The Struggle with the Elemental
- Occult Episode -
by
Harry G. Yetter
(Editor's note: This article was not written for publication, but by the writer's permission is extracted from a personal letter to the Editor.)
"I have always been able to remember far back into childhood. I even remember an incident that took place when I was about 22 months old - of no interest here but only to establish a time element.
About this time I became afraid of something that appeared to me in the dark - in my childish prattle I called it the GOFF. Where I got the name I do not know, but it was a living and perceptible entity. Although I named it and saw it first, all my brothers and sisters following me perceived it also, and called it by the name I gave it. Although they were all afraid of it, I believe I am the only one that it really bothered (and even as I write now I feel the psychic chill of its presence). It always appeared from my left side, and just behind me as I would turn my head. I would catch a glimpse of this monstrosity, and then it would glide slowly across the room from left to right, just about head level. Its entrance was always preceded by a sharp rap on the wall (similar to a natural 'crack' due to change of temperature). And as the Goff faded through the wall opposite a final rap or crack came from that wall.
I have had this visitation hundreds of times, by day and by night, when awake and when asleep, and always it left me in stark terror. I usually was paralyzed while it was going on, whether through fright or as a part of the phenomenon, I don't know. But to see this grayish mess of misshapen Something, staring with fixed eyes, wild hair Medusa-like, and a face like Hugo's Laughing Man, was enough to frighten even a materialist. This GOFF bothered me continually until I was about 17, after that it let me alone for several years. I might say in passing that at 17 I first came in conscious contact with the occult field - and this perhaps held the other force in abeyance for a time. But in 1936 the GOFF again attempted to make trouble, and I was all in a dither. What good was my occult knowledge if I couldn't get rid of this apparition? Finally Mr R., my teacher said: "Harry, you've got to call up the Goff consciously, and hold him, and disintegrate him with a ray of light. It's your own mess, your own Karma, your own family - it's an aspect of the Dweller. It has been held away from you until you passed certain points. Now is the time for the test. Get rid of it!"
Well, R. left and I went to work on this 'thing.' I never put in such a bad time in my life. I know I sweat blood. But I did as I was told and was able to smash the figure. But I say figure only, because, as I mentioned, when I talk or write about him I can feel that same old feeling."
-- -- --
So much for Mr Yetter's remarkable narrative. For those who read his account with a raised eyebrow of suspicion, we merely point out that similar phenomena are well known among operative occultists, and [17] means of dealing with them are known also. Mr Yetter was fortunate in having some understanding of occult facts, and a competent teacher close at hand. But what is the fate of the dabbler in the mysteries, or of one who is babe-innocent of all works of darkness? Do you recommend that he turn to doctor, lawyer, professor, psychologist, clergyman, or even priest with his book and bell? To the run-of-the-mill scientist, alienist, psychiatrist? Very few of these gently, in such strait, know anything, can say or do anything useful at all. But every shifty psychic and medium will at least give credence, and every honest and genuine one will have a good measure of understanding. They perform many a service of which a jeering world has no conception. And if you think these things, the GOFF and his kind, are rare as the blue moon - that, my friend, with all respect to you, is only your happy ignorance.
Something, however, is lacking here. The episode is not quite finished. The Goff has been driven out of his semi-materiality (visible to several persons), but apparently not out of existence. Clairvoyance should discover this entity, and right methods dispatch him. And if this help is not obtainable, let us recall that Oliver Bland, by his account at least, destroyed an even more fearsome monster by directing upon it the emanations of a radium salt, shielded in a lead tube with a tiny window at one end.
Having said this much, on a subject taboo to all philistine smugness, we once again recommend to our own readers, the Psychic Self-Defense of Dion Fortune, Warden of the Fraternity of the Inner Light (London) - a practical treatise if ever there was one, and full of things that 'practical' people refuse to believe.
-- -- -- -- --
Electrical conditions
in the seance room.
Considerable information has been accumulating, of late, with regard to electrical conditions during seances. An example of this will be found in Vincent Gaddis' discussion of the Jack Webber mediumship, in this issue. We supplement this by summarizing here a note from Mr Walter Gordon, of Oakland. He writes -
"On April 10, 1946 my wife and myself attended a spiritualist circle. The medium was entranced and two communicators talked through her. She returned to consciousness, then was again entranced, with more communications. The seance then closed and the lights were turned on. In about one-half minute I received a severe shock. It felt like a large darning needle jabbed into my thumb, the current spread out over my hand and up to my elbow. The pain was severe and the jerk of my arm shook my whole body. I had a shock of 500 volts of direct current, and many shocks of 110 alternating current, and I know how they feel - and I claim that this shock I received in the seance room was static electricity... One of the sitters in this group is a nephew of the late Dr. Steinmetz, and the latter is said to visit the seances and to give them some remarkable information. If this is true, and if Steinmetz has been able to perfect an instrument, on the spirit side, that will produce physical static electricity - then I believe he has something of great importance."
-- -- --
- MISS FIRST AND MISS SECOND -
This is the simple tale of Miss First and Miss Second and the old Wise Voice (and if, on reading it, you are blessed with the curse of imagination, you will cover your face in silence, before the Unknown God).
She was the daughter (they were the daughters) of a prominent California attorney. One body, but two persons changing places. Each 4th year they changed - and they were different in character, habits, conduct, everything. The Mother is reading to little Miss First one day, the child closes her eyes and is gone -- Where? It is Miss Second who opens them, does not care for the book. Then after four years, Miss First comes back in an instant. "Mother, why did you stop reading ?" No memory of the interim, for either body or mind. At 28, each has had 14 years in the same body.
Come now the Doctors, the Hypnotists. They spread their spells, both characters appear and both are questioned. Each said she could read the memory of the other, did not know where she was when latent.
Suggestions were then given calculated to unite the personalities. Miss First was told to stay in the body and blend with Miss Second. But the time of the change is at hand, and Miss First finds she can do nothing about it. Then, the hypnotist ordered Miss Second out of the body.
Then the body suddenly became as if dead.
The parents were frantic, the doctors continued their laborious suggestions. Then a startling thing happened. The lips of the body opened, and a new, a third personality spoke through them.
It was a strong voice of masculine quality. It is described, too, as the firm and gentle voice of an old man. It spoke with authority and with wisdom, and the group about the body listened with amazement. This "old man" did not think in the manner of humankind. He was not logical, but super-logical. He (It) did not reason; he realized - did not argue, but knew. It made long dispassionate statements about the two girls, correct in every detail, then became silent.
But the doctors questioned it eagerly. "Who are you?"
"I am one who has the two girls and this body under charge. The two must use it for the purposes of living."
"But neither girl can live a normal life - marry, have a home, rear children" -- the doctors argued at great length. But the old Wise Voice remained unmoved. They felt like children before an age-old wisdom. Then at last one of them exclaimed in desperation - "If Miss First is not allowed to keep this body, we shall keep it hypnotized indefinitely."
Said the old Voice then: "No one will injure this body. If you interfere with my work, I shall withdraw the girls and leave you the corpse."
There was a long silence. At last, suggestion was made to release the body from hypnosis. Then Miss Second opened her eyes and smiled.
***
Was this, then, the High Self - this old, wise man, this third and separate personality. (W.R. Stewart saw the High Self, and IT had a human head, the body of a bird) (If you are cursed with the blessing of imagination, your hands will cover your face now, in the presence of the unknown God).
***
We adapt this episode from Recovering The Ancient Magic, by Max Freedom Long.
References
- Fortune, Dion. Psychic Self-Defence: a Study in Occult Pathology and Criminality. London: Aquarian Press, 1930. Print. <http://amzn.to/1kXeoFE>
- Long, Max F. Recovering the Ancient Magic. London: Rider, 1936. Print. [Re-ed. by Huna Research, 1978: <http://amzn.to/1kIf7vu>]