stripping the gurus - Brahma Kumaris Info

488 STRIPPING THE GURUS
even valid claims are likely to be simple, untapped capabilities of
the physical body—akin to the suspended animation sometimes
accompanying hypothermia in humans, and now induced in mice
via low doses of hydrogen sulfide. I, at least, would by now be surprised
if there were anything “mystical” or paranormal about that.)
The same million-dollar qualifying nature would of course apply
to the purported healing abilities of Barbara Ann Brennan, for
example. Those are indeed claimed to be demonstrated regularly at
her healing school (www.barbarabrennan.com) in Boca Raton,
Florida.
Brennan has been regarded by the Da-admiring Elizabeth
Kübler-Ross as being “one of the best spiritual ... healers in the
Western hemisphere.” Back in my “believer” days, I paid through
the figurative nose for healing sessions with two of her graduates.
One of them, grossly guilty of “playing psychologist” in his appointed
hour, has since acted as a dean at her school. The beneficial
effect of their healings on me? To quote Bruce Springsteen:
“Absolutely nothing; say it again.”
Brennan’s school exists a mere three-quarter-hour hop, skip
and jump from Fort Lauderdale’s JREF. Wilber’s excursion would
be somewhat longer, but still, for a full million, “cash on the barrel’s
head,” it’s probably do-able.
The dozen most frequently given excuses for claimed paranormalists
not “putting their money where their mouths are” and collecting
the million dollars that they so richly deserve have already
been compiled by Randi (2002c). No sense reinventing that wheel,
then.
For my own part, I am well past the point of accepting any
parapsychological claims without them having been proved under
appropriately controlled conditions. Nor would even finding one
such elusive “white crow” or valid psychic make the rest of our
world’s crows, or purported clairvoyants/siddhas/healers, any less
“black.” Nor would it fix any of the huge, documented problems
with Wilber’s work and character.
Still, if I could ask Santa Claus to bring me one thing for
Christmas....
* * *
No skeptic needs to “look through the microscope,” or attempt to
develop paranormal abilities himself, in order to validly have an
opinion about whether the claims of purported mystics and healers