Book Review

UFOs, PSI and Spiritual Evolution: A Journey through the Evolution of Interstellar Travel

Christopher Humphrey Ph.D.
(www.adventuresunlimitedpress.com)

Review by Jaye C. Beldo

Many enthusiasts of interstellar travel tend to neglect the actual mechanics involved, especially when the distances covered are measured in light years. It would take something like 16,000 years just to get to our 'nearby' neighbor Alpha Centauri, at 4.3 light years distance, using present day technology. A neutrino physicist proved, through his extensive calculations, that it would take all the energy our sun has ever produced or will produce just to reach the Warp One of Star Trek fame. While faster than light travel is a possibility, it certainly puts into question the use of physical vehicles as a means to achieve it. Christopher Humphrey has given considerable thought to such problems and offers some unique alternatives, which may help to bridge the obvious gap: space travel via our spiritual bodies. He additionally posits that only 'spiritually advanced' beings would be capable of instantaneous travel over the span of light years.

While I found much of what he says quite engaging, relevant and timely considering the pervasion of UFO disinformation that we are bombarded with at present, Humphrey tends to habitually drop a chosen subject matter before it is sufficiently developed and goes off on these flighty, pardon the pun, digressions which, although interesting, tend to weaken any cohesive argument that would bolster his theories of non-physical travel through space. (I notice this tendency lately and it may be indicative of the effects of computers and other electronic media on our overall attention spans.)

Foe example, the author posits that 'de Broglie waves' are a probable medium for PSI abilities especially in regard to Uri Geller's spoonbending and clock-stopping abilities. But he fails to provide any substantial metaphorical analogy enabling a reader not well versed in the physics involved to grasp specifically what he is saying. If Humphrey could provide some kind of imagistic parallel to the de Broglie wave carrier medium phenomena, it would make it much easier for the reader to not only understand but also to intuitively use the waves themselves to further actualize any nascent PSI abilities. He also digresses from a compelling description of the work of the historian Arnold Toynbee in a similar way.

After a brief summation of Toynbee's work involving pattern recognition within various historical epochs, he takes a completely unrelated tack, leaving the reader hanging in some never land of indeterminacy. In addition, some of the conclusions the author makes during frequent diversionary flights are rather embarrassing, as on page 82 where he states, "the main problem with Yoga, Buddhism and Hinduism is that they only want to escape the wheel of reincarnation and make no attempt to raise the level of their civilization. That is why Yogis never went to the stars. In India, they know about reincarnation, but only use that knowledge to justify the Caste system."

Humphrey obviously has not studied any of these spiritual paths in sufficient enough depth or breadth and resorts to gross generalizations such as cited above. Yogis had and have intimate knowledge of the stars, other planets and galaxies that is encoded in such works as the Vedas, indicating some form of superluminal travel to these distant locales. One scholar even showed that the measurements from the earth to the sun described in one ancient sacred text from India were uncannily accurate in comparison with more recent measurements using modern scientific equipment. Humphrey obviously has not read the works of such luminaries as Nityananda or Meher Baba, who totally disdained the caste system and worked directly with the untouchable caste, providing shelter, food, clothes and hospitals. Nor has he looked into the social and political gains made by Buddhist activists. It is also sorely evident that the author has not considered the possibility of interstellar travel via Vimana craft, which are described in detail in such works as the Mahabharata and Ramayana.

Humphrey has some truly valuable information and is concerned about such oppressive vectors as CSICOPS, reductionist / materialist science regarding their deliberately inhibiting the realization of interstellar travel via our spiritual bodies. He cites the works of individuals who are making valuable contributions to enhancing our spiritual awareness such as Ian Stevenson, author of the book 20 Cases Suggestive of Reincarnation and others. However, I would have given this book a much higher rating if something like an actual editor had gone through it and revised it into something more flowing, concise and cohesive.

©2005 Jaye C. Beldo. Jaye C. Beldo writes for Associated Content, Central Sun Journal, Deep Fried Rice, Gnostic Liberation Front, PARANOIA and many other publications. He may be reached at netnous@aol.com.