Sitter Groups & Macro-PK

This subcategory of ESP & Psychokinesis gathers together reports of what is called macro-psychokinesis or macro-PK, physical effects produced through mental action. Articles cover raps, table turnings and similar phenomena intentionally produced in sitter groups and a variety of other contexts. Some associated with physical mediumship have been shown to be fraudulent, but not all can be explained that way.

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Amyr Amiden

Brazilian medium known for the appearance near him of materialized objects, sometimes on request.

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Charles Bailey

Charles Bailey (1870–1947) was an Australian medium known for an ability to produce ‘apports’ of great variety.

Bangs Sisters

Bangs Sisters

Nineteenth century American mediums suspected of fraud in the production of 'spirit portraits' that appeared on blank canvasses.

photograph of Kenneth Batcheldor

Kenneth J Batcheldor

British psychologist (1921–1988) who showed 'table tipping' could be produced by living agents collectively in sitter groups.

Marthe Beraud (Eva C), French physical medium

Marthe Béraud (Eva C)

French materialization medium studied by European researchers in the early twentieth century.

detail of a photograph obtained paranormally and said to be of Dr Bindelof

Bindelof Phenomena

Describes séance phenomena experienced by a group of American teenage boys between 1929 and 1933.


Coin Apports: The Mexico City Case

A variety of coins appeared without an obvious normal source or cause.

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Mina Stinson Crandon (Margery)

Controversial American physical medium who caused a split in the ASPR in the 1930s.


Stella Cranshaw

London nurse (1900–1986) who produced abundant phenomena in investigative sittings organized in the 1920s by Harry Price.

Albert de Rochas

de Rochas on Physical Mediumship

A 1896 book provides detailed descriptions of phenomena produced by European mediums.

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Helen Duncan

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

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Felicia Parise

American woman who taught herself to move small objects by means of psychokinesis and was observed doing so in test conditions.

Kai Mügge, Felix Circle physical medium

Felix Experimental Group

German circle for physical mediumship noted for the magnitude and diversity of its phenomena.

Uri Geller, psychic

Uri Geller

Israeli-born celebrity psychic renowned for metal-bending and telepathic feats which, however, are not without controversy.

photo of Katie's face with gold leaf

The Gold Leaf Lady

Florida housewife who exhibits psychic effects, notably golden-like brass foil that appears on her skin and clothes.

Kathleen Goligher

Goligher Circle

Northern Irish Spiritualist group reported to produce striking PK phenomena, the subject of research in the 1910s.

DD Home, nineteenth century spirit medium

Daniel Dunglas Home

Well-known nineteenth century medium, some of whose phenomena were observed in controlled conditions.

photo of Indridi Indridason

Indridi Indridason (medium)

Icelandic trance medium (1883–1910) who produced physical phenomena comparable to DD Home.

Rudi Schneider, Austrian seance medium (1909-1957)

Investigation of Rudi Schneider by Eugène Osty

Tests of an Austrian physical medium with instruments suggested the presence of a psychokinetic force.

photo of Franek Kluski

Franek Kluski

Polish banker (1873–1943) with psychic abilities and for some years submitted to investigation as a materialization medium.

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Ninel Kulagina

Russian woman (1926–1990) whose apparent ability to move objects by psychokinesis was investigated by parapsychologists.

Carlos Mirabelli, Brazilian spirit medium (1889-1951)

Carlos Mirabelli

Brazilian medium (1889–1951) credited with phenomena of similar power and frequency to those associated with DD Home.

picture of Enrico Morselli

Morselli’s Psicologia e Spiritismo

Study of Eusapia Palladino, with emphasis on clinical and psychological aspects of the case.

William Stainton Moses, seance medium (1839-92)

William Stainton Moses

British Anglican priest and teacher who described experiences with mediumship in a private circle.


Noah’s Ark Society for Physical Mediumship

The NAS originated in a home circle in 1990 and indirectly fostered the later Scole Circle.


Ted Owens

American psychic who won notoriety by claiming macro-psychokinetic (PK) powers, including an ability to control the weather.


Eusapia Palladino

Nineteenth century Italian trance medium (1854–1918) who produced psychokinetic phenomena of striking strength.

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Mikhail Petrovo-Solovovo

Russian diplomat and psychical researcher (1868–1954) known for interest in physical mediumship.

drawing of the fictional Philip by a member of the group

Philip Psychokinesis Experiments

Landmark 1970s experiment in which a Canadian sitter group created PK phenomena.

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Padre Pio

Italian Roman Catholic friar and mystic (1879–1968) known for producing 'stigmata', bleeding sores recalling Christ's crucifixion.

St. Joseph of Cupertino is lifted in flight at the sight of the Basilica of Loreto, by Ludovico Mazzanti  (detail)

Religious Levitation

Reports of individuals being seen, spontaneously and involuntarily, to rise into the air and remain suspended

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Sai Baba

Sathya Sai Baba was an Indian religious leader known worldwide for 'miracles' such as materializing sweets and ornaments.

Photograph of a sitting for physical phenomena of mediumship at Scole, Norfolk

The Scole Circle

This Norfolk-based group held séances during the 1990s, claiming to have communicated with spirits and observed other phenomena.

Henry Slade

Henry Slade

Nineteenth century physical medium accused of fraud who also produced PK phenomena in well-controlled conditions.

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Table-Turning

‘Table-turning’ (or ‘table-tipping) refers to the anomalous movement of tables and other furniture during mediumistic seances.

Stanislawa Tomczyk

Stanislawa Tomczyk

Polish woman whose ability to produce visible psychokinetic effects in controlled conditions is well documented.

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