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We need more understanding of human nature, because the only real danger that exists is man himself . . . We know nothing of man, far too little. His psyche should be studied because we are the origin of all coming evil.
—Carl Gustav Jung (Interview with John Freeman, Face to Face, 1959)
The human brain, the most intricate structure known in the universe, is a fascinating enigma that surpasses all other mysteries. Exploring the depths of consciousness, a contentious topic in neurobiology, scientists grapple with whether it is an emergent property of the brain or something more. Its nature remains unresolved; many questions arise.
Within the vast realm of the human mind lies an aspect far more intriguing than conscious awareness—that mysterious Other known as the unconscious. From the unconscious mind comes scientific insights and ideas for artistic expression which rise to the surface of our awareness from time to time. The unconscious is hidden under a shroud of mystery; its depths unfathomable. The story you are about to embark upon was not entirely conceived on a conscious level; most of it came from my unconscious mind; it was in a liminal state—a state between wakefulness and sleep—that much of the story was written.
Some of the concepts in this book are centered around the unconscious mind. Some evidence suggests the human brain is capable of generating, what is referred to as, paranormal experiences. Whether those experiences have an objective reality is unknown. However, based on the research I have done for over two decades, there seems to be some type of externalization that occurs—materializations. The anecdotal evidence is overwhelming that materializations do occur. Other researchers have reached the same conclusion.
This book focuses on paranormal phenomena and their relation to the human mind. The people, places, and events in my story are all fictional. Some of the technologies mentioned have actually been used in the study of the paranormal, such as the Koren Helmet, also known as the “God Helmet.” The device was popularized by Dr. Michael Persinger, who conducted studies using the helmet over the span of several years. Persinger reported that participants in his studies had many strange experiences. Some people reported seeing ghosts. Others reported seeing aliens. While others only reported having sensed a presence in the room with them. Some people even reported seeing God; hence the device’s name. It’s worth mentioning that some people had no experience at all.
The human mind is capable of marvelous feats. Take, for example, the placebo effect. Studies of the placebo effect indicate that the mind is capable of affecting the body. There seems to be a neurobiological reaction that can affect certain chemicals, such as endorphins and dopamine. These chemicals affect mood, emotional reactions, and even self-awareness. Ted Kaptchuck, who directed a Harvard program for placebo studies, thinks that the placebo effect not only involves taking a pill, but the very act of taking a pill creates a ritual. He thinks the environmental factors and the ritual of taking medicine are important in the overall effect of the placebo. The ritual of taking medicine has a positive effect on healing, according to Kaptchuk.
The placebo itself has no medicinal value of course. Why placebos work is not fully understood. The expectation (belief) of the person taking the placebo plays into the overall effect it has on them. The use of brain imaging in placebo studies shows that neural activity has changed. Opioid receptor activity is directly impacted. For instance, when placebos are used to reduce pain, known as placebo analgesia, there are a couple of possible reasons for their effectiveness. It either initiates the release of endorphins (natural painkillers) or alters the perception of pain in the person’s mind.
Associate Professor Sheila Coulson (University of Oslo), showed that modern humans have performed advanced rituals for at least seventy thousand years. The use of rituals has persisted throughout the ages. Most religions have rituals that the adherents perform during ceremonies. Occult practices involve the use of rituals, spells, and charms. It is my opinion that the human mind is the true power behind rituals. Rituals are empowered and fueled by belief. This might explain why some people wearing the “God Helmet” experience something anomalous while others experience nothing at all. I mention Kapthuck’s and Coulson’s work because my story involves the use of rituals. They have a major impact on our lives and the lives of the characters in this book.
Thomas Bearden, a nuclear engineer, did research into anomalous phenomena. His research into biofield mechanisms provides a more technical explanation for how placebos might work. Bearden states that negative thoughts that are repeated or obsessed over in the mind can cause physical illness. This is referred to as psychosomatic but admits that the mechanism responsible for this is unknown. According to him, electrical currents that run through the nervous system, across cell membranes, and through cell water structures, result in thought energy being continually sparked into weak electrical patterns, which affect all the vital processes of the body. He claims that nearly all kindled thought energy comes from the content of the unconscious mind. This content has either a positive or negative effect on the body.
The human psyche is, according to Carl Jung, the totality of psychic processes, both conscious and unconscious. Jung viewed the psyche as a self-regulating system, which is a type of control system. A control system for what, exactly? Perhaps it is a control system that manages the evolution of human consciousness. Jung’s model for the psyche includes a process called individuation—the psyche’s search for wholeness. That is, after all, one of the reasons I wrote this book, to explore the human psyche and its search for wholeness.
Perhaps paranormal phenomena are the projection of psychic forces that serve different functions in the psyche and the material world. They establish a link between the unconscious mind and conscious awareness.
Although the story you’re about to read is fiction, much of what happens in it concerning parapsychological (paranormal) phenomena has a basis in reality. Life is wonderfully mysterious. Our current interpretations of reality may, at times, fall short, especially when confronted with parapsychological phenomena. Over the course of human history, people have had anomalous experiences which defy explanation. Some argue that those experiences were all in the person’s mind. A valid argument. But everything we experience in life is constructed in the mind. The tools of science may eventually allow us to understand parapsychological phenomena, to see behind the curtain if you will, just as the invention of the microscope expanded our view of the hidden microscopic universe.
Whatever your beliefs are concerning parapsychological phenomena, I hope you find the following story entertaining. But I also hope it sparks your imagination and leaves you asking: What is reality?
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