Observations placeholder
Stainton Moses, William - Spirit Identity – I COULD CONVERSE WITH PERSONS WHOSE VOICES WERE IN MY EAR
Identifier
015713
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
There are two note worthy aspects to this observation. The clarity with which he sees the hallucinations is the same clarity that people now labelled ‘schizophrenic’ are able to see things. Furthermore there are a large number of people in the ‘Wisegeek’ section [see sources], who have seen lobsters, insects - like scorpions and spiders [as well as occasional people] - with exactly the same clarity. This shows how very convincing an hallucination can be.
The second note-worthy aspect is that though he was himself an ordained vicar, he knew full well that the vicar who had come to see him would not believe him, which is a fascinating reflection on the state of the average vicar in those days – someone who had had no spiritual experience at all.
He assumes the people with whom he is conversing are dead, because they appear as ghosts, but one cannot assume this at all. Since he was using words they are quite likely to be alive, they might even be Voice hearers and not be able to see images as he can. Even if the image is of a dead person, he may be in contact with a live person who is thinking about the dead person – the thoughts ‘rise’ as perceptions and Moses’ composer is able to read them – thus he will be able to both ‘see the image of the person they are thinking about and ‘hear’ their thoughts in words.
A description of the experience
Spirit Identity – William Stainton Moses
During the whole of the day I was in this state of lucidity and could see and converse with persons who were as clear to my eye and whose voices sounded as distinctly to my ear, as any that impinge on my natural organs of sense. One special visitor of that day impressed me much.
He was lately dead, and I made his acquaintance for the first time, yet his form and features are as clear to my mind as are those of the worthy clergyman who has just done me the honour to call upon me and talk conventional platitudes for half an hour. Here are facts which should concern him, yet I know full well that if I had enlightened him in the matter he would have bolted as from Old Scratch and probably have thought it necessary to purify himself somehow.