In
parapsychology
Parapsychology is the study of alleged psychic phenomena (extrasensory perception, telepathy, precognition, clairvoyance, psychokinesis (also called telekinesis), and psychometry) and other paranormal claims, for example, those related to near ...
and
spiritualism
Spiritualism is the metaphysical school of thought opposing physicalism and also is the category of all spiritual beliefs/views (in monism and dualism) from ancient to modern. In the long nineteenth century, Spiritualism (when not lowercase) ...
, a psychomanteum is a small, enclosed area set up with a comfortable chair, dim lighting, and a mirror angled so as not to reflect anything but darkness intended to communicate with spirits of the dead.
History
The psychomanteum was popularized by
Raymond Moody
Raymond A. Moody Jr. (born June 30, 1944) is an American philosopher, psychiatrist, physician and author, most widely known for his books about afterlife and near-death experiences (NDE), a term that he coined in 1975 in his best-selling book '' ...
, originator of the term
near-death experience
A near-death experience (NDE) is a profound personal experience associated with death or impending death which researchers claim share similar characteristics. When positive, such experiences may encompass a variety of sensations including detac ...
,
[Raymond Moody. 1975. ''Life After Life''. Mockingbird.] in his 1993 book, ''Reunions: Visionary Encounters with Departed Loved Ones''. Raymond Moody believed the psychomanteum was useful as a tool to resolve grief. The chamber was kept darkened and illuminated only by a candle or a dim light bulb. Subjects gaze into the reflected darkness hoping to see and make contact with spirits of the dead. Moody compared the psychomanteum to the Greek
Necromanteion
The Nekromanteion ( el, Νεκρομαντεῖον) was an ancient Greek temple of necromancy devoted to Hades and Persephone. According to tradition, it was located on the banks of the Acheron river in Epirus, near the ancient city of Ephyra. ...
, and said its function was a form of
scrying
Scrying, also known by various names such as "seeing" or "peeping", is the practice of looking into a suitable medium in the hope of detecting significant messages or visions. The objective might be personal guidance, prophecy, revelation, or in ...
.
See also
*
Catoptromancy
Catoptromancy (Gk. κάτοπτρον, ''katoptron'', "mirror," and μαντεία, ''manteia'', "divination"), also known as captromancy or enoptromancy, is divination using a mirror.
Pausanias, an ancient Greek traveler, described as follows: ...
References
External links
"Experiencing the Psychomanteum"-
Joe Nickell
Joe Nickell (born December 1, 1944) is an American skeptic and investigator of the paranormal.
Nickell is senior research fellow for the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and writes regularly for their journal, ''Skeptical Inquirer''. He is als ...
{{Parapsychology, state=collapsed
Divination
Mirrors
Parapsychology
Pseudoscience
Rooms
Spiritualism