This morning I received my copies of the Russian edition of ITLAD from my UK publisher, Arcturus.

It is entitled День сурка: хроника личного бессмертия which, if my translation is correct means "Groundhog Day: Chronicle of personal immortality". Yet again it seems that a foreign translator has hit the nail on the head (you will recall that the Dutch edition was called Leven Na Leven Na Leven - "Life After Life After Life". I find it interesting that neither decided a literal translation of "Is There Life After Death". Clearly both translators had really grasped the theme!

I have attempted to contact the Russian publisher because I am sure that Russia could prove to be a really good market place for ITLAD/CTF. The issue is getting it marketed well over there.
I am hoping that soon we will be joined by some Russian Itladians who may see the links between my writing and the work of Petyr Ouspensky.

The Spanish language edition should be out soon as well .... what we need is French and German editions to follow soon. Indeed when in New York I met a young lady who was very impressed with my lecture. She was from China and said that she would send a copies of my books to a publisher she knows in Shanghai. If I can break into the Chinese market as well I will feel that we are really starting to make inroads into real "World Exposure".

New "angle" on Many-Worlds Interpretation

Whilst on holiday in Greece recently I read a fascinating book entitled Hidden Dimensions - The Unification of Physics and Consciousness written by Dr. B. Alan Wallace. I find this an absolutely fascinating book that is well worth checking out.However what really caught my eye in this book was a reference to the work of Michael Mensky. Philosopher Mensky has extended Everett's "Many World's Interpretation" (MWI) and in doing so, in my opinion, suggests a wonderfully itladian slant that gives yet another solution to the implied solipsism of ITLAD/CTF.

You will recall that according to Everett at any act of observation the wave function is not collapsed by that observation but the wave function continues with the the act of measurement (observation) dividing the quantum world into alternative classical worlds, all equally "real". The observer subjectively perceives only one classical world, namely that of everyday experience.

However all the other worlds also exist.

Now the issue here is that each alternate world must, by logic. also contain an "observer", many replicas of the person who existed prior to the act of observation.... and each one of these replicas believes that they are the continuity of subjective consciousness.Mensky asks the simple question: What happens to the observer's consciousness when such a measurement takes place? He states that every observer sees only one result ... meaning that a choice of one alternative reality out of all the possibilities must be made. Mensky suggests the following itladian solution:

"All alternatives are realised, and the observer's consciousness splits between these alternatives. At the same time, the individual consciousness of the observer subjectively perceives what is going on in such a way as if there exists only one alternative, the one she exists in. In other words, the consciousness as a whole splits between the alternatives but the individual consciousness subjectively chooses (selects) one alternative".

By this he is suggesting that the the observer's brain and the observed system are synchronistically entangled. Now what is exciting is how Dr. Wallace interprets Mensky’s idea. He writes:‘Unlike inanimate matter, every conscious living being perceives the quantum world, with its characteristic nonlocality, relative to its own cognitive frame of reference. Each of these individual classical projections is “locally predictable”, and in each case one, a conscious being realises a world of living experience. And each such classical world exists only relative to such a being or community of beings.” (page 82) And in this way Wallace and Mensky explain how all “observers” within the same cognitive framework perceive the same things and in doing so ensure that their observations are consistent. Indeed he goes on to suggest that the selection of reality is made taking into account the preferences or psychological state of that observer:‘So it is possible that by choosing a classical world according to our interests, we may affect the probability of which alternative we observe.” Wallace then presents the most amazing quote from Mensky:

‘If, for instance, a close relative dies in one of these realities and remains alive in another, the conscious subject is highly motivated to select the latter alternative. If he believes in this case that he is able to affect the selection, it is not inconceivable that he will actually increase the probability to some extent that he will witness precisely the latter alternative’.

Of course within ITLAD/CTF the choice is assisted by a “precognition” or “hunch” injected into Eidolonic awareness by the Daemon who is already aware, having followed through the alternative scenarios in previous runs of the Bohmian IMAX.Wallace makes an interesting observation that this may explain such mysteries as the “placebo effect”.I would add that this may also explain the “Law of Attraction” (Ed, is this how you always find a parking space?)Now for a true (and well documented) personal example.

For the last eight years I have never had a plane seat that has not been over the wing! This has become far more than a joke with my wife, family and close friends. I have flown approximately 50 individual sectors in that period and every flight is the same …. I get a window seat and look out on the wing….with one exception, and only one. Four years ago I flew to Greece with my mother and wife-to-be to make arrangements for our forthcoming marriage on the island of Halki. I gave my mother the window seat. And guess what ….. you guessed it. We were off the wing!I have calculated that on any one flight there is a rough average of 70 window seats on an average size plane.(737-800). 16 of these will be on the wing. So I have a 1 in 4.375 of being allocated a window seat on a wing. So on average I should be off the wing 3 flights in every 4. But I have been on the wing 50 times out of 50 !Is this evidence of my negativity (I now expect to be on the wing?) that places me always in the universe where I am on the wing?Will my universe now change because I have recognised why this is happening? I am flying from London to Denver in a few weeks time. Let’s see what happens!!!

References:Wallace, B Alan – Hidden Dimensions – The Unification of Physics And Consciousness (Columbia University Press) – isbn: 9780231141505.

Mensky, Michael B – Concept of Consciousness in the Context of Quantum Mechanics (Physics-Usekki 48, no. 4 (2005): 389-409

Last night I was delighted to receive a copy of the Society of Psychical Research (SPR) review of The Daemon. I received it "out of the blue" from one of their Officers. I had long known that the SPR had reviewed ITLAD and, for some reason, I was worried about what they may say. I guess that my logic was that the SPR is an organisation that I have always held in awe ever since I was a child and I first began reading about unusual phenomenon. Back in 1969 I used to receive a weekly copy of a part-work called Man, Myth & Magic and in the early 1980's I collected a similar series (although slighly less intellectually challenging) called The Unexplained. Both these works were full of learned articles written by members of the SPR. I read more about this organisation and found that they had been founded in 1882 by Henry Sidgwick, Professor of Moral Philosophy at Cambridge University, and had, over the years, some great thinkers, scientists and philosophers within its ranks. A few years later (1886) a book that was to have a huge influence on my own philosophy was published by the SPR. This book was entitled Phantasms of the Living and was written mainly by Edmund Gurney, together with Frederic Myers and Frank Podmore. I re-read this book whilst researching material for The Daemon and I was stunned with how my Daemon Hypothesis can be applied to many of the cases reported by Gurney et al. A few years later one of my all-time intellectual heroes, William James, was to join the ranks of the SPR.

Over the years this organisation has attracted some of the best brains of each generation, radical thinkers who were willing to risk carefully built academic reputations to pusue understanding of areas of experience that did not fit into the scientific paradigm of the time.

As such the opinion of the SPR was of great importance to me. For them not to like my book was a possibility, and something that I would prefer to be in ignorance of. However yesterday I was sent a pdf of their review of The Daemon...and on reading it I found that the reviewer gave it a reasonable review. Indeed in my opinion the reviewer, Robert Charman, writes an excellent précis of the whole ITLAD/CTF hypothesis and in doing so he has given the members of the SPR an excellent understanding of what I am trying to explain.

It is of no surprise to me that the SPR focuses on the one element of ITLAD/CTF that does not fit in with their research findings …. That consciousness is simply an epiphenomenon of the brain and as such cannot exist outside of the brain. However on careful reading of my work it will be seen that I leave this question open. I can see evidence that the brain may also be a receiver of some description in which case consciousness may exist in another “place”. My problem with this was that such a concept falls into the classic Dualism trap and despite much research no hard evidence has been found for such a conclusion.

But there is considerable subjective and experiential evidence for this conclusion. Distance viewing, telepathy, out-of-body experiences, Astral Travel and many other well documented phenomena suggest that consciousness is more than just a “brain-state”.

As such my involvement with the SPR is, yet again, phenomenally synchrondipitous. Last night I was also sent a pdf copy of their review of ITLAD (Robert Charman again). This is another very fair and well thought-through review. Robert is obviously a very careful reader and does an excellent job. This stimulated me to do something I had long planned to do …. Join the SPR. I emailed my contact (Tom Ruffles) to let him know that I was doing so. Tom replied asking if I had considered doing a lecture for the SPR! Wow! What an honour that would be. But of course the timing is exactly right because Karl and I will be presenting BIGTOE to the world via our Edge Media TV interview which will be recorded on Friday 21st. Bringing together my ITLAD/CTF with Karl’s CtCw will, in one perfect synthesis, explain all the phenomenon discussed above whilst still remaining true to the concept of the Bohmian IMAX.

I have informed both Tom and Robert about this TV programme and I am hopeful that they will inform the members of the SPR about it.

All very exciting ………. And, as I stated above, a classic case of synchrondipity!!!

Event Review: British Author Anthony Peake @ the Roosevelt Hotel, Monday August 3 - Writerface.com - the online social network for writers

Event Review: British Author Anthony Peake @ the Roosevelt Hotel, Monday August 3 - Writerface.com - the online social network for writers

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Quantum Duo: Anthony Peake & Karl L LeMarcs to be broadcast on Edge Television

Quantum Duo: Anthony Peake & Karl L LeMarcs to be broadcast on Edge Television

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WORLD PREMIERE of BIGTOE: Peake-Le Marcs Television Interview

Anthony Peake and Karl L Le Marcs will be interviewed by Edge Media Television on Friday 21st August for a television programme named ESOTERIA hosted by Nick Margerrison and broadcast in the UK on Sky Channel 200, Controversial TV.

Tony and I are very proud and excited by this invitation to our very first joint interview where we can introduce BIGTOE (Bohmian IMAX Grand Theory of Everything), the uber-theory combining Tony's ITLAD (Is There Life After Death) with my CtCw (Collapsing the Consciousness wave), to the world.

We are being interviewed for two hours which is to be recorded for broadcast at a later date. When we have confirmation of the broadcast time and date we will, of course, announce it here and on FORUM.

I have begun a thread on this interview, with more information and links, over on the FORUM - CONSCIOUSNESS section, where Tony and I hope all those who have an interest in the future of ITLAD/CtCw and the implications of BIGTOE to all Consciousness and Life will contribute with questions, opinion, discussion and debate.

So, if you have any questions on how ITLAD and CtCw work together then please ask us on the thread linked below:

FORUM: WORLD PREMIERE of BIGTOE: Peake-LeMarcs Television Interview

A Dark Philosopher

Karl L Le Marcs

Angels In My Hair

Has anyone read the book 'Angels In My Hair' by Lorna Byrne. I have and to be honest I'm torn I don't know what to think. Part of me believes her because I have had plenty of very unexplainable experiences throughout my life and I can relate to her in some way's. However, the rational side of me is saying no way! she's a millionaire now, paid a 6 figure sum by the publishes of international bestseller The Da Vinci Code for her book in the U.S. Come on! it's a put up job!....or is it... I have experienced at least two miracle's that could have been from the pages of this book and have absolutely no explanation except divine intervention but something is playing on my mind... In her book her husband is near death and she beg's God to allow him to live longer. God's tell's her 'ok Lorna I will allow this just this once'. She said God's tone was such that she knew she could never ask out again to God to spare her husband life. This made me think 'sod off' I would still ask and go on asking or begging 'whatever'.... In fact I would ask so many questions and not simply accept as she does the words of these being's/angels that have been in her life since birth my questions and questioning would be endless. Maybe that is why I don't see angel's and maybe that's why God doesn't talk to me in the same way because I ask too many questions....

Sovereign Radio Interview - 12th August 2009

My sincere apologies to Sonia Barrett of Sovereign Radio and to all those planning to listen in this evening. Unfortunately I made a total miscalculation in terms of the time of broadcast. I had checked the time difference between the UK and California a few months ago (when the first interview with Sonia had been scheduled). Clearly I jotted down the wrong time and worsened the error by not checking it again.

Unfortunately the interview was unusual in that usually the radio station rings me. This time I needed to ring them. As I was at home at the correct time of 1600 (UK time) I would have been available to take the call. As it was I waited until the time I thought it was (1800) before attempting to SKYPE the station.

I have done many, many, US and Canadian interviews and this is the first time that this has happened. Hopefully it will be the last time.

My apologies also to Susan-Marie who I know placed this on many wires in the USA.

PK Dick , Anarch Peake , and Anthony Peake | The News is NowPublic.com

PK Dick , Anarch Peake , and Anthony Peake | The News is NowPublic.com

Interesting website?

You and the dark philosopher may be interested in this site as it covers much the same ground but its by an experiencer that has had a lot of experience I can tell you!

Thank You to Anthony Peake

I just want to say thank you to Anthony Peake,  for gracing New York City with a superb lecture on August 3 in the Grand Ballroom of the Roosevelt Hotel:  One  which was invigorating,  electric,  and seamless from start to finish.  I am humbled by the rush of congratulatory calls and emails I have received post event;  and the compliments on Anthony Peake,  and many are requesting a part 2.  Thank you again,  Tony,  and thanks also to Martin Huxter for his excellent speech and his company;   and to John Broughton of New York Philosophy for his;   and to Ruth Ahlgren and her sister,  for their wonderful participation and presence.  

Grimwood post

I couldn't leave a comment for some reason, so here goes this post instead. I've been out with two women diagnosed with schizophrenia, plus another in which spontaneous psychic events unfolded. In my opinion this is all ITLADIAN and the condition needs to be reclassified. When I was in Scientology they were against the barbaric treatment of such patients but they never saw or were interested in the psychic power or 'witch' angle, that I saw: I'm now 57 so those heady, daemonic days are over, in the same way as flowers burst into bloom, seed and then die off as their purpose for being wanes.

I have just been informed that Radio City, the major radio station for the Merseyside area, has requested that I be involved in tonight's "Pete Price Show". I will be "on-air" for approx 20 minutes from 2220 (BST). The theme of the programme will be "the meaning of life". Also being interviewed will be a theologian and a philosopher. As we understand it the three guests will be interviewed separately and then the telephone lines will be opened for a debate and discussion. The guests will not be involved in this but Pete will.

Radio City broadcasts on FM across Merseyside and to a much wider area on digital. For those of you interested in this show it can be listened to on-line at:

http://http//www.whatson.com/radiocity/.

Clearly if anybody wishes to phone in and add their itladian comments that will be great.

Heat induced time slip.

During the recent heatwave my wife and I have decided to use different bedrooms. I preferred the back cooler bedroom she put up with the west facing warmer bedroom.
One evening we retired to bed about the same time, she may have been a little after me as she sets out the kitchen for breakfast. Her normal time of rising is about 4.30am anyhow as she has back problems and twisting and turning in bed she gets up early does some housework and then goes to sleep on the sofa until I get up at 6.am for work. I was reading the book The Daemon in bed when she turned in. Eventually I turned off my back bedroom light.
Around 3.24am [AS PER MY CLOCK] I heard her get up as she went via the bathroom etc I checked the time again to be sure and as she is an early riser anyway and it was still warm I took little notice. I fell back to sleep and re-awoke and checked my digital LCD clock it was only 1.15am, again double checking by putting on the light. Huh? How could that be? Puzzled I fell back into a sleep awaking for work at 6.00am. I went via the bathroom and down for breakfast and asked my wife what time she got up, about 3.30am she said she couldn't rest it was too warm upstairs. I muttered I had a backward night then but never bothered to explain it, not worth the hassle. Did my Daemon try to prove something to me or was it just heat induced madness. I still can't accept it as real but who can tell?

Now Television beckons?

I am delighted to announce that I will be appearing live on UK television on the Thursday 23rd July at 2000 (British Summer Time). I have been invited to be the sole guest on a two hour programme on Edge Media TV.

I will be appearing on their "Flagship" programme On The Edge. I will be interviewed by Theo Chalmers. I spent a fascinating 45 minutes chatting with Leo yesterday. He has a great sense of humour and I am sure that this could be a very interesting show. indeed I am informed that there will be a facility whereby listeners can "text in". How this facility works I am not sure but I watched part of Theo's programme last night and the listener involvement was very active.

Edge Media programming is broadcast in the UK on the Sky platform, Channel 200 "Controversial TV" from 6am until 10pm. It can also be received across Europe on Eurobird 28.3E (11.222Ghz H, symbol rate 27.5, FEC 2/3).

However what is even better news for those of you outside of the UK (and those of you, me included, who do not have SKY TV) is that this programme will also be available for viewing live via a webcast. This can be viewed at:

http://www.edgemediatv.com/videoplayer/watchonline.html

Their general website can be found at http://www.edgemediatv.com/ .

Cheater of the Ferryman: His Name in the U.S. Media

I hope that Tony will forgive me a bit of boasting,  but it is simply thrilling to see all my hours of work,  reaching out to press,  writing OpEd pieces, etc.  paying off in such a big way.  Articles about Tony's theories,  his work with the National Theatre of London,  and his upcoming New York event on August 3 in Midtown Manhattan,  have now been spread through the US media ,  in Metro New York, and are showing up on the pages of such media giants as USA Today,  CBS and NBC in New York, World News , the Thriller List put out by famous American mystery author Leighton Gage, Mayor Bloomberg's Office's Cultural Affairs list,  and major authors and events listings.  An article about Cheating the Ferryman coming to New York ranked as one of the top "Science and Life"  section stories,  even posted above pieces on Michael Jackson.  My editor and colleague,  Eric Bryant, and I are so happy to be helping in the ITLADian adventure.  Bravo to the founder of the feast,  Mr. Anthony Peake.

Theory now discussed in the Fortean Times Paranormal Handbook

I was in Borders Bookshop this lunchtime and something suggested that I look round the magazines. I was on my way out of the shop and I had absolutely no reason to go over to this section, but I found myself walking towards the rows and rows of magazines. I was quite frustrated because in Speke they have moved all the sections and I had no idea what I was looking for. However as my eyes scanned the rows of magazines they alighted on a new booklet entitled The Fortean Times Paranormal Handbook. I just had this feeling (Daemonic?) that this was of importance. I casually picked it up and noticed that it had a chapter on "Life After Death". I turned to this section simply to see what I could learn from this. I noted that this section was written by Bob Rickard, the "Founding Editor" of FT and the guy who reviewed Daemon in the April edition.

I scanned through it and towards the end Bob was discussing the suggestion by physicist Ron Pearson that consciousness itself is a sub-quantum phenomenon. I then glanced at the final paragraph of the article, the summing-up section and I nearly jumped out of my skin. Bob had writtten the following:

Many of these exciting new notions are summarised by Anthony Peake, to which he has annexed an extraordinary and equally promising discussion of the evidence for each of us having a dual consciousness; one he calls the Eidolon, which experiences life for the 'first' time and which locates itself in physical space; and the other he calls the Daemon, which has lived through the 'life' experience many times and which locates itself in quantum 'non-locality'. The analogy here is of a hologram, an image in which each part contains the whole. Further Peake attempts to account for much of the phenomena experienced during NDE's as imperfect recollections of encounters between the two types of consciousness. If he is correct in suggesting that the Daemon is as much rooted in the quantum world as the Eidolon is in the physical world, we may indeed be on the way to an explanation of both the nature of consciousness and its independence from the physical body - Indeed, to a new theory of death and how it may be survived!

Wow!

I am so excited about this because this is not the FT magazine which is only in the bookshops for a month .... this £7.99 "Magbook" will be in all the major newsagents - including ones at airports - for the whole Summer and maybe even longer. This could be the big breakthrough.........

Thanks Bob!

I am delighted to say that my interview with Amanda Lyon and Katrine Seidelin has now been posted on The National Theatre website. It is an excellent short film that explains in a very effective way why this particular production is of great relevance to my own theories on the nature of time, consciousness and perception.The link can be found at:

http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/50304/time-and-the-conways/play-now-time-and-the-conways.html

I would like to thank both Amanda and Katrine for an excellent short film.

The picture above shows the central character "Kay Conway" as she slips into some form of seizure, a seizure that places her 19 years in the future. It is interesting to note that in my theory I suggest that seizures (specifically temporal lobe epilepsy petit mal "absences") do open up the human mind to strange temporal anomalies such as the one depicted in this fascinating play.

Indeed the actress who plays Kay Conway, Hattie Morahan, will be on stage with me on the 23rd July together with particle physicist Professor Jeff Forshaw.

Today I was in the process of trying to source a book entitled Replay by a writer called Ken Grimwood. This book is profoundly itladian in that it gives a fictional account of a person who lives his entire life over again, but this time he "remembers" what happens. In itladian terms what this describes is an Eidolon who is aware of its own Daemonic memories of the previous run-through the Bohmian IMAX.

I succeeded in my search and I will be receiving a copy in the next few days. However, in doing a Google-search on "reliving one's life" I came across a simply amazing letter published in the periodical The American Journal of Psychiatry (143:3, March 1986). The letter was sent by an extremely puzzled and very intrigued psychiatrist by the name of Dr. Jerome M. Schneck. If ever I needed empirical (albeit clearly subjective) proof that I am really onto something significant in my ITLAD/CTF hypothesis this is it. Dr. Schneck wrote:


SIR: I would like to describe a patient's delusion that is unlike anything I have encountered before.
Ms. A, a 36-year-old woman, was sent by her employer for a medical examination because she was said to be uncooperative with her co-workers. The examining physician referred her for psychiatric evaluation.The patient was schizophrenic, was vague about any history of inpatient or outpatient psychiatric treatment, and had been advised to take haloperidol and other medications but never filled in her prescriptions. She was loquacious, at times irrelevant, and yet was coherent and capable of offering direct answers to specific questions. She described having hallucinations in which she saw tents and thrones "inhabited by God."She denied having any feelings of depression or anxiety. Her attention and concentration somewhat wavered. She seemed fascinated by her unusual claims. Despite having had previous psychiatric contacts, she denied having psychological problems. She had occasional ideas of reference but declined to describe them in detail.The patient spontaneously revealed the delusion she harbored that she relived her life from moment to moment, each day, week, month and year. She did not claim that she had lived other types of lives in the past or that she would relive this one in the future, after her death. But she insisted that this life was a thorough duplication of her past life. She denied experiencing reincarnation in the sense of having previously lived in some other way or form, nor did she necessarily expect a reincarnation in the future. Her experiences were not the usual well-known deja vu but the re-living of a life span in specific and exact sequence, one event after another in proper order. She claimed that her ability to fortell events because of her reliving often frightened her as well as others. She said her facility to recall past events in detail also frightened others, but she asserted that her recollections were valid and accurate, even for time periods in infancy that are not ordinarily remembered. She claimed that other individuals confirmed her recollections, but she presented no evidence for this claim
I report this case to alert others to this delusion type and to encourage others to report on any similar patients they might have treated.

For me this report is absolutely fascinating and probably one of the most crucial cases regarding ITLAD/CTF. I have tried to trace Dr. Schneck but thus far with no success. He was based in New York so it is my intention to try and trace him, and possibly speak with him whilst I am in that city in August.

It is interesting to observe that this lady had been diagnosed as schizophrenic. Could it be that her odd perceptions themselves had brought about this diagnosis? If so then by implication anybody who may perceive elements of the Bohmian IMAX will be quickly labelled with this "illness". However what if this is not an illness but a glimpse of the true nature of existence? I am sure that Dr. Rick Strassman would agree with my position on this having tested out such a proposition with his work on DMT (N,N-dimethyltryptamine).

A careful reading of this report begs some strong questions .... for example, did nobody think to test out the woman's claims that she could perceive the future? Surely this would have been easily tested? But it seems that nobody bothered (of course, if one accepts what many deja TLErs have told me, that the very communication of what is about to happen to another human being will ensure that that the universe splits and a new future is created to accommodate the change from what happened "last time" - i.e. last time the subject would not have made the prediction and as such the very verbalisation of the fact changes peoples actions and reactions).
She was also quite precise in her point that this was not a form of reincarnation but a "reliving" of the same life. Something that I have stressed many times in my lectures when people assume that I am talking about a form of "reincarnation".

I am interested in any comments anybody may have with regard to this case ..... and even more interested if anybody has access to any further material to do with this case, or any similar.

Anthony Peake in New York - August 3rd 2009

The following has recently been announced in to various media outlets in New York.

'Anthony Peake will be addressing the New York public at the Roosevelt Hotel, Madison Avenue @ East 45 St, Midtown, Manhattan, Monday, Aug 3, 6- 9 pm, 2nd floor, Conference Mezzanine, The Broadway Suite Lecture/Discussion/Author Book Sale and Signing/Free Public Reception for the Author, Open Bar and Buffet : Hosted by Gnosis Arts Multimedia Communications, LLC (Eric Bryant).'


There is an open invitation to this event so if you happen to be in New York on the 3rd of August please do feel free to join us there.

Full details about this event can be found at the BLOGSITE of my associate Susan Marie Kovalinsky:

http://musingsinobamasamerica.blogspot.com/

PKD Day at Nottingham Trent University - 13th June 2009

Last Saturday I attended a fascinating day of discussion and lectures at Nottingham Trent University. With me was fellow BLOG member Mick (of "Cordoba" fame) and his girlfriend Jan.

The papers in the morning were highly academic in their approach. Indeed it took me back to my own university days in the mid 1970's. Clearly the approach was textual rather than personal in that the themes discussed Phil the writer not Phil the man. However this is what was to be expected as it was taking place in the English Department.

In the afternoon I presented a paper entitled "PKD-PRECOG?" It is difficult to evaluate how this went down with the assembled academics and enthusiasts but I think the lack of questions (except from Mick and the organisers) suggested to me that the audience were, at best, confused and at worst somewhat underwhelmed.

On reflection my presentation was somewhat different to those that had gone before. I was dealing with "facts" (as reported by Phil himself so I guess the word "fact" in this case consists of many "factors") whereas my predecessors had analysed Phil's writing in a sociological or textual way. I was fascinated to realise that a simple science-fiction story can be analysed and taken apart for meaning. I wonder what Phil would have made of it?

I was really expecting some challenging questions - particularly as I presented evidence from Phil's life that he had been precognitive. Indeed I even distributed copies of the fascinating letters that Phil wrote to Gloria Krenz, one of which actually described the circumstances of his own stroke that was to happen seven years later. I guess that because my analysis did not work within a Marxist, Derridian or Deleuzian approach it caused a degree of confusion.

Of course it could simply be that my lecture was the last of the day before Tessa Dick joined us on SKYPE and everybody was anticipating chatting with her.

Tessa was wonderful, being witty, funny and very open in her comments about Phil. However I found it again very strange that not many questions were asked of her. I can only assume it is because many attendees of the conference were more used to answering questions than asking them.

One question Tessa was asked was to seek out her opinions on the biographers of her husband, specifically Lawrence Sutin and Emmanuel Carrere. Her response was to say that parts of Sutin's book contained accurate information and some did not. She did not seem to be aware of the Carrere book. However she then said that she had been very impressed by a new book by an English writer by the name of Anthony Peake - she said that with the exception of his suggestion that Phil experienced TLE, she felt that this book, "The Daemon" was excellent!

This really made my day, no, far more than that, it made all my hard work worthwhile. Tessa was actually an external witness to most of Phil's 2-3-74 "experiences" so with the exception of Phil himself she is the only person qualified to really comment upon my "take" on Phil's theophany.

Indeed Tessa finished of her communication by categorically stating that she agreed fully with Phil that the reality that we perceive is an illusion and that we are all living within this illusion.

I would like to thank Tessa for these kind comments regarding my work and also Professor John Goodridge for organising a wonderful, and very enlightening day.

Paranormal Magazine - Issue 37

I am delighted to announce that the much awaited Paranormal Magazine containing my article and an interview with me has been published. This will be found at most UK newsagents and some bookshops (including Borders). In my opinion Richard and his team have done an excellent job. The use of images is particularly striking.The magazines website is:

http://www.paranormalmagazine.co.uk/.

For those of you outside the UK there is a downloadable version of the magazine that can be purchased on-line. Details can be found at:

http://www.jazzpublishing.co.uk/index.php?app=gbu0&ns=prodshow&ref=paranormal_latest

In his review of the article and interview Richard writes:

'Anthony Peake's "Cheating The Ferryman" theory (is) one of the most exciting and far-reaching theories regarding the supernatural to have emerged in decades".

This follows on from the Fortean Times review of "The Daemon" where founder of the FT, Bob Rickard wrote the following:

' (The Daemon) is not a self-help book, at least not in the the usual meaning of that term. It is something far more exciting; an intelligent and imaginative synthesis, a tentative step towards understanding what happens to us at the moment of death. In doing so, Peake seems to be shining a light on our equally mysterious inner life'.

What can I say!!

Worldview Warfare (weltanschauungskrieg) & the Necessity of Illusion

“We are greater artists than we know.” Nietzsche.

• Everyone has their personal version of reality and everyone believes theirs is not only the best version, but the only one that really counts
• Our version of reality is dependent on our physical, emotional, psychological imprinting as infants, and has little or nothing to do with conscious processes.
• It never seems to occur to us, however, that our version of reality is built up from material that comes directly from other people’s versions of reality (the books we read, people we respect, and so forth).
• We cling to our version of reality as if our life depends upon it. Maybe it does. Yet we know that any version of reality is incomplete, and never can be complete.
• The way we view the world defines who we think we are, our constructed identity. We cannot see ourselves from the outside, except through the eyes of another.
• We agree the sky is blue without ever wondering if we are seeing the same color, knowing only that we have agreed to give it the name “blue.”
• We all desperately need others to agree with our version of reality, even while we insist that we are special and unique.
• Does anyone ever really upturn their version of reality in a way that is meaningful? It is akin to identity-suicide.
• Our versions of reality are our defense systems, our armor, against an incomprehensible, and probably hostile, Universe. It began as a necessary survival response to those first childhood experiences, the ones which presented the original threat to our well-being, so shaping the identity-armor that was later fully consolidated as a version of reality.
• Parents are the first to override our sense of reality by telling us that monsters do not exist and that our invisible friends are imaginary, that we are not hungry when we say we are, and so forth.
• We are looking for allies, most of all in our illusions. Complicity in denial. The rejection of conspiracy “theory” (a telling term, since it is often as fact-based as anything in the consensus realm) perhaps stems from our unconscious awareness that we are all conspiring, all of the time, to keep ourselves in the dark about this one, all-consuming fact: that we are the authors of our own beliefs.
• Friendship is opposition.
• When worldviews, versions of reality, go to war, the potential for breakthrough is great
• What we believe to be real becomes real. We forget that we chose to believe a version of reality because we had to. It was a necessary illusion.
• Jason Horsley

(full piece here)

Red Ice Creations Interview & a Meeting with Tom Priestley

On Saturday evening I was interviewed for over two hours by Henrik Palmgren of Red Ice Creations Radio. Red Ice are based in South West Sweden but have a following across the world. After listening to the interview and checking out their website I can quite understand why. These guys are really professional in every way. The website itself is a credit to them. Indeed I am so impressed with how they have manipulated my photograph to show both the "Daemon" and the brain that I have decided to use that image from now on in my promotional material. I have therefore changed the image on here.

The first part of the interview can be listened to, or downloaded as an MP3 at:

http://www.redicecreations.com/radio/2009/05may/RIR-090517.php

To listen to the second part you will need to become a subscriber to the site. However this is not a bad idea because this gives you access to some amazing interviews - many of them directly related to subjects that we have discussed and, hopefully, will continue to discuss on this BLOG and on my FORUM.

I am very pleased with how this interview went. I had just returned from a fascinating meeting with Tom Priestley. Tom is the only son of the playwright J.B. Priestley. As many of you will know I am involved in a "Platform Discussion" at the National Theatre in late July and I will be talking about J.B.Priestley's philosophy on time as presented in his "Time Plays".

I spent over an hour with Tom and he was very interested in ITLAD/CTF. Indeed he gave me the ultimate complement when I said that his father would have been quite fascinated by my work. As JBP wrote plays influenced by the ideas and theories of Peter Ouspensky and J.W.Dunne this was an honour indeed!

Tom will be in the audience for my "Platform Event" at the Lyttleton Theatre on Friday 24th of July. I only hope that after reading ITLAD that Tom is still as intrigued!

My theory suggests that there is something not quite right with the "common-sense" approach to reality. When I discuss these issues with the public I find that most people assume that the world "out there" is exactly as their senses tell them it is. A classic example of this was the heated debate on this very subject that took place on the Graham Hancock site in April. it is clear to me that for many there is no mystery and that I am somehow a little bit crazy in the way I evaluate consciousness and its interaction with reality.

However I suggest that it is common-sense that is in error and that the masses are deluding themselves in their enthusiasm to remain in their "comfort zone". Indeed I find that sometimes people can become quite aggressive when I suggest that they reflect back on themselves and for a second or two evaluate the real nature of consciousness and perception.

An example of this is that a few days ago I was in discussion with my optician. He was testing my eyesight with all his latest equipment and in the course of our conversation I brought up the question of the "blind spot" in our field of vision. There is a blind spot in each eye where there are no photoreceptors. This is because there has to be a place where the optic nerve is positioned. We don't usually notice the blind spot. However it is always there. I mentioned to the optician that I thought it odd that the brain seems to "fill in the missing section of vision". The optician disagreed with me and said that there was no mystery at all. He explained that we do not notice it for one simple reason; what falls on the blind spot of one eye does not fall on the blind spot of the other. He added that because the eyes are in constant motion so that what falls on the blind spot now does not fall on it a second later. For him that was the simple answer.
This was a typical response of a professional who was dealing with an enthusiastic layperson. I was wrong in my assumption and his opinion was correct. There is no mystery. However there is, a huge one, and one that I guess either he was not aware of or simply wishes to ignore it because it simply does not fit in with the present scientific paradigm. I could have mentioned this to him but decided against it. After all, what would be the point?

So why am I so sure that he is wrong? Well, try this experiment. Keep your head very still and stare at a blank surface such as a wall. Close one eye. Now there will be no overlap of the fields of vision so one eye will not compensate for the other (the optician's central argument). As you are not moving your head there is also no overlap of monocular vision as your single eye stares straight ahead. But still there is no blind spot! In fact it is quite difficult to demonstrate the blind spot and this involves staring at an object with one eye open at a specific distance. So for me there can only be two conclusions to be made about the opticians response - either he knew that the mystery did exist and pretended it didn't or he was simply unaware that the "received wisdom" was wrong.

And this really is a huge mystery because it implies that the brain, not the eye, fills in the missing information. But what is weird is that it fills in the information so seamlessly that we do not notice it. We are fooled into believing that we have an unbroken field of vision.
The philosopher-scientist Daniel Dennett argues that the information is not "filled in" but it is simply ignored. But this does not make the process any stranger. This suggests that the brain can manipulate or field of vision to the extent that areas are "ignored". This still implies that what we actually perceive is not what the eyes actually "see".

Indeed the above is somewhat of an understatement. Again most people assume that what is focused on the back of the eye is what is "seen" in the brain. They are taught that the retina simply acts like role of film at the back of a camera. The light comes in through the lens, the photons/waves (see my recent postings on this additional mystery below) then land on the light sensitive film and an image is created. This photograph is then sent to the brain and "presented" to consciousness. However this "snapshot" analogy is totally inadequate.

The amount of visual information that lands on the retina is extremely limited. There are two retinal images, not one, and they are are distorted, tiny and upside down. In addition the resolving power of the eye is limited and non-uniform. Indeed outside of the high resolution foveal region, the retina is nearly colour-blind and its powers of descrimination are severely limited. On top of this, as the optician rightly pointed out to me, the eye is in nearly constant motion. This movement is called saccadic motion and involves the eye changing position three or four times a second. As a result of this the actual image that lands on the retina takes the form of a succession of of alternating snapshots and grey-outs.

The perception philosopher, Professor Alvin Noe of the University of California, does not share the comfortable world of the "guy down the pub" about the nature of visual perception and its implications for the ultimate nature of reality. In an essay called “Is The Visual World a Grand Illusion?” In a book of the same title, Professor Noe writes the following in relation to the mystery of who the brain "creates" a stable and enveloping visual experience from such limited data:

“How, on the basis of this fragmented and discontinuous information, are we able to enjoy the impression of seamless consciousness of an environment that is detailed, continuous, complex and high resolution? This is the problem faced by visual theory.”

ITLAD/CTF and Karl L LeMarcs' CtCw attempt to explain these anomalies of perception (and those of particle physics) in a totally new paradigm ... an uber-theory... collectively known as BIGTOE. We do seem to have a workable theory that can explain many, if not all, of these "Black Swans" that so irritate and annoy those, such as my optician, who pretend that they have all the answers and there are no problems with the present paradigm.

Rather reminds me of the position of scientists such as Ernest Mach at the turn of the 19th/ 20th centuries. For me these curiosities are the "photo-electric effect" and the "black body radiation" of the 21st century. They have to be explained in order for us to advance our understanding of consciousness and its relationship with the Phenomenal World.

The Mystery of the Photon (02)

In my last posting I discussed the strange relationship between light and consciousness. I would now like to focus in on the second itladian issue regarding light. What I write below is, in many ways, simply a collection of notes and observations that I really wish to record now while they are still fresh in my mind. They may signify nothing, and I am sure that I have made some huge errors of interpretation, but this is a good indicator of where my Daemon seems to be taking me – particularly that recent synchronicities suggest that she is shouting at me at the moment!

Einstein, as a young man, used to wonder what it would be like to travel on the end of a light beam. It was these thoughts that led to the paradigm changing theory of relativity and, as they say, the rest is history.Last night I had a similar, but probably a good deal less, iconoclastic series of thoughts regarding light. These were stimulated by a few passing comments by Michael Shallis in his book On Time.As discussed in my previous posting, light seems to be both a particle and a wave. The particle element of this curiously counter-intuitive dyad is called a “photon”. And photons are weird!Most people who think about this (and few do) visualize a photon as being a very small solid bit of light. This is very, very small, but still a solid thing. However this is not the case. For example a photon has no mass! This means that it has no physical existence in the way that we would normally use the term. If you collected every single photon in the universe and placed them in one place (which would be impossible as they have no real ‘location’ see later) you would still have no mass. They would displace nothing and as such one can only assume that they do not exist within space as we know it.Because they are mass-less they can travel at exactly the speed of light – no faster and no slower. This means that they do not accelerate. When a light switch is turned on the photons that leave the bulb they travel at light speed instantaneously. Now at that speed the universe becomes a very different place from the one we observe.For example from the viewpoint of a photon there is no time. At the speed of light time ceases to flow. So for a photon it is still the moment of the Big Bang!Indeed there are even stranger conclusions that can be drawn from this timeless state experienced by a photon. If I am right in my interpretation then it means that they can travel backwards and forwards in time. We do not have to create exotic super-luminal (faster than light) particles such a tachyons to suggest possible time travel. The humble photon does it all the time (pun unintended).It is known that Space (and, I assume Space-Time) is curved. As such if an object travels for long enough it will arrive back at its initial location. This is like somebody circumnavigating the Earth. This line is technically known as a geodesic. This will apply to a photon. Our photon leaves the surface of Rigel and heads off into the vacuum of space at 299,792,458 metres per second. As long as the universe is expanding at less than the speed of light (which it cannot do anything other than) and it is not absorbed en-route, eventually that photon will end up back at its starting point on the surface of Rigel*1. Now as far as “our “time perception goes, this will take an enormous amount of time, billions if not trillions of years. However, and this is the amazing thing, from the viewpoint of the photon no time will have passed. It will find itself instantaneously back at the start of its journey and ready to do it again and again. Indeed it could do this journey countless times and it would still take, for the photon, no time.Michael Shallis observes:

‘It is strange that light to an observer has a finite measurable speed, when to light there is no time and therefore no space (italics mine).Light seems to interpenetrate the whole universe as if everywhere and every time was “here and now”, and yet to the human observer it travels and it travels at finite speed.’ (On Time – page 62)

So imagine that our photon described above leaves Rigel and arrives on Earth to enter your eye one winter’s evening (assuming you live in the Northern Hemisphere). From your frame of reference the photon left Rigel in 1236 C.E. (773 years ago) – when Cordoba was being retaken from the Moors as part of the Spanish “Reconquista” – but for the photon no time has passed and the fall of Cordoba*2. For the photon the encounter with your eye and the fall of Cordoba are contemporaneous events!Now what is important for me is that light, as a photon or as a wave, is the medium by which we perceive most of the world, and universe, around us. Without light we would quite literally, exist in complete darkness. Light is the medium by which we communicate with the world outside of consciousness. It carries information and yet this medium is mysterious in the extreme. It exists in a timeless place beyond our understanding. Indeed without electromagnetic radiation such as heat, life would not exist and the universe would be a cold, dead place.

The Gnostic Mystic Mani called matter “Bottled Light”. Could this be the real secret regarding the nature of reality? That light, matter and thought are all related in some deep, meaningful way? Could this be a clue to the “Implicate Order” suggested by David Bohm. Could light be the building blocks of my Bohmian IMAX?.

(I am aware of a slight error of logic on my part. If the photon had travelled round the universe it would arrive somewhere on the surface of Rigel but it would be unlikely to be the same place. Rigel’s relative position will have moved in the billions of years of travel and, even more likely, it would have gone supernova eons before the photon gets back. Of course, if we apply the concept of the “Eternal Return” and assume that time, like space, is circular, then maybe the photon would return to the point of its creation on the surface of Rigel and, then, in a form of Stellar Bohmian IMAX, start on its timeless journey again..)

Regarding the Cordoba comment above this is strange, and curiously synchronistic.

If you have not already done so, please check out the “Cordoba” postings by “Mick” on this Blogsite. This will explain why this random choice of the star Rigel is curious. I could have picked any star but my Daemon suggested Rigel. My Daemon then suggested that I find out what event would have been taking place in Europe at the time that the photon left the surface of Rigel. Had to be something to do with Cordoba did it not!

The Mystery of the Photon (01)

I have just finished re-reading the Peter Shallis book On Time. I am particularly intrigued by the things he discusses about the nature of light. Indeed it kept me awake for most of the night. Below are my thoughts and observations regarding my nocturnal ruminations. I am sure that I am really missing something but if I am not I feel that I have really isolated a massive mystery regarding the nature and process of vision when analysed in the “light” (pun unintended) of the Copenhagen Interpretation and the famed “collapse of the wave function”. I would like your opinions on this.

(This is the first of two postings. The second one will focus in on the universe as perceived from the viewpoint of a photon).

Light, or more accurately, the electromagnetic spectrum) is an essential component of our understanding of the universe around us. Everything we see needs particles (or waves) of light to be bouncing off it and entering our eyes. These photons carry the message of shape, colour, texture, brightness from the object to the retina of our eye. At this point the message from the photons is converted into nerve signals and these are sent to the sight centres of the brain. Here something “magical” happens and the signals are “converted” into an “image” that is presented to consciousness. This process in itself is shrouded in mystery (how does a small, inverted image on the back of the eye create the huge, vibrant, colourful field of vision that we take for granted every moment of our waking life? Indeed who does the “perceiving” of this image …. an image that only occurs on the retina, not in the brain itself?) But this is a mystery that demands another post. For now I just wish to discuss the external nature of light.

So light is the medium of communication by which the external world is presented to “consciousness”. But what exactly is light?

Well for a start, modern science cannot even make up its mind if light is a “wave” or a “particle”. Now this is of profound importance. A wave is a disturbance in some other substance such as a wave in water or a sound wave in air. The wave needs the substance for it to travel along. Without the substance a wave does not exist. For example imagine those giant ocean breakers without the water. Where are they? Imagine music being played in a vacuum. Where is the sound? In both cases without the medium the wave simply does not exist. But a particle is a very different type of “thing”. It is a solid point that has both location and mass. It is a solid bit of something or other. Particles of light, as we have seen, are called photons. However photons are very strange particles in that they have no mass and, as we shall see later, no location either.

But light shows particle-like and wave-like behaviour. Sometimes it acts exactly as one would expect a solid particle to behave …. Photons can be shot at a surface and it will kick out electrons just like the surface was being hit by grains of sand and being sandblasted. Individual photons can be fired through a slit and will appear as points on a screen the other side of the slit, just as particles would such as bullets fired from a gun.

However light also flows. It can flow round an object. When shone through two slits it acts exactly as a wave would be expected to. It develops an “interference pattern”, a classic wave-effect.

But how can light be both a particle and a wave?

But it gets stranger. Experimentation has shown that in order for light to show particle-like behaviour it has to be “observed”. Without an “observer” it behaves as a wave.

To explain this mystery physicists have suggested that an electromagnetic wave (of which light is the visible part) is not a wave as we understand the term. It is not a wave moving through a medium such as water or air but a wave of “probabilities”. In this way an explanation was found as to how light/electromagnetic waves can cross the vastness of space …. known to be a vacuum. This was for a long time a huge problem for scientists who were convinced (from the experimental evidence) that light was a wave. How is it, they asked, that a light wave can leave the sun and arrive at the Earth eight minutes later when between the Earth and the Sun is empty space, a vacuum? They suggested that space was not empty but was full of a mysterious substance known as “luminiferous aether”. It was this that carried the light waves. However in a very famous experiment by Michelson and Morley in 1887 it was shown that aether did not exist. However if light consisted of particles travelling at the speed of light then no aether was needed.

However the experimental evidence that light was, indeed a wave, was overpowering. Something was clearly wrong. The solution was that light is a wave that contains a probability of finding a particle (photon) in one place or another. Before observation the particle is smeared out over space as a “wave function”. In order for this wave function to “collapse” into a particle in a particular location something has to take place ….. and that something is the “act of observation”.

The big issue is what constitutes an “observer”? Can it be a measuring device or does it need to be a conscious observer such as a cat? Or does that observer need to be self-aware, a “reflective self-consciousness”?

Nobody really knows the answer to this question but the implications are incredible; that photons may need a conscious observer to bring them into existence! If this is true then vision works in a very weird way. As a light wave hits the retina it is technically “unobserved” because it is yet to reach consciousness. As such it can only be a wave at this point. However the wave is then converted into a nerve signal that is sent to the visual cortex to be reassembled into an image. But that image does not consist of photons. It is simply a nerve signal. The recreated image is then presented to consciousness and is “perceived” – the act of “observation”. If we accept the “collapse of the wave function” then where (and when) does the collapse from a wave to a particle take place? It cannot be before consciousness “observes” it, because that act of observation is right at the end of the process when the “wave” has changed to a nerve signal and is no longer light in any form, wave or particle. Can it be that the retina “observes” and in doing so collapses the wave function? But can this be an option? I am very aware that the retina is technically part of the brain, not the eye, but is it is not in any way “conscious” and definitely not “self-conscious”.

So we have this brain-generated “image” of the external world that projects itself into and wraps around our field of vision like a super IMAX picture. However this image is not made up of waves or photons, they have been long lost in the process. This view of the world is, at best, a facsimile and, at worst, an illusion. And of course we have an even deeper mystery …. where are the photons in this model?

So have I missed something?

If my theory is correct then 70% of us exist inside an inwardly-generated "illusion" that we perceive to be an external "reality". The philosophers call this the "Phaneron" and I term it the "Bohmian IMAX".

If this is correct than this "world" should be full of self-referential clues that hint at this illusion. I suggest that these clues are presented to us all the time. Some of us see them and others just ignore them as just chance and coincidence. Those who have reflected on these things have another term .... they call it synchronicity. From Karl Jung to Arthur Koestler there has been a fascination with this "significant coincidences. Jmaes Redfield in his "Celestine Prophesy" books came to the same conclusion. These synchronicities mean something. So what should I make of this one:

Yesterday I was travelling through on the Merseyside Metro system from Liverpool James Street Station to my home station of Spital. I was reading the Michael Shallis book [i]On Time[/i]. Michael has a fascinating section on coincidence and meaning and I had just started this as the train left Birkenhead Central. As usual I was listening to my Archos MP3 player (as you all know from previous postings this machine has around 14,000 individual MP3 songs and I was, as usual, listening on random play. So there is a 1 in 14,000 of any one track being played. As we approach Rock Ferry Station I was overcome with what initially felt like a mixed deja senti/vu sensation. The first few bars of the Duffy song "Rockferry" started to play as we drew into Rock Ferry station. Now many of you know that a few months ago I recorded on this FORUM that exactly the same set of circumstances conspired to select this track as I was looking at the song's subject matter through the train window. And it was happening again! The odds of this happening once are very high .... but twice on a "random play" starts to stretch belief. Of course in order for coincidences to be significant there has to be another linkage at work. That was that I was reading a chapter on COINCIDENCE AND CHANCE!!! Indeed at that point Michael was discussing the statistics of coincidence and what made them significant. I got home feeling quite strange about all this.

That is interesting I hear you say, but not THAT interesting.

I agree, but today it continued.

Usually my journey to work consists of a metro journey, then an overground train journey then a short bus journey. For the last three weeks there has been improvement work on the Central Loop Line of the Liverpool metro service. This means that I have been obliged to take a bus from central Liverpool to my work location in Speke. Every day I have caught a bus numbered the 500. This goes to John Lennon Airport (note the Beatle link) and takes the quickest route. This morning I am at Paradise Street Bus Station waiting in my usual place. A bus draws in and I assume it is the 500 and get on. It is only as it drives away towards the city centre that I realise I have got on the wrong bus. I knew that this route would get me to work eventually but the route takes much longer and drives through the inner suburbs of the city before heading out to the airport. I have my archos on (random play as usual) and I am still reading the Shallis book and enjoying some of the fascinating coincidences that he describes. As a Wirralian I do not know Liverpool that well so I was not exactly sure where I was when The Beatles starting playing on the Archos. As soon as the song began to play and I recognised the tune a shiver went right up my spine (I mean this literally, it was one of those "somebody walking over your grave" type sensations). I knew exactly where I was going to be as I looked out the bus window. Literally (and I mean literally to the second) as the Beatles sang

"Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes

There beneath the blue suburban skies

I sit, and meanwhile back ...."

The road sign "Penny Lane" appeared in my field of vision. This really scared me more than anything that has ever happened in my ITLADIC journey.

This was really significant. Think about this. "Penny Lane" was indeed "in my ears and in my eyes". I was listening to it through headphones and I was looking at Penny Lane through the bus window. But it gets weirder. As many of you know Liverpool is in the North West of England. Known for its rainy skies. This morning had clear blue, cloudless skies..... I was in the Liverpool suburbs looking up at "Blue suburban skies". Now I admit that on its own this is of no significance but taking into account what was happening that I also had blue skies above me added to the weird feelings going through my head. Oh, and of course ..... I was sitting.... ("I sit" as the lyrics say). So when this 14,000 to 1 track came on I could have been walking (I wasn't I was sitting) the skies could have been cloudy (they were not, the were clear blue). I was in Penny Lane. I was reading a book about coincidences. The night before I had the Rockferry incident. It was verrrry weirdddd ..... almost Twilight Zone stuff). I have just done a quick check on my Archos about local place names in song titles within the 14,000 tracks. I am sure I am right but I only know of four:

Penny Lane by The Beatles,

Strawberry Fields Forever by The Beatles,

Rock Ferry by Deaf School and

Rockferry by Duffy (what is it about Rock Ferry that inspires people to write about it in song?)

As I got off the bus I watched it drive away. Along the side of the bus was painted a large picture showing, among others, John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Now I need to check this but I am also sure that the road sign "Penny Lane" was featured in this advert for Liverpool 08. As it disappeared in the distance its destination was shown on the back of the bus ..... "John Lennon Airport". I felt the shiver hit yet again!

Tessa Dick - the latest Itladian?

I am delighted to announce that Tessa Dick, widow of the late and great Philip K Dick, and I have opened up email communication. I would like to thank archaeologist and member of the Graham Hancock "Phorum", David Campbell, for facilitating this.

Tessa (and David) are now active members of my own FORUM at www.anthonypeake.com/forum .

Tessa has already made a posting on the Anthony Peake Forum (discussing Julian Jaynes) and I am hoping that she will become a regular contributor.

Indeed Tessa has her own Blog site which is well worth checking out. Tessa discusses Phil, his writing and the events surrounding Phil's "Theophany" of March 1974 - an event so central to the issues discussed on this Blog and on my FORUM. Tessa's site can be found at http://pkdmemoir.blogspot.com/.

Tessa has also written a book about Phil entitled Philip K. Dick: Remembering Firebright. Signed copies of this book can be ordered direct from Tessa at her Blogsite. I have already ordered my copy and I am convinced that this book may prove to be of profound importance in the development of ITLAD/CTF and will also contain proof of the widening theory of BIGTOE and Karl's CtCw.

Tessa has already posted a comment about my work and I would like to thank her for this. she has already read the PKD chapter of "The Daemon" and a copy of this book will be winging its way across the Atlantic to her tomorrow.

Exciting times indeed!

As many of you may be aware, I have been invited to contribute to a "Platform Event" at The National Theatre in London. I will be on stage with Professor Jeff Forshaw of Manchester University.

The event will start at 1800 and will last for about 45 minutes. Note that this will take place in the Lyttleton Theatre.There is an intention for any itladians in the audience to meet up afterwards and go for a drink at the Doggetts Coat and Badge, a nearby drinking house much frequented by A Dark Philosopher in recent years and in the late 1970's by himself (although I am sure that it has much changed). Check it out at http://www.doggettscoatandbadge.co.uk/.

It is planned that Jeff and I will be signing copies of our respective books after the event. For details on Jeff's book (co-written with Professor Brian Cox) check out:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Why-Does-E-mc2-Should/dp/0306817586

It is possible that some itladians may wish to sit together in the auditorium. If so you have two options. The theatre has a Groups Department.Their number is 020 7452 3010. and tickets can also be booked in-line at:

http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/45917/platforms/an-experiment-with-time-and-the-conways.html

This could be one of those special nights (particularly if the weather is nice and we can sit outside - I mean the pub event by the way, not the theatre event!)

You may be interested to know that a new(ish) review of ITLAD has appeared on Amazon USA. I think that it is a very fair evaluation and one that has picked up on some of the "concerns" long discussed on this Blogsite. I was delighted to discover that the reviewer also has a Blogsite location. This can be found at:

http://wwmentaltraveller.blogspot.com/

I have already added a comment on the actual posting at:

http://wwmentaltraveller.blogspot.com/2009/01/peake-experience.html

thanking "Gardening In The Centre" for this review (and for placing a link to this site and to The Forum).

A Weird Coincidence

Something very weird took place last Friday (17th April) and I am keen to record it here.

Myself and FORUM/BLOG member, Aloah Gary met for coffee at Waterstones Bookshop in Birkenhead. We were joined for ten minutes or so by another member of the FORUM/BLOG who happened to be in the area (Edg). Ed left and Gary got down to business. He gave me some good advice about where I should next go with my writing. Gary used an analogy to explain my present circumstances. He said “You are like a guy with a dog at your heels with a handkerchief carrying your worldly goods. You need to step off that cliff because you will find that a parachute will be supplied for you as you fall”. Now, believe it or not (and I didn’t mention this to Gary at the time) a two days before I had a waking hypnogogic image of myself walking along a road with a stick and a knotted handkerchief. This puzzled me at the time. I recall thinking “where does that image come from? Did people in times past carry their belongings that way? and what a small amount could be carried”. At the time I mentioned this weird image to my wife.

I left Gary and arrive back home I settled down to read my emails. Nestling in my in-tray was an email from a member of the Graham Hancock Phorum and I opened it. The lady in question, "Nebankh" discussed some strange synchronicities in her life. I was delighted that the synchronicities (synchrondipitys as you know us Itladians call them) were manifesting in her life as they do in ours all the time.

Nebankh had also attached a short story that she was keen for me to read.

I then decided to read the story before I emailed her back to say thank you.

Within half a page I was stunned. I re-read what she had written and my brain simply could not take in fully the import of what I was reading. On the first page of Nebankh's story was the following :

"Goodbye Lily, till tomorrow then," and he tossed her a small card. There was a picture of a young man, with a joyous dog snapping at his heels; over his shoulder he carried a stick with a small, knotted handkerchief carrying all his worldly possessions, and he was stepping off the edge of a cliff with a happy smile on his face."

Just reading that now sends shivers down my spine..... it seemed personally targeted as to not only reinforce the message that Gary had given me, but also to prove to me that there is something powerful going on here .... something that continues to amaze me and leave me in absolute awe!

I am still wondering as to what the significance of this event is ..... but I am keeping an open mind!

ITLAD meeting

Yesterday was another opportunity for meeting a few of the wonderful people who share a fascination for the works of Anthony Peake and who add to the developing discourse on this forum. We congregated at the Blue Bar at the Albert Dock in Liverpool. I, for one, had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed the bonhomie and conversation.

Photos of the event can be viewed at http://www.flickr.com/groups/itlad/pool/

ITLADian Movie Project

Well, after seven years procrastinating, The God Game series (six short digital films which I call surrealist documentaries) is finally going to be viewable online, thanks to the assistance of a member of the younger generation! All the films (and the final capstone work, Being the One: Document of a Delusion) will eventually be uploaded to my youtube channel, here

For a description of the God Game film project, which was actually completed back in 2002, you can visit my blog.

The premise of the film (surprise surprise) is quite ITLADian -  it actually began with a dream I had, about being in an acting class and using a megaphone to create an after-death persona, who would comment on one's life from "the other side." This instantly gave me the idea of making a movie - combining documentary format with role-playing, with psychotherapy, in which I would ask players to imagine their deaths and reconcpetualize their lives, as stories, seen from this transpersonal (Daemonic) POV.

An idea ahead of its time? Let's hope so, anyhow, because it's taken seven years for the films to get "released"! But here they are....

Informal Mini-ITLAD Gathering - Saturday 25th April

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Informal Mini-ITLAD Gathering - Saturday 25th April

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After the successes of previous gatherings I have been trying to arrange a suitable date that most can attend for another afternoon/evening of intellectual stimulation, ale-infusion and gags of dubious quality and we have found that, quite alarmingly, almost everyone is free, at least partly during the day, this Saturday so Tony, Penny, A Philosopher of Darkish Hue, Johar (JoJo), Aloha Gary, Ed, Woodsprite (Di), Anubis65/Baphomet (Dave), Nefertiti (Kathy), Rich, Morrigan, Dorje (Tony) and Alan are cordially invited (or in some cases alcoholically invited) to meet up in the sunshine(?) of Liverpool and anyone and everyone who can come along is welcome.

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If you want to attend and come to meet some of the people from BLOG and FORUM then please leave a comment here or email me directly.

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A Dark Philosopher

Karl L Le Marcs

The Fragmented Self

Here's a recent interview I did as part of a Guardian project with the artist Mark Titchner

It covers various subjects, including schizophrenia, the environmental crisis, multiple personality disorder as relating to our moods, the personal self as Frankenstein's monster, Matrix Warrior, Fight Club, the primal self, mythic narratives of moden movies, and other juicy tidbits.

JH