‘Psi’, the Greek letter ψ, is the modern term for psychic phenomena. The existence of psi – and the related idea that consciousness is independent of the physical body (and so may survive bodily death) – are disputed, as they seem to violate well-established natural laws. However, researchers are convinced they have evidence for these things, posing a challenge to materialist science. The Psi Encyclopedia presents their reasoning in over 700 signed articles by 86 authors, many of them senior academics. It also provides links to books, articles and videos that are free to view.

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Key Topics

photograph of JB Rhine, one of the first to explore psychological variables underlying psi

Psychology and Parapsychology

Explores the overlap between psychology and parapsychology, such as personality and other variables linked to psi.

albert einstein2

Eminent People Interested in Psi (list)

A list of some 200 scientists, thinkers, writers, and artists who took seriously the possibility of psi.

Ingo Swann, one of the first remote viewers

Remote Viewing

An experimental form of clairvoyance, in which a suitably trained person attempts to visualise the topography of a distant scene.

Tunnel in Near-Death Experience

Near-Death Experience (Overview)

This article describes anomalous mental events reported by people who have survived a near-fatal accident or illness.

Early reincarnation beliefs in the West are associated with the Greek philosopher Pythagoras in the sixth century BCE

Reincarnation: An Introduction

This introductory article covers beliefs in reincarnation, evidence for reincarnation, and sceptical views of the research.

image of dice being thrown

Psychokinesis Research

Overview of experimental research on mind-matter interaction, commonly referred to as psychokinesis (PK).

Psychologist Gardner Murphy led the ASPR during its heyday in the 1960s.

American Society for Psychical Research (ASPR)

The oldest parapsychological organization in the United States, founded in 1884, now practically defunct.

photo of N'kisi, an African Grey parrot involved in ESP experiments

Animals in Psi Research

Describes informal observations, early tests and modern lab experiments looking at animals' psychic capabilities.

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ESP & Psychokinesis

The term extra-sensory perception (ESP), introduced in the 1930s, comprises telepathy, clairvoyance and precognition, acknowledging that these categories may considerably overlap. Psychokinesis is the direct influence on matter by mind alone, without physical action. All have been successfully tested in the laboratory and studied in real life situations.

photograph of Freiburg, where the IGPP, a leading parapsychology centre in Europe

Experimental Parapsychology in Europe

This article provides an overview of psi research in laboratories across continental Europe.

Aimée Morgana teaching N'kisi to speak

N’kisi (pet telepathy)

Successful telepathy experiment carried out with an African Grey parrot which had been taught to speak several words.

Dreams and ESP

Dreams and ESP

This article describes the experience and study of ESP in dreams, notably of telepathic interactions and precognitions of future events.

Gifted People

Most people may only experience a psychic event once or twice in their lives, but for a few it’s a natural ability, which some develop as a professional career. Two types feature in the Psi Encyclopedia: those who have demonstrated telepathy, clairvoyance, precognition or psychokinesis in some way, and those who believe themselves to be in communication with the deceased.

helen duncan

Helen Duncan

Controversial Scottish physical medium (1898–1956) sentenced to jail under England’s Witchcraft Act of 1735.

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Chico Xavier (medium)

Popular Brazilian medium (1910–2002) celebrated for his prolific output of poetry, fiction and Spiritist philosophy.

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Alex Tanous

Alex Tanous (1926–1990) was a noted New England psychic and parapsychologist, who contributed to out-of-body research.

Mind & Body

This category contains articles that treat consciousness in relation to the body. Major topics covered include healing and psychotherapy; dreams and dreaming; and out-of-body experiences, end-of-life experiences, and near-death experiences, all of which suggest that consciousness may have an existence independent of the physical body.

sylvan muldoon

Sylvan J Muldoon

American who wrote about his out-of-body experiences, which occurred throughout his life, and which he was able to control.

Harry Edwards2

Harry Edwards

Celebrated British spiritual healer of the mid-20th century, who engaged in vigorous controversy with religious and medical critics.

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Clinical Parapsychology

Therapeutic approach that aims to provide support for people disturbed by anomalous event experiences.

Survival of Death

Life continued in a spiritual or purely mental form after bodily death is a staple of religious beliefs worldwide, and likely is as old as humanity. The question of evidence for it has been central to the Society for Psychical Research since its founding in 1882. This category includes articles on mediumship as well as general topics related to the survival question. Other survival-related topics appear under other category headings.

Frederic Myers, a co-founder of the Society for Psychical Research and, putatively, a driving force behind the cross-correspondence phenomenon following his death

The Cross-Correspondences

Apparently coordinated messages through different mediums, thought to provide strong evidence of survival.

image of printed page in Turkish

Is Xenoglossy Evidence of Survival?

Xenoglossy in mediumship is less indicative of survival than some researchers assume.

photograph of British medium George Chapman

George Chapman/William Lang

British trance medium reputed to channel the spirit of William Lang, an ophthalmic surgeon.

Reincarnation

Reincarnation beliefs are widespread in the world and in recent decades researchers have found what they believe is evidence of them through the study of people (mainly children) who claim to have lived before. This category includes case studies and overviews of phenomena that appear regularly in the cases. Some articles deal with past life regression as well.

photograph of Bobby Jones, the 1920s golf star whose life was remembered by a two-year-old American boy

Behavioural Memories in Reincarnation Cases

Reincarnation cases include not only past life memories but behaviours consistent with these memories.

pilgrims bathing in the Ganges in Varanasi (Benares)

Jagdish Chandra (reincarnation case)

An Indian boy remembered a previous life as the pampered son of a corrupt official in a distant city.

cameronmacaulay2

Past-Life Memory Research with Children

Research has concentrated on claims to recall past lives spontaneously, without the aid of hypnosis.

Haunting

Location-based hauntings have been relatively little studied by parapsychologists, but the frequent incidence of apparitional episodes (the appearance of a deceased family member) attracted the attention of early researchers. Much interest has also centred on so-called ‘poltergeist’ episodes, of powerful domestic disturbances now often attributed to involuntary psychokinetic effects by living agents.

Tina Resch crop

Tina Resch (Columbus Poltergeist)

Focus of poltergeist-type phenomena at her home in Columbus, Ohio, in 1984,

James Herrmann, aged 12, was the focus of the anomalous disturbances at his family's Seaford, Long Island home

Seaford Poltergeist

Poltergeist-type disturbances in 1958 in Seaford, Long Island, New York, centering on a 12-year-old boy.

Beaulieu Abbey

Beaulieu Abbey

Ghostly sightings have frequently been reported in a ruined Cisterican abbey in the town of Beaulieu, Hampshire.

General Topics

This section lists articles on a variety of topics that are not found in any of the main categories, from brain research and altered states of consciousness to dowsing, crop circles and other anomalistic phenomena.

orbs

Orbs (Light Anomalies)

Light anomalies often seen in photographs and video are attributed by some to the presence of ghosts or spirit entities.


Psychische Studien (journal)

Early German psychical research journal (1874–1925) that contained reports of experiences and investigations.

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Photography and the Paranormal

Apparently paranormal images captured on film are vulnerable to claims of misinterpretation, malpractice or fraud.

Scientists & Authors

Here can be found more than 300 biographical profiles of key figures who have been involved in psi research and parapsychology as field investigators, experimentalists, theorists and commentators. Many have scientific and academic backgrounds – in psychology, physics, biology, philosophy, engineering and other disciplines.

Debra Katz

Debra Lynne Katz

American parapsychologist, author, educator, and intuitive practitioner, carrying out research on remote viewing and related topics.

jack hunter 4

Jack Hunter

British anthropologist whose work explores connections between consciousness, religion, ecology and paranormal phenomena.

photo of Robert Monroe

Robert Monroe

American busnessman (1915–1995), founder of The Monroe Institute, which offers training in his Hemi-Sync technology to explore consciousness.

Organizations

The oldest organizations devoted to parapsychology were member organizations like the Society for Psychical Research, established in London in 1882. Since JB Rhine founded the Parapsychology Laboratory at Duke University in 1930, there have been university-based units as well. This category comprises both historical and contemporary bodies concerned with research and education in parapsychology.

california

Southern California Society for Psychical Research

Organization founded in 1961 and merged with the International Foundation for Survival Research, now also defunct, in 1983.

vernon mews

Society for Psychical Research (SPR)

Membership organization founded in London in 1882 for the scientific investigation of claims of psychic phenomena.

photograph of Sydney, Australia

Australian Institute of Parapsychological Research (AIPR)

Australia’s oldest extant psi research organization, founded in Sydney in 1977.

Scepticism

Sceptics argue that psychics and mediums achieve their effects by trickery, that psychic experience is an illusory effect caused by a combination of brain misperceptions and confirmation bias, and that evidence of psi in laboratory tests can be attributed to poor methodology. This category includes biographies of leading sceptics as well as general articles discussing their allegations.

james randi

James Randi

Canadian-born conjurer (1928–2020) and public scourge of psychics, faith healers, parapsychologists and practitioners of alternative medicine.

Paul Edwards

Reincarnation Case Studies: Criticisms

This article addresses objections critics have raised to the reincarnation case research of Ian Stevenson and others.

Susan Blackmore

Susan J Blackmore

British psychologist, consciousness researcher and psi sceptic, who has frequently appeared in the media promoting her views.

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