Merry meet all,
Today I had the good fortune of interviewing Elliott Van Dusen, the director of the Paranormal Phenomena Research and Investigation. I’m sharing our lively discussion in today’s post. So sit down with a cup of spooky coffee and join us!
Elliott Van Dusen has (always) been fascinated with the paranormal from a young age. He has been involved in paranormal investigations for 25 years. He had an uncanny experience with an Ouija board that had initially been blessed by his mother when he was a child. Elliott and his siblings were searching for the missing TV remote {that had gone missing.} They consulted the Ouija board which spelt out the letters UTS. The next day, after consulting the board multiple times, the remote was finally found in the wine cellar. The letters UTS were in the wine cellar on a package. That is hard to discount. It is possible the spirit/ s were having fun with his family because those letters did appear.
Elliott can link his passion for the paranormal back to watching the show Unsolved Mysteries and he worked as a police officer. He originally intended to be a homicide detective. The show X-Files, about ghosts and UFOs caught his attention. He uses {his} skills he gleaned while working as a police officer to interview clients in {the} paranormal investigations. His skills has helped draw out information from clients. He has a great structure and a talented team to work with in his investigations. One person is responsible for the audio, another for capturing evidence of ghosts in photos and another person who analyzes the gathered evidence. This helps the investigations run smoothly and why his PPRI has had so much success.
He defines the paranormal and parapsychology as two different things. Parapsychology is the scientific study of ESP, or extra sensory perception including telepathy, precognition, retrocognition and the sixth sense. It is about the mind matter interaction, for example, if someone has the ability to move a pen across a desk with their mind. It is also the study of survival, the study of the spirit after death. Elliott always studies and builds upon his knowledge and expertise about the paranormal and parapsychology.
Spirits can trick or deceive. They can’t fool Elliott Van Dusen but when {you are} using an Ouija board, he is quick to point out that they are deceiving divination tools. You can never be sure who you are talking to. You may believe you are contacting the spirit of your great aunt but it could be an entity like ZOZO. Some spirits are cunning and love to fool you. Caution is best.
The paranormal is everything outside the realm of ESP. Parapsychology takes a cool scientific rational approach to the paranormal. The two are related yet separate. Since forming the PPRI, Elliott has had many eerie encounters in his investigations. He points out though that an investigation is mostly like watching paint dry on the walls but {that} there are the few times that it is genuine. He shared a few of his experiences that range from calm and explainable to eerie. He also believes that not all spirits are malicious or malevolent. It is true, they are not all evil. He and his team investigatedwith his team at one house where a man had suffered a massive heart attack. The spirit of the man may have been trying to get the familys’ attention. They brought a medium with them who sensed that the grandfather had owned a tape measure and the family was worried that the spirit was malicious. They may have found peace when the medium named Jodi was able to accurately detect the man’s spirit who suffered the heart attack. This helped bring closure to the grieving family members. There was nothing evil in their home, just the spirit of their beloved family member trying to communicate.
Elliott and his team investigated a home in Kentville, Nova Scotia where pennies were materializing. The residents left the house and let them perform their investigation. The way the PPRI investigators had set up the camera, it would be hard to walk by the camera in a particular room without the person entering the room being noticed or making a sound since the whole investigation was being recorded. So, when a few pennies had indeed materialized at the base of the camera near the tripod, that was viewed as a genuine apport. Wikipedia defines apports as this: In parapsychologyand spiritualism, an apport is the alleged paranormal transference of an article from one place to another, or an appearance of an article from an unknown source that is often associated with poltergeist activity or séances.[
Elliott believes in eliminating every believable common mundane explanation for a paranormal occurrence and only when the family has left the house, when the power has been shut off and the electricity is off, and they begin their investigation for x amount of time, do they then determine if the house is haunted and if anything genuinely paranormal is truly occurring. They take a steadfast scientific approach to their investigations and have earned respect in that way.
They had another encounter with a family whose beloved Basset Hound had passed. The owners were preparing to go to bed {for the night.} As they were brushing their teeth, they believed that their other dog, who was alive, had curled up on the bed and then left the room. But when they entered their bedroom, the dog wasn’t in bed anymore. The dog couldn’t have walked down the stairs without being seen. The owners found the dog downstairs. So was it the spirit of their beloved pet that appeared to them that night saying goodbye? I would love to think so. Animals are more sensitive to their environment than humans are.
Poltergeists are an interesting topic to the PPRI. In North America, we perceive poltergeists as just that: noisy spirits. In the UK, they are viewed as a collective term for any kind of spirit or entity. However the PPRI explains poltergeists as psychokinesis. Here is a general definition of psychokinesis: “psychokinesis, also called telekinesis, in parapsychology, the action of mind on matter, in which objects are supposedly caused to move or change as a result of mental concentration upon them. The physical nature of psychokinetic effects contrasts with the cognitivequality of extrasensory perception (ESP), the other major grouping of parapsychological phenomena. Claimed effects of psychokinesis include levitation and metal bending; such displays are common, though fraudulent, in theatrical magic.” (https://www.britannica.com/topic/psychokinesis). Here we see the emphasis on a scientific approach, which is a solid {grounded} approach to take.
I would far prefer the scientific way to view parapsychology and the paranormal. My herbalism studies are very scientific. The study is long and hard and dry and yet fascinating. Speaking from {my own} experience, I grew up in a {haunted} Victorian home that was haunted by an elderly lady waiting for her love to come home who never would. The house had French doors, the servant staircase, the servant room in the attic, and large windows, the mantle. I never encountered anything demonic, not once. People today may be quick to blame every encounter or sliding door or cold gust of air as demonic but that is a hasty conclusion to arrive at. The rate of everyone who goes on investigations blaming it all on a demon or assuming everything must be haunted almost makes you pity the nonexistent entity. Or maybe it did exist and haunt them, but tired of their haphazardness.
A common haunting can last forever. The most common hauntings are very mundane: residual hauntings that are like a video recording playing over and over again and the ghost is barely aware of your presence. A poltergeist haunting can last from a week to a year and a half. It can be connected to psychokinesis. If objects are moving on their own, it could be the energy level or low vibrational frequency of the individual, usually someone younger. Most people don’t know this,but your vibrational levels will affect an individual and make him/her vulnerable to an unpleasant entity. People who struggle with abuse, addiction issues or crime are operating on a lower level vibrational frequency and continue in that way, then wondering why there is so much negative in their lives. If they raised and improved their vibration, the quality of their lives would improve. The PPRI finds near death experiences as fascinating as the other topics mentioned above.
The PPRI are also interested in survival, or the ability of the brain to still function after the person has passed away. The brain is the most amazing system in the human body. The following link below will give you more information on this fascinating topic. Jeffrey Long is a radiation oncologist in Kentucky in the United States. He is also the founder of the Near-Death Experience Research Foundation. The PPRI finds NDEs very interesting and are pursuing this. And no wonder. It challenges long held beliefs about life and death where it was believed there was no scientific measurable in between realm. The following paragraphs describe what changed Jeffrey Long’s life forever.
“Thirty-seven years ago I was an oncologist resident, learning about how best to treat cancer using radiation. These were the pre-internet days, so I did my research in the library. One day, I was flipping through a large volume of the Journal of the American Medical Association when I came across an article describing near-death experiences.
It stopped me in my tracks. All my medical training told me you were either alive or dead. There was no in-between. But suddenly, I was reading from a cardiologist describing patients who had died and then came back to life, reporting very distinct, almost unbelievable experiences.
From that moment, I was fascinated with near-death experiences or NDEs. I define a near-death experience as someone who is either comatose or clinically dead, without a heartbeat, having a lucid experience where they see, hear, feel emotions, and interact with other beings. Learning more about these experiences has fundamentally changed my view of the universe.” (https://www.insider.com/near-death-experiences-research-doctor-life-after-death-afterlife-2023-8.https://www.insider.com/near-death-experiences-research-doctor-life-after-death-afterlife-2023-8
The PPRI’s fascination with near death experiences is certainly understandable. I reviewed my lesson about how the brain and the central nervous system functions from my studies at the Herbal Academy. The lessons state that “If we were to view the brain under magnification, we would see trillions of cells called neurons. A neuron is the smallest functional unit of the brain and nervous system(Costanzo, 2010). It’s a specialized cell with long appendages that stick out from the center (the cell body). The cell body contains the nucleus and other organelles common to animal cells.” “One cell can have over 150,000 synapses so there can be a lot of communication going on in one tiny area (Silverthorn, 2004.)” So if the brain can still function for twenty minutes after the person has passed. Wow, that is amazing.
Let’s now get to know the PPRI and how they manage their organization:
The purpose of the Canadian Association of Parapsychological Research & Investigation, is:
- To pursue and promote studies in the field of parapsychology which is the investigation into extrasensory perception, mind-matter interaction, and survival of human consciousness after bodily death.
- To publish and make available to the public any such reports of research findings.
- To organize and sponsor educational opportunities on topics relevant to parapsychology through lectures, discussion groups, and demonstrations.
- To liaise and cooperate with other parapsychological researchers.
- To study definitions of extrasensory perception, mind-matter interaction including macro-psychokinesis, micro-psychokinesis, and bio-psychokinesis, theories of survival, and related phenomena and practices.
- To conduct and participate in classical and contemporary studies of psychical research in Canada.
- To develop, conduct, or participate in scientific experiments to determine whether evidence providing proof of psi and survival is possible, utilizing the scientific methods quantitative and qualitative research techniques, hypothesis testing, experimental design, and peer-review evaluation processes.
- To document accounts, anecdotes, and reminiscences of death-bed visions, near-death experiences, spontaneous apparitions, post-mortem spirit communication via mediumship, recurrent spontaneous psychokinesis, psychokinesis, extrasensory perception, and other phenomena suggestive of a continued existence of some aspect of the human consciousness after physical death.
- To establish and maintain a library of publications relevant to parapsychology, including books on parapsychology, psychical research, and survival after bodily death, and other related topics.
- To facilitate the transfer of documentation relating to parapsychological research and related studies to an appropriate archival repository.
- To create and publish research aids relevant to parapsychology, including bibliographies, directories, and other access tools.
- To obtain and disburse funding to carry out the purpose of the Association/Incorporation. (https://www.ppri.net/purpose/)
To keep current, Elliott also regularly researches parapsychology and the paranormal. { to keep current about parapsychology. He says that there are many sites that offer current news about parapsychology. Google Scholar is the best place to start. However he emphasizes that it is dry scholarly reading- but interesting for sure! It is recommended to subscribe to the Society of Psychical Research who publish academic papers and journals and that most of the publications are free. Most of the journal papers are not too boring and stiff. The PDF journals are mostly free and accessible. https://scholar.google.ca/scholar?q=society+for+psychical+research&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart
The PPRI steadfastly adheres to a code of ethics. He is quick to point out that there are unruly mediums who charge a high fee for their services of ridding a home of unwanted sprits. I would never do that and I would never give a querent a negative message either. Some of those unethical mediums will tell a person they are reading for that they will die soon or be doomed to spinsterhood. This is so soul crushing and negative and should not be shared to anyone. That is what separates the bad mediums from the PPRI. They do have an ethics code and this has helped them earn a lot of respect. The PPRI just hosted a successful symposium at the Halifax Tower Hotel. It demonstrates that the public is curious about the paranormal and appreciated a safe space to share their questions and concerns.
To show their support for the public’s love for things that go bump in the night, the PPRI now offers courses to those who would like to learn more. They are currently offering two courses this month on Demonology and Parapsychology. https://www.ppri.net/capri-pec/ They will be also offering more related courses in the near future about the history of UFOs, an introduction to EVP, how to perform a paranormal investigation, how EVPs work, and how to capture it in audio format. The medium, Jodi Russell, will be a guest speaker during that course. Elliott Van Dusen’s wife Sarah, who has a background in Human Resources, is offering a 14- week course to interview recruits, show people how to be a strong leader and be qualified enough to perform their own investigations in the future.
He has a talented team for the PPRI and they all bring their skills and expertise to each investigation they perform. https://www.ppri.net/about/team/
Darryll Walsh, the Chief Research Officer, has a background in Doctor of Philosophy – Parapsychology, a Master of Arts – Counselling Psychology, a Bachelor of Arts – Psychology Executive Director of the Centre for Parapsychological Studies in Canada, President of Ghost Project Canada & Hypnosis Certification Member of the Society for Psychical Research. Elliott Van Dusen has a strong background in
The PPRI was founded in Sydney, Nova Scotia, in 1997.
“We were among the first organizations in Nova Scotia dedicated to examining claims of paranormal phenomena. Later that same year, PPRI relocated to Halifax, Nova Scotia.
In its early days, PPRI consisted of two investigators who conducted parapsychological research and investigations in Nova Scotia. By June 1998, the organization had expanded significantly, conducting multiple field investigations, gaining over 100 memberships worldwide, and establishing connections with various experts and investigative organizations.
In June 2002, PPRI merged with the New England Unidentified Flying Object Investigative Group (NESUFOIG) from the United States and the Paranormal Research Investigation group from London, Ontario. At that time, PPRI operated under a “Chapter” model, with Provincial/State Directors located in Nova Scotia, Ontario, British Columbia, Massachusetts, and Australia. The organization was incorporated under the Nova Scotia Societies Act on July 29, 2004. In April 2006, PPRI decided to abandon the chapter model, leading to its current organizational structure.
On June 21, 2019, Paranormal Phenomena Research & Investigation Incorporated was registered under the Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 180.
On May 1, 2021, the Canadian Association for Parapsychological Research & Investigation operating as PPRI was incorporated under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act.
On August 25, 2022, PPRI relocated its office back to Sydney, Nova Scotia.
Today, PPRI comprises a small team of subject matter experts specializing in parapsychological investigations, research, and education. Our members have diverse academic and professional backgrounds, which, when combined, become an invaluable resource for our organization.
PPRI operates in the Atlantic Canadian Provinces and the New England area of the United States. Our team is willing to travel to other locations, keeping in mind that we are a not-for-profit organization with limited funding.” (https://www.ppri.net/about/).
For anyone who is worried about things that go bump in the night, we can all rest better knowing that the fearless Elliott Van Dusen stands with his colleagues at the helm of the PPRI, Paranormal Phenomena Research and Investigation, awaiting your call.
