Cover Image: As Jung suggested, the images and symbols that emerge in our culture are not insignificant. The recurrent appearance of archetypal figures in UFO testimonies recalls this idea of a collective unconscious shaping our perception of the unexplained, as illustrated by Magritte in The Voice of the Air.
Part I - A Surrealist Drift Between Mysticism and UFOs
Between whistleblowers who fall under the spell of mystical societies1 and those who claim to contact UFOs through altered states of consciousness2, we are currently drowning in pure surrealism. Consciousness — despite being indefinable — is invoked in every possible way, seemingly capable of bending everything, including extraterrestrials, to our will.
A common thread emerges: an inability to rationally process extraordinary experiences. Rather than adopting a rigorous scientific approach, some witnesses succumb to the lure of simplistic and seductive hypotheses — beliefs masquerading as revelations.
Experiencing an extraordinary phenomenon is no trivial matter. It triggers intense emotions, deeply rooted in both the psyche and biology of the individual. Adrenaline, the "fight or flight" hormone, plays a central role in the witness’s initial reaction, oscillating between fear and awe. As a result, the perception of the phenomenon becomes inseparable from the witness’s emotional state. Its meaning, its "message," and its interpretation will be shaped far more by what the event awakens within the observer than by the objective nature of the phenomenon itself.
What very few realize, however, is that such phenomena do not need to be intelligent — let alone extraterrestrial — to leave a lasting impact. It is enough for them to defy immediate interpretation and provoke a powerful cognitive and emotional shock. Sometimes, simple Thai lanterns can suffice.
This shock can trigger different reactions, ranging from immediate rejection — at its extreme, leading to an almost "immune" blackout — to, on the contrary, the feeling of having been "chosen" or connected to an immense "love" that emerges only in the witness’s mind. This, in turn, fuels a search for meaning, often intensified by the fundamental human need to find an explanation.
The Shift Towards Beliefs
This is where a key moment unfolds: the way in which the witness will structure their relationship to the event. Two main paths lie before them:
1. The rational and analytical approach, which involves seeking reliable information, assessing the validity of the phenomenon within its context, and methodically questioning one's own perceptions and subjectivity.
2. The mystical-interpretive approach, where the phenomenon simply is by nature and is not questioned (e.g., "It is extraterrestrial," "It came for me," "It chose me"). In this perspective, the goal is not to understand the phenomenon but to integrate it into one's own framework of values. The phenomenon itself is not scrutinized; rather, the focus is on how one's worldview can be adjusted to align with it3.
This shift toward mystical belief is a well-documented mechanism of cognitive regulation: when confronted with an inexplicable phenomenon, the human mind naturally seeks to connect it to familiar and reassuring frameworks. This does not mean that all witnesses succumb to such interpretations, but rather that a poorly understood phenomenon can easily turn into myth if critical analysis is replaced by the projection of pre-existing beliefs.
In this mindset, the observation is no longer analyzed — it is sacralized. This is how some witnesses gradually enclose themselves in an "informational bubble," where only a community that shares their beliefs validates their experience.
A form of cognitive confinement then takes shape, in which every social interaction within this group reinforces the certainty of having accessed a "higher truth”. This phenomenon is known in sociology as "local rationality4": within a group, a collective mental construct becomes an unshakable reality—even if it is objectively false.
The Pandora's Box of Beliefs
One of the greatest risks of this dynamic is the domino effect of beliefs. Once the extraterrestrial hypothesis is accepted as fact, it opens the door to all sorts of related theories — often entirely devoid of scientific grounding.
For example, Jack Barber, a former member of the U.S. Air Force’s special operations, claims to have participated in a military object recovery program. He specifically describes a mission during which he allegedly towed an egg-shaped UFO — a material, tangible object — using an helicopter. However, over time, his account gradually shifts from what initially appears to be a factual event to increasingly esoteric speculations. He eventually interprets his experiences through a singular lens, referring to entities of a "spiritual" nature, akin to "angels and demons”. His narrative thus merges concrete observations with mystical beliefs, imbuing these phenomena with a quasi-mythological dimension.
The shift that takes place here is not a reassessment of the phenomenon but rather a sacralization of the initial experience, which becomes untouchable. Instead of re-evaluating their interpretation through in-depth investigation — by exploring alternative explanatory hypotheses — the witness restructures their entire framework of values and beliefs to align with their first impression.
This process effectively shuts down any critical inquiry: instead of analyzing the phenomenon to understand its nature, it becomes a fixed reference point around which everything else must conform. Once this mindset is adopted, the phenomenon no longer requires proof — it becomes self-evident, seamlessly integrated into a worldview recalibrated to accommodate it. In this case, that means embracing the presence of spiritual entities, at the expense of rationality and rigorous analysis.
Another major issue in this dynamic is the confusion between personal experience and investigative expertise. Simply witnessing a UFO phenomenon does not confer any particular skill in analyzing its nature. Seeing a phenomenon and understanding what it is are two fundamentally different things.
The Illusion of Expertise and the False Scientific Authority of Witnesses
Thus, being a former military officer, pilot, or astronaut does not inherently make someone an expert in UFO investigation. This does not mean that their testimonies lack value — on the contrary, they often put their reputations at stake. However, their status frequently grants them disproportionate credibility in the media, precisely where rigorous scientific analysis is needed.
Yet, when attempting to analyze unknown phenomena seriously, this is the real challenge: one must navigate the fine line between the limits of human knowledge and the distortions of perception —understanding that this boundary is, of course, blurred and debatable.
It is highly unlikely that a witness will immediately possess the experience or tools necessary to distinguish a perceptual illusion from an authentic phenomenon, to identify underlying psycho-cognitive and psycho-clinical effects, to recognize cognitive biases, and to be aware of the hundreds of possible explanations. Developing such expertise takes years of training — it cannot be improvised!
Luis Elizondo was seen communicating about this photo taken in Romania indicating that it would show a "mothership" and then having to apologize: it was only a luminous reflection of a ceiling light with the shadow of the photographer's hair.
Similarly, Ryan Graves will highlight a case sent by an airplane pilot that was actually nothing more than the starlink satellite movie.
These two cases illustrate the ingenuousness that some whistleblowers can show and especially their inexperience with the UAP investigation.
Of course, we should not be too quick to judge them: navigating the boundaries of the unknown is a complex task, and above all, it cannot be improvised. Their primary expertise is generally not the analysis of UAP cases, but rather military expertise and their knowledge of defence networks and institutions.
This is a major trap of ufological or media discourse: confusing institutional authority with analytical competence.
An individual experience does not become more reliable because it is told by a military man, a pilot or a scientist. What matters is not who is speaking, but under what conditions the testimony and the related data were collected, with which method the analysis is conducted.
A confusion between psychological and physical phenomena
The set of unexplained cases to date undoubtedly conceals hundreds of possible explanations, many of which will require multiple intersecting interpretations — rarely is any answer "simple”.
However, it is possible to categorize all the "potential explanations" into two broad, non-mutually exclusive, categories of hypotheses:
- Those covering psychological/psychiatric/"psychic" phenomena (PSY), which I refer to as SUBJECTIVE. They are subjective because they exist within the witness’s personal experience and cannot, in principle, be made independent.
- Those corresponding to physical phenomena (PHY), which I refer to as OBJECTIVE.
One of the major issues in recent years has been the increasing confusion between these two categories of phenomena.
This document aims to clarify the current drift: how testimonies that are initially subjective (PSY) can be mistaken for objective (PHY) reports and even "marketed" as such.
This is by no means a reductionist approach: the initial approach of any investigation must remain horizontal5, meaning that no particular hypothesis should be favored from the outset — and certainly not PSY phenomena as a default explanation.
However, the psychological aspects must always be considered when the principal observer is human— something often underestimated, as many sensationalist reports focus solely on the observed object while neglecting to assess the observer’s own state. This is particularly critical in cases involving altered states of consciousness.
This document will attempt to address this gap by focusing on PSY phenomena, not to dismiss the observer, but rather to propose a theoretical framework that better explains the symbolic nature of certain observed phenomena, such as alien encounters, through what is commonly referred to as "abductions" (Parts II and III).
Between Objectivity and Subjectivity in the Investigation of UAP
It is true that in the absence of a proper investigation — especially one involving experts in clinical or cognitive psychology — it is easy to be mistaken. Some observations may result from well-documented psychological processes, such as altered states of consciousness or sleep paralysis, while other cases remain enigmatic. However, without a rigorous methodology, distinguishing between a genuine experience and an altered perception becomes challenging.
The psychological analysis of witnesses is, in all cases, an essential component of any investigation, particularly when an observation relies solely on human testimony. Consider, for example, a phenomenon reported without any measurable physical trace: if a thorough analysis of the witnesses’ accounts demonstrates their coherence, rules out cognitive biases, and a rigorous investigation eliminates all conventional explanations, then the phenomenon may be considered objective, even in the absence of tangible material evidence.
It is also crucial to understand that a testimony without material evidence should not be necessarily classified as a "PSY" phenomenon: more than 95% of reported observations are not accompanied by direct or indirect physical evidence (samples, instrument readings, photographs). This does not mean these cases must be attributed to purely psychological causes! In most instances, an investigation can either identify the phenomenon’s origin and/or demonstrate with a sufficient reliability that psychological factors were not involved.
Once again, a thorough inquiry is required, particularly to assess the witness’s reliability. In this regard, it is noteworthy that a witness experiencing a state of shock may itself serve as an indirect but tangible indicator of a real event.
In summary, we can consider that an objective event occurred, external to the witness ("PHY"), when:
- The observation of a phenomenon whose existence is corroborated by material traces, independent of the witness (such as a recording on film, radar detection, or a physical ground sample).
- The observation of a phenomenon is based solely on testimony, yet whose consistency (reliability) is supported by coherent details related to the observation environment and the absence of psychological distortions such as altered states of consciousness, false memories, memory disorders, psychiatric conditions, etc.
In other words, the PHY classification refers to any objective phenomenon — one that has occurred independently of the witness. Conversely, the PSY category encompasses subjective phenomena, where the witness's perception or interpretation plays a determining role.
It is important to understand that objectivity does not rely solely on visible material clues, such as a ground trace or an instrument measurement. The human brain can be seen fundamentally like an instrument, capable of memorizing and then restoring information which, knowing the limits of its functioning and errors margins6, can be used to produce reconstructions of events with a good reliability compared to cameras.
This study analyzes the atmospheric re-entry of a meteor observed across multiple European countries on March 15, 2015. Using over 200 eyewitness reports and video recordings, I reconstructed its trajectory, identifying its final descent near Altdorf, Switzerland. The study leverages observational data from the American Meteor Society and employs triangulation methods to refine impact zone estimates with a software I developed (on the right). Comparative analysis with MeteorAstronomie's (on the left) camera-based tracking confirms a trajectory deviation of only 7 km.
A careful statistical approach to human data can achieve results comparable to, or even better than, instrumental methods.
In another way, a strong mnemonic imprint, embedded in a witness’s memory, can serve as evidence when its margins of error are taken into account. Though individual testimonies are naturally more susceptible to distortion and error, cross-referencing multiple accounts helps to reduce these inaccuracies. If we consider the human brain as a recording device, we might compare it to a camera — less reliable due to noise and distortions, yet generally dependable. Contrary to popular belief, human testimony retains scientific value: it is, on average, 80% reliable, and this percentage can rise to 85–90% when using advanced techniques such as the Cognitive Interview7 used by the GEIPAN.
One additional clarification is necessary. When a witness undergoes an unusual experience, multiple factors intertwine to shape their perception of the event. Investigators generally seek to identify the primary trigger — the root cause of the phenomenon. However, in some cases, two explanations can have two root causes as important: one physical and the other psychological.
Let’s take a concrete example: a witness observes a formation of lights in the sky. The investigation reveals that the source was Sky Lanterns — a physical (PHY) event. However, the witness's reaction introduced distortions in their description: rather than describing lights, they reported a monstrous entity floating in the sky. The analysis would then conclude a combination of PHY (Sky Lanterns) + PSY (altered interpretation).
Fortunately, in most cases witnesses accurately report their observations; their mistakes typically lie in their interpretations, which are influenced by a lack of context or knowledge. his is why, during investigations, we initially set aside the witness’s interpretations and focus solely on their original description of the event, with the aim of determining whether an existing event could correspond to their account. In the vast majority of cases, the description itself is reliable8 — the issue does not lie in the reported facts but in the subjective interpretations attached to them, which are often biased or shaped by the absence of an immediate rational explanation.
If the original observation is correct, the event remains classified as PHY, with the investigation concluding simply: "Sky Lanterns". The witness’s emotional reaction — however intense — tends to influence their interpretation rather than distorting their initial description.
The Dream Sellers
A False Promise: The Business of the "Insider Contact"
Without an investigation, one is generally unable to discern the nuances between PSY and NON-PSY phenomena, especially the general public, which is not trained for this. Here, some quickly saw an opportunity: how to manufacture and sell "extraterrestrials on the cheap”.
In the mid-1990s, an American named Steven Greer popularized the idea that UFO sightings could be induced through meditation and group cohesion. A trained emergency room physician, Greer became a central figure in ufology by founding CSETI and the Disclosure Project, aiming both to establish contact with extraterrestrial intelligences and to expose government secrets regarding UFOs.
By the early 2000s, Greer had begun selling sessions based on his "CE5 protocol"9 at exorbitant prices: $3,000 per person — or $72,000 for a 24-person session10! These sessions relied on meditation and guided awareness, claiming to enable the voluntary initiation of interactions with these phenomena.
But it would be a mistake to dismiss this as mere entertainment for eccentrics — Greer monetized these experiments and even conducted them with soldiers willing to push the limits. Moreover, in the military sphere, the United States was already engaged in "Remote Viewing"11 experiments, and after all, this new method could be seen as simply expanding the available toolkit. It would always be cheaper for the state than producing missiles.
Steven Greer also turned his attention to France, and one notable case stands out: a fax from the French Ministry of Defense in 2007, discussing the organization of a session with Greer. I have since been able to verify its authenticity. Notably the role of Philippe Aubin de La Messuzière, now deceased and the managing role of Alain Boudier, former responsible of Sigma/3AF, having ties with the French military and able to engage those disputable experiments.
No, this fax is not a hoax12, 13
Thus, I believe it was truly Greer who opened the door to a full-fledged "insider contact" industry 14, where methods supposedly capable of "communicating with extraterrestrials" are sold. This has led to the proliferation of books promising that, with a little practice, one can establish contact with extraterrestrials — so-called CE5 (Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind).
A CE-5 Handbook, Cielia Hatch and Skywatchers' Alex Klokus in action15
This promise, rooted in the exploitation of mystery and fascination with the unexplained, is part of a broader trend of "selling dreams" under the guise of esoteric discovery.
Jack Barber, whom we mentioned earlier, founded Skywatchers alongside Alex Klokus, bringing together various individuals — including James Hodgkins and Michael Battista — whom he refers to as "Psionics”. This group applies CE5-style protocols, opening the door to seductive yet poorly substantiated narratives. The few recorded observations they present are not clearly related to the protocol and could have simpler alternative explanations.
At the same time, these methods disregard academic research in clinical psychology and neuroscience, which could provide natural explanations for these experiences based on connected well-documented psycho-physiological phenomena: altered states of consciousness16, sleep paralysis, dissociative disorders, hallucinations, hypnagogia and these phenomena mixed. Rather than seeking to objectively analyze these experiences, CE5 protocols reinforce pre-existing beliefs, turning an enigmatic phenomenon into a modern mystical doctrine.
A Biased Methodology: The Power of Suggestion and Expectations
The core principle of Psionics and CE5 is based on the belief that UFO interactions can be triggered by the witness's intent, relying on meditation, visualization, and group synchronization. However, this approach suffers from major cognitive biases:
- Confirmation bias. Participants expect to see something, so they interpret any stimulus — a distant light in the sky, a vague noise, a random coincidence — as a deliberate manifestation of the UFO phenomenon.
- Mentalist techniques and immersive storytelling. Phenomena described during CE5 sessions mirror techniques used by mentalists, who use "immersive storytelling" with vivid details to induce visual or auditory impressions that align with the narrative.
- Induction of an altered state of consciousness. A witness in an altered state of consciousness is no longer in a neutral or objective state of observation. Their mind becomes highly suggestible, influenced by preconceived expectations and group dynamics, reinforcing a trance-like or quasi-hypnotic effect that leads to subjective interpretations.
Build on beliefs. Whitley Strieber17 another key figure who helped inspire the psionics by talking about psychic contact experiences around 1990 propagated the idea that the UAP phenomenon needs humans to "believe" in it to better interact. Ironically, this idea is entirely accurate — but not in the way Strieber intended. This is precisely how hallucinatory phenomena are created and sustained!
The human mind is capable of inducing highly intense subjective experiences in response to strong suggestions. Just as the placebo effect can heal or alleviate pain, a cognitive placebo effect can generate subjective manifestations — visions, sounds, and sensations of presence. In other words, it allows you to create hallucinatory experiences. But here, there is nothing "objective" here, in the independent sense of the witness-observer-actor!
The group effect.Altered perceptions become even more likely when the individual is not alone. The group effect creates a validation bias, where several participants reinforce each other's shared belief. Multiple cognitive biases come into play: Confirmation bias: individuals seek out and validate only the information that confirms their pre-existing belief; Illusion of truth effect: the more a piece of information is repeated, the more it is perceived as true. Social conformity effect: an individual tends to adopt the majority opinion to avoid social exclusion. Authority effect: a leader’s influence is exponentially amplified by collective validation, leading to social placebo or nocebo effects like:
- The shift toward a ritual process: the staging of a collective setting — group cohesion, meditation, transcendental music, and even the use of laser pointers to signal the UFO to the experiencers’ exact location (sic!) — transforms these encounters into a form of modern ritual. Much like shamanic trances or spiritualist séances, the reported experiences are often the result of collective construction and psychological conditioning.
- The use of emotional states as catalysts: elements such as "Transcendental Awakening Music" and "Synchronized Transcendental Instinctive Dance" highlight a drift toward modern spirituality, where the boundary between science and mysticism becomes increasingly blurred. Beyond this, emotions play a key role in shaping the subjective perception of experiences in an altered state of consciousness.
- A Practical perspective: when comparing this approach to Remote Viewing — which operates on the premise that it is possible to connect to "non-local" information — a glaring
- methodological contradiction emerges. Remote Viewing requires a strict separation between the "viewer" and the target (the object or subject being observed). In contrast, CE5 does the exact opposite, actively involving the experiencers in the process. Yet, we know that any external influence introduces bias and distorts the results in experiments of this nature. This phenomenon is known as projective bias, which is particularly powerful when dealing with psychological phenomena
The manufacture of convictions rather than a search for truth
One of the major flaws of the CE5 approach is that it promotes belief construction rather than the exploration of an objective reality. It operates on a self-reinforcing dynamic, where conviction replaces critical inquiry:
- Lack of objective control: there have been no serious scientific studies conducted under controlled conditions to evaluate these experiences. Without a rigorous methodology, it is impossible to distinguish a genuine experience from a cognitive illusion. For example, a proper control protocol could include optical recording systems capturing the entire sky in 360° throughout the session, while brainwave activity is monitored to detect patterns similar to those observed in hypnagogic states. Additionally, psycho-cognitive scientists and clinical psychologists should assess the psychological state of participants to identify possible cognitive correlations. The environment should be checked to determine if any: satellites, birds, insects, planes could explain recorded lights.
- Confusion between perception and reality: CE5 reasoning assumes that the subjective experience of witnesses constitutes objective proof of an exogenous interaction. This ignores the possibility of collective hallucinations or cognitive illusions as an explanation.
- The risk of a powerful psychological effect: participants in CE5 experiences face a strong risk of deeply entrenching their beliefs due to the emotional and sensory intensity of their experiences. Once a belief is formed in such a heightened emotional state, it becomes exceptionally difficult to challenge.
A naïve vision of the relationship between humans and "exogenous intelligences"
Finally, let’s take a step back: the idea that non-human entities would simply wait for humans to meditate and emit intentions in order to respond raises serious questions in terms of coherence and logic. This implies that advanced civilizations — potentially thousands or even millions of years ahead of us — are dependent on human-induced mental states to initiate contact...
This hypothesis reflects an absurd cognitive asymmetry: imagining that an intelligence far more advanced than ours would need humans to enter a trance to establish contact is like assuming that ants could "command" humans by grouping together and emitting signals they believe to be meaningful. These "civilizations" must be very bored. We were already familiar with anthropocentrism, but this goes beyond that — it's "ego-anthropocentrism”.
And so, a part of the community interested in the phenomenon "dives in," without seeking to critically assess or even analyze the origin of the information they engage with.
However, this is not to say that we should dismiss outright the idea that "something" is happening during these sessions. But these phenomena, rather than being evidence of an interaction with extraterrestrial intelligences, are more likely mental projections, shaped by expectations and driven by psychological and psychic mechanisms. Let's try to explore how and why this might occur.
A Socio-psychological Phenomena
The human mind does not function in isolation; our perceptions and interpretations are shaped by both individual cognition and collective influence. In the case of anomalous experiences triggered by an alternate state of consciousness, socio-psychological factors play a crucial role in shaping what witnesses perceive and how they interpret their observations. While some researchers argue that such phenomena can be entirely explained by psychological mechanisms, others suggest that deeper collective processes might be at play, influencing perception beyond the immediate cognitive and emotional context of an individual witness.
How Altered States of Consciousness Devoid Perceptions in CE5
a. Lightly altered states of consciousness
They are similar to a sophrological induction inducing:
- Social Contagion, Emotional Contagion and Collective Cognitive Alteration: a mental state in which ideas become strong enough to be influenced by the initial assumptions of the methodology, or by the influence of a charismatic figure ("guru"), leading to a shared conviction-similar to what a mentalist does.
- Suggestibility and false perceptual contagion effect: as a result, participants begin to convince themselves that something will appear in the environment. They start scanning the sky, and, almost inevitably, if they let go of their critical thinking and fall under the influence, they are at risk of misinterpreting conventional aerial phenomena (e.g., distant airplanes, helicopters, satellites) as UAPs.
Some individuals will see nothing but will hesitate to contradict the group.
b. Trance states leading to shared neurological patterns (hallucinatory states):
If we go deeper in an altered state of consciousness, you may find trance-like effects induced through CE5, whether they are individual or collective experiences:
- Cognitive resonance effect: you may have one or several individuals in this state (e.g., during a collective CE5 session). When several individuals enter an altered state of consciousness, their brains synchronize and so are able to share similar emotions and perceptual patterns, which is called inter-brain synchronization18.
- Hallucinations(Hypnagogic or Hypnopompic): sensory perceptions that occur in the absence of an objective stimulus. perceptual experiences that have no external reality, often occurring in states of deep relaxation, meditation, or between sleep and wakefulness.
Of course, not everyone is equally "engaged" in this state-just like in hypnosis, where some people are more resistant while others are more susceptible.
There is no clear boundary between light and deep alternate consciousness levels: some people may fall into a deep state of conviction, while others remain more alert. Those with a stronger critical mindset, such as rationalists or scientists, are less likely to slip into an altered state and, therefore, might see nothing (e.g., Gary Nolan mentioning in an interview that in one experiment, he saw nothing while others did).
The idea that a group can converge on similar perceptions due to shared cognitive influences is supported by research on hypnosis induction, mass hysteria, and trance states.
Here, it is also worth noting that the alteration of consciousness does not occur strictly in the context of voluntary experiences like CE5 or under the influence of other individuals. A witness can also enter an altered state of consciousness through various external triggers such as emotions, an homeostatic event (such as sleepiness), and, of course, chemical substances.
Hypothesis 1: a purely psychological phenomenon (PSY)
Based on the previous bias a large number of scientists will think that these phenomena can be purely explained by mental constructions, amplified by collective dynamics and altered states of consciousness.
The main idea is that these phenomena are emotionally mediated: CE5 experiences are deeply linked to the mental and emotional state of the participants. Excitement, anticipation, and group dynamics create a highly fertile ground for suggestions. The human mind is capable of creating immersive realities that may appear indistinguishable from actual reality in the eyes of the witnesses.
In this context "NHI" (Non-Human Intelligence) depictions will be considered as overhyped: in most CE5 descriptions there are an evident lack of inherent intelligence in those phenomena: when filmed, these manifestations often appear devoid of real meaning. And also, most often, describe phenomena very simple: luminous dots or small stars moving, rarely complex. These manifestations remain poor in usable information and can just be due to attribution bias. In other way, nothing proves or demonstrates that they are clearly in relation with the meditation technique.
Hypothesis 2: a socio-psychological phenomenon mediated by the Human Collective Consciousness (PSY + PSI)
Hypothesis 1 should be sufficient to explain most cases, but sometimes it struggles to account for certain fundamental aspects: How can a collective hallucination or a phenomenon that generates visions explain the transmission of information between individuals and its propagation in the absence of any apparent communication? How do specific (and strange) archetypes emerge recurrently and spontaneously around the world, without prior conditioning, among people who have never met or even exchanged a word?
Abductions are a clear example of this. Another example is "cryptids" — hybrid human-animal creatures — that surface in diverse contexts without any apparent external influence. Why do these figures appear despite having no connection to the individuals' culture or personal interests?
Most psychoclinicians interpret these testimonies through the lens of psychotic tendencies19, childhood trauma, or past emotional shocks, but they do not explain their symbolism. However, in these cases, this approach leaves a crucial question unanswered: where does the symbolic nature of the perceived information originate? Why would sleep paralysis give rise to visions of extraterrestrials (abductions) or demonic entities, rather than more mundane and realistic threats such as an assassin or a criminal attempting to overpower the witness?
To explain the origin and the striking consistency of these symbols and the information that describes them, a complementary hypothesis is proposed: that of a human collective consciousness, acting as a medium for this "non-localized" information, which intrudes into the witness's awareness. It is what I propose you to explore.
If you are interested into explore the hypothetical concept of Collective Consciousness and its possible role in shaping and perceiving Extraordinary Phenomena — Hypothesis 2 mentioned above — I invite you to read the Part II, III and IV in the full paper in PDF format.
Conclusion
The study of unexplained phenomena often falls into two pitfalls: on one side, those who seek more to elicit adherence than to establish facts, sometimes resorting to biased or simplistic arguments; on the other, those who sanctify these phenomena to the point of turning them into dogmas, forbidding any form of questioning. In such conditions, it becomes far too easy to blindly embrace appealing hypotheses without ever attempting to understand what truly lies behind them.
However, not all perspectives hold the same value. It is essential to never surrender critical thinking—not in a spirit of systematic rejection, but within a rigorous and coherent approach, one that seeks to connect facts and hypotheses methodically. One must accept that their own hypotheses can be challenged, acknowledge them as such, and formulate them with the prudence that any scientific approach demands.
From this perspective, it is crucial to avoid spreading not only unfounded beliefs but also misinformation. Without this intellectual rigor, we might as well immediately grant legitimacy to the ramblings of Raël and other delusional mystics. Contemporary society is fracturing under rigid ideological postures, where emotion too often takes precedence over reason.
Another pitfall lies in the temptation to reduce everything to a single explanation. When faced with unexplained phenomena, it would be naive to assume that a single cause underlies them all. On the contrary, the diversity of manifestations likely implies a plurality of singular and independent explanations.
Finally, we must also accept that some truly extraordinary phenomena, which defy our understanding, must remain unexplained—at least for now—thus encouraging us to push the boundaries of science. Rather than denying the existence of unknown phenomena, the goal is to lay the groundwork for broader, universal logics while resisting the temptation of reductionism.
This, I believe, is how we can truly progress in our understanding of the world.
NOTE:
1 David Grusch and Jack Barber participate to a collective experience at the Esalen Institute in October 2024 with a community of entrepreneurs, scientists and mystics
2 Alex Klokus (SALT, Futurism) and Jack Barber founded "Skywatcher", a group that aims to materialize UFOs with the help of Psionics.
3 Sometimes, this questioning can be beneficial, especially if it allows dogmas to be overthrown.
4 More precisely a concept of Ethnomethodology
5 Vaillant, M. (2022). Methodology of Analysis of UAP Cases, p14. CAIPAN 2022.
6 It is a domain which is called psychophysics, which quantitatively investigates the relationship between physical stimuli and the sensations and perceptions they produce. A general class of methods that can be applied to study a perceptual system. Some aspects are implemented in the GEIPAN software like power law related to the angular size of objects or azimuthal and elevation mean errors. It would necessitate a whole paper here
7 The cognitive interviewis a method of interviewing eyewitnesses and victims about what they remember from a crime scene. Using four retrievals, the primary focus of the cognitive interview is to make witnesses and victims of a situation aware of all the events that transpired
8 in this case, it could be "several lights flying in a coordinated manner"
9 CE5 stands for "Close Encounters of the 5th kind". As stated in Jacques Vallee's Confrontations (1990), a close encounter of the fifth kind is where an alien abductee receives some manner of physical effect from their close encounter, typically either injury or healing
10Steven Greer: Summoning Aliens? (CSETI, CE5) - Jimmy Akin's Mysterious World
11The RV was born in research institutes at the turn of the 1960s and 70s in the United States. It was developed in particular at the American Society for Psychical Research, the Stanford Research Institute International, the Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research Lab, within the private group Mobius, the CIA and the American army: it was part of the StarGate project, code name for the United States federal government's sub-projects aimed at investigating the reality and potential applications, both military and civilian, of psychic phenomena, more particularly "Remote Vision". The founding scientific publications were published throughout the 1970s, mainly by physicists and psychologists and today is mostly considered by the scientific community as a "pseudo-science".
12 Dr Steven Greer and the Mysterious Department of Defense Fax
13 Dr Steven Greer, The Most Important Document in the History of the UFO Subject, 2015 London
14 Surprisingly, in a recent interview with Khloé Kardashian Steven Greer told that Northop Grumman was it’s uncle company
15 Skywatcher Part I: The Journey Begins
16 Maybe self-induced by substances, pathologies, etc or spontaneous linked to experiences
17 Whitley Strieber is an American author. In 1987, he published "Communion", a non-fiction work in which he recounts his own experience of abduction by non-human entities, whom he calls "the visitors".
18 Inter-Brain Synchronization, Interview with Viktor Müller | Max Planck Institute
19 Clinical Characteristics of Psychotic Disorders in Patients with Childhood Trauma, Medicine, 2023 revealed that childhood trauma, particularly physical and sexual abuse, are significant predictive factors for psychotic disorders. Childhood trauma increases the risk of psychosis and influences the severity of psychotic symptoms. This research suggests that clinicians specializing in clinical psychology often consider childhood trauma history as a relevant factor when assessing psychotic symptoms.
