Are Witches Psychic?

Article by B. Herbert (1967)

I find that many witches have a high degree of dissociation and are therefore suitable subjects for research. The reader is referred to my articles in 'Light' ('Table Tilting for the Millions', Spring 1964, and 'Second TV Table seance', Winter 1964) giving an account of experiments by the witch Sybil Leek, whose presence appeared to contribute largely to the success of both telepathy and table phenomena. Refer also to the 'Report No. 1 of the Paraphysical Laboratory' Autumn 1965 giving details of an apparently successful experiment by Anne Slowgrove (psychokinesis with flashing lights).

I have also carried out experiments with a group of witches, who must remain anonymous, as follows: it was claimed that by incantation, a candle-flame could be made to flicker at pre-determined intervals. After some observations, I pointed out that as the witch stood quite close to the candle, the slightest breath or movement, or spoken incantation, could produce a flicker, because of normal air movement; we therefore enclosed the candle in a glass cylinder, allowing only space for air entry and exit, these apertures being carefully shielded, care also being taken that vibration could not affect the support of the candle; under these more stringent conditions, flickers were produced within seconds of the completion of the incantation, and not at other times. Another experiment was also carried out, to produce, by incantation, a rap or click from a totem object (skull), standing on a shelf. This also succeeded, and did not take place at other times. I observed however that a clock stood near the totem object; when this clock was removed, no further results were reported. In spite of this, however, I reckoned the experiment to be successful, as the clock made no noise at other times. (See 'Journal No. 1 for confirmatory clock experiments). Unfortunately, it was not possible to persuade this group to carry out a prolonged series of tests.

I now refer to the 'Journal of the SPR' June 1967, p. 102, an account by D. O. Williams of Leicester University of a clairvoyant experiment; Miss Rosalind Targett was apparently able to guess the order of cards concealed in a handbag, most effectively when it was whirled round her head at the end of a piece of string. Mr. Williams suggests that the relative motion of the target and percipient produced the results. This is of course highly suggestive of witchcraft rituals, in which the subjects dance in a circle at high speed, claiming various ESP and PK effects, also group hallucinations. It is difficult to persuade witches that a group hallucination is only convincing if each person writes down his observations unknown to the others, and the results are compared afterwards; owing to suggestion, it is of no value if one person asks another if he has seen some particular vision and the second person agrees. However, in this circular dance, each witch is revolving around the others, which may well produce genuine effects if there is anything in Mr. Williams' suggestion. It would be interesting to ascertain the exact speed of Miss Targett's handbag and whether it contained any iron or magnetic material which could have produced a periodic fluctuation of the earth's magnetic field in the neighbourhood of her head. I have myself danced in a small witches' circle (9 ft.) timed by stopwatch and found that at top speed the periodicity could be as low as 3 seconds. This rotation of the brain in the earth's magnetic field could set up electrical oscillations quite close to the delta rhythm, which other experiments appear to indicate may be associated with paranormal effects. Readers interested in the effects of alternating magnetic fields upon organisms should consult 'Psychical Physics' by Prof. S. W. Tromp (Cairo University).

Of relevance to this rotational theme is the witch's idea that a 'vortex of power' must be created to produce unusual effects. PK experiments appear to be more effective when relative motion takes place, as in the spinning dice of Dr. Rhine, the flashing lights of Anne Slowgrove (electronic intermittent motion, pulsating convection currents), the turning wheels of clocks, the turbulence of seance rooms caused by music and tilting tables. In the case of witch-circles, it would be desirable to distinguish between the possible effects of the exercise of running and the effects of rotation without the running. We have not yet been able to persuade witches to stand on revolving turn-tables instead of dancing, but our witch readers are invited to try it on a funfair roundabout, at a quiet period without attracting spectators. They could take notes during the ride of any hallucinations and compare them later.

'The Journal of Parapsychology' for Summer 1966 contains an interesting article 'The Physics of Macroscopic Systems with Non-Unique Futures', which suggests that the indeterminacy of turbulent systems provides a loop-hole for psychic forces to act, by means of a sort of macroscopic quantum effect. As an example of 'turbulence', the author, David Davies, gives 'the physico-chemical processes occurring in a living cell'. He suggests that 'primitive awareness' may be revealed by connecting large numbers of cells, containing simple chemicals, by electrical and mechanical devices. The theory would be more convincing if the author could describe in detail an actual possible experiment.

A new device, shown recently at the Paris Air Show, is claimed to eliminate fatigue in airplanes and offices; the air is ionised and a plate overhead bearing a positive potential separates the ions, this being claimed to produce a refreshing effect upon the vasomotor system (again refer to Tromp's book); changes of skin potential may have profound effects and are rapidly registered in many parts of the organism. Atmospheric ionisation is capable of producing an artificial 'psychic atmosphere', and can be observed during thunderstorms. At the Paraphysical Laboratory we often employ a Wimshurst machine before a seance to increase the ionisation; table-tilting appears to be enhanced if sitters are insulated and charged to a high potential; some people rub their hands together vigorously before a table sitting, probably inducing static electricity by friction; witches are also in the habit of dancing round fires, which are known to increase ionisation; the wearing of light or reduced clothing increases the area of skin exposed to the ionisation and doubtless increases the effect, as the witches claim. They also habitually employ candles, glowing charcoal and in-cense, which also increase ionisation.

It would appear therefore that witchcraft provides a rich field of research in paraphysics, and we trust that our many witch friends will continue to give their valuable co-operation, to facilitate eventual control of the powers which some of them certainly appear to possess.