From My Viewpoint

There is a Roman saying, “Plvs Vltra,” which translated means: “There is more beyond.” Those of us who have an interest in what is loosely termed “paranormal” are well aware that there is much beyond the physical world of the five senses which can touch our lives.

Plvs Vltra would make an ideal obituary but it could also be a motto for us as we greet the rising of the sun each morning. If we look around, if we get beyond the neat little box into which most lives have been placed, we will find, like a child of two who shrieks with joy at every butterfly and lovingly smells roses and dandelions alike, that our world is full of excitement and a good deal of beauty.

Two months ago, I returned from seventeen days in Egypt. There was advice from high and low that the trip be forgotten. Due consideration was given to the world situation and our group was polled. The decision was unanimous: “Go!” Certain precautions were taken and never, at any time, did we feel at all threatened.

Egypt! Still a land that inspires awe and, to me, a land of beauty. Two acquaintances who had been there before were surprised when I said I was going back. “You were there two years ago. It’s so dirty. Why do you want to return?” they asked.

Well, yes, in a way it is dirty. Water is scarce in many places; they don’t have modern machines to scrub their streets. There’s not enough water to always have a clean face or clean clothes. I prefer, however, to raise my eyes above the dust and look at the Pyramids and the Sphinx; at the temples and the tombs. I needn’t look that high. I can look at the people, especially those in villages scattered throughout the country side. When I look, I see that their priorities, although in some ways like ours, are met in a different way. Having nothing in a material sense, many have found a quiet contentment and joy at being with family and others in their community. This doesn’t suggest all Egyptians are angels or paragons of virtue. They are people and like people everywhere, they have their individual differences, some pleasant, some unpleasant.

I am reminded of one occasion when I went off to do some private taping. As I sat at the base of a tomb waiting for others in my group to join me, it was time for lunch. The guard took his sandwich, wrapped in a newspaper, from a crevice and offered me half. He wanted to share what he had. To me, that is beauty.

Beauty was also seen in the joy on the faces of Egyptian children as another member of our group and I, gave them pens to use for school. Education is compulsory in Egypt but some children come from families too poor to provide them with school materials. One night, at our hotel in Asyut, we learned about the nuclear explosion at Chernobyl. We stopped the following morning in the Western desert and formed a circle, each member giving a personal affirmation that our planet find peace and be healed. When we released the balloons which another member of our group had brought, and watched them spin and dance away in the wind across the sand, we saw beauty.

Although the world needs the most positive efforts each of us can give, it also needs, I feel, people who, like the child of two, see beauty in the dandelion.

Plvs Vltra offers hope for tomorrow. It should also challenge us for today.

Controls—Taped Survival Project

Monty Hearon, Oregon State Coordinator, visited me for two days in June. We discussed many developments that have taken place in the field of EVP over the last four years, and the direction the phenomena seems to be going. During this time we shared ideas about the AA-EVP. We talked about the taped survival project and our hope that it will bring comfort to many in the future, as well as add to the evidence that individual consciousness survives bodily death.

Monty feels we should try to place a control, a safeguard, on the survival tape that you send to me. He is concerned that if a member of our survival board hears from someone after death, whose tape is in my possession, critics of the phenomena will claim this information was passed on to the board member earlier. To try to prevent this accusation, he suggests you place within the tape case a small piece of paper with your signature and several of your inked fingerprints. Wrap the box in tissue paper and scotch tape it securely. On the tissue paper, again write your name and add the inked fingerprints.

After your transition, and contact of a board member, I will open the tape in front of witnesses. Together we will listen to the tape. So I can’t be accused of placing my own fingerprints on the tape, or having someone else do it, it would be a good idea to leave a set of your inked fingerprints in a secure place in your home. All this may seem a bit cumbersome but in actuality it shouldn’t take more than several minutes. You are, of course, free to do as you wish. I feel Monty’s idea has a great deal of merit and I encourage you to consider it. For those who have already sent me a tape, if you wish to make another tape, following Monty’s suggestion, I will return your first tape to you.

New Ideas about EVP

Tina Laurent, AA-EVP member from Wales, has contacted me about a recent letter she received from Benson Herbert, internationally known British parapsychologist.

Since returning to Wales three years ago, Tina has become acquainted with Herbert and done experiments with him and two of his associates. Herbert is familiar with EVP and has listened to many of Tina’s tapes. Although he accepts there are voices on the tapes, until recently he did not believe they were voices of the dead. Now, with his letter to Tina in which he quoted from articles written by two Russian scientists, he commented that he guessed he might have to become a spiritualist and an EVPist.

In the one article by Dr. Romen of Alma-Ata University in the U.S.S.R., titled “Bio-Plasma and Psychic and Auto Regulation,” he wrote, “Yoga and auto-suggestion can deeply affect the bio-energetic processes in a person’s system and is of great value in the prevention of and curing of diseases and promoting regeneration … with the possibility of maintaining the personal “I” (ego) on the conditions of extreme stress, and after death in a definite biological form... This energetic image maintains the personal characteristics independently of spatial and temporal factors ... and is a recognizable individual.”

The other article, quoted by Herbert, was by Dr. G. P. Krokhalev of Perm University, U.S.S.R. It is titled, “EVP” and he wrote, “The human body can act as a receiver and a transmitter of radio waves. The skin acts as a transistor to modulate the waves so transmitting an audible sound via tissue and bones to the brain... Concentration of thought can cause the ears to transmit faint sounds which can be picked up by a sensitive microphone and tape recorded...”

In his own EVP experiments, Dr. Krokhalev uses a plastic or rubber ear-cap, fitting around the ear, with a small hole in the middle for the insertion of a tiny microphone.

Herbert concluded his letter to Tina by writing, “So there is nothing to hinder the supposition that the energetic image (ghost?) as described by Romen to persist after death, could emit radio signals capable of being picked-up by the body of a living person, converted into sound through the person’s ears and then tape recorded, hence EVP?”

Since the above was received from Tina, I have talked to her by phone. She has again heard from Herbert, who said he is leaning even more strongly towards EVP being evidential of post mortem survival. He kindly gave permission to quote him in our NEWS.

Headphone Microphone

The above diagram shows how I have adapted Dr. Krokhalev’s method of using a plastic ear—cap with a small microphone. Taking a spare set of stereo headphones, I had built into them two mics, one in each ear piece. The headphones fit comfortably around my head and are worn while making a recording on my four track TEAC tape recorder. I have used them alone, without any other microphone; at other times, I combine them with Mighty Mike described in the Spring newsletter. Voices have been recorded both ways.

When using just the headphone mic, external sound sources are almost completely eliminated (such as the radio). This is due, no doubt, to the fact that the small mics inside the headphone fit tightly against the ears and unless the sound source is unusually loud, the mics do not record it. The voices that are taped with the headphone mic, although at times loud, clear and Class A, have an unusual quality. There is more white noise in the background than with normal recordings. The taper’s voice is surprisingly loud.

Recently, in order to use all the microphones in Mighty Mike, and both mics in Headphone Mike, I bought two Siamese connectors at Radio Shack. The two leads carrying the six mics from Mighty Mike, using the Siamese connector, is plugged into one channel of my TEAC. The other Siamese connector carrying the two leads with two mics from Headphone Mike, is plugged into the other channel of my TEAC. There have been good results so far.

EVP Tapers Report Psychic Experiences

In our Spring Newsletter, I wrote about Carol Barron’s, MA State Coordinator, suggestion that EVP tapers contact me about psychic experiences they have had. She felt such experiences may serve as a catalyst to open us to communicating with other dimensions through our tape recorder. Many thanks to the tapers who sent reports and to Carol for her idea.

Carol Barron, at age 11, saw a lady appear by her bed. The lady “spoke” to her with her eyes and gave Carol a feeling of overwhelming love and peace. Since then, she has experienced her presence twice and both times were during a very traumatic period in Carol’s life.

Monty Hearon wrote in response to my request: “...therefore have had some psychic experiences. These cover such things as seeing an apparition and speaking briefly to him; having three percussive raps, one before witnesses; having the front door shaken violently while I was taping and no one was there; my mother-in-law speaking to me after she had gone on; seeing my sister twice after she had departed; etc.”

Clara Laughlin, VA AA-EVP member. When Clara was five, she lived across the street from her maternal grandmother. One day her mother said she was going to check on the grandmother and would be back soon. She had barely left the house when Clara looked up and saw the shoulders and head of a man and woman. The woman said to her, “Don’t worry Clara. We’ll always take care of you.” When Clara’s mother returned, Clara told her about the experience. The mother got out a photo album and Clara picked out the picture of her paternal grandmother as the person she saw and who had spoken to her.

Tina Laurent reports many psychic experiences. As long as she can remember, she has heard raps in her head, several times a year, right before falling asleep. After her mother’s recent death, she communicated with Tina for two months and then this stopped. Although Tina grew up in a home that had no belief in spiritual matters, she got the idea she would hear angels sing if she pressed her ear to her pillow at bedtime. Occasionally, Tina reports, she did hear beautiful singing, right on the fringe of her hearing, and would fall asleep listening to this. Tina commented, “Who knows, Sarah. Forty years ago I may have heard EVP voices!”

Dan McKee, IL State Coordinator, wrote that one evening after recording, he heard clearly outside his left ear, an audible voice that said, “748.” He checked that counter on his recording and at that point, there was the message, “Tomorrow night you will be looking for Centaria.” Unfortunately, the tape jammed the following evening and Dan was unable to record.

Mercedes Shepanek, VA State Coordinator, relates the following experience. “At 3 o’clock one morning (having taped the previous evening from 10 to 11 P.M.), I suddenly awoke and after waking heard 2 voices in the tape room which is adjacent to the bedroom. One voice was deep and one was “light.” I couldn’t characterize them as either male or female. The deep voice spoke about 10 words. The second voice, 6 or 7. I had a very strong impression they were commenting on the tape equipment but couldn’t make out what they were saying. I was alone in the house, but rose up, put on my robe and searched every room in the house, all of which were dark. Of course, found nothing unknown.”

Egyptian Odyssey Report

There are different reasons for traveling, especially to foreign countries. Most people want to see the “sights”, those well-known places touted by tour brochures. Others want to come in touch with the people and try to learn something about them. A smaller number hope to expand their inner consciousness, to reach out and come in contact with the visible and invisible forces which affect their lives.

Lynn Gardner and I tried to provide all of these experiences for the people in our group. Since returning, we have received letters and calls from many who went with us, and each has indicated that we succeeded.

We saw the usual places: The Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx which, no matter how often are visited, never fail to inspire. The Step Pyramid, considered to be the oldest stone building in the world, located at Sakkara, was seen. We stopped at the beautiful Temples of Abydous and Dendera. Several days were spent in Luxor and we went to Karnak a few miles away. One morning was devoted to the magnificent Valley of the Kings; another morning to the Coptic tombs in the Western desert where, in some of the tombs, the unseen seem to be still waiting, and you feel they are so close you need only stretch out your hand to touch them. We also went to many places not usually seen by tourists: the Pyramid of Medium; the 2,000 year old town of El Bagawat where people still live and time seems to have stopped. There was no one around as we took a swim in a healing spring located at the Kharga Oasis. At Aswan we sailed in a faluca to St. Simeon’s Monastery, dating back to the sixth century. As we walked through the ruins, I felt we had the loving presence of some of the early monks walking with us.

The people also touched our lives in many ways. Wherever we went we heard, “Welcome! Welcome!” Our coming was a big event in small villages which seldom see outsiders. Small children would run for even smaller brothers and sisters so they wouldn’t miss the “happening.” They would be followed by the adults who came to look us over. Getting out of our bus, we would smile and nod at each other, language not being really necessary. They were pleased we wanted to take their picture, and after tucking in shirts and patting their hair, their smiles indicated they were ready.

Our group was interested in, and accepting of, the metaphysical. Each individual had the opportunity to proceed at his own pace, to open up if he wished to the invisible, spiritual side of life. This was done individually and at times in groups. As a result, some people had deep personal experiences that will affect them the rest of their lives.

My tape recorder went everywhere with me. Many voices were recorded and I have prepared a new thirty minute tape. There is a form enclosed if you would like to order one. Side 1 has voices taped during my first visit to Egypt and was taken from the sixty minute tape some of you may have. Side 2 contains voices recorded from my most recent trip. A few of the voices sound like the voices taped during my first trip and came through at the same location. I always said at such places, “I have returned to you. Can you please speak to me again?” At the Quar tomb and the Temple of Abydous, messages were taped that indicated they were doing this.

Two days before leaving Egypt, we went to the Church of Zeitoun in Cairo, where an apparition of the Virgin Mary appeared many times in 1968, and was seen by over a million people. Perhaps it is appropriate that the last two messages I taped came through as I was sitting quietly in the sanctuary of the church.

Much of the success of the trip is due to Ahmed Fayed, our excellent Egyptian guide. He said the first night we were in Egypt, “While you are here, you are part of my family,” and this feeling prevailed the entire time. The night before leaving for home, Lynn and I talked to Ahmed about plans for a future trip. There will be an Egyptian Odyssey II in October 1987. Start to put it in your bank of positive thoughts. I hope you will be with us.

News from and about Members

Roy Bauer, Canada, is experimenting with a friend to see if a person is able to affect a recording while in the out-of-body state. He reports one success in which his friend said Roy’s name while having an O.B.E. Roy would like to hear from other researchers who are trying to develop better techniques for recording. He is on the cross-country list.

Kay Croissant/Catherine Dees, CA, have been doing EVP experiments for nine years. Last year they spent seven weeks in Egypt, Greece, Italy and France to research historical places for writing projects in which they are involved. During their trip, they taped many EVP voices. At a site of medieval devil worship in Italy, they first walked through a nearby hermit cave where a benevolent voice said, “Seek out,” and, “Let nothing prevent you.” As they entered the cave used for devil worship, someone said, “Malestro” (mischief or damage) and then, “You all will fail,” followed by, “Don’t look.” They are planning a novel on the lives of the Brownings and spent two hours in their home in Florence. When they asked, “Do you like our story?” a soft woman’s voice replied, “We especially do,” and later, “Thank you for your words. We wait for them.” They closed their letter to me with, “This work is a vital part of human understanding of our great responsibility in our thoughts and actions. If memories are retained in the subtle atomic structure of matter, then how careful we must all be with our very thoughts, not to let them join the larger negative energies at work in the world today.” They have published several historical and romance novels under the name Catherine Kay.

Betty Evans, VA, called a friend one evening and while waiting for her to come to the phone, a man’s voice came on the line and said, “Hey, how are you? How are you doing?” After a moment of shock, Betty realized it sounded like the voice of her deceased brother, Henry. She checked with her friend as to whether the friend’s son might have spoken and was assured he was no where near the phone. Betty called Clara Laughlin and asked her to inquire about the incident through her tape recorder. Clara did, and taped a number of messages indicating that Henry had spoken to Betty on the phone and would try to do the same in the future.

Jules Harsch-Fischbach, Luxembourg, called a few days before we left for Egypt to wish us well. He has contacted several European AA-EVP members through the cross-country list, and received replies in response. Jules feels with “this system” (Newsletter and cross-country list) we can “give on light to help the whole world.”

Rosalba Harris, PA, and Dave Overton, TX, are due special thanks for writing to me about Curtis Fuller’s editorial in the July issue of Fate magazine. Over a column was devoted to Hans Heckman’s (PA, AA-EVP member) translation from the VTF journal about Microphone Recordings which appeared in our Winter Newsletter.

Benn Kobb, VA, had an article about EVP published in the Spring Edition of Reality Change. A number of people have contacted me for more information.

Clara Laughlin recently became a grandmother. Before her daughter, Barbara, knew she was pregnant, Tom (Clara’s deceased husband) came on tape and said, “Hello, grandmother.” Later on, the doctor told Barbara she would have twins. Clara went to her tape recorder and asked if this was true. Tom replied, “Single baby boy,” which proved to be correct.

David Lothamer, CA State Coordinator, sent me a flyer his group had printed, announcing a lecture and tape demonstration of the electronic voice. The meeting was held in May and much interest was shown by those who attended. Steve Glanz, another CA, AA-EVP member, visited David and they held a successful taping session. Steve hopes to begin some research in the area of TPP (television picture phenomena) [known as Video ITC today].

Looking at Books

Jeff Vilencia recently sent me his just published book: Spirit Voices. It is a short book of seventy pages, with the last twenty-five pages being largely a transcript and explanation of how the voices came through on the cassette tape which is included with the price of the book. Although Jeff writes in a clear manner about his experiences with EVP the last ten years, you will not learn anything new. He mentions nothing about recent research and experimenters, and one suspects he is unaware of them. This is unfortunate, for the field needs an up-to-date, all purpose book to encourage research and create new interest among the public.

I wrote to Jeff that I was sorry I couldn’t be more enthusiastic about his book because he appears to be sincere. Side 1 of the 60 minute tape has EVP voices. Side 2 has about a five minute demonstration of how to make a recording. The rest of the tape is blank. Since Jeff works with groups who evidently still believe “Silence is golden,” most of the voices are faint, whisper type of poor quality. There are a few that are louder and could be called Class A Jeff includes over a dozen of Raudive’s voices so, if you haven’t heard these before, you may be interested. To order the book and tape, send $9.95 plus $1.50 to: (Address removed).

Rosalba Harris has located a dealer who had a copy of Konstantin Raudive’s book: Breakthrough, for $6. If you are still looking for the book, you can write to: (Address removed).

Harold Sherman, AR, AA-EVP member, wrote recently that his excellent book: The Dead Are Alive, is being brought out in a new edition by Ballantine Books the first of January. If the book is not already in your library, you will want to add it as soon as it reaches the bookstores.

AA-EVP National Conference

Mark your calendars! A date has been chosen for our third national conference. It will be held at the Holiday Inn, Inner Harbor-Baltimore, from August 7 to 9, 1987.

The location, within walking distance of 130 shops and restaurants; fine museums; historical sites and the National Aquarium, will be a delight to everyone and offers an ideal vacation place for the entire family. By signing a contract with the Holiday Inn now, we have been guaranteed the very reasonable rate of $64 a night, single or double. There is limousine service from the Baltimore-Washington International Airport and parking for those who drive. The accommodations, sleeping and meeting rooms will be excellent for our purpose.

The first two conferences have been so outstanding, you will not want to miss this one. Whether you will be a repeat attendant, or coming for the first time, it is not too soon to start planning to be with us. There will be more exciting details about the conference in future newsletters.

Odds and Ends

A note! Please remember to check the box on the membership renewal notice, if you wish to remain on the cross-country list. A number of people are not doing this. Deadline for your contribution(s) to the Fall Newsletter is September 13. Special blessings to those who don’t wait until the last minute. Let me hear from you!

Always my best wishes, Sarah Estep

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