From My Viewpoint

“Fantasy.” In a long grocery line a few days before Christmas, I had an encounter with a child, “just four,” and her mother. The child, sitting in the passenger seat of the grocery cart, waved her teddy bear in my face. It was obvious she wanted me to acknowledge its presence. When I said, “That’s a nice teddy,” I knew I had made a friend for life.

“Yes, he is,” replied Mother. She then went on, “Tell the lady the new word you just learned.” So prompted, the child answered, “Fantasy.”

“Ah!” Looking suitably impressed I wondered just where this conversation was taking us.

Mother enlightened me. Nodding in my direction she said, “Tell her Mr. Teddy is not fantasy. Since you love him so much he is real.”

Well now. I felt we might be treading dangerous waters. It is important to be able to tell the difference between fantasy and reality. Under the conditions in which this meeting was taking place, and not wanting to openly disagree with strange Mother who was so eager to convince child that Mr. Teddy was real, I spoke to the child by saying, “Love is the most important thing of all.”

As Mother turned to place her groceries on the counter, Child leaned over to me and whispered confidingly, “I know Mr. Teddy really isn’t real.” We concluded our encounter by my saying, “You know then the difference between what is real and what is fantasy, or imagination. That’s good!”

We move from the world of children and teddy bears to an article published in December on the editorial page of a large city newspaper entitled, “Americans have a shocking tendency to believe utter nonsense.” Mr. Z writes that this is the age of “science.” He says that while we need to keep abreast of scientific development, “We must learn to thread our ways through the swamps and jungles of pseudoscience.”

In the muck and trees he includes “Ghosts, poltergeists, mediums, psychics, monsters, astrology, Bigfoot, biorhythm, numerology, astral projection, Kirlian photography,” and so on. The electronic voice phenomena is not mentioned, evidently because Mr. Z never heard of it. We could look upon this as a mixed blessing, I suppose.

Mr. Z says we can get our daily “fix” of fiction/fraud through such places as public libraries, supermarkets, newspaper, radio and TV. He even tells us how we can create our own nonsense to titillate others ... just “lie a lot.” We are informed that there is, “not one scrap of verifiable proof of any paranormal occurrence.” The work of J. B. Rhine and Geller is mentioned, but Mr. Z asserts that “virtually” all their claims have been discredited.

For those who care to read about the other side of pseudosciences, Mr. Z recommends, among others, James Randi’s book, Flim-Flam. (It is at his knee we are to learn the truth??)

Although I feel that we need to remain aware of what is fantasy and what is not, we also need the imagination to dream, to have the courage to see if our dreams may be capable of moving beyond dreaming to an independent existence, to a touchable reality.

Give me the child with her teddy bear.

Life Beyond Life—Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

One of my dreams has become reality. For some time I have dreamt and wondered if the voices we record might somehow help, in a more positive way, those who are terminally ill, or those who are having difficulty coping with the death of a loved one.

Six years ago, I met Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross in Annapolis. She had given a lecture nearby the night before and invited me to have lunch with her the following day at her hotel. After discussing our work we made a short recording together. During lunch, a mother whose child had been brutally murdered several months earlier, joined us. As Elisabeth talked to her about what happens as we make our transition, it was clear, through the tears of our guest, that she was finding the first comfort she had known since the death of her child.

Dr. Ross, as I imagine everyone knows, is internationally known through her books, death-and-dying workshops, and personal work with the terminally ill. She is a true pioneer in the field and was one of the first to bring to our attention the experiences someone has who is dying. Since our meeting in Annapolis, I have been on her mailing list and followed her progress from California to Head Waters, Virginia where she now has her center.

It occurred to me that she might be able to use a tape of electronic voices giving information which would bring reassurance, comfort, and understanding to someone dying or a grieving loved one. About this time, through the generosity of two AA-EVP members, one in South Carolina and one overseas, I received the impetus to carry through on my idea. I made a thirty-minute tape that I sent to Elisabeth and said if she felt it would help her in her work, it would be my joy to donate thirty duplicated tapes and turn over to her all rights to it.

Before long, Elisabeth replied saying she was warmly touched by my offer which she accepted with gratitude. The thirty tapes were made and sent to her the week before Christmas.

Although I conceived the idea and made the tape, I feel each of you has a very real part in it. Without your warm, and sometimes loving, support over the years, I doubt the tape would ever have been made. In a very true sense, I am indebted to you. Our joy is mutual, I believe, in the thought of the hope the Life Beyond Life tape will bring to many in the future.

Simultaneous Recording Experiment Follow-Up

In the Fall newsletter, I announced a simultaneous recording experiment to take place Sunday evening, October 27, at ten EST. The experiment was to last ten minutes and I suggested four questions to ask. The idea behind the experiment was to see if the Voices that spoke at that time would give similar answers to the same questions.

Reports were received from three members by the deadline, December 30. With my own results, that gives a total of four who participated. I had hoped for more but appreciate the efforts of those who responded. Going in alphabetical order:

Carol Barron, MA State Coordinator, “We took part in your national experiment and asked the questions you suggested. Not too much luck. The only thing we got was in answer to “How do you speak to us?” A loud whisper was, ‘Your death—is aside us.’ The last three words were faint.”

Sarah Estep. I recorded eight messages of excellent quality. A week before, and each day following, during my morning recording, I mentioned the experiment to the other side and asked them to try and come through for everyone who took part. They assured me they would help. At the start of the experiment, a Class A voice said, “We go up,” followed immediately with a different voice, still Class A, that said, “Hello.” One of the most outstanding messages of the eight was, “The mirror!” followed one counter later with, “We see the plate.” The mirror message is especially interesting because several of us independently, and at first unknown to each other, received messages a few years ago about using a mirror in our tapings. I have two sitting on top of my recording equipment and although in the past have recorded many messages about the mirror, had not received such messages for about a year. The “plate” message is puzzling since I don’t have one in my office. Possibly they looked upon the mirror as a plate. The only answer that seemed to come in direct response to my questions was when I asked, “Where do your voices originate?” and someone answered, “We’re in the house.”

Clara Laughlin, VA AA-EVP Member, had good results and her communicants came closer to answering her direct questions than the unseen did for the rest of us. When she asked “How do you speak to us?” someone replied, “When we hear our Clarissa, you give us back your special energy to your dear people.” The second question, “In what world do you live?” was answered with, “We give you an example. Doesn’t Tom (husband) know what you do?” Clara then asked, “Where do your voices originate?” The interesting answer was taped, “We come there daily to the people through Callie’s special window.” Her final question, “What can we do to help you come through?” received a very long answer which Clara says she boiled down to “sending out love.”

Tina Laurent, Wales AA-EVP Member, made her recording at three A.M. in order to coincide with ten P.M. EST. She wrote that after her alarm woke her up she heard six or seven light bangs from the stairs without any apparent source. During the recording she received many messages. Some were: “Here’s Peter,” “Hello,” “We’re up Tina,” “Talking to Tina,” “On the tape Tina,” “He’s in there,” “Sarah is steadfast,” “Try this program Tina,” (after Tina said she wanted to cross the bridge to them.) “Help please,” “I can’t see.”

Three of the four participants in the experiment seemed to feel they had good results. Although one objective—to see if similar answers would be received—was not met, the results were interesting in themselves. With the exception of Clara, the rest of us seemed to make contact with entities who were more interested in speaking than in answering direct questions. In my own case, I felt that the four or five different voices I was taping, were speaking to me for the first time. There was in their voices, the sound of pleasure and excitement at being able to do this.

Again, thank you for taking part! I am always open to ideas for future experiments.

Morry Cuttler and Robert St. Pierre

Word has been received that two of our members have died in the last three months.

Morry Cuttler, spiritual leader of the Round Table of Light in Miami, Florida, died suddenly the first of November. Just two weeks earlier he had written and asked if I would lecture at one of his meetings this winter.

Robert St. Pierre, from California, died after a short illness. He had called me several times a few months before his death and also written about taping voices. He and a member of his church congregation were working on the development of equipment to improve communication with the unseen.

All of us, I am sure, will keep both men in our thoughts and prayers as they continue the busy, helpful lives started here in their new homes on the other side.

VTF Report-Microphone Recordings

Hans Heckmann, PA AA-EVP member, has translated an article for me from a recent VTF Journal, published by a German EVP organization. The article was taken from a speech given by Hans Berger, a technician from Vienna, who spoke about test results he compiled together with Mr. Stadler, a physicist. They found in using the microphone method that:

(1)   Low sensitivity microphones do not produce voices

(2)   It is not possible to get para voices when playing back an empty tape

(3)   When feeding a normal mike into channel “A” of a stereo tape recorder, and a mike wrapped in sound absorbing material into channel “B”, only channel “A” would record voices

(4)   The residual noise level of commonly used microphone preamplifiers is too high. To effectively reduce this noise by filtering would also remove many of the voices. A better way is the use of a microphone mounted in a small parabolic reflector

(5)   Parametric filters are not suitable for filtering para voices

(6)   The use of ultra sound is ineffective.

Taped Survival Project

An ongoing survival project for AA-EVP members who wish to participate is announced.

If you want to take part send me one cassette tape of good quality, on which you give your name and a brief background of yourself. This taped information should not be more

than five to ten minutes. On the tape, as well as the covering letter you send with it, be sure to include the address of one or two people we should contact if you succeed in communicating with someone on our survival board.

Tapes will be filed and the information on the tape will be kept confidential. I am the only one who will have access to them and won’t listen to your tape until after your transition and only then if it appears you have communicated with a member of the board.

It is anticipated that we will have four to five individuals on the board who are currently successfully recording voices of the unseen. Their names will be given in the Spring newsletter. The composition of the board may change from time to time, with names added or deleted. This will be announced in future newsletters when and if it occurs.

You should ask a family member to contact me soon after your death. I will then notify the survival board so they will be alerted to your transition and will be listening for you in case you are able to contact them. If they feel contact has been made they will send me whatever they believe has been recorded from you. At that time, I will check your tape to see if there is evidence you have come through. If it appears you have succeeded in doing this, I will notify the person you request me to on the tape you send to me. I reserve the right to share the evidence of your survival with others.

We know from experience that the electronic voice at this point usually gives short messages. As you speak from the other side to a member of the survival board, give your name as well as something of evidential nature. To be evidential, this information must be on the tape I have. “This is John. I’m happy,” would not be good evidence. However, saying, “This is John. I love Shirley,” would be stronger evidence of survival if the name of your wife, child, or mother was Shirley. Or, “This is John. I fish,” would also be considered evidential if fishing was your hobby before death. Again, we could only consider “Shirley” or “fishing” if it was on the tape in my possession.

You may send your tape at any time. There is no charge for this; however, because of the work involved, and the expense, it must be limited to just AA-EVP members.

News from and About Members

Richard Berman, from AR, has called and written about messages he feels he may be taping from undesirable entities. He suggests we always say a short prayer and surround ourselves with a white light before beginning any metaphysical work.

Robert Camburn, from PA, had an excellent article published in the Fall issue of the Spiritual Frontiers Journal. The title is, Research Report: A Brief Summary of the Evidence for Spiritual Realities. Different areas such as the electronic voice, are mentioned by Robert as providing survival evidence.

Edelgard John, West Germany, wrote recently about several messages she had taped about recording through her telephone. One time a mysterious phone call came from a child, calling her by her first name, and insisting Edelgard was her mother. When Edelgard told the child she was wrong, the child began weeping. Edelgard commented she is going to try recording through the telephone as suggested in the Fall newsletter.

Benn Kobb, from VA, gave a lecture to Mensa about the electronic voice in November. He has also written several articles about the subject and one was to appear in the November-December issue of Reality Change.

Walter and Mary Jo Uphoff, from WI, are well-known in the field of parapsychology for their investigations, books, and as founders and directors of the New Frontiers Center of Oregon, WI. In their Fall-Winter 1985 newsletter, Walter wrote that he and Mary Jo had been chosen to receive the first prize annual award of 3,000 Swiss Francs given by the Swiss Society for Parapsychology.

TPP (Television Picture Phenomena)

Letters have been exchanged recently with Dr. Ernst Senkowski, AA-EVP member from West Germany. From taped messages, those in other dimensions seem eager to contact us visually through our TV sets.

Two gentlemen in Germany, Klaus Schreiber and Otto Konig, have independently received a number of TV pictures which they have taped on video recorders. Their method, extremely laborious and expensive, is not suited for most people.

Ernst suggests an easier, and perhaps just as effective a method. He writes, “Try to get an oscillator in the VHF or UHF range and modulate it with any signal mixture tuned to a free channel.” This would be connected to a video tape recorder so you will have a record on tape of any paranormal pictures that are received.

Many AA-EVP members have video tape recorders and could start experimenting at once. If you don’t have an oscillator, you can still experiment. From a message I received through my tape recorder, I would suggest you begin your experiments by turning to Channel 47 at night. There is just “snow” at this channel, but the TPP forms itself out of the snow. Your video recorder should be taping the entire time. If it has a pause control, you have the advantage of stopping it if a paranormal picture is received and taking a picture of it with a separate camera. Let me know your results.

Two Evidential Communications

Two AA-EVP members in Virginia recently recorded or received evidential messages that showed they were in contact with the other side.

Betty Evans tried to contact her deceased sister, Nell, one evening through her tape recorder without success. The following day at work while Betty was busy at her desk, she heard her first name called two times over the paging system. Betty wondered about this because when someone is paged in her office, the first and last names are always given and then the person is told to report to someone. Checking with the girl at the switchboard, Betty learned she had not been paged.

Later, she asked Clara Laughlin to check with Callie (Clara’s guide) to see if Nell had spoken to her at work. Clara did and taped in response, “Yes, she talked to Betty.” During this same recording, Clara recorded, “Henry is healthy,” which she also reported to Betty. Unknown to Clara at the time, Henry was Betty’s uncle with whom she was close.

Clara Laughlin also received a personal evidential message. One day she recorded, “You should learn shortly I died and am in heaven. Surprise I went so early. You should tell Libby.” Clara had been good friends with Libby and her husband, Cecil, when they lived in CA and had not heard that Cecil was sick. A day or two later, Clara received a card from Libby saying Cecil had died. His death, and Clara’s taping the message occurred within 72 hours of each other. As Cecil had requested, Clara called Libby and told her she had heard from him which Libby found very comforting.

A Look at a Book

The Ghost of 29 Megacycles, (New American Library) by John Fuller. This should be of special interest for those interested in the electronic voice. It is about the development of “Spiricom” constructed by George Meek and his associates. The system was then used successfully by William O’Neil from 1977 to 1981 in communicating with Dr. George Mueller, a scientist who died in 1967. It is a fascinating, well written book by the author of Ghost of Flight 401 and other books.

Book List Enclosed

Speaking of books, you will find a list of books available that are left over from our conference. Many of them are excellent and offer hours of good reading. Look the list over and send your order to me promptly. I have only one or two copies of some and your request(s) will be processed in the order received.

Best of ‘85

Carol Barron has continued taping many interesting messages this year. Some of her favorites are: “Is this a telephone call? Call me!” “You’re in the mid-land.” A few days later, “Greetings from the highlanders.” “There’s a fiber on the wall!” When Carol looked, she saw a large cobweb near the ceiling!

Louis Kara John, MA, has not been taping very long but has received some interesting messages. One of them is, “We live for man forever.”

Clara Laughlin feels one of the most interesting messages she received in 1985 was, “We love Clarissa, cybernite. Since she was a very young child, this system knows Clara.” Clara wrote that the unseen frequently use the term, “this system” and she wonders if we have been pre-selected to do this work.

Tina Laurent’s forte appears to be taping names, unknown to her, but having meaning for the person she is interviewing. Recently she recorded the name, “Max Wall.” When her companion heard this she became excited because Max was the man she almost married many years ago but had died at the age of thirty-three.

David Lothamer, CA State Coordinator, continues recording voices of excellent quality with interesting content. In a recent tape he sent me, some of the outstanding messages were: “No Saint is bad.” “Ah, my mom’s free spirit is now depart.” “I’m across David, Bob Turner free!” (Evidential since David did not know at the time that Bob had died.)

Dan McKee, IL State Coordinator, sent the following as some of his most interesting reverse intercepts of 1985. “Dying is not as the Earth make it.” “I did not help you, here is Master.” “The Master is here staying at your side now.”

Egyptian odyssey Up-date

Reservations are coming in! Tips for Trips have gone out to quite a few. Several persons have expressed concern about traveling abroad at this time, but be reassured your safety is uppermost in our minds. We will travel by KLM and land only at the Amsterdam airport—safest in the world! Conditions in Egypt are stable. If we felt there was any danger we would not go. The following is from Lynn Gardner, our tour leader.

“In a few months, on April 25th, we’ll be boarding our flight on KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines) for an exciting and memorable trip to Egypt. For those of you who have already sent in your deposit you will be receiving a list of suggested books to read in preparation for the extraordinary experiences that await you. I urge those who are considering joining us to call Sarah or myself at (Telephone number removed) so we can answer any additional questions you might have so you can avoid disappointment later if we have reached capacity before your deposit has been received. Sarah and I agreed to make the first opportunity to join the group available to AA-EVP members and as of early January, additional letters and ads reaching other groups will appear and reservations will be taken. Let us hear from you if you want to join us for an incredible journey of learning, transformation, fun, and beautiful people.”

Roll Call

Eleven people have joined the AA-EVP in the last three months, including our first Swedish member. Welcome to everyone!

Membership Dues Increased

Although I am not trying to make money out of the AA-EVP, I feel I should break even. This has not been happening. The best year financially was 1984 when I cleared $83! This year shows a loss. I belong to 7 national metaphysical organizations. Two have yearly dues of $20; three are $25; and two charge $30. In order to continue providing a quarterly newsletter and other services, I must raise the AA-EVP dues to $20 a year, effective immediately.

Odds and Ends

Thanks to everyone who sent in their contributions early for our newsletter. You eased my mind considerably. The deadline for our Spring NEWS is March 21!

Always my best wishes, Sarah Estep

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