Can this be evidence of Daemonic Communication?

In my new book I discuss in some detail the channels of communication between the Daemon and the Eidolon. These can be a voice in the head, dreams, hunches, and sometimes, via physical movement not initiated by the Eidolon. However communication between the Daemon and the outside world is somewhat less common. Indeed it is reasonable to conclude that as the speech areas of the brain are located in the dominant hemisphere (Broca’s Area) then vocal communication may be virtually impossible for a daemon. However it has been suggested that under certain conditions a daemon may appropriate the verbal centres of the dominant hemisphere and vocalize its thoughts and opinions to the outside world. Occasionally this has occurred during deep hypnosis sessions. At other times unusual neurotransmitter activity seems to also facilitate Daemonic manipulation across the corpus callosum and into Broca’s Area.

However I have recently come across evidence that the Daemon may have another way of communicating – this is a phenomenon known as “Reverse Speech”.

This was first suggested by an Australian named David John Oates. Oates claims that humans exhibit "bi-level" communication, that is to say forwards and backwards simultaneously. He argues that clear understandable reverse speech is occurring in bursts every 6 to 10 seconds continually during our forward communication.

Oates began his research in 1984, intrigued with the occurrence of backwards masking in rock and roll records. Backwards masking is a recording technique for purposely embedding backwards messages into music. While searching for these intended messages Oates says he stumbled onto his discovery of many messages, unintentionally embedded in the words of the music. He then quickly began studying all kinds of recorded speech looking for backwards messages. One of his earliest discoveries was in the famous recording of Neil Armstrong's "one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." Oates reverses this statement for the audience using computer software to reveal that this sentence played backwards says "man will space walk."

Excited by this discovery Oates next turned to the famous live recording of the television announcer commentary while witnessing the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Forwards the announcer says "There has been a shooting." Backwards the statement appears to say "he's shot bad, stop, look up." Such examples, says Oates demonstrate "congruent" reverse speech communication. More intriguing, however, are Oates' examples of incongruent communication. In his lectures Oates regularly plays a recording of a Patsy Ramsey being interviewed about the death of her daughter, Jon Benet. In the interview Ramsey says forwards "at least two people on the face of this earth know who did this, the killer and someone they may have confided in." Played backwards you can hear the statement "I'm that person."

Another example is ex- President Clinton's famous denial speech. Forwards, "I did not have sexual relations with that woman." Backwards, "I hate to say yes."

Now in ITLAD I argue that even in very young babies the Daemon is fully aware of who it is and where it has come from – it simply cannot communicate these facts. In a startling itladian example Oates cites examples of some reverse speech research he did with his twin girls. Starting at birth Oates was able to begin documenting reverse speech single words sentences at 4 months of age. What seemed like gibberish “baby talk” (or “egocentric speech” as the Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky termed it) when played in reverse yields the surprisingly clear impression of the baby saying "hello." At 7 months of age he began documenting two word sentences in reverse speech. In one astounding recording he held a small recorder up to the baby's face and the baby made common baby gibberish sound. Yet in reverse one can hear the baby say "what's that?" At 13 months of age Oates recorded the gibberish of his daughter as she reached for a cup. Reversed it yielded the sentence "David, help me." (These can be listened to at

http://www.reversespeech.com/Children_Reversals.htm

Lots of other examples can be found at:

http://www.reversespeech.com/Simple_Examples.htm

In my opinion David's work is potentially very interesting and worth investigating further.

ANNOUNCEMENT - KERRANG INTERVIEW

Folks,

Just to let you know that the Kerrang Interview tonight has been postponed. It seems that they are very interested in the book and would prefer to have read the book before they interview me. Indeed they wish me to go to their studios in Birmingham rather than on the telephone. This is a very positive development but unfortunately a little late for me to get the message out to all of you. If you see this can you please let any other itladians know about this delay.

I will be agreeing a date with them in the next few days and I will post it on here.

Cheers

Tony

Creating reality

Another interesting speculation brought up the "Quantum Enigma" (see previous post) has to do with creating a new reality.

The quandary is that if all reality is created by our observation, then does not "looking back 'now' give reality to what happened 'then'?" (John Wheeler, in the 1970s). So, it takes observation to bring reality to the Big Bang but whatever is doing the observation must have been created after the Big Bang---a rather self-referential bit of logic.

[quoting from the book now because it's so much easier than trying to summarize a summary ...]

"Accepting the boggle, we might ask: Though we could only create a universe in which we could exist, is the one we did create the only one we could have created? With a different observation, or different postulate, would the universe be different? It has been wildly speculated that postulating a theory that is not in conflict with any previous observation actually creates a new reality.

"For example, Hendrick Casimir, motivated by the discovery of the positron after its seemingly unlikely prediction, mused: 'Sometimes it almost appears that the theories are not a description of a nearly inaccessible reality, but that so-called reality is a result of the theory.' Casimir may also have been motivated by his own prediction, later confirmed, that the vacuum energy in space would case macroscopic metal plates to attract each other.

"If there's anything to Casimir's speculation, might Einstein's original suggestion of a cosmological constant have caused the acceleration of the universe? (Such a speculation can't be proven wrong.) Though taking such ideas literally surely seems ridiculous, we see how outrageously the quantum enigma has allowed us to speculate."

NOTE: The comment about Einstein and his cosmological constant refers to Einstein's initial theory of general relativity containing a constant, a fudge-factor more or less, that adds a repulsive force to keep the universe stable. But in 1929, Hubble announced that the universe is not stable but expanding and, therefore, Einstein's fudge-factor was not needed. Einstein called it the "greatest blunder of my carerr." He realized that had he believed his original theory, he would have predicted an expanding universe decades before it would be discovered. But the story continues because the effect of dark matter (no, not the "dark matter" of our Dark Philosopher's brain---although that is a force to be reckoned with and, perhaps, should be included in the equations) is a repulsive force not accounted for in the equations. Thus, Einstein's cosmological constant is back in the equations.

"Quantum Enigma: Physics Encounters Consciousness"

The main fodder for my recent post on consciousness was a book I just finished (see post title) by Bruce Rosenblum and Fred Kuttner. It is a very easy introduction to some quantum physics ideas including the "enigma" of superposition and the role of consciousness in the collapse of the wavefunction. It deals mostly with the Copenhagen Interpretation but mentions Everett's Many Worlds and several others. It's all non-technical and a pretty easy read.

Something perhaps interesting to Karl (in the unlikely event that he isn't already aware of them) are two quantum theories of consciousness. A very bare-bones outline is given and I don't quite get them but

1) Roger Penrose and Stuart Hameroff: This theory is based on quantum gravity and "proposes a physical proess beyond present quantum theory that rapidly collapses macroscopic superpositions to actualities. ... This process collapses, or 'reduces,' the wavefunction objectively, for everybody, even without an observer. Penrose calls this process 'objective reduction,' abbreviated OR. Penrose and Hammeroff clain that superposition states and long-range coherence might exist within a brain even though it is in physical contact with the environment, and that spontaneous ORs could regulate synaptic/neural functions. Penrose speculates that OR occurs spontaneously whenever two space-time geometries, and therefore gravitational effects, differ significantly. ... Such ORs would constitute 'occaisons of experience.' If entangled with an object external to the observer, the OR would collapse the wavefunction of the observed object, and everything entangled with it."

2) Henry Stapp: This theory "takes off from von Neumann's formulation of the Copenhagen interpretation. Von Neumannm ... showed that in viewing a microscopic object in a superposition state, the entire measurement system---from, say, the Geiger counter, to the human eye looking at it, to the thus entangled synapses inthe observer's brain---must, strictly speaking, be considered part of a grand superposition state. Only a consciousmess, something beyond Schrodinger equation evolution, can collapse a wavefunction. Stapp postulates two realities, a physical and a mental. The physical includes the brain, perhaps in a particular superposition state. The mental reality includes consciousness, thoughts, and, in particular, intentions. The mental can intentionally act on the physical brain to choose a particular superposition state, which then collapses to a particular situation. Consciousness does not itself 'reach out' to the external world in this theory, but this mental choice itself nevertheless determines, in part, the character of the physcial world external to the body. The final random aspect of the choise is then made by Nature."

Consciousness VS Collapse

I've been thinking recently about quantum mechanics and consciousness. Not as in depth as our FDP (i.e., Friendly Dark Philosopher -- time to update the IGTA, i.e., the ITLADian Glossary of Terms and Acronyms) Don't you just LOVE recursive acronyms? But I digress.

A parallel with some Jungian ideas struck me this morning. Don't know if it means anything or leads anywhere but I thought I'd throw out some vague ideas that are floating around in my head.

The main idea is Jung's "tension of the opposites" and how Edinger says that it is this tension of the opposites that actually creates consciousness. Edinger, in "The Creation of Consciousness," writes:

"[I]n the process of creating consciousness we shall at first be thrown back and forth between opposing moods and attitudes. Each time the ego identifies with one side of a pair of opposites the unconscious will confront one with its contrary. Gradually, the individual becomes able to experience opposite viewpoints simultaneously. With this capacity, alchemically speaking, the Philosophers' Stone is born, i.e., consciousness is created."

What struck me is the parallel between experiencing "opposite viewpoints simultaneously" and the superposition of quantum states. For Jung and Edinger, the goal is NOT to collapse the opposites to one or the other opposing viewpoint but to maintain a both/and reality.

As I said, I'm not sure if that means anything but it is interesting. This is all very unfleshed out but I was trying to imagine what it would mean to experience the tension of the opposites when it comes to quantum states.

Could it result in our being able to "see" several Multiple Worlds (MW) at the same time? Since each MW corresponds to one or another reality, holding a both/and view would let us experience several simultaneously.

And what is the application to our FDP's CtCw theory? What would it mean for the goal to be to NOT collapse the wave but keep it in its superposition?

Well, that's all I have for now. What do you all think?

Kerrang Interview - Final Details

Just a reminder that I will be interviewed on Kerrang Radio on Monday 22nd September at 1800 (UK time). I will be talking about my new book. I am told that I will be on for about twenty minutes.

Listen to Kerrang! Radio on DAB, Sky Channel 0183, Virigin Media, Freeview Channel 722,across the West Midlands on 105.2FM & at http://www.kerrangradio.co.uk/)

There may also be a "listen again" facility on the website should you miss this.

A Parable!

Once upon a time there was a poor but honest man. He lived in a small town and his small house overlooked the town's railway station. He had heard stories that once in every lifetime the "Gravy Train" stops at the station and for the price of ticket passengers were allowed to board it and by taken off on a journey to fame and fortune. Every day he would get up and think to himself "this will be the day when the Gravy Train will come and it will take me away from this little town forever".

But every day it didn't come. But he was an optimistic little chap and he continued to believe that one day his time would come.

Then one crisp and sunny autumnal morning it happened. He woke up and as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes he heard a loud whistle. He ran over to his window, thrust the curtains aside to see a gleaming train standing at the station platform, magnificant plumes of steam wafting over the small town and obscuring the little, huddled houses. "The Gravy Train!" he cried to himself as he quckly dressed himself. "Today is my day!"

He ran into the street and over to the station. In front of him he saw The Great & The Good of the small town dressed in their best finery. The doctors, the university professors and the teachers all climbing onto the Gravy Train. He thought to himself "These people already have all they need... why are they being allowed on the train?" He ran forward to the gate. As he tried to get through a big, bewhiskered ticket collecter barred his way. "Where do you think you are going sir?" the inspector asked. "I want to get on the train ... it is my big opportunity, my once in a lifetime chance, please let me past" the little man replied, adjusting is badly knotted tie and feeling somewhat under dressed for the occasion.

But the ticket inspector was adamant. "You have no ticket, you are not authorised to travel". "But how can I get a ticket? ... nobody told me that the train was arriving" the little man exclaimed, trying vainly to hold back his tears of frustration. The ticket inspector, moved by the tears, smiled at the little man but still clearly had no intention of letting him past.

"Look, the tickets were distributed weeks ago. The train company only want The Great & The Good on the Gravy Train. It is not for people like you. You would never have been told in advance nor be allowed to buy a ticket".

The little man, tears in his eyes, turned away. as he walked back to his tiny house he heard the sounds of laughter and merriment as the Gravy Train drew out of the station. He walked across the dusty road, his one big chance denied him because he didn't have a ticket ... a ticket he could never buy because as he now knew, He wasn't, and never could be, one of the Great & Good because they kept things to themselves and for themselves.

And then it then began to rain .....


Firstly I would really like to thank all of you who sent in emails to the BBC yesterday. I was amazed by the response and I am sure that the BBC were impressed by both the numbers and the geographical spread of these communications. However it seems that we were simply too late.

I managed to get through to BBC Radio 2 lunchtime. I had been tipped off by Dr. Alan Roberts that NDE was again being discussed. I phoned up and managed to get through to the studio of the Jeremy Vine Show. The guy on the phone was understanding but explained to me that the show was about to come to an end and I was simply too late. All very sad and not a little frustrating. This is not the first time this has happened.

This time last year my local radio station (BBC Radio Merseyside) had a whole feature on Deja Vu. Now I had been interviewed by the same station only a couple of months before and I had discussed how crucial to my theory was the deja phenonomenon. However rather than deciding to get a local 'expert' on the subject into discuss it BBC Radio Merseyside contacted Dr. Chris Moulin of Leeds University. Now in my opinion Chris is doing some fascinating work at Leeds (and references me on his website) but he is hardly "local" - and after all what is local radio for? Again I received lots of phone calls informing me that this was taking place so I phoned up the station. Similar to yesterday I was told that it was too late to have me on the show, even via the phone.

Both yesterday and after the Radio Merseyside 'incident' I was told that that was the end of their discussions on NDE (and Deja Vu) and they had no intention of airing the subject any more. Just like the reviewing editor of Fortean Times informed me when I begged her to at least consider reviewing ITLAD - that "We have done NDE to death in recent months and are not interested in your book or its conclusions" - it seems that I am always too late - just like the little man in my story. It seems that it is impossible to be invited onto these shows because "The Great & The Good" are always called to give their opinions ... not uppity little scousers with intellectual ideas above their station!

But we pick ourselves up, dust ourselves down, and start again!

Article: "The Metaphysics Of Near-Death Experience

On Sunday a small group of Itladians attended a meeting of the Manchester branch of the Scientific & Medical Network (SMN). These were Di (Woodsprite), Dr. Alan Roberts, Hephzi Yohannan and Keith Robbins. Indeed the excellent afternoon presentation was made by another Itladian, and member of this blog, Joanne (Persephone). Unfortunately Karl (A Dark Philosopher)would have been at the meeting but for a kindly errand of mercy that he had to make to a friend in need.

As you all may be aware I am a full member of the SMN and I have now done five presentations to various SMN groups across the UK and one in Switzerland (where I finally met fellow SMN member and Blog/Forum member Dr. Art Funkhouser)with more planned for the future.

Indeed this is the reason for this posting. At Sunday's meeting was a guy by the name of David Lawton. I recognised the name because David has written a fascinating article on the Near-Death Experience. This was published in the last edition of the SMN Journal.

David and I have both been invited to do presentations at the next Manchester SMN Meeting on 7th February 2009. The overall impression I have is that David himself, and some of the other SMN members, consider that our relative positions vis-a-vis the NDE phenomenon are at opposite ends of a spectrum. Indeed I was given the distinct feeling that the 7th February meeting has the potential to be slightly confrontational. I find this curious because I really enjoyed David's paper and saw some interesting parallels with regard to itlad ... particularly David's very philosophical approach to the phenomenon.

I would like you guys opinion with regard to David's paper. Do you feel that one viewpoint negates the other?

The article can be downloaded in a pdf format from:

http://www.mediafire.com/file/mrgc8c3zhpu/ntwrk97.pdf

(simply copy and paste the above link into your address bar or web search engine).

I look forward to your opinions (Susan Marie particularly).

KERRANG Interview

The producer of the programme has informed me that I will get twenty minutes this time. This is great news ... the Daemon-Eidolon Dyad introduced on prime-time, national radio!!!!

For those outside the UK this can be listened to on-line at http://kerrangradio.co.uk.

Another KERRANG Interview

Interest in the launch of my next book, The Daemon - A Guide To Your Extraordinary Secret Self is really starting to pick up. I have two interviews planned for USA-based radio stations and my local newspaper (The Wirral Globe) will be interviewing me next week.

I am also delighted to announce that I have been invited back for a third time to KERRANG Radio. As you may be aware KERRANG had quite a coup on July 23rd when the American astronaut, and 6th man to walk on the Moon, Edgar Mitchell was interviewed by the guy who interviewed me (Nick Magerrisson). This made headlines across the world when out of the blue Dr. Mitchell stated that the Rosewell crash was real and that aliens have contacted humans several times and that this truth has been hidden for over 60 years. (Indeed the producer of the Magerrison Show (Alex) has kindly sent me Dr. Mitchell's agent's email address and I have sent him details of our little bit of hyperspace here. Lets keep our fingers crossed!!!).

Anyway the interview is scheduled for Monday 22nd September at 1800 UK time.

I have no idea how long I will be on but seeing as this is prime time I imagine I will have ten minutes maximum. If you can listen in please do so.

Leven Na Leven Na Leven - Een Wetenschappelijke Verkenning

I am pleased to announce that the Dutch language edition of ITLAD has now been published in The Netherlands. It is interesting that my Dutch publisher (Ankh-Hermes) have decided against using the misleading "Is There Life After Death" title and have gone for a far more accurate "Life After Life After Life".

Having worked for many years for the British 'wing' of the Dutch national airline KLM I have a particular liking for The Netherlands and Dutch people in general. I spent many happy times in Amsterdam and a small town called Nordwijk on the coast.

Indeed one of the first organisations to show interest in my work was the Ouspensky Society and I visited their offices once in Amsterdam. My contact at the time was a lady called Pauline Tiben. If she is by chance keeping up to date with how my writing developed it would be great to hear from you, Pauline.

Another Dutch member of this Blog is the Dutch NDE writer Titus Rivas. Again it would be great to hear from him.

More on Glutamate and its role in CTF

In 1990 Dr. Karl Jansen of the Maudsley Hospital in London wrote the following:

“Near-death experiences (NDE's) can be reproduced by ketamine via blockade of receptors in the brain (the N-methyl-D-aspartate, NMDA receptors) for the neurotransmitter glutamate. Conditions which precipitate NDE's (hypoxia, ischaemia, hypoglycaemia, temporal lobe epilepsy etc.) have been shown to release a flood of glutamate, over activating NMDA receptors resulting in neuro ('excito') toxicity. Ketamine prevents this neurotoxicity. There are substances in the brain which bind to the same receptor site as ketamine. Conditions which trigger a glutamate flood may also trigger a flood of neuroprotective agents which bind to NMDA receptors to protect cells, leading to an altered state of consciousness like that produced by ketamine.”

Clearly Jansen considers that glutamate is responsible for the classic Near-Death Experience. In this quotation he also acknowledges that glutamate is also responsible for many elements of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). In order for my "Scale of Transcendence" ( "SOT"- soon to be introduced to an unsuspecting world with the release of my latest book) to be credible I have to show that autism, migraine, bi-polar disorder, TLE and schizophrenia are also glutamate-induced. I have recently come across some interesting support for SOT. Examples as follows:

Autism
"The largest search for autism genes to date, funded in part by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has implicated components of the brain's glutamate chemical messenger system and a previously overlooked site on chromosome 11. Based on 1,168 families with at least two affected members, the genome scan adds to evidence that tiny, rare variations in genes may heighten risk for autism spectrum disorders (ASD).The study is the first to emerge from the Autism Genome Project (AGP) Consortium, a public-private collaboration involving more than 120 scientists and 50 institutions in l9 countries. Their report is published online in the February 18, 2007 issue of Nature Genetics." - Quoted from Physorg.com, February 2007.

Migraine
“Migraine pain-relay centers, including the trigeminal ganglion, trigeminal nucleus caudalis, and thalamus, contain glutamate-positive neurons, and glutamate activates the trigeminal nucleus caudalis. Glutamate is implicated in cortical spreading depression, trigeminovascular activation, and central sensitization. Glutamate receptor-subtype antagonists are effective in preclinical models of migraine, and in the clinic.“ - Quoted from PMID: 12858134 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE. June 2003]

Temporal Lobe Epilepsy
"Elevated levels of extracellular glutamate in hyperexcitable areas of the brain, up-regulation of glutamate receptors, and loss of the glutamate-metabolizing enzyme, glutamine synthetase (GS), have all been reported in patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE). Moreover, it appears that glial cells, particularly the astrocyte, may play a key role in the glutamate overflow in MTLE. Proliferation of astrocytes is a hallmark of the epileptogenic focus in MTLE." - "Brain" - 2008 Apr;131(Pt 4):938-44. Epub 2008 Mar 1. Quoted from a paper by M Sillanpää and D Schmidt, Department of Public Health, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.

B-Polar Disorder
"Disturbances of gamma-aminobutyric acid interneurons in the cerebral cortex contribute to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The activity of these neurons is, in turn, modulated by glutamatergic inputs furnished by pyramidal neurons." From a paper 'Acute mania is accompanied by elevated glutamate/glutamine levels within the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex' by Michael N, Erfurth A, Ohrmann P, Gossling M, Arolt V, Heindel W, Pfleiderer B. (Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2003 Apr 9).

Clearly glutamate is the linking factor between each element of the SOT. As such I argue that it is reasonable to conclude that it has to be of some significance that glutamate is also a major contributor to the classic NDE .... an experience that may await us all in the final moments of our life.

Obviously I am keen to hear from anybody who has an opionion on this, but any comments from neurologists with regard to this observation will be most welcome. Am I right to make such a link or am I wrong to draw such conclusions?

An experiment

I have this idea for an experiment and I'd like your help. I'm not sure what will come of it but it's an interesting idea for me. Here are the constraints:

1) Please provide your answers as a comment
2) Please do NOT read others' answers before answering
3) Please do not read ahead but do things in the order requested

I do not want to give any details about what I hope to accomplish as that would, perhaps, bias your answers. I will compile the results and try to draw some conclusions and report back as another blog post. So, the more participants, the better will be the statistical analysis. Hopefully, the results will be meaningful in the context of Anthony's theories but you never know!

So ...

the experiment begins ...

NOW!





First, close your eyes and imagine descending a ladder. There are ten rungs on the ladder. Count down from 10 to 1 and then to 0 as your feet touch the ground. When you've done that, continue reading ...





Now, think about what you "saw" as you descended the ladder and answer question #1. Did you see:

a) your hands on the ladder rungs as "you" descended the ladder?
b) yourself descending the ladder as if "you" were an observer watching yourself descend the ladder?
c) yourself watching yourself descending the ladder as if "you" were an observer watching an observer watch yourself descend the ladder?
d) some further recursion on that theme?

Answer that question and then continue reading ...





Question #2: If you think about the same scenario, can you easily alternate between 2 or more options in question #1? Is there one particular option that is "most comfortable" and easiest for you to picture?





Question #3: Answer the following question with a single noun:

"I AM A(N) ________"





Thank you for your participation and I will report back when I've compiled, analyzed, graphed, computed, regressed, curve fitted, contemplated, and coerced the data into something worth reporting :-)

Soren Kierkegaard and his "Secret Thorn": TLE and the daemon

Kierkegaard's Epilepsy:  The Intriguing Secret of the Machinery ( essay by H LB Hansen)   

Temporal Lobe Epilepsy and the Peakian Daemon in the Philosophizing of Soren Kierkegaard 

Since first finding Anthony Peake's online essay,  Cheating the Ferryman:  A New Paradigm of Existence?  I have held the view that his concept of binary mind and its dyad of eidolon/daemon lends much support to the philosophizing of Kierkegaard.  Having been an avid reader of K,  I had begun to suspect  -  after reading Tony's sections on the link of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy to daemonic interference  -  that Kierkegaard may have been epileptic.  Now, after having researched some of Kierkegaard's assertions about his "ailment" and some works which have made allusions or reference to it,  the  reading of this Hansen essay has decided the case in my own mind.

In February 1846,  Kierkegaard made a visit to his physician,  after having suffered for some time from strange "fits",  "going rigid",  fainting spells  and"swoons" in which he was "caught up to the sublime" .  Now,  after meeting with his physician, in his journals Kierkegaard begins to speak of "the idea of marriage and an heir being closed to me:,  of a "secret wound",  a "disharmony between between mind and flesh" which makes him kin to the Apostle Paul  -  who also suffered "fits"  -  and a "thorn in the flesh"  which sets him apart from others.

In Tony's Scale of Transcendence,  and in his theorizing about TLE and those afflicted with it,  and the connection to daemonic interference,  new light is shed on some of Kierkegaard's own philosophizing and into his basic assertions.  Running through the passages of Concluding Unscientific Postscript, Fear and Trembling,  Either/Or, Christian Edifying Discourses, and the pages of his own journals,   are allusions,  and with often odd phraseology, to a mind daemonically guided and enraptured.  His insistence upon the "man proceeding from the inward mind",  of the individual's duty and pressing need to fight against organized society;  his emphasis on the "one who sees the truth alone, against the crowd",  and his odd notion of sharing "a love secret with God"  all become clearer in the light of the Peakian dyad.  How strongly the daemon shines forth in the existential and suggestive passages of all of Kierkegaard's works. That he was often in the grips of his strange "fits" which made time seem "eternal"  and his surroundings "strangely removed and colored" becomes understandable when one imagines his epilepsy granting him,  as Tony explains aptly in ITLAD,  access to that secret self which made all of religion,  politics and culture seem urgently in need of reparation to this sole thinker of inward realms.    Once again,  the accidental finding of an essay which has great meaning to me and expands my understanding of all I have read, and thought,  and will think again;  issues from and leads again into the thinking of Anthony Peake.  

A Moment in the Heraclitean Flux. . .

Barack Obama,   as seen through the eyes of this philosopher. . .   I emailed Tony this morning,  just a bit about what is was like to be in the pressroom when Obama entered.  He has asked me to post it here,  and on the forum,  just for the common interest,  so here goes.  It is excerpted from an email to Karl L Le Marcs:

"Obama Press Conference:  Hectic,  packed and brief.  I had to stand to the side,  with the cameramen.  Thrilling,  eerie,  and uncanny,  when he entered from the other side,  and to see the dark eyes roaming sullenly and arrogantly over the press corps,  yet twinkling now and again as his soft gaze would light on you.  The very air in the room tingled with his electric charismatic presence.  I had to leave Tony's book [ITLAD] with Security,  and one of the guards, looking at my press pass,  which hung round my neck,  snapped at me,  "Why are you giving Senator Obama a book with this title?  It's a jinx,  and bad luck, he'll get shot at . . . "  and as I walked away,  I looked back,  and saw them looking down at the book on the table , then back at me .  Most unnerving.  "

I did tell Tony  also that during the start of the  convention , 4 men were arrested in Denver,  and taken into FBI custody;   police confiscated  rifles and a rifle-telescopic lens attachment.  One of the men stated that  the four were in Denver with the idea of finding a high vantage point from which to shoot Obama at the outdoor speech at Invesco and Mile High,  so there must have been some real worry and a certain paranoia there,  at the least.