From My Viewpoint

Five years ago I wrote, “We are on our way!” Now, with this, the fifth anniversary newsletter I can write that we are continuing our way together into the future.

I like to think of the future, as I said in my closing remarks at our August ‘85 conference, as a never-ending story. I am not nearly as pessimistic as many who, looking into their crystal ball, see only dark clouds. My ball may have shadows here and there, but beyond the shadows I always see the rays of the sun breaking through. The future is infinite. Although each of us is finite in our physical form, we will move on to an infinite future.

In our second anniversary newsletter I wrote, “I have always believed strongly in John Donne’s wonderful statement, ‘No man is an island.’” Nothing since then has changed my mind. You have constantly reinforced my belief that you care about others; that you have a sensitivity, a desire to reach out and make our infinite future better today.

One man, a charter AA-EVP member, wrote several months ago that his letter was “inspired by the fact that loved ones have been in the hospital this year.” He said, “It is in hospitals, Sarah, that one sees the bright promise of EVP most graphically illustrated. ... I see only that those people—and all the rest of us—need hope in demonstrable form.” This man could have sat back and wrung his hands, but instead he is reaching out and becoming involved. He is making active efforts to interest others in research and development of the electronic voice.

In life, we are always aware of death. This can bring days filled with dread, or vistas of the never-ending story mentioned a moment ago. At the end of January, another individual wrote, when he renewed his membership, “I am looking forward to the conference this summer. The amount of power and energy produced by like-minds is astounding! I am happy to be a member of the organization. The AA-EVP helps me to realize more of the inner light. In times of stillness, I know this invisible power is all I really need.”

This has been a good year for the AA-EVP. Two months ago, our size suddenly increased over one-third. It is pleasing to be able to say we have grown from twenty-some members in ten states and Canada in our first newsletter, to approaching 300 representatives in forty-one states, the District of Columbia, and eleven foreign countries in this, our twenty-first newsletter. Size, though, brings increased responsibility as well as some dangers. It can be a two-edged sword which can more easily lead to misunderstanding and even misrepresentation.

What are my hopes for the future? From here, from my viewpoint, 1987 looks good. An outstanding third national conference has been planned for August. You will find enclosed, your invitation to Discover Keys to Life as Egyptian Odyssey II leaves October 1, for Egypt. There are several situations developing which give promise of additional positive growth for our Association. It is important that we remain an out-reach organization, to let others know what we have learned and to present all genuine evidence for postmortem survival. It is just as important though, that the AA-EVP helps others realize more of the “inner light” as quoted earlier. To know we survive death is comforting but survival without virtue is an empty victory.

Size is not the ultimate goal. It is what we do with what we have that counts. It is the essence of a person, a group, that is important. Ideals expressed are not always ideals lived. To live what we believe, in spite of tremendous difficulties at times, is not easy and yet, it is the only way to find peace within. You are important. Together, we are making an important difference as we continue our never-ending journey into a never-ending future.

ESP Research Associates Foundation àAA-EVP

In our Winter newsletter, I wrote that Harold Sherman, at the age of eighty-nine, felt it was time to give up publication of his bi-monthly newsletter and his work with the Foundation which he started many years ago. Over the years, Harold’s work and his Foundation became known around the world. He brought hope and news of research and activities in the fields of survival and psi phenomena, to thousands of people. As I wrote three months ago, his middle name could be “integrity” for he always stood for the highest standards in all areas of psi.

I have been a member of his Foundation since 1977, and we have been close friends for nine years. When I learned from him that he was ending his work with the Foundation, I asked how he felt about his members becoming a part of the AA-EVP. Harold has been a charter member of our organization and so was well acquainted with our focus and philosophies. Several letters and phone calls followed and in January, all of his members became associated with our group. No one, no group, can ever replace another for each is unique, but I believe our own members, as well as Harold’s, have much in common. We are interested in evidence for survival, and all of us together are searching for the “inner light.” We want more of that light in our own lives and want to help others find it also.

I know you will join me in saying to the Foundation members, “Welcome to the AA-EVP!”

Foundation Members Respond

In the letter of welcome I sent to all Foundation members at the time of their becoming a part of our organization, I enclosed background information about the AA-EVP as well as the Winter newsletter and invited them to take an active part in our upcoming activities, such as the August conference and Egyptian Odyssey II. I encouraged them to share with us what they were doing and suggested they might like to contribute to our newsletter.

Two of those who responded were the Rev. Virginia Elmgren of IL and Kay Sterner of CA.

Virginia described her work over the years with the ESP Foundation, Spiritual Frontiers Fellowship, and as a Life Member of Daily Word and Unity. She is familiar with voice recordings, having read about them. She also attended Harold Sherman’s last conference in St. Louis, when Walter Uphoff played some voice tapes in a workshop. She closed her letter with, “I send you my unconditional love and support.”

Kay Sterner and I had exchanged several letters two years ago when she sent me her excellent book: A Psychic Explores the Unseen World. We were privileged to offer this at the book table at our last conference and some of you have bought it since then. Kay founded the California Parapsychology Foundation, Inc. in 1957. She has traveled the world, investigating many areas of psi phenomena, including taped voices. In her letter to me Kay wrote, “The Psychic is one denominator common to all religions.” She also mentioned that she has been involved with psychic surgery and will discuss this in her next book. Since Kay is active in teaching and leading workshops in psychic and spiritual development, you may wish to contact her: [Address withheld].

How a Special Spirit Friend was Made

Some of us have been fortunate in our tapings, over the years, to make new spirit friends who speak to us frequently on tape and help us with our efforts in voice phenomena.

Clara Laughlin of VA is one such person. In a recent phone conversation, I asked Clara how Bill Callie had come into her life. He is an individual who has come through to her many times and often brings Clara’s husband, Tom, to speak to her.

Clara replied that she had never known Callie in his physical life and so asked why he came to speak to her so frequently. Callie replied that during Tom’s long illness, he had been with him to help and then assisted him in his transition. From that experience, he and Tom have become close friends in Spirit, and so he feels something of a responsibility to continue to help, in this case Clara, as she is reaching out for voice contact with those on the other side. Clara says he has a wonderful sense of humor, always seems to know what she is doing (as does Tom) and doesn’t hesitate to offer advice about her various activities.

Chronovisor Follow-Up

In the Winter newsletter, I wrote about a letter received from Dr. Ernst Senkowski, West German AA-EVP member, in which he described a presentation made by Padre Pellegrino Ernetti at a congress of border sciences at Lake Garda, Italy.

To briefly recount ... Padre Ernetti is a member of the Roman Catholic Order of Benedictines and teaches Archaic Music in Vienna. Although few details were known, some people were aware that he had been working for years on an instrument he called Chronovisor, which permitted the viewer to look into the past. At Lake Garda, he revealed more about his work.

and th rGsearch that h was carrying out with a group of physicists in which they had successfully received pictures and sounds from the early days of Rome as well as other events.

Ernst wrote in January that he had found a report about Padre Ernetti’s work dated March 1, 1979. This letter confirms the newer data presented at Lake Garda. The 1979 paper stated that in an interview with Padre Ernetti, he said he had been working with twelve physicists. Together, they had constructed a complex system with which pictures, tones and events from earlier centuries could be received. His system possesses a number of antennas for tuning into different tones and pictures. Each person is characterized by a sort of individual identity card.

As mentioned in the Winter newsletter, Ernst feels there is still much more to be learned about Chronovisor, before it can be accepted. He reminds us that, “Energy, according to the best of physical knowledge, will not keep form indefinitely in our system.” He is continuing in his efforts to contact Padre Ernetti directly and will share with us if this occurs.

This and That

Numerous items have crossed my desk in the last three months, many of which I believe will be of interest to you. Since they require more than two or three lines to do them justice, I decided that a new feature—This And That—was required.

“Spirit Voice on Tape Recorder Traps Murderer” appeared in the January 1987 issue of the GAZETTE, published by the Spiritualist Association of Great Britain/London. Several members sent it to me and I will briefly review it.

Hedwig and George Riedel, old age pensioners, moved from their home in Switzerland to spend their last days in Vienna. They quickly became popular with their new neighbors, but then mysteriously disappeared. After four weeks the neighbors called the police. The house was searched and the bodies of Hedwig and George were discovered. Both had been brutally murdered by strangulation.

One of the neighbors, Hans Luksch, had successfully taped voices of the unseen for many years. He gathered a group of friends together, and they sent out their thoughts to the deceased couple. With the tape recorder recording, they repeatedly asked, “Do you know your killer?” At first here was much crackling and distortion but then suddenly, and clearly a lady’s voice replied, “Yes.” Luksch then asked, “Do you know his name?” The same female voice answered, “Bozidar Sajn.”

Luksch and his friends were convinced the voice was Hedwig’s. The police laughed at Luksch when he presented them with the tape, but eventually they located a Yugoslavian with the same name. It was discovered he lived in the same apartment block as the Riedels and he confessed to the crime. The Vienna court sentenced him to life in prison.

“Thomas Edison Working on Machine to Communicate With the Dead at the Time of his Death,” was the title of an article sent to me by Richard Busse of Indiana. Most of us have heard that Edison was working on such a machine before he died, but efforts to locate his plans have met with failure. In the January ‘87 issue of Astrology & Psychic News, Alvin Speckler, a New Jersey scientist and distant relative of Edison, reported that the machine he is working on is a creation of Edison’s. He feels that the most difficult aspect of the research has been completed and he has “heard some fascinating things about the next life.” The article closed with, “A report to the scientific community concerning Mr. Speckler’s work should be made public later this year.”

“Typewritten letter from the dead” was a fascinating report which I received in a recent letter from Monty Hearson, OR State Coordinator.

Atilla von Szalay of CA, as many people know, was one of the first people to record voices of the unseen on tape. Raymond Bayless, well-known psychical investigator and author, reported this in the January 1959 issue of the Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research. Later, D. Scott Rogo, also noted psychical investigator and author, wrote about working with von Szalay.

Now, according to Monty’s letter, von Szalay is receiving communications in a different way. He has a beeper, similar to what doctors use. One day it started beeping independently. Von Szalay asked questions and it beeped once or twice for yes and no answers, such as raps heard in table turning. From reports, he has rigged up an electronic contraption which will receive beeps and translate them into letters on a typewriter. He has received one letter this way and believes it will be possible to get more.

Robert Thouless’ Cipher Tests—further information about this came from Tina Laurent, Wales, Survival Board Member. Thouless was an eminent British psychologist and parapsychologist, and Cambridge University professor. Before his death in 1984, Thouless had signed up to take part in what is known as a cipher test, information which was to be relayed after his death. So far, it appears he has not been successful in communicating the two messages he left. Tina reported in her letter that the Society for Psychical Research (London), wrote that they had received money to cover expenses from Dr. Ian Stevenson, psychiatrist and parapsychologist, of the University of Virginia. With the money, they were able to have fourteen sittings with eight mediums during the last year. The Society said that they felt they had good contact with Thouless but he was unable to remember the keys to his tests. He reportedly said that, “It was like trying to remember something from a dream and that (he) had not expected that.”

In a newspaper clipping I received from Florida, the Survival Research Foundation of Pembroke Pines, FL, of which Thousless was a member, also has not received communication from him.

The message received from Thouless through mediums sitting for the S.P.R. is similar to a message I recorded on the wrong side of my tape a few years ago. I was in contact (I feel) with another parapsychologist who was taking part in a survival test. A number of evidential Class A messages came through on both sides of my tapes. I repeatedly asked him for the key to his test. Finally, in a tone showing frustration, he replied in a reverse message, “I can’t remember! I’m surprised. It was always with me!” This gentleman, unfortunately, had changed his test not long before his death, from an acronym to numbers, which I feel is probably more difficult to remember.

Our own Survival Project although also trying to provide evidence for postmortem communication has important differences. I have tried to incorporate into it all the necessary safeguards, while making it as easy as possible for those on the other side to come through.

Censing The Paranormal, by Jerome Clark, editor of FATE magazine, appeared in the February 1987 issue of Omni It is excellent, and I suggest you check your library for a copy if you haven’t read it. Clark presents the strong negative feelings many individuals and groups have in regards to anything which is an anomaly. Near the end of his article, Clark points out that many scientists don’t share the skeptics certainty that all anomalies are bogus.

The article was brought to me by Dan McKee, IL State Coordinator, Survival Board Member, and his wife, Marjorie, when they visited us for several days in March. Dan also brought the following Class A message received on the reverse side of his tape.

“I say the end soul in flesh as ye the man is. I am I, but the self over your days is numbered there. We mighty down there with ‘ya. Remember, we lived that he’s gonna use, and I need them there. I hope you live. Reign with that.”

Dan and I discussed at some length the meaning. What do you think it means? Write and let me know. Perhaps this is something we can share in our Summer newsletter.

Virginia State Coordinator

Clara Laughlin, a charter member of the Association who began taping voices in 1982, has agreed to become the state coordinator for Virginia. We are grateful to Clara for her willingness to serve in this capacity.

VTF Journal

Many thanks are owed to Hans Heckmann, AA-EVP member from Pennsylvania, who translated the latest German VTF Journal for us.

The Journal mentions the completion of Friedrich Jürgenson’s long awaited film about his pioneering efforts in the field of EVP going back to the 1950s. The one hour film is described as spellbinding and fast moving. Quoting from the review, “The message of life after death is expressed convincingly.” Last Gate to Eternity will be made into VHS copies suitable for home viewing for approximately $40.

Hans reminds us that VHS films from Europe use the PAL System. This system is not compatible with American TV/VHS systems.

Digital recording, which I mentioned in the Fall 1986 NEWS, was also discussed in the latest Journal. The quality of the recording is as good as the sound from a compact disc. Koberle, the editor of the Journal wrote, “An analog recorder could hardly amplify the EVP voice without also adding noise of its own. The digital method however, with its extremely low noise level could greatly amplify the voice without adding noise.”

Hans commented at the end of his translation that the two considerations of the performance of any tape recorder are of great importance to the recording of paranormal voices. 1) The Signal-to-Noise ratio of the recorder. 2) The dynamic range of the recorder (difference between the lowest and loudest recorded sound). The bigger the range, the better. He feels that a truly digital tape recorder excels in both.

The recorders are still extremely expensive (about $1,000) and not generally available. In time, price should come down as more reach the market. At that point, those working in the field of taped voice phenomena may want to consider them seriously.

News From and About Members

Bernadette Arias, West Germany, has called and written several times in the last three months. She and her mother drove to Luxembourg to visit Jules and Maggie Harsch-Fischbach who are also AA-EVP members. She wrote, “It was indeed an impressive evening. We heard a loud voice from the famous EVP researcher Konstantin Raudive who died in 1974. He spoke long sentences and explained that in the future we will see dead persons on the screen and at the same time receive their voices on tape!”

Robert Camburn, PA, had a poem, “Three Little Candles,” published in the February issue of the Spiritual Frontiers Fellowship newsletter.

Jules and Maggie Harsch-Fischbach, Luxembourg, sent me an excellent tape of voices and have also written and called several times. In addition to AA-EVP members Bernadette Arras and her mother being present for recordings, Ernst Senkowski also visited them for a taping. Unseen voices came through each time. Maggie wrote in her letter that they felt teamwork among people interested in the voice phenomena was of utmost importance in getting valuable results. In reply to my question as to what sound source they used, Jules answered that they use short wave below 88 MHz. Maggie ended their tape to me by saying, “Transcommunication shows the way to other dimensions and it has become an important and beautiful task.”

Rosalba Harris, PA, has translated several of Marcello Bacci’s letters for me. Bacci is the Italian researcher who is having outstanding transcommunication contacts, many resulting in two way conversations. In a recent letter Bacci wrote, “Our group is involved in hypnosis and mediumistic studies from a scientific point of view. We would like to exchange information and to collaborate with groups also interested in these phenomena.” You may write to him at: [address withheld] Grosseto, Italy

Monty Hearon, OR State Coordinator, in answer to Robert Camburn’s request in the last NEWS for a better word to describe the dead than deceased or discarnate, suggests “liberants.” Monty wrote, “There is no such word in any of our dictionaries, but people make up words in this area all the time. It would be defined as “those who have been liberated from the body.”

David Lothamer, CA State Coordinator, Survival Board Member, sent me an excellent tape. Some of the message on it are, “You won’t die” and “Hold that vision.” When David asked if life after death was a dream, a Class A voice answered, “It’s not a dream for soul.”

John Webb, CA, recently joined the AA-EVP. He wrote, “I finally began getting EVP with my earphones used as paired microphones simply by plugging them into the mike jack. It works as a high impedance mike since speakers, earphones and mikes have similar circuitry.”

August Conference Up-Date

Program planning is complete for our third national conference from August 7 through 9. I can say without reservation, that although our first two conferences were good, this is the best! For one thing, it is better balanced. For another, speakers and workshop leaders are outstanding in their knowledge and special charisma which not only captivates their audience while they are speaking, but makes them a delight to be near when they are not on the speaker’s podium. The location of this conference also helps make it exceptional.

We are returning to the inner-harbor, Baltimore, location of our first conference. Within a five minute walk, you will find 130 shops and restaurants. With Baltimore’s fine museums and historical attractions, Baltimore has become a leading vacation spot on the East Coast for the entire family. Bring your children and spouse. They can enjoy the large indoor swimming pool at the Holiday Inn, and visit the National Aquarium, the Constellation, the Science Center, while you are taking part in our conference.

The Holiday Inn has turned over their newly redecorated entire top floor to us! No more searching frantically for workshop locations. Everything is spacious. The general assembly room holds 200. The smaller workshop rooms hold seventy-five. There is a long hallway with many nooks and crannies, ideal for talking between meetings with old and new friends, and our keynote speakers who will be with us the entire time.

The success of any conference, to a great extent, depends on program. Martin Ebon, Joseph Jochmans, Shala Mattingly are featured speakers. Lynn Gardner will teach an intensive workshop starting Friday morning titled, “Keys To Life,” which will run to 3:30, for those who want something very special. Our conference will officially get under-way at 4:00 P.M. From then on, until it ends about 4:00 P.M. Sunday, every moment will be filled with one exciting happening after another.

Saturday workshops are unique. You will choose one that lasts three hours, which will give you a more solid experience. Two of the four Saturday workshops—the “Spirit Photography” and the “Taping Voices of the Unseen” workshops, will take their participants on an actual field trip that afternoon to put into practice what they learned during the morning segment of the workshop. These two workshops must be strictly limited to the first thirteen who sign-up for them, so it is important to register early!

Other special features are a “Potpourri of Psychic Phenomena” Friday evening when you can try to bend a spoon (bring your own!), dowse for a lucky quarter, practice pendulum power, or play an EVP tape for us to hear. I could go on and on, but some surprises must be saved for the conference brochure which you will receive in May.

Decide now to come. When the brochure arrives, make your workshop choices (five exciting ones are offered Sunday morning) and without delay return it to me. We are doing extensive national advertising. According to reports, more people are attending conferences of this nature than ever before. I hope every seat of the 200 in the assembly room will be taken. I hope you will be sitting on one of them!

Odds and Ends

Send me your news for the Summer NEWS. We want to hear from you! Deadline is June 5.

Always my best wishes, Sarah Estep