• Home

                    DOME - Development of Mental Energy (tm)              
                                                                          
                              USER REFERENCE GUIDE                        
                                                                          
                                                                          
          Please  read  the  information contained in this guide to learn 
       how  to  operate the program to your best advantage. Included here 
       are  theories  behind its design and strategies to obtain the best 
       possible  scores.  It is especially  important  that  you  refrain 
       from  selecting  User  Start  on  the program menu until you fully 
       understand  its  significance.  (Use Demo Start to evaluate DOME.) 
       If  you  haven't  done  so  already, please read the file DOME.PRE 
       before   using  the  program.  You  can  print  the file by typing 
       TYPE DOME.PRE >LPT1  at the DOS prompt. Do not in any way edit the 
       file  DOME.TXT  as  doing  so  may  result in program failure when 
       viewing the User Guide or Psi Reference.                           
                                                                          
       Program  documentation  (info  contained in DOME.TXT and DOME.PRE) 
       is copyright (C) 1991-92 by Project Dome. All rights are reserved. 
                                                                          
                                Table of Contents                         
                                                                          
                                                                          
                      Section                       ViewPage              
                                                                          
                                                                          
                   I  Introduction                       3                
                                                                          
                  II  The Menu Functions                 9                
                                                                          
                 III  Running the Exercise              18                
                                                                          
                  IV  Strategies for Using DOME         21                
                                                                          
                   V  Everyday Aspects of Psi           25                
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
       INTRODUCTION                                                       
                                                                          
          Psi  testing  has  traditionally been performed in a laboratory 
       setting  where  subjects  have  been selected to participate in an 
       experiment  designed to allow for the demonstration of a subject's 
       presumed  clairvoyance,  telepathy,  psychokinesis,  etc. Over the 
       last  few decades, large numbers of test results which are claimed 
       to  undeniably prove the existence of psi phenomena now comprise a 
       great  deal  of  the published literature on the subject. Although 
       some  of  the  test  results seem to suggest, due to their extreme 
       chance  improbability,  the workings of paranormal interaction, it 
       has  been  later found that many of the experiments yielding these 
       impressive   results   did  not  hold  up  to  careful  scientific 
       scrutiny.  Critics of the field have found most of the experiments 
       to   be   seriously   methodologically  flawed,  lacking  adequate 
       controls  in many cases and thereby introducing the possibility of 
       results  obtained  by trickery on the part of the subject. Because 
       researcher  bias  can  often  also be an issue, other results were 
       suspect  in  that  they  might  have  been faked. In essence, when 
       deliberate  researcher  fraud  or  subject  trickery  could not be 
       directly   attributed  to  the  reported  results,  neither  could 
       otherwise be totally ruled out.                                    
                                                                          
          Furthermore,  when  subjects producing extraordinary results in 
       a  number  of  cases  were subject to testing repeated by critical 
       investigators   using  necessary,  more  stringent  controls,  the 
       results   were   seemingly   and  oddly  never  repeatable.  While 
       parapsychologists  have  felt  that  some  of  the better-designed 
       experiments  have  more  than  demonstrated  actual psi abilities, 
       critics  of  the field remain steadfast to this day in saying that 
       better  techniques  and  proof are required before science will be 
       ready to open itself up to the acceptance of psi.                  
                                                                          
          The  more  traditional  of  the psi testing techniques has been 
       with  a  widely  used  pack  of  25 ESP cards. One of five symbols 
       (circle,  square, cross, star, or three wavy lines) appears on the 
       faces  of  each  of  the  cards and there are 5 cards bearing each 
       symbol.  A  subject  undergoing  testing  would  exercise  his/her 
       presumed   clairvoyance   by   guessing  the  symbol  (or  target) 
       appearing  face  down  on each card. So, there would be 25 guesses 
       (or  trials)  in  each  pass (or run) through the ESP deck. In one 
       run   of   the  deck,  5  cards  guessed  correctly  (hits)  would 
       correspond  exactly  to  chance.  The more cards guessed correctly 
       over  5, the more likely to be due to something other than chance, 
       presumably  ESP.  Not  unexpectedly, skeptics have condemned tests 
       of  this  type  as  being  fraught with error, a major one dealing 
       with  the  result  of  manufacturing inconsistencies in the design 
       quality  of  the cards themselves. This may reportedly allow cards 
       to  be  identified  by  visual cues, registering subconsciously or 
       otherwise,  which  may  exert a scoring bias after several runs of 
       the ESP deck.                                                      
                                                                          
          Over  the years, one of the more promising concepts in the area 
       of  psi  testing  has  been  the  creation  of automatic recording 
       mechanisms  to  eliminate  the  possibility  of  recording errors, 
       especially  those  arising  out of an inherent bias on the part of 
       the  experimenter. These mechanisms, when used in conjunction with 
       an  automated  (self-sustained,  random,  and  controlled) testing 
       procedure,  not  subject to flaws and therefore biases inherent in 
       a  human-administered  system,  may  perhaps  be  the  only chance 
       parapsychology  has  to  prove  itself  as  far  as psi testing is 
       concerned.                                                         
                                                                          
          The   workings   of   the   DOME   program  are  based  on  the 
       aforementioned  concept.  DOME is a completely automated system in 
       which  the user guesses the nature of the target (one color out of 
       a  possible four, in this case) as pre-determined by the computer. 
       Scores  are  saved automatically if you choose to save them before 
       you  begin  the  user  run,  not  after.  This way there can be no 
       recording  bias  by  choosing  not  to  save  the scores of lesser 
       significance  (closer  to chance). Once a user run is started, the 
       resulting  score  will  be  saved  whether significant or not. The 
       length  of  the run is user selectable (20, 30, 40 trials). Hence, 
       exactly  chance scoring varies with the trials selected (5 hits/20 
       trials, 7.5/30, 10/40, on average).                                
                                                                          
          DOME  brings  the  practice  of psi testing home to you. Anyone 
       can  participate  in  using the exercise. Whether you do or do not 
       believe  in the existence of psychic abilities, DOME is infinitely 
       worth  trying  to  see  if  your  beliefs  have  an effect on your 
       ability   to   achieve   significant   scores.   Parapsychologists 
       generally  feel  that  it  helps  to  believe  in  order  to score 
       significantly above chance on an ESP exercise.                     
                                                                          
          Some  researchers  using automated testing systems, enhanced by 
       feedback  signaling  to  the  user, have reported positive results 
       with  their continued use on subjects. Feedback lets the user know 
       right  away  whether  or  not  a trial has been guessed correctly. 
       DOME  employs  an  audio-visual feedback system, thereby providing 
       the  user  with  dual instant knowledge of the correctness of each 
       impression  received  on  a  psychic  (or intuitive) level as each 
       trial  is  guessed.  Here,  if  psi is in fact responsible for any 
       extra-chance  scoring,  the  possibility arises that this feedback 
       system  might  be  used  to  help an individual learn to recognize 
       immediately  which  feelings  were  associated  with  the  correct 
       impressions,   hits   resulting.   If,  through  this  recognition 
       enhancement  aspect, these abilities can be developed to the point 
       where  they  can  be  relied  upon,  they may prove invaluable for 
       countless situations in everyday life.                             
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
       THE MENU FUNCTIONS                                                 
                                                                          
          DOME's  menuing  system makes it easy to get around and use the 
       program's  features.  Menu  items  may  be selected in a couple of 
       different  ways. You may use the left/right and up/down arrow keys 
       or  press  the key corresponding to the first letter of an item on 
       the  menu  bar  to  move the menu highlight to the desired choice. 
       Then  to  execute,  either  press   when at the highlighted 
       selection  or just simply press the displayed function key of your 
       selection.                                                         
                                                                          
       | DOME |                                                           
          The  psi  exercise  is  initiated  via this menu selection. The 
       computer  will run the exercise according to the settings you have 
       chosen  from  the  other menus. Demo Start and User Start function 
       in  exactly  the  same manner except for one important difference: 
       Demo  Start  will  not  permit  the  saving of scores whereas User 
       Start  will  save  them  automatically  at  the  end of a run. The 
       following note will explain the reason for this distinction.       
       IMPORTANT:  Since  scores will automatically be saved, select User 
       when  you are genuinely attempting the exercise. Yet, good reasons 
       exist  why  you  might  choose  the  Demo  over the User function. 
                                                                          
       Select Demo Start when:                                            
                                                                          
             >>  You are new at using the program and would first like    
       to familiarize yourself with the feel and layout of the exercise   
                                                                          
             >>  You are demonstrating to others how the program works    
                                                                          
             >>  You are not really serious about trying to do your best  
       or you are not in the necessary frame of mind to interact properly 
                                                                          
          In  addition,  please  keep in mind that should you choose User 
       Start,  be  prepared  to complete the entire exercise, as there is 
       no  way to cancel a User run. And since every score is destined to 
       be  saved  at  the  outset of the User run, you should be somewhat 
       prepared  to  try  your  best  at  the  exercise.  The  section on 
       strategies will provide some guidelines on how to do this.         
                                                                          
       | Mode |                                                           
          The  manner  in  which the computer generates the target colors 
       for  the  trials of each run is decided by which mode has been set 
       beforehand.  In  ESP  mode,  the  computer  has  randomly chosen a 
       target  color  which  it holds in memory until a trial is guessed, 
       immediately  after which point the true target color is displayed. 
       ESP,  namely  that  of  clairvoyance,  would  then  presumably  be 
       responsible  if  significantly  scoring runs were attained in this 
       mode.                                                              
                                                                          
          In  PK  mode, the computer randomly and very rapidly cycles the 
       four  target  colors  in  memory while it awaits your choice. When 
       you  interrupt  the  cycle by making your choice, the target color 
       held  in  memory  at  the  interruption  point  is  displayed.  PK 
       (specifically  micro-PK,  or  small-scale  psychokinesis) would be 
       responsible  if the user (agent) was in some way exerting a mental 
       influence  as to cause minor shifts in the processing speed of the 
       computer  and  therefore in the speed at which the computer cycles 
       the   target   colors.  The  net  result  would  presumably  be  a 
       coinciding  of  the color chosen by the user with the target color 
       held in memory at the exact moment in time.                        
                                                                          
          Then  there is a problem of multiple interpretation. In PK mode 
       the  possibility exists that ESP is really responsible and not PK, 
       or  a  combination  of  both. ESP could be at cause if the user is 
       clairvoyantly  or,  better  yet,  precognitively  picking  up  the 
       target  color  in  computer  memory (or the target that will be in 
       memory,  in  the case of precognition) at the exact moment a color 
       is  chosen  and  thus  the cycle is interrupted. You may find that 
       you   receive  psychic  impressions  of  the  correct  color  (due 
       exclusively to ESP, by definition) in either mode.                 
                                                                          
          In  PK  mode, whether you are successful at willing your choice 
       of  the  correct  color  (due  to micro-PK) or whether you receive 
       impressions  in  a  similar manner to that of the ESP mode (due to 
       precognition  or  clairvoyance),  neither  is the important issue. 
       What  is important is to utilize any method whatsoever which works 
       best  for  you. In fact, you may want to stick with whichever mode 
       produces   your  highest  scoring,  as  the  emphasis  is  on  psi 
       utilization  in  general.  It may be best to think of the mode (PK 
       or   ESP)  as  referring  more  to  the  method  of  target  color 
       generation  than to the actual underlying psi process which allows 
       you to score a hit.                                                
                                                                          
          Please  note  that a definitive test of effects due to micro-PK 
       can  only be accomplished through a system which utilizes a method 
       of  true  random target generation, where the user tries to affect 
       the  outcome  of  the  randomized  process  by  "causing"  certain 
       targets  to  be  generated  over others. In computer systems (like 
       the  one  you  are  using)  the  random process is algorithmically 
       generated  (i.e.,  according  to  a  formula), which is to say the 
       process  is  not  truly  random,  but rather simulated, or pseudo- 
       random.  In  other  words,  no  way exists to mentally influence a 
       change  in  the  generation  of  targets  since  their  outcome is 
       predetermined for any point in the cycle.                          
       | Trials |                                                         
          The  number  of  guess attempts in one run, i.e. the length, of 
       the  exercise  is  set by selecting this item on the menu. You are 
       encouraged  to stay with the Trials setting(s) of your preference. 
       If  you  feel  that  30 or 40 trials is too lengthy, stick with 20 
       trials  per run, especially if you feel that your scoring rate has 
       exhibited a tendency to decline over the course of a lengthy run.  
                                                                          
       | Options |                                                        
          Color  1  and  Color  2  set  the screen environment inside the 
       target   area   and  outside,  respectively.  Scroll  through  the 
       available  colors  by  using  the  up/down arrow keys, then set by 
       pressing    or  cancel by pressing . You may find that 
       certain  screen  colors,  when  suited  to  your tastes, appear to 
       enhance  your performance at the exercise. Incidentally, they will 
       probably  be  the  colors  that  make you the most comfortable and 
       allow  you  to  focus  by  putting  your  mind  at ease. The sound 
       feedback setting (on/off) may be also chosen under Options.        
                                                                          
       | Scores |                                                         
          Choosing  View  on  the  menu  will display the highest scores, 
       categorized  by  trials,  that  have been achieved throughout your 
       use  of  the program. The window is divided into an upper portion, 
       which  shows  the top ten highest individual runs on record, and a 
       lower part, displaying the top nine high score frequencies (number 
       of  times  each score has been achieved) and run total (T) for the 
       mode  on which you are currently set (PK or ESP). Only record high 
       scores are displayed, as these are the ones you want to beat.      
                                                                          
          In  order  to  know  whether  you  have demonstrated actual psi 
       abilities,  you  need  to  have  your  complete  sample  of scores 
       evaluated  by  us.  Use Mail on the Scores menu when you are ready 
       to  send  us  the  scores.  Since  the  program does not limit the 
       number  of  scores  it  will  accept  as  your  sample,  you  must 
       arbitrarily  decide  when  to send them in. As a general rule, the 
       more  times  you  have  used  the exercise (and therefore the more 
       scores  you have saved), the better. At the very least, you should 
       have  run  the exercise at least 20 to 30 times under at least one 
       set  number  of  trials.  Lesser  numbers  of  scores can still be 
       evaluated,  but  may  not  give  as  good  a  picture of your true 
       performance.                                                       
                                                                          
          After   you  have  entered  (or  reviewed)  in  the  registrant 
       information  window  your  name  and full return address (with zip 
       code,  please),  press  F1 to print the scores. Do not worry about 
       understanding  what's on the printout, as the data is printed in a 
       format  which allows us to best analyze it. Additional information 
       appearing  on the printed sheet is also helpful to us by providing 
       info  about user preferences. No timed deadline exists by which we 
       must  receive  the  score  printout,  so  there is no need to rush 
       through  the  exercises.  In  fact,  you may find that you achieve 
       higher  scores if you take your time and not attempt too many runs 
       over  too  short  a  period  of time. Scores can only be saved and 
       later printed from  within a registered copy of DOME.              
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
       | Info |                                                           
          In  addition  to  providing  you  with  the ability to view the 
       entire  User  Guide and Psi Reference from within the program, the 
       Info  menu  allows  you to print the registration form and Project 
       DOME  questionnaire  by  choosing Registration. Type your name and 
       full  return  address  including zip code in the appropriate input 
       fields  in  the  registrant  information  window, then press F1 to 
       print.  The  registrant  information  is  saved and utilized again 
       when you select Mail on the Scores menu.                           
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
       RUNNING THE EXERCISE                                               
                                                                          
          Once  the  exercise  has  been  initiated  via the selection of 
       either  Demo  Start  or  User  Start  on the program menu, you may 
       begin  to  use the key controls to select the target color of your 
       choice.  The target colors, and their associated key controls, are 
       as  follows:  red, up arrow; yellow, down arrow; blue, left arrow; 
       green,  right  arrow.  The  Num Lock may be in either setting. For 
       ease  of  use, you can simulate the arrow key configuration of the 
       AT-style,  101  keyboard  with  the Num Lock in the on setting and 
       the  center  numeric key (number 5) doubling as the down arrow key 
       (yellow).  This configuration permits the resting of three fingers 
       in  a  row on the controls, with the middle one controlling up and 
       down.                                                              
                                                                          
          For   each   trial,   you   will  notice  that  the  color  box 
       corresponding  to  your key press becomes highlighted. At the same 
       moment,  the  true  target  color  is displayed in the appropriate 
       box,  remaining  on  screen  for  a  predetermined  amount of time 
       (between  one  and  two  seconds)  before  it clears. Through this 
       visual  feedback,  you  will know instantly if your choice for the 
       trial  is  correct  (hit) or incorrect (miss). It is not necessary 
       to  wait  for  the  screen  to clear to move on to the next trial; 
       choose  targets  at  your  own  pace.  The  computer  has  already 
       generated  the  next successive target while revealing the current 
       target  on  screen,  in ESP mode. In PK mode, the rapid-generation 
       cycling  of  targets  is  ongoing  at all times during the run. In 
       addition  to the visual feedback, a tone is sounded, having a high 
       pitch  for a hit or a low pitch for a miss. This auditory feedback 
       can be enabled/disabled by selecting on the Options menu.          
                                                                          
          You  may  view  your  status  during a run by pressing  
       when  in  between  trials,  i.e., when boxes are empty. The status 
       will  inform you of the number of trials remaining, as well as how 
       many  hits have been achieved and the current settings. When a run 
       ends, the proportion of hits in comparison to the outcome for each 
       color is displayed by  way  of  a  hit  scale. With the hit scale, 
       you can  visually  tell  which  color  targets  you  may have been 
       inclined  to  guess  correctly  over any others. The upper graphic 
       depicts  (approx.)  the  actual number of correct guesses for each 
       color (bar) over the actual outcome of each color (line), with the 
       highest  outcome number (the measure) displayed on the axis of the 
       scale.  These  hits can also be viewed, in the lower graphic, as a 
       percentage of outcome for each color (approx.).                    
                                                                          
          In  terms  of  significant  scoring,  you should try to achieve 
       high  scores  as far from chance as possible. Chance scoring is as 
       follows:  for  20  trials, 5 hits; for 30 trials, 7 or 8 hits; for 
       40  trials, 10 hits. In order to determine actual significance due 
       to  psi  (as opposed to chance) a complete set of user scores must 
       be  statistically analyzed. Project DOME will do this for you when 
       you mail us your scores.                                           
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
       STRATEGIES FOR USING DOME                                          
                                                                          
          Before  you  begin  an  exercise,  you  should be in a mentally 
       relaxed  state,  while  remaining  both alert and receptive at the 
       same  time.  You  should  also be comfortably situated with no one 
       around  to  disturb  you,  without  distraction  and under no time 
       restrictions.  Clear  your  mind  completely. Remove all worry and 
       doubt,  otherwise  you  will  restrain or completely suppress your 
       mental  powers.  For honest skeptics, at least for the duration of 
       the  exercise, you must be willing to believe that you can rely on 
       your  psi faculties in order to score significantly. Faith in your 
       abilities is fundamental to scoring well.                          
                                                                          
          Once  this proper frame of mind is attained, begin the exercise 
       by  focusing your attention on the color boxes in the target area. 
       You  may  now  confidently await impressions of the correct target 
       color.  Do  this  with eyes either open or closed, whichever works 
       best  for  you.  Impressions  will  register  as  transient mental 
       images  and  sudden  feelings  which  impart  a distinct, positive 
       sensation  about  the  correctness of the target. For example, you 
       may  perceive  the target color as a mental flash and then score a 
       hit  by pressing the associated key for that target. An impression 
       may  also  be felt in terms of the direction of the target, if not 
       by   color   alone.  Oftentimes,  the  first  impression  received 
       intuitively  is  the  correct  one.  In  PK  mode,  when trying to 
       influence   target   outcome,   along   with  maintaining  a  firm 
       conviction,  your visualization of your selected target is helpful 
       just before pressing the proper key.                               
                                                                          
          Psychically  derived  information registers at a specific level 
       within  the  subconscious  in  a mentally unprocessed or elemental 
       form.  This registering occurs independantly of the conscious mind 
       and  its  associated  use  of  the five senses. When receiving psi 
       impressions,   you   must   take   precaution   against  conscious 
       interference  (reasoning,  imagination)  which  can  lead  you  to 
       incorrectly  second  guess  your  true intuitive impression of the 
       correct  color.  Any  guesses  you  make on the basis of conscious 
       reasoning  will  generally  not  produce  significant  scoring. An 
       example  of  this  occurs  when  you  try  to  figure  out, on any 
       successive  trial,  which  target  is  most likely the correct one 
       based  on  previous  trial  outcomes.  Searching  for a pattern or 
       method  by  which  to  deduce  your  choices  will not work as the 
       target  generation  is  random  anyway.  To aid you in suppressing 
       conscious  interference, keep your attention focused on the target 
       area.                                                              
                                                                          
          It  is  not  necessary to rush through the trials of a run; you 
       determine  your  own  pace. Take as long as you need to guess each 
       trial.  If  you  fail  to  perceive  a  target, avoid forcing your 
       selection.  Rather,  while maintaining a relaxed and focused state 
       of  mind,  try  directing  to  your subconscious, for example, the 
       following  suggestion: "Reveal to me what is the true color of the 
       target."  With confidence, anticipate an impression of the correct 
       color to then arise.                                               
                                                                          
          Practice  is essential in order to become skilled at using your 
       psi  ability.  However,  do  not  attempt  too  many  runs  in one 
       sitting,  especially if you notice a decline in your scoring. Take 
       breaks,  as  many and as often as required to restore your ability 
       to  perform well. Concern yourself with the trial at hand only; to 
       consciously  dwell  on  past  scores  may  interfere with your psi 
       abilities  in  the current run. Stay motivated and keep a positive 
       outlook,  even if your scoring is falling short of expectation. It 
       is  unreasonable  to  expect  high  scores all the time, and it is 
       expected  that  you  will  achieve  chance  and  even below-chance 
       scores  occasionally.  In  fact, psi significance is determined by 
       analyzing  the achieved frequencies of all scores. Even if despite 
       your  best  efforts  you feel that you have failed to produce your 
       desired  scores,  do  not  be  discouraged.  Psi effects are often 
       subtle,  and  will perhaps show up only after the analysis of your 
       complete set of scores has been performed.                         
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
       EVERYDAY ASPECTS OF PSI                                            
                                                                          
          People  who  attune  themselves  to  their  psi  abilities have 
       reported  advantages  which enable them to live more secure, well- 
       informed  lives.  The  intuitive  level  of   the  subconscious is 
       believed   to  protect  the  self  by  constantly  monitoring  the 
       environment   (through   psi)   for   knowledge   of   events   or 
       circumstances   of   essential   importance   to  the  individual. 
       Conscious  awareness  of  this  psi-derived  information can be of 
       assistance   by   guiding  the  individual  to  make  the  correct 
       decisions in life.                                                 
                                                                          
          By   relaxing  and  inwardly  focusing  the  attention  of  the 
       conscious  mind,  clairvoyant  or  precognitive information may be 
       obtained  in  the  form  of impressions, i.e., images or feelings, 
       which  register  abruptly  and  then  quickly vanish. Impressions, 
       when  accepted  at  face  value, should provide an individual with 
       the  required  knowledge  to take the proper course of action when 
       faced  with many decisions. However, imagination and reasoning may 
       interfere  and incorrectly modify the impression, thereby reducing 
       its  effectiveness in decision-making, so you must be careful when 
       interpreting your impressions.                                     
                                                                          
          In  telepathy,  another reported psi function, thought messages 
       are  communicated  by one individual, the sender, into the mind of 
       another   individual,   the   receiver.   Telepathically  received 
       impressions  register  in  a similar manner as clairvoyance above, 
       with  the  addition of the receiver concentrating on the sender as 
       well  as  the  impending thought impression. When sending thoughts 
       to  someone else, visualization of what you want to communicate is 
       important.  Reinforced  by  strong  feelings,  images  or thoughts 
       should  be  projected  into the mind of the individual on whom you 
       are  concentrating  (the  receiver).  As  a  general  rule, always 
       remember,  whenever  using  psi abilities, the importance of faith 
       and  conviction cannot be overstressed. The importance of practice 
       should not be forgotten either.                                    
                                                                          
          The  aforementioned  summary is provided mainly as a preface to 
       psi's  everyday  uses.  Much  has been written about the potential 
       applications  of psi and how to make full use of such abilities to 
       work  to  one's  advantage  in everyday living. When you register, 
       the  titles  of  some  good reference works on the subject will be 
       provided.  These  will  offer  much more detail on the subject and 
       can  be  used  to  enhance  your  study  and  to  further your psi 
       development.                                                       
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                    DOME - Development of Mental Energy (tm)              
                                                                          
                                  PSI REFERENCE                           
                                                                          
                                                                          
          Some  of the ideas presented in DOME are part of a larger field 
       of  study  known  collectively as parapsychology, or psiology, the 
       study  of  psi.  Though only some types of phenomena in this field 
       are  directly  relevant  to  the DOME program, others are of added 
       interest  to Project DOME from a standpoint of human experience as 
       reported  by  individuals  on occasion. What follows is a summary, 
       by  no means complete, of some of the major phenomena reported, as 
       well  as a mention of some of the surrounding issues of the field. 
       Please  be  aware that Project DOME does not intend to endorse any 
       particular  viewpoint  over  another,  but  rather  would serve to 
       provide  information  in  these  areas  as they are interpreted by 
       those who are involved in their study.                             
                                                                          
       Text is Copyright (C) 1991-92 Project Dome. All Rights Reserved.   
                                                                          
                                Table of Contents                         
                                                                          
                                                                          
                      Section                       ViewPage              
                                                                          
                   I  Introduction                       3                
                                                                          
                  II  Types of Psi  ESP                 8                
                                                                          
                       PK                              12                
                                                                          
                       "Survival" Phenomena            15                
                                                                          
                 III  Problems In Parapsychology        22                
                                                                          
                  IV  Ufology and "Alien" Encounters    26                
                                                                          
                                                                          
       INTRODUCTION                                                       
                                                                          
          Those   involved   in   the  field  of  parapsychology  concern 
       themselves  with the understanding and explaining of certain kinds 
       of  occasionally  reported occurrences which appear to lie outside 
       the  realm  of  normal  experience. Specifically, these phenomena, 
       labeled  as  "psi"  (pronounced "sigh"), deal with an individual's 
       interaction  with  the  external  environment through a process as 
       yet  unknown  to  conventional  science.  Such interactions can be 
       divided  into  two  basic  types:  that  of  informational psi, or 
       extrasensory   perception,   known   also  as  ESP,  and  that  of 
       influential  psi, or psychokinesis, known also as PK. A third area 
       of  interest  deals  with  the  question  of whether living beings 
       possess  a spirit which can survive the death of the physical body 
       and  subsequently interact with the living. This is referred to as 
       the "survival hypothesis".                                         
                                                                          
          Occurrences  claimed  to  be  due  to  psi fall into individual 
       categories  based  on  their  characteristics, as explained in the 
       following  section,  "Types  of  Psi". Oftentimes these categories 
       are  not  well-defined,  especially  when  trying  to  classify  a 
       reported  psi happening. Multiple interpretations due to psi exist 
       for  many  of  the  types  of  reported  occurrences, even well in 
       addition  to the "normal" interpretations claimed by those who are 
       doubtful  regarding psi's existence. Regardless as to explanation, 
       people  react  differently  from  one  another  to  reports of psi 
       occurrences,  especially  to  their own personal experiences which 
       may  be  attributable to psi. Some may express doubt or disbelief, 
       while  others may become downright fearful, while others still may 
       ignore  such  occurrences  entirely  or  without  even consciously 
       knowing.  The best reaction, though, is perhaps one of curiousity, 
       for  it is through this that some insight, and thus understanding, 
       may be gained into the true nature of the experience.              
                                                                          
          Psi  events  fall  into two general categories: those happening 
       seemingly  on  their  own without any provocation, and those which 
       are  caused  intentionally.  As  such, the psi expressed under the 
       former  is  known  as "spontaneous psi", while the latter is known 
       as  "induced  psi".  Many tests have been designed for the induced 
       demonstration  of  psi  (both  ESP  and  PK) and have usually been 
       carried  out  in  a lab equipped for this purpose. Results of such 
       tests  vary  widely  and have been the subject of much controversy 
       from  both  within  and outside the field. The Introduction to the 
       DOME  User  Guide  contains  more information about psi testing in 
       general.  Most  of  the reported psi events are those which happen 
       to  individuals rather unexpectedly, oftentimes surprising someone 
       in  the  home, office, or just about anywhere the experience takes 
       place.  As  such,  these  "spontaneous"  occurrences  are the ones 
       usually  responsible  for feelings of awe, shock, or bewilderment. 
       Examples  include  out-of-body  experiences, precognitive visions, 
       apparitional encounters, hauntings, and poltergeist events.        
                                                                          
          The  organized  study  of  psychic  occurrences  is roughly one 
       hundred-ten  years  old. Since its beginnings, many obstacles have 
       stood  in the way of progress. (See the section entitled "Problems 
       In  Parapsychology".) Today, mainstream science is still reluctant 
       to  take  the  psi  issue  seriously. Not only has the war between 
       critic  and  proponent  of  parapsychology  been  waged for over a 
       century  now,  but  seemingly little progress has been made in the 
       direction  of  uncovering  the  truth  about  the  nature  of such 
       phenomena.  To  this  end,  parapsychologists still claim that psi 
       exists  with  very  little  question,  and skeptics say that it is 
       just  about  all  nonsense. Parapsychology has been described as a 
       legitimate  area  of scientific inquiry by those within the field, 
       and  as  an  area  of  scientific  heresy  by  those outside. Yet, 
       interestingly,  otherwise  traditional  scientists  can  be  found 
       populating both sides of the issue.                                
                                                                          
          Parapsychology   is   often   confused  and  improperly  lumped 
       together  with  other  subject  areas  of  questionable scientific 
       validity,  labeled  as  the  "unknown",  the "unexplained", or the 
       occult,  such  as, for example, astrology, numerology, demonology, 
       satanism,   vampires,  Bigfoot,  New  Age,  Atlantis,  and  UFO's. 
       Parapsychology  has  as  little  to  do  with  these  "mysterious" 
       subjects  as  they have to do with each other. The grouping itself 
       is   odd,   for   some   are  considered  art  forms;  others  are 
       metaphysical   ideas;   others   hinge   on   existence   of   the 
       "supernatural";  others  are  preserved  in  legends and folklore, 
       while  others may be deserving of scientific attention still (like 
       UFO's).  Regarding  this last point, some information on UFO's and 
       the  "alien" abduction phenomenon will be included, not as part of 
       parapsychology,   but   incidental   to   it.  It  is  nonetheless 
       interesting  to note that much psi phenomena has been described to 
       occur during such reported encounters.                             
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
       TYPES OF PSI                                                       
                                      ESP                               
                                                                          
          The  term  "ESP"  encompasses  those  specific instances of psi 
       occurrence  which  enable  an  individual  to  receive information 
       external  to  the  mind without any use of the senses or reasoning 
       whatsoever.  The  first type of ESP, clairvoyance, pertains to the 
       perceiving  of objects or conditions in current time. Although the 
       information   is   not   acquired  via  the  sense  organs,  these 
       perceptions  are  usually  in  the  form  of,  but not limited to, 
       visions,  and  they  may  also  be  in the apparent form of sound, 
       feelings,  and  even smell. If the information is channeled over a 
       distance,  as opposed to being received from the immediate locale, 
       this  process  is often known as "remote perception". On occasion, 
       one  may get the additional feeling of actually visiting a distant 
       scene,  and  the  term  "traveling clairvoyance" may apply. As the 
       mind  may  be  fooled  into thinking that part of oneself has left 
       the  body  in  order  to  perceive  the  surroundings of a distant 
       location,   this   is   one   interpretation  for  an  out-of-body 
       experience, or OBE.                                                
                                                                          
          Dowsing,  or  radiesthesia,  involves  the use of a held object 
       (e.g.,  a  rod  or  branch)  to  locate,  in  a  process  known as 
       "divination",  underground  substances  like water or oil, whereby 
       the  held  object  may  be  serving as  as a focus for clairvoyant 
       ability.   Psychometry,   which   is   also   thought  to  involve 
       clairvoyance,  is the "reading" of an object or location for facts 
       about  the  object  or  its owner, or persons associated with some 
       location,  often  in  connection to the past. In order for this to 
       be  possible,  it  is  presumed that an object or location has the 
       ability,  through  some  type  of "recording mechanism", to retain 
       some  aspect  or  quality  of  its past surroundings or associated 
       events.  Psychometry  would  then  in  effect  be  accomplished by 
       somehow sensing or viewing what has been recorded.                 
                                                                          
          The  term  "haunting", especially in reference to its recurrent 
       and  locality-specific  aspects, has a basis in ESP. A haunting is 
       usually  now  interpreted  as  the  psychometric  replaying of the 
       recorded  events  of a location's past in the mind of an observer. 
       A  major  characteristic  of  a  haunting  is  often  that  of  an 
       apparition  which  appears  to  enact  the same motions over again 
       when  certain  conditions  exist,  like  specific  time of day (or 
       night),  time  of  year or season, and which may be sensed by only 
       certain  individuals  (who  are unconsciously using psychometry to 
       "see"  the  event).  Another  interpretation  for  hauntings,  and 
       psychometry   in   general,   has   to  do  with  the  concept  of 
       retrocognition,  another type of ESP. This refers to an ability to 
       sense,  while  mentally focusing on the object or location, actual 
       events  occurring in the past, as opposed to using clairvoyance to 
       currently view a recording of the past.                            
                                                                          
          Precognition,  another  form  of  ESP,  deals  with information 
       supposedly  received  from the future. The existence of this form, 
       of  course,  is dependant on whether it is possible for the future 
       to   be   fully  established  and,  if  so,  whether  this  future 
       information  can cross backward in time. One psi explanation for a 
       precognitive  feeling  may  be  the  mind's  demonstrative  way of 
       informing  or  warning  of  a  highly  probably  outcome  based on 
       current   conditions   obtained  clairvoyantly.  This  might  also 
       explain  why,  through  avoidance  or  otherwise, not all negative 
       premonitions come true.                                            
                                                                          
          The   last   major  form  of  ESP,  telepathy,  relates  to  an 
       individual's  awareness of thoughts and feelings which are present 
       in  the  mind  of  another. This apparent thought transference has 
       been   found   to   be   independent  of  distance,  as  has  been 
       demonstrated  in  various  experiments conducted over distances of 
       up  to  thousands  of  miles.  Sometimes telepathy can occur quite 
       spontaneously,  as  has been reported, for example, in a few cases 
       where  danger is involved. During these times, a person in trouble 
       might  send  out  sort  of  a  telepathic  call for help, which is 
       "heard"  by someone familiar to that person. Or, an individual may 
       try  to warn someone of a potentially dangerous situation they are 
       aware  of  by  trying  to  inform  them  or  get  their  attention 
       telepathically, like by mentally calling the person's name, etc.   
                                                                          
                                      PK                                
                                                                          
          The   concept   of   psychokinesis,   or  PK,  deals  with  the 
       hypothetical  influence  of the human mind on objects or processes 
       external  to  it.  Often  referred  to  as "mind over matter", any 
       means  by  which  the  human  mind  can alter or affect a physical 
       system  without  direct  or  indirect  motor  contact must be done 
       through  PK. Any individual who uses PK is known as an "agent". PK 
       can  be  divided in four areas of study, and two of them, macro-PK 
       and micro-PK, are often studied in the laboratory.                 
                                                                          
          Micro-PK  refers  to PK effects which are to a slight degree or 
       on  a  microscopic  level, the detection of which is determined by 
       the  outcomes  of several attempted applications, then analyzed in 
       comparison  to a control. For example, in the PK mode of DOME, the 
       agent  attempts  to  influence  the random outcome of a particular 
       color.   After   many   attempts,   the   score   results  can  be 
       statistically  compared  to  a  control  (chance)  model to see if 
       micro-PK  was  responsible  for the scores, as presumably would be 
       the  case if they, as a whole, differed significantly from chance. 
       Macro-PK,  on  the  other  hand, deals with larger-scale, visually 
       observable  effects, primarily concerning the reported movement or 
       alteration  of  objects,  the  disappearance  and  reappearance of 
       objects in different locations, and even levitations.              
                                                                          
          Another  area  related  to  macro-PK  because  of  its  visible 
       effects  is the concept of the poltergeist occurrence. Contrary to 
       the  popular  presentation  of  this  phenomenon  by  the media to 
       involve  "evil"  supernatural entities, parapsychologists now view 
       this  experience  as  originating  by  and  occurring  around  the 
       living.  In any particular case, the occurrences generally involve 
       the  strange  movement,  breaking, or rearrangement of objects, or 
       the  unusual  origination  of  sounds,  and  these  happenings are 
       attributed  to  a  specific individual around whom the events seem 
       to  revolve.  It  is  assumed  that  the events themselves are the 
       result  of  stressful  situations  involving  the  individual, who 
       unknowingly  may  serve  as  agent to utilize unconscious PK as an 
       outlet for the stress or as a means to alleviate it.               
          Psychic   healing,  the  final  PK-related  area,  involves  an 
       individual's  ability  to heal injuries or illnesses of oneself or 
       of  others through a technique of concentration and possibly hand- 
       covering.  This  supposedly enables the healer to focus attention, 
       and  thus  impart healing influences, to the required target area, 
       usually  some  specific  bodily  tissue  or  organ. Oftentimes the 
       healing   is  both  complete  and  unexpected,  and  often  rather 
       astounding   as  far  as  what  should  normally  be  expected  by 
       traditional  medicine.  However,  it  has been suggested that such 
       healing  is  done,  not  through  the  use  of PK, but through the 
       normal  (psychosomatic) effects of psychology on the physiology of 
       the  body,  via some intricate, albeit unknown, connection between 
       the  two.  According  to  this  idea,  a person attempting to heal 
       another   might   really   be   instilling  a  suggestion  to  the 
       subconscious  of  the other person, which acts to initiate a self- 
       healing process.                                                   
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                      PHENOMENA SUGGESTIVE OF "SURVIVAL"                
                                                                          
          The  third  division  of  study  in parapsychology has been the 
       subject  of  debate  within  the field for quite some time now. It 
       involves  the  issue of whether some part of consciousness - be it 
       a  soul,  spirit,  life force, or whatever - can continue to exist 
       after  the  death  of  the  body,  or  even just separate from the 
       living  body.  A  few  varied types of phenomena have been grouped 
       together  as  providing  little  more than suggestive evidence for 
       this  so-called  "survival  hypothesis". The debate itself centers 
       around  whether  such  events can be adequately explained by means 
       other  than "survival", such as through psi, in what in some cases 
       (those  implying  direct  spirit  communication)  is  known as the 
       "super-ESP  (or  super-psi)  hypothesis",  or even through what is 
       known  in psychology. Some types of phenomena in this area include 
       apparitions,    out-of-body    experiences   (OBE's),   near-death 
       experiences  (NDE's),  reported "possession" by spirits or demons, 
       mediumship, and the concept of reincarnation.                      
                                                                          
          Reported  genuine apparitions, or ghosts, appear to behave in a 
       purposeful  and  intelligent  manner,  unlike  that of a haunting, 
       where  through  the presumed unconscious use of psychometry on the 
       location  by  a  living person, the "recorded" image of a deceased 
       person  may be seen to go through the same, recurring motions. The 
       seeming  arrival  of  apparitions is often related to some crisis, 
       like  dying,  which  suggests the serving of a need, possibly like 
       that  of  communication  with  the observer. Apparitions have been 
       reported  at times to look like solid, living individuals, yet may 
       either  be  that  of  a living, dying, or a dead person. Sometimes 
       apparitions  may  look less solid, or less sharply defined, or may 
       even  appear  or  disappear from view suddenly or unexpectedly. At 
       other  times still, an apparition may be "sensed" non-visually, as 
       by feeling or hearing, or through a combination of means.          
                                                                          
          The  existence  of the OBE implies that some aspect of the mind 
       or  consciousness  can  leave the body and travel. Although it has 
       been  interpreted  as a form of traveling clairvoyance, oftentimes 
       the  individual  having  the OBE is detected or even "seen" at the 
       location  being "visited", suggesting that indeed some part of the 
       mind  has traveled there, and which may be effectively resolved by 
       ESP   into  an  apparition  in  the  mind  of  an  observer.  This 
       "apparition  of  the  living"  or  "doppelganger" (meaning "double 
       walker")  usually  looks  like,  acts like, and even may itself be 
       mistaken  for  the actual person. Interestingly, even though he is 
       away  having  the  OBE,  this  person  usually  has the additional 
       feeling  of  being  at  such a location and interacting with those 
       present.                                                           
                                                                          
          Apparitions,  both  of the living and dead, can be explained in 
       terms  of the super-psi hypothesis. In the case of the traditional 
       apparition  of  the  dead,  it can be said that a living person is 
       utilizing  clairvoyance  or retrocognition to obtain the necessary 
       information  on the deceased person to enable himself to "see" it, 
       give  it personality and intelligence, and meanwhile possibly even 
       utilize  PK  for  any  physical  interactions.  Apparitions of the 
       living  (or  dying)  may  be  similarly  detected  by  utilizing a 
       combination  of  telepathic  communication (with the person at the 
       original  location)  to recreate the person's image and enable one 
       to interact with it (using telepathy and PK).                      
                                                                          
          A   fairly  commonly  reported  phenomenon  which  is  strongly 
       suggestive  of  the  "survival"  idea is the near-death experience 
       (NDE).  This is often reported by individuals who may have in fact 
       been  determined  clinically  dead  for  a time, the period during 
       which  a  few  characteristic  things,  some  of which suggest the 
       operation  of  ESP,  are  said  to  happen. Such would include the 
       viewing  of  oneself  and  one's location from a point outside the 
       body   (like   an   OBE),  an  awareness  of  actual  activity  or 
       conversation  in  this  location, the sense of being drawn towards 
       some  bright  light  and  through  some  tunnel,  and the apparent 
       presence  of  deceased  persons  or a religious figure familiar to 
       the  individual.  An  alternative explanation for a NDE associates 
       it  with  a physiological (or neuro-psychological) reaction to the 
       process  of  dying,  during which time, bits of memory are stirred 
       and  perceptual errors are caused. Here, it is assumed, of course, 
       that  the  experience  (and everything else) ceases when the brain 
       is dead.                                                           
                                                                          
          Reincarnation,  the  ancient  idea that souls or spirits of the 
       dead  are  reborn  in  other  bodies, relies on for its evidence a 
       technique  referred to as "past lives therapy", used presumably to 
       regress  a  hypnotized  person to their "previous lives". However, 
       it  has been found that the mind can often unconsciously fabricate 
       such  information,  perhaps  as a result of suggestion prompted by 
       the  hypnotist, and thus the technique may be virtually useless to 
       provide  proof  of reincarnation. Even if the information provided 
       by  the  subject is subsequently verified as factual and could not 
       have  possibly been known because of its obscurity, it is possible 
       to  explain  the  obtaining  of  such  information through ESP, as 
       either by clairvoyance or retrocognition.                          
                                                                          
          The  issue  of  mediumship  involves  the  presumed  contact or 
       communication  with  a  spirit by some sort of telepathic means. A 
       medium,  acting  as  a  connection or channel for communication to 
       occur  between the living and the dead, typically relays, to those 
       seated  nearby,  information  in  the  form  of  messages  from or 
       regarding  an individual spirit who is "contacted". Oftentimes the 
       dead  may appear to speak directly through the medium, and since a 
       medium  may  be in a trance state and unaware of what is going on, 
       this  may  be  considered  a  case  of  what  is called "automatic 
       speaking".                                                         
                                                                          
          The  voice  of  a  medium  may change when information is being 
       channeled,  and  other  information may be given through automatic 
       writing,  where  the  medium  writes information without conscious 
       awareness  of  what  the hand is seemingly doing on its own. These 
       and  other  such  unconscious physical acts are not greatly unlike 
       that   of  reported  "possession",  where  an  individual's  usual 
       behavior   and   personality   are  often  suppressed  or  changed 
       drastically  in  accordance with the control supposedly imposed by 
       an  "evil entity". Utterances of abusive language or gibberish and 
       the  origination  of  unusual  strength  are  often  noted in such 
       cases,  and an exorcism may be considered to "rid" the body of the 
       "spirit influence".                                                
          The  super-psi  hypothesis  can be used to explain any apparent 
       spirit  communication  in terms of a medium's unknowing use of ESP 
       to   obtain  information  from  the  living  (telepathy)  or  from 
       existing  records  (clairvoyance)  about  a  deceased  individual. 
       Regardless  of this, psychological explanations have been advanced 
       to  explain  other  odd  events  that  suggest  the influence of a 
       discarnate  entity  or spirit on an individual. These explanations 
       apply  to  all  situations  where those involved (mediums or those 
       possessed)  believe  what happens to them is true and is in no way 
       consciously  produced,  such  as  by staging or faking. (This is a 
       big  problem  in the area of mediumship, especially when involving 
       physical  occurrences and apparent direct speaking.) In such cases 
       as  believed  to  be  true, any odd behaviors may be the result of 
       certain  mental  disturbances  or autosuggestions which can result 
       in   dissociation,   a   mental  state  where  normally  conscious 
       activities  come  under  subconscious  control,  and  a  secondary 
       personality  may  emerge,  all  seemingly without the individual's 
       awareness.                                                         
                                                                          
       PROBLEMS IN PARAPSYCHOLOGY                                         
                                                                          
          The  field  of  parapsychology faces a number of problems which 
       serve  to  degrade its image both in the eyes of the public and to 
       the  scientific  community. Criticisms brought on by skeptics have 
       an  added  impact,  positive perhaps, by making it more imperative 
       that  parapsychologists  work harder and more carefully to provide 
       the  "proof"  which  is needed for acceptance as a legitimate area 
       of scientific inquiry.                                             
                                                                          
          One  big  problem  area  deals with the negative and inaccurate 
       portrayal  of  psi occurrences or other issues of the field in the 
       media  or  on  film. Almost anything one can view on television or 
       hear  about in the news regarding parapsychology or reports of psi 
       is  in  some  way  usually either exaggerated, misleading, or even 
       flat-out  wrong.  Usually  this  is the result of the media's high 
       priority  for  ratings,  which  unfortunately  often  comes at the 
       expense  of  the  truth.  As  such,  it is virtually impossible to 
       derive  factual  information  from  such  sensational  depictions, 
       which  should more properly be viewed as entertainment, if nothing 
       else.  As  far  as  psi-oriented movies are concerned, practically 
       nothing  ever  shown  comes anywhere close to what actually occurs 
       in  normal,  everyday life, so that movies, in their often extreme 
       and  overblown  depictions  of  psi,  are even less dependable for 
       providing  accurate  information  to  the public. (After all, they 
       are just movies.)                                                  
                                                                          
          Another  big  problem revolves around the widespread fraud that 
       has  occurred  in  the  past  and  even  still  turns  up today in 
       connection  with  the  field  of  parapsychology.  Fraud has shown 
       itself  in  a  number of ways. The false assurances and fabricated 
       information  given by phony psychics and mediums have enabled them 
       to  profit  off  the  credulous public, all during which time they 
       proclaim  themselves  genuine.  Psychic surgeons and faith healers 
       have  preyed  off  the  vulnerability  of  the  sick  and dying by 
       offering  cures  which  are promised in exchange for large sums of 
       money.  Individuals have lied or used trickery to substantiate and 
       promote  their  own  paranormal  events,  hoping  for  a chance to 
       profit  in  some  way,  such  as  might  be  gained  through media 
       attention.  Researchers  sometimes  have  resorted  to  faking lab 
       results  in  order  to  support  their  own  views, while at other 
       times,  test subjects have cheated during experiments, often using 
       techniques  borrowed  from  magic to fool observers, including the 
       researchers  themselves. For this reason, having a magician around 
       to  view  any  claimed  paranormal  events  is always a good idea, 
       except,  of  course,  when  the  magician  gets  fooled, which can 
       happen on occasion.                                                
                                                                          
          Nonbelievers  in  psi  feel  that  paranormal phenomena can, in 
       general,  be  explained by normal means. Aside from the occasional 
       debunking  of  a  phony  psychic  or fraudulent report of psi, the 
       skeptics  feel  that  the remainder of the reports each have their 
       explanation  in  the normal workings of human psychology. Based on 
       what  is  known,  the human mind can and often does make mistakes. 
       Perceptual  errors  result  because normal sensory information, in 
       the  form  of  neural  impulses,  is  resolved and modified by the 
       subconscious,  with  its  fears,  beliefs,  expectations,  and the 
       like,  so  that  the  end result of what is perceived by the brain 
       may  be  very  different from what exists objectively, or external 
       to  the  individual.  People  are  fooled by magic because of this 
       fact.  In  addition,  it  is easy at times to put together logical 
       connections  regarding  events  which are in fact not linked, such 
       as  when  a  coincidence occurs. Where a normal event may not have 
       been  misperceived  or its cause misunderstood, skeptics feel that 
       any  one  of  imagination,  dreaming,  or  of  mental  impairment, 
       disorder,  or  illness  may  be responsible for what is labeled as 
       "psi".  Today,  good  parapsychologists  are especially aware that 
       many  apparent  psi  reports have normal explanations, as they are 
       often the first to discover them.                                  
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
       UFOLOGY AND "ALIEN" ENCOUNTERS                                     
                                                                          
          Although  the  subject  of  UFO's  (ufology)  is a distinct and 
       separate  field from parapsychology, a couple of reasons exist for 
       its   inclusion   here.   First,   reports   of  UFO's  and  their 
       "occupants",  not  unlike  reports of psi, seem to indicate a type 
       of  human  experience  which  occurs  spontaneously, often leaving 
       those  involved  in  a  state of emotional upset, and second, many 
       reported  UFO  and  "alien" encounters also include details of psi 
       functioning.  Psi  events  often  reported in connection with UFO- 
       related   activity  include  telepathic  communication  with  "UFO 
       occupants",  clairvoyant  and precognitive images and dreams, out- 
       of-body  experiences, apparent psychokinetic levitations, and even 
       apparitional encounters.                                           
                                                                          
          Independent  UFO-related  reports, which may include stories of 
       "alien"  visitation, often have many details in common. Aside from 
       the  obvious  characteristic  of  strange  lights appearing in the 
       sky,   those  experiencing  more  involved  "contact"  report,  in 
       addition  to  the  above  psi happenings, such events as localized 
       power  outages,  temporarily non-functional electrically dependant 
       devices  (from  appliances  to automobiles), periods of time which 
       cannot  be  accounted  for,  and  even  the  sudden  appearance of 
       strange  bodily  scars or markings. Under hypnosis, oftentimes so- 
       called  "buried  memories"  are  brought  out, with those involved 
       occasionally  relating  details  of  bizarre  medical examinations 
       administered  by humanoid, though clearly non-human, and seemingly 
       intelligent  beings.  As  for the beings themselves, three to four 
       different  "types"  are  often  described,  at least one appearing 
       human, the others less so.                                         
                                                                          
          As  is  the  case in parapsychology, reports of UFO's and their 
       presumed  occupants  are  subject to the same types of criticisms. 
       Although   clearly   the   experiences  exist  from  a  subjective 
       standpoint,  no  hard  "evidence"  exists  as such to indicate any 
       sort  of  objective  reality.  Skeptics  have  pointed  to various 
       influences  for  the  types  of  experiences  reported, among them 
       misperception,    misinterpreted   normal   events,   imagination, 
       autosuggestion,   fraud,  and  even  psychological  problems.  The 
       utilization  of  hypnosis  has been generally deemed unreliable by 
       skeptics,  due  in  part  to  the  suggestability factor which may 
       result  in  fabricated  stories originating from the UFO "victim". 
       There  is  no  doubt that in the past many reports and photographs 
       have   been   faked,   and   as  with  parapsychology,  this  only 
       complicates  matters,  making  it  that  much  more  difficult for 
       science to truly take the issue seriously.                         
                                                                          
          In  the  past,   while  investigating  the  UFO issue, national 
       governments  appear  to  have  fallen  into a pattern of automatic 
       dismissal  of UFO-related reports as either fakes or misunderstood 
       natural  events,  and today this still remains the subject of much 
       controversy.  UFO  groups  worldwide contend that the large volume 
       coupled  with  the  consistency  of  reports seem to indicate that 
       something  strange  is  indeed  going  to this effect, or at least 
       much   more  than  governments  are  willing  to  admit.  Cover-up 
       allegations  have  thus  resulted,  while in the intervening time, 
       people  reportedly still continue to experience and be affected by 
       UFO encounters.                                                    
                                                                          
          Other  events  presumed  to  be  UFO-related  by  some  are the 
       mysterious   appearances  of   the   so-called  "crop  circles" in 
       countrysides  around  the  world,  with  those  found  in  England 
       drawing  the  most  attention  of  late.  Even  if their intricate 
       patterns  can  be  explained  through  normal  processes,  despite 
       whatever  scientific  consensus  is  eventually  reached regarding 
       their  formation,  the  very fact that such observable, modern-day 
       enigmas  can exist should suggest to science that the genuine need 
       for  inquiry into reports of UFO's and the paranormal may be right 
       before  us,  if  not  overdue. Then just maybe, perhaps, the truth 
       about  such  phenomena  can  eventually  be uncovered, and denial, 
       dismissal, or ignorance will become a thing of the past.