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2024

APRIL

April was a busy month, taken up by Physical Mediumship Conference activities and other seances held in private settings. Five of these were attended by persons directly involved in the IONS research. Some sitter surveys have been received, to be followed by personal interviews. We would like to remind those attending seances anywhere that they can submit a seance report by simply clicking on “Join The Research” on our Menu Bar, selecting “Sitters” and then the link to the survey, which goes directly to IONS. You can do this after returning home, but it is best done while details of your experience are still fresh. To those who have already done this, a big thank you!

FEBRUARY

We are entering a new phase in our research at IONS.  By collecting and analyzing the direct experiences of seance participants, we will learn more about the range of phenomena  manifesting with present day Physical Mediums, as well as documenting the conditions under which they occur.  Our Sitter Survey will be followed by individual interviews when requested, or if additional details would be beneficial.

Thanks to all who chose to participate!  We are especially grateful for the collaboration of Neal Rzepkowski, M.D., host of many seances, and Mary Burch-Macherone, organizer of the 2024 International Physical Mediumship Conference to be held in Albany N.Y. April 3-7.

2023

DECEMBER

We close the year with gratitude for the friends who have supported and helped us, for the seances attended, for the Mediums who facilitated those memorable experiences, for new friends who help us smile and expand our dream, and for the progress made in molding the way forward at IONS.

A special thank you to Helané Wahbeh, Inge Crosson, Wendy Zammit, Neil Rzepkowski, Rosemary Calderalo, Kay Hedlund, my Service Dog Prince, and to our newest friends Uwe and Beate Siegert. May the new year bring good health, joyful experience and meaningful purpose to all.

SEPTEMBER

This month Dr. Helané Wahbeh attended three seances with a 4th Physical Medium and also had the opportunity to be an independent checker at one of them. I (Anna) was a sitter at these seances as well. We were able, for the first time, to meet in person during our stay and discuss our views and plans for the research, which will continue to be anchored in direct observation and participation.


JUNE

First Physical Mediumship Conference In LilyDale, N.Y.
“Mediumship in Victorian Times” was held on June 18-22

Dr. Helané Wahbeh, Director of Research at the Institute of Noetic Sciences, participated in the workshops and demonstrations offered, as well as in six seances with three different Physical Mediums. The seances were separately held in conjunction with the Conference at the home of Dr. Neil Rezpkowski, one of our 2022 Symposium participants.

For the history of Physical Mediumship in LilyDale, which was banned in LilyDale 75 yrs. ago, see the presentation by Dr. Susan Barnes, one of the main organizers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2px1TjBtTg

FEBRUARY

1) The focus in 2023 is on observation.  Personal, direct experience, without bias, is essential to formulate the way forward in this field.  Attendance to workshops and Seances with various  Physical Mediums has  been arranged.  

2) The presentations from the IONS Symposium/workgroup on Physical Mediumship  of 2022 are now live and freely available to the general public.  They highlight the history and nature of this field of research.  Please feel free to share widely!

  Part 1 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtTz_tIgIME

  Part 2 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1KMw–SFdg

  Part 3 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBjvPtRBBzA

  Part 4 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBjvPtRBBzA

3) The Marco Project website has been launched.

4) We will look for sitters willing to share their experiences of Physical Mediumship seances.  Each sitter is a unique point of observation and may have vastly different experiences with different Mediums, or in multiple seances with the same Medium.   Sharing these perceptions and their personal meaning can be invaluable and help shape the research at IONS. 

A questionnaire is being prepared with the help of Inge Crosson, of Wallacia Development Center, for those who wish to participate.   In person interviews may follow.  Please reach out if you are interested in volunteering as a research sitter.

5) We recognize the importance and long history of Home Circles in the development of Physical Mediums and production of Phenomena.  If you are part of a Home Circle, or group, that meets in person on a regular basis, we would love to talk with you.

2022

*IONS SYMPOSIUM ON PHYSICAL MEDIUMSHIP

IONS first step was to host a symposium/workgroup for researchers and scholars via Zoom.  The goal was to review the state of the science on Physical Mediumship and develop a future research program.  Seven participants held presentations on seven different topics listed in the Guidelines, followed by Q&A and discussion.  This exchange yielded excellent results and a number of papers submitted to the Journal of the Society for Psychical Research (SPR).  Presentations are being prepared to share free with the general public.

*The  Marco Project is formally accepted by the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) for long term research of Physical Mediumship in accordance with its Guidelines.