Spirit Communication: A Feminine Trait?

[lopaka]

I think that's what I'm asking. In the editorial of FT 194, it states that EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomena) "seems to... [be in]... the same scientfically disreputable---and, some might argue, feminised---realm as other forms of spirit communication such as mediumship, automatic writing and chanelling."

Umm, OK. I guess if I think about it, there do seem to be more examples of female mediums, etc. We've all heard about 'women's intuition', but what exactly are *we* talking about here? That women are more aware of or even in actuality adept at psychic abilities? That with the male-dominance of the priesthood in western culture 19th century proto-feminists were "forced" into using non-traditional (to our eyes) ways of konwing/understanding the spirit world? That with science being a very 'masculine' field that those phenomena associated with women have caused a bulit-in bias against their study and/or acceptence?

There are, of course, other examples of women's connections to certain fortean phenomena: female adolescents most often seem to be the focus for poltergeist activity. It is also, of course, very difficult at this point, in many 'New Age' philosophies and religions, to seperate feminism/specifically celebrating the female aspect, from the practice of them.

Err, so which is the cause and which is the effect? Am I making any sense explaining my confusion here? Displaying gross ignorance? Is there already a thread on this?

 

[JamesWhitehead]

Channelling and the rest are perceived as essentially passive or receptive states and the old physical mediums were often expected to bring things into the world. Since the days of Home, there has been a strong tradition for any male mediums to be gay or at least sexually ambiguous.

It was a notably indoor and introspective activity at a period when real men went out to explore Africa and master the Heart of Darkness with guns and trade.

Accounts of those old Victorian séance room activities are filled with opportunities for stripping, binding and touching which were otherwise taboo. The gender aspects are certainly interesting but I think at least equally important were matters of social class: typically the mediums were of a lower social order than their supporters and clients. It was a way to rise in the world and maybe often a front for illicit relations. The Crooks story is a case in point.

 

[nambo2]

The Bible tells us that the demons forsook thier dwelling place in Heaven to have relations with Women as they where so good looking, says nothing about any of the demons taking a female form to have relations with men.

So I thought it was just a continuation of the demons facination with women, allthough they can no longer take on a physical human form, it still gives them an opertunity to get inside a woman.

 

[Rrose_Selavy]

I seem to rememeber theories that there was perhaps an implied sexual element to the role of the "star" female mediums - references could be made to ectoplasm etc from orifices that would normally never be tolerated in polite Victorian society. Also a kind of almost flirtatious game of hide and seek with the truth played between the usually male investigator and female medium.

"The Darkened Room: Women, Power, and Spiritualism in Late Victorian England" by Alex Owen investigates the issue. I read it many years ago.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASI ... 58-2045411

 

[nickedoff12]

Sigh

Women are associated with everything mystical...

It's so unfair

 

[razorblimp]

Men are also conditioned to play in certain way and to act like their fathers, at least to an extent, and are therefore less open to admit how they are feeling. I feel it's a similar reason why there are more female social workers and primary school teachers than male, mostly because of how people react to them and how comfortable they feel with them. Remembering that men are also less malleable unless it's in their interests to do so, it's a good possibilty that it's our culture that restrains us. In other cultures, magic(k)al practices are often conducted by men.

When I discovered I could read Tarot cards (amongst other things), I was immediately ridiculed by my brother and father, I discovered later that they worried I was gay, mostly because I didn't feel the need to go out drinking, read a lot of books on art and had a lot of female friends. The fact that I had a lot of female attention, I quite often stayed overnight at their houses and also hung around with punks didn't actually say anything to them. My conclusion now is that they were just jealous.

My brother later admitted (when drunk one evening) that he 'saw things', and that he'd had several ghostly experiences. It took a long time for him to accept that I was a completely heterosexual bloke who could actually (gasp!) talk to women and was interested in the occult, and I feel there are a lot of blokes 'in the closet' in the Christian and Muslim world, regarding mediumship and occultism, for fear of reprisal.

Sorry if this is a burble.

 

[tastyintestines]

I understand, dude. I have gone through many of the same things you have, what I can't understand is people(in real life) incessant need to try and make me(mostly a loner) social all the time?? It really gets annoying. :?



ps. sorry if this is way ot.

 

[Polterdog]

Well, in Taosit doctrine, lopaka, Qi energy was said to be the product of two great forces in the universe: Yin and Yang. All phenomenal manifestation exists as a tension between these two principles and operate on all levels, all of the time. If this kind of dichotomy is sensible to you, and you believe that the universe does indeed operate within this kind of dualistic framework, then the reason why females might be a bit better at spirit communication could be attributable to this fundamental division of male and female properties.

Yang (the masculine principle), for instance, is associated with things, such as: positiveness, the sun, light, aggression, dryness, the right side, fire, intestines, spring, summer, etc., etc.

While, the Yin (the female principle), is identified by: negativity, the moon, darkness, yielding, wetness, the left side, heart, autumn, winter, etc., etc.

One could also add 'emotion' (or 'intuition', as you put it) to the female side of the ledger (as opposed to the Yang's 'logic' and 'rationalism'), as well. And so, yes, it would seem to me, if the Taoist world view is to be believed, then females are more predisposed towards the more arcane side of human nature than males are. It would be interesting to see if this actually held up, statistically, in terms of personal paranormal/fortean type experiences and/or encounters. I know, for instance, that the female sex is more prone to Multiple Personality Disorders (MPD), Possession Syndrome, and, as you mentioned, Poltergeist manifestations so it would seem to make sense...

Anyhow, food for thought.

Polterdog.