In the first part of our exploration of "The Extraordinary Life of Dr Alexander Tanous", " we delved into the fascinating life of Dr Alexander Tanous—known for his remarkable abilities in the voluntary induction of Out-of-Body Experiences (OBEs). In this second part, we will continue to explore the unique personality of Alex Tanous and delve deeper into his theories and insights that have the potential to transform our understanding of human capabilities and the nature of our existence.
The personality of a true experiencer with advanced experiences
The Hall of Fame didn't affect his personality. Neither did the magnitude of his experiences. In a few of his experiences, Alex reported being "a ball of light". He states he reported to be in "oneness with the universe… a state of consciousness of complete harmony".
Despite it all, Alex remained humble. Hervey Ardman, the Journalist who co-wrote Alex's biography, said of him that he was: "one of the kindest, most modest, most unpretentious human beings [he] had ever known, despite his "unusual abilities".
Alex's theory: towards an understating of psychic phenomena
Alex didn't think his abilities were unique to him and were skills all could develop. If he had often not known how he had accomplished psychic feats and often didn't perceive any physical or mental sensations – although people Alex had healed reported tingling and vibrations. Alex thought he had developed his abilities through what he called to be Creative Perceptive Energy (CPE). It was when he was in touch with this energy that he was the most successful psychically—or could project more consistently—a reason why the Vibrational State is so primordial and important to developing OBEs.
Such a condition was also the reason – despite the fact, according to Alex, we all are affected by this energy – that people did develop psychic perceptions. They wouldn't take care of this potential within themselves. They could not tap into such a resource. They wouldn't be open to it—to its reality. On the other hand, psychic people were, in fact, psychic because—in one way or another—they would tap into this potential, although some would remain unaware of this ability or would not even know about it. As such, CPE was central in any ESP or any intuitive capacity, such as when a doctor would provide a difficult diagnostic or prognostic. Alex said:
"Whenever people surpass themselves, whenever they draw on resources they didn't know they had, whenever they go beyond logic to make their lives better, or more successful, or more fulfilled, they are acting psychically, they are tapping Creative Preceptive Energy".
In fact, Alex describes CPE as a universal energy or force that is the source of psychic phenomena, which people can tap into for various purposes, such as knowledge, healing, and creativity. He contends that this energy is akin to other forms of energy that science has recognized and measured, like X-rays or ultrasonic sound and postulates not only that we will be able to measure such an energy in the future but that people will develop the capacity to perceive and utilize this psychic energy in the future.
Conclusion:
If Alex moved the edges of research further by virtue of the psychic powers he asserted, reading Frohock (1997), we are reminded that Alex's powers "inevitably challenge materialist accounts of human experience and, as a consequence, illuminate Alex's life from a different and uncommon perspective". It is within such examination that: "We are offered large opportunities to study the limits and possibilities of human experience". To infer into our capacities. As such, it should be an inspiration to overcome our limitations and see within ourselves that we have this potential. But as Alex said:
"This is a journey that you have to take".
Alex thought that harnessing the power of OBEs, the power of the mind, the energy within us, was like harnessing the power of electricity and that such control would have a million times more transformative power than the societal impact of the discovery of electricity had in our societies "because this power is stronger than any power there is" (Auerbach, 2019). Indeed, Alex foresaw the future possibility "of people following [his] path" reaching "much farther than [he had]" and expressed the hope that one day his experiences would be shared by "all of humanity".
Alex understood that out-of-body experimentation, either in the lab or not, inherently revealed a spiritual direction for humanity and that this could ultimately only be grasped through "personal experience" (Auerbach, 2019). A notion revealing of how Alex saw himself:
"I see myself as a kind of pioneer. I am testing, exploring, and discovering a set of abilities all men have, whether they know it or not."
Dr Alexander Tanous stands as a beacon for the uncharted territories of human potential. He didn't just explore the realms of OBEs; he illuminated a path for the curious, the seekers, and the scientists alike — a path that suggests a boundless capacity within us all. His life's work beckons us not only to acknowledge the vastness of our abilities but also to pursue their realization courageously. This is not just a journey that one can embark upon; it is a journey we are all beckoned to by the very essence of our being. We are made to fly.
In the spirit of Tanous' explorations, we are invited to recognize that the exploration of self and the universe is a shared heritage — a calling to uncover the profound interconnectedness of our consciousness with the cosmos. As we stand on the precipice of new discoveries about the mind and its capabilities, we honour the legacy of pioneers like Tanous by continuing to expand the horizons of our understanding and, by doing so, embracing the full spectrum of our human experience.
PhD Candidate,
MSc. Neuroscience,
Sleep Consciousness Researcher.
REFERENCES
Auerbach, L. (2019). Remembering Alex Tanous with Archival Video and Loyd Auerbach Youtube, Jeffrey Mishlove
Frohock, F. H. (1997). Alex Tanous Life Research Project.