deals largely with EVP.) Hans, who is fluent in German, very kindly offered to send me each time a review/translation of the newsletter, an offer which I accepted with enthusiasm.

In the April 1985 newsletter, we learn they are celebrating their 10th anniversary and have a membership of almost 2,000. The program for their conference from June 3 to June 8 is given with Edelgard John, one of our German members, lecturing on the subject, “Voice contacts are necessary.”

A number of pages are devoted to the technical aspects of EVP recordings with seven pages given to “differential amplification,” a method which seems to help remove noise from our recordings. It becomes quite technical but what the experimenter appears to do is to tune two radios to the same exact signal. Their cable outputs are fed “out-of-phase,” into a single recorder input. Since the spirit voice is most likely impinging on only one radio, it will pass undiminished to the recorder and be fully amplified.

We again thank Hans for his gracious offer and will look forward to carrying news from the German VTF in future newsletters. We learn from each other!

News From and About Members

Carol Barron, MA State Coordinator, writes that she frequently tapes while she irons. Quoting Carol, “The sound of the steam has produced excellent results … Try it!”

Norman Basile and Dale Kaczmarek, two members from IL, were mentioned in Curtis Fuller’s editorial in the July issue of Fate magazine. They were referred to as “ghost hunters.” Dale will be teaching a Sunday workshop, Photography and EVP, at our national conference.

Robert Camburn, from PA, reminds us that in Lawrence LeShan’s excellent book, The Medium, The Mystic, and the Physicist, the rejection of the field of parapsychology by many in the scientific community has taken a number of forms from outright rejection to avoidance. LeShan cites Carrington’s statement that the reluctant scientists fear that the established status of natural law would be weakened and the way re-opened for a renaissance of superstitions and belief in magic. But to ignore the evidence, “is to violate the scientist’s obligation to the facts and also to delay and withhold a wider and truer comprehension of the cosmos and our place in it.”

Clara Laughlin, from VA, writes that recently she has been holding up family pictures and the unseen will come back on tape with the names in the photos and also make comments about those individuals. Clara commented that some of the details in the pictures were small and she was surprised that those on the other side were able to see them. Recently she asked if they could see her in the mirrors in her house. Someone replied, “We see you, but we do not spy.”

Mercedes Shepanek taped some interesting messages on her battery operated tape recorder while on safari in Africa. At one point she said, “What an interesting bird call. I wonder what it is?” Shortly a whispered answer was returned, “A Cockatoo.” Another time a voice said, “Africa is a hell of a place,” followed two counters later by someone saying, “Mexico has tequila.”

Roll Call

Since the Spring newsletter, we have added over twenty new members, including our first member from France. A welcome to each of you! We hope you will find your AA-EVP membership interesting and worthwhile.

Seminar-Conference Program Staff Addition

It is with great pleasure I announce that Lynn Gardner, of Indianapolis, Indiana, has joined our program staff for our national seminar-conference on August 8 to 11. Lynn, you will remember, led the metaphysical tour to Egypt in May 1984, of which I was fortunate to be a part. She is an outstanding and gifted psychic-medium, and is truly a “mystical, magical woman,” as she has been referred to by the media. We are indeed fortunate to have her with us. After I returned from Egypt, many of you requested more information about our trip there. With this in mind, I have asked Lynn to discuss that trip and others she has led and will lead to the Land of the Nile. She will do this at a special assembly, titled, Egyptian Odyssey, on Saturday evening at 6:45. You will not want to miss this fascinating presentation.

Lynn will be available for metaphysical consultation by appointment.

Seminar-Conference Update

Registrations are coming in. People are calling and saying, “Mine is on its way. Save a place for me!” The response to the program as outlined in the brochure has been enthusiastic, many indicating how well-balanced they think it is. If you have been teetering between coming or not, teeter no more. Come! Make new friends. Meet many of those you have read about in the newsletters. Learn from our featured speakers and workshop leaders. Open up and explore new horizons for yourself.            Grow!  Put your registration in the mail today, or call saying, “I’m coming!” I’ll mail your receipt within twenty-four hours. Bring an EVP Voice Tape with you. We’ll have a get-together tape potpourri Saturday evening after our featured speaker.

A word or two if you want to break bread with us Sunday morning. I have checked with the Hilton and must turn in all reservations for Sunday before the conference starts. If you plan to eat breakfast with the group on Sunday and have not sent your $6, please send it to me as promptly as possible.

Odds and Ends

I leave you with this thought. “Parachutes and the human mind have this in common; they should open up properly.” Joaquin Cunanan, former president of the Union Espiritistica Cristian Filipinas. Let’s all try to be like parachutes. You choose the kind you want. I opt for the open one!

See you at the conference!

Always my best wishes, Sarah Estep

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