The Parapsychological Association Conference in 1998.
James Flick was not one of the students tested in this study.
INTERESTING reading! It has taken me 9 years to find this article, 'Oh my heck!'
http://www.parapsych.org/PDF/1998_PA_pr ... df#page=50
Copied from Page 50,
Copied from Page 53, under Research Question And Procedure:WORKING WITH RAMTHA: IS IT A 'HIGH RISK' PROCEDURE?
Stanley Krippner, Ian Wickram, and Judy Wickram
Saybrook Graduate School,
San Francisco, California, USA
ABSTRACT
Seven research participants who had worked with the consciousness training procedures taught by the alleged discarnate entity 'Ramtha' for 5 years or more, were administered a series of psychological tests. The resulting profile indicated that they were characterized by ?thin boundaries, high absorption capabilities, and high dissociative capacities, a profile consistent with Wickramasekera's description of individuals in the 'high risk' category for mind-body incongruence and\or somatization. Because of their 'high risk' profiles, we would advise that these individuals, and those who engage in similar practices, continually monitor their psychological and physiological health, paying special attention to such variables as diet, exercise, rest, and attitude. We further advise that their vocational, avocational, and social activities be designed to provide equilibrium in light of their endeavors. Finally, we hope that these individuals will continue to collaborate with serious investigators of human consciousness including parapsychologists. In the meantime, we propose that experiences that Westerners label 'dissociative' may have once served adaptive, survival functions in human evolution, and may continue to enhance adaptive behavior in any number of non-Western societies.
Copied from Page 54 & 55,The research team consisted of Stanley Krippner (SK),
Ian Wickram asekera (IW), and Judy Wickram asekera (JW).
Research participants consisted of JZ Knight and six individuals living in Yelm who have studied at the Ramtha School of Enlightenment for five years or more: Brett Alt, J.O. Alt, Bodhananda, Joe Dispensa, Greg Simmons, and Audrey Wolf.
The 7 research participants (five men, two women, ranging in age from 26 to 57 with a mean age of 39.5) were administered a series of psychological tests. Only Knight claims to 'channel' Ramtha; the others practice the prescribed kundalini meditation exercises.
Copied from Page 55, under Results:Over the years, Wickram has attempted to identify four predisposing high risk factors: hypnotic ability, excessive catastrophizing, high negative affect, and high Marlowe Crowne (Crowne & Marlowe, 1964) scores (i.e., people unable to perceive threat). These predisposing factors amplify the probability that the two triggering high risk factors, major life changes and multiple 'hassles, 'will generate dysfunctional symptoms unless their impact is reduced by the buffering high risk factors, social support, and coping skills.
It is hypothesized that people who are high on the predisposing risk factors hypnotic ability are
(1) hypersensitive to both sensory and anomalous phenomena,
(2) prone to surplus empathy and boundary problems, and
(3) also prone to surplus pattern recognition or the tendency to find meaning in randomly distributed events.
Copied from Page 59, under Discussion: (Carroll Cobbs mentioned this in the first LARSE meeting.)Dissociative Experiences Scale
The raw scores on the DES ranged from 12 to 46, with a mean of 31.1. There were four scores above 30, which is regarded as the cutoff point for those who are 'severely dissociative, but it must be noted that only 17% of those who make these scores are later diagnosed as clinical cases of dissociative identity disorder. Of course, this does not rule out the possibility that some of the individuals in this group would be candidates for clinical diagnosis and treatment despite their ability to function well in this particular setting.
(The researchers actually mentioned 'accomplished actor' ...)"A frequently asked question is whether Ramtha represents an 'alter personality' of JZ Knight. Whatever Ramtha may or may not be (e.g., a discarnate entity, a subpersonality, a social role taken by Knight), his appearance bears some resemblance to the phenomena observed during 'switching' in people diagnosed as having a dissociative identity disorder. As a result of the 'channeling' process, JZ Knight exhibits the 'striking gaps in awareness, memory, or identity' that characterize the domain of dissociation (Kirmayer, 1994, p. 92).
According to the American Psychiatric Association (1994, p. 477), amnesia is the critical factor in the diagnosis of dissociative identity disorder, and Knight claims to be amnesic for Ramtha's appearances. However, she has access to Ramtha through a voluntarily-induced procedure, whereas the 'multiples' afflicted with dissociative identity disorder are taken unaware by their 'alters.' As a result, the possibility that Ramtha is an 'alter personality' cannot be answered definitively on the basis of the data available to us. On the other hand, a useful control would be for an accomplished actor to attempt to simulate these changes under the same conditions, using the same equipment..."
Copied from Page 60, under Conclusion:
"The willingness of these 7 research participants to cooperate in this study yields data with important clinical and theoretical implications. Because of their 'high risk' profiles, we would suggest that they continually monitor their psychological and physiological health, paying special attention to such variables as diet, exercise, rest, and attitude. It would also be important that their vocational, avocational, and social activities be designed to provide some balance for their endeavors at the Ramtha School of Enlightenment..."
