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Direct voice (or independent voice) is defined as a paranormally produced voice, often in seances conducted in the presence of a physical medium.

[edit] History

Throughout the history of Spiritualism, mechanical devices have been used in attempts to contact the dead. The first use of a trumpet was recorded in 1853, operated by Jonathan Koons, of Millfield Township, Ohio. Koons also employed a device made of zinc and copper, described as a 'spirit machine'.^{[citation needed]}

A Dutch high ranking colonial resident, H. D. van Herwerden wrote a book about his séances with his 14 year old Javanese boy-servant in 1858 in The Hague, Netherlands. These séances featured a cardboard folded trumpet, which emitted a faint but high pitched bird-like sound, before increasing to a full volume voice.^{[citation needed]}

In later years the phenomenon of the direct voice was heard in the presence of many mediums, including Daniel Dunglas Home, Cartheuser, G. Valiantine, Etta Wriedt (producing voices in twelve languages), Mrs. Osborne Leonard (whose whispers in the semi-dark were recorded by Rev. C. Drayton Thomas), Mina "Margery" Crandon, Emily French and J. Sloan.^{[citation needed]}

In recent years the British medium Leslie Flint held thousands of séances during which sitters were spoken to by voices purportedly of the dead. Flint considered himself to be the most tested medium of Great Britain.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Spontaneous Occurrences

The direct voice phenomenon is not confined to mediumship. Voices originating in space have been reported by anthropologists in tribal studies.

In 1901, while studying the shamanic practices of a remote Siberian tribe, anthropologist Waldemar Bogoras captured what appeared to be disembodied voices heard during a shaman's ritual. While recording the shaman beating his drum while in a trance-like state, Borogas heard many voices from around the room speaking both Russian and English. In the many cases of poltergeist phenomena recorded, the direct voice has been heard, often by many witnesses at the same time.

[edit] Further reading

• Barbanell, H.: The trumpet shall sound (1933)
• Bayless, Raymond: Voices from beyond (1976)
• Bradley, H. Dennis: The wisdom of the gods (scan)
• Crossley, A.E.: The enigma of psychic phenomena (1974)
• Edwards, Harry: The mediumship of Jack Webber (1962)
• Findlay, J.Arthur: On the Edge of the Etheric (1931)
• Flint, Leslie: Voices in the dark (1971)
• Hack, G.Kelley: Modern psychic mysteries (1930)
• Melton, J. Gordon: Encyclopedia of Occultism & Parapsychology (1996)
• Rogge, IJsbrand: Dood geen Einde (Amsterdam 1978, with gram.record)
• D. Scott Rogo & Raymond Bayless: Phone calls from the dead (1979)
• Thomas, C. Drayton: A new hypothesis concerning trance-Communications. (Proceedings of the S.P.R. 48 (May 1947)
• Usborne Moore, Vice-Admiral W.: The Voices (1913)

[edit] External links

• Independent Direct Voice Communication, by Carly-Rose Singer
• Biographies of voice mediums
• Direct Voice phenomena, by W.J. Crawford
• David Thompson direct voice seances in Australia