PARAPSYCHOLOGY IN THE IBERO-AMERICAN WORLD - MEXICO

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: STARGATE
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP96-00792R000700100001-9
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: November 4, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 25, 2003
• Sequence Number: 1
• Content Type: MAGAZINE

196
is particularly true lvarado's
discussion of language rier
Moreover, Alvarado, a fo
Parapsychology (now the
versity of Virginia, has
on parapsychological
Ibero-American
most extensive
ever to be ele
ivities in
Pied For Release 2003/09/10: CIA-RDP96-00792R000708
reviews (1984a, 1985) and his
ems in parapsychology (1989a).
esearch assistant at the Division of
of Personality Studies) at the Uni-
a constant flow of information
r the last eigh
in America to research centers
ars. In addition, among the
apsychologists, he i
n the English-language
d a member of the Board
psychologicaftssociation.
one who has published
pals and the only one
Mexico has been known for a long time as the land of the sacred
mushroom or peyotl, a plant used by the Indian shaman to induce
an altered state of consciousness, which allegedly facilitates the man-
ifestation of psychic powers. This country has also been a major
source for many parapsychological researchers interested in unor-
thodox psychic healing practices. Famous curanderas (healers) such
as Maria Sabina and Dona Pachita have been extensively investi-
gated by Stanley Krippner and other famous parapsychologists
(Krippner & Villoldo, 1986).
Although Mexico has been a major source of study for many
p rapsycholnoists from foreign countries. psychical research has not
~- _r_1 ------a Q . a
flourished there as it has in other countries such as Argentina and
Spain. Moreover, even though the country is located on the south-
ern border of the United States and has been subject to very strong
American cultural influence in almost every aspect of life, the dom-
inance of the United States has not been a factor in the develop-
ment of parapsychology. Even though in the United States there are
more parapsychological research centers than anywhere else in the
world, very little is known in Mexico of their research. Most of what
is known about serious parapsychology comes from Latin American
countries such as Brazil. For example, the writings of Quevedo are
well known in Mexico, and also most of what is known generally
comes from popular magazines.
Early efforts to study psychical research within a scientific frame-
work in Mexico began in 1919 with the isolated efforts of such re-
searchers as the German-born medical doctor Gustav Pagenstecher,
the first researcher to conduct serious psychical research in Mexico.
Pagenstecher was a very well-known and respected physician in the
W r gy in the Ibero-American World 197
Mexican medical community as well as in political circles. In the
course of his career he delivered speeches before two presidents of
Mexico, Diaz and Obregbn (Allison, 1943)."
A respected member of the medical profession, Pagenstecher
said he had been a materialist for forty years when he had his first
encounter with the paranormal. It was during a hypnosis treatment
of one of his patients who had insomnia that he discovered the re-
markable psychical gifts of Maria Reyes de Zierold. Pagenstecher be-
gan a series of psychometric experiments with her in 1919. The re-
sults were so striking that he brought them to the attention of the
Mexican medical society, which appointed a commission to verify
them. Pagenstecher also decided to write to the ASPR and send
some of?the results he had obtained. The results induced Walter
Franklin Prince, Research Officer of the ASPR, to go to Mexico to
investigate the case. After a series of experimental sittings with Zier-
old, Prince was so impressed with the results that he decided to pub-
lish them in the Journal of the ASPR in 1920 (Pagenstecher, 1920).
Prince later published another paper in which he discussed the ex-
periments in which he participated (Prince, 1921b). Moreover, the
ASPR published a monograph by Pagenstecher entitled Past Events
Seership: A Study of Psychometry (Pagenstecher, 1922).
According to William Roll (1967), Pagenstecher contributed to
two major areas in parapsychology:
c__ as ,._o-. the first investigator to use hypnosis as a
[rie wasJ, as ldl s l YMVw UIC 1115, ,aa.w. r ,r -
means to cultivate ESP in a gifted subject.... Pagenstecher's studies were
also, I believe, the first to indicate that the (parapsychological) associa-
tion of objects may be governed by the same laws that govern the (psy-
chological) association of ideas. (p. 238)
Pagenstecher showed great courage in undertaking these exper-
iments. He jeopardized his professional standing as well as his med-
ical practice by trying to substantiate the claims for Zierold's psychic
abilities. The Medical Commission appointed to investigate the case
was skeptical of the reported phenomena. Fortunately, however, the
Commission's leading experts obtained successful results in the ex-
periments in which they participated (Gomezharper de Trevino,
1990).
" Obregdn was a revolutionary military leader, later President of Mexico. Walter
Franklin Prince (1921a) relates an interesting psychic experience witnessed by Ob-
regbn, about a precognitive dream ObregGn's brother had about the death of their
mother.
Approved For Release 2003/09/10 : CIA-RDP96-00792R000700100001-9
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