The Box at the End of the World: Homespun Efforts to Contact the Spirit World

The desire and models for direct, two-way contact with the otherworld is likely as old as we human beings. Anciently, there are ancestor cults, mushroom cults, shamanistic societies and the like. More historically recently, there are various forms and manners of occultism, Spiritualism, and very recently, the pop-culture phenomenon of ghost hunting.

In another article, Gender, Heroes, andthe Social Dynamics of Ghost Hunting, I pointed out the quite masculine, almost steroidal aura within this developing paradigm of neo-spiritualism that is ghost hunting. The terminologies, accoutrements, and overall effect are very militia-derived, and in general, I argue that the ghost hunt can be viewed as a postmodern, interactive version of the classic androcentric Hero Journey myth.

Within this ghost hunting, paranormal world, there is a quickly developing trend. Many individuals and groups are developing 'boxes'-that is, technological communication devices for spirit contact. This general idea of building devices for two-way spirit contact is certainly far from new. Many such techno devices have been constructed, using whatever array of machinery has been available, beginning in the middle of the 19^th century with photography, then later with phonographs, electricity, radio, vacuum tubes, television, computers, etc.

Using combinations, manipulations, modulations, and variations of all these devices, sometimes even with the intervention of spirit helpers, there have been some famous spirit machines developed. Notably, there is Thomas Edison's never completed spirit device of the early 20^th century, and later, Metascience Foundation's controversial Spiricom high strangeness in the 1980s.

And now, with what is perhaps the father of the modern spirit communication machine, there is "Frank's Box." The machine was developed by an apparently eccentric Frank Sumption, and used extensively by paranormalist Christopher Moon.

Said to be inspired by an article in a October 1995 issue of Popular Electronics Magazine, entitled Ghost Voices, with the coverblurb, "Are the dead trying to communicate with us through electronic means? Try these experiments ad see for yourself." Well, Frank did.

Although according to Christopher Moon's Haunted TimesMagazine website, Sumption is no longer interested in affiliation with ghost groups. Despite his withdrawal, the legacy of Frank's Box is thriving.

There are now dozens, perhaps more, similar two-way spirit communication devices around. And interestingly, within the overwhelming masculine-driven and creative enterprising nature of these various boxes, there seems to be, at least on the surface, a sense of camaraderie and healthy competition involved. This is opposed to what could perhaps otherwise be expected in a passionate realm of the ghost world, where the established notions (whether welcomed or not) of the religious world are co-mingled.

A conclusion I drew upon investigating and writing about the Spiricom device fits here too-these guys just really, really want to perfect the device, so that real time, two-way communication with the spirit world can finally be established. It is becoming the Holy Grail of ghost hunting. And rightly so, perhaps.

Should undeniable, scientifically testable, verifiable, (whatever this should mean to the masses and larger culture...I am well aware that many are convinced this is already the case.) contact with the spirit world actually be made, the ramifications of that and its final outcome are mind boggling indeed.

There may even be models already set up to account for such a tremendous change. This last almost half century long millennial-apocalyptal-harmonic-aquarian-new-age-dawning hubristic hubbub could have been anticipating such a contact and exploration of this other dimension.

Like the quickly adopted Y2K millennialism, we are now seeing much of the same endgame-2012 dynamics involving the Mayan calendar. There is example after example of philosophical speculations about what is looming in the near future-it just seems that something is going to happen.

Over a decade ago, the phantastical Terence McKenna asserted this looming feature casting a shadow backwards over history could be the advent of time travel, effectively literally ending what is commonly held to be history itself. Time travel can generally be (perhaps reductively or naively, albeit) thought of as the exploration of a different dimension--fairly what is assumed to be involved with direct communication with the spirit world.

The massive, unprecedented transformation such communication would bring is certainly enough to force our psychic, physical, and social evolution positively. Cultural and personal firsthand knowledge and testimony of life in spirit could be a panacea, regardless of the actual information received.

Indeed, there is a lot of evidence that those in spirit (or for that matter, ghosts, aliens, religious apparitional figures, and other denizens of the otherworld) don't know that much more about grand cosmological or metaphysical schemes or "God" than we do. For now at least, perhaps the simple collective knowledge and acceptance of the reality of another dimension could be enough.

I suggest that these spirit communication boxes are more than mere marginalia of the ghost hunting phenomenon-that they may in fact turn out to be the loveliest formed pearl found among the fleshiest parts. And, I believe they eventually will justify and deserve a wider mainstream notoriety and unbiased personal and scientific investigation.

In the meantime, we can examine some of the dynamics surrounding the machines, to possibly glean some meaning. I mentioned there were dozens of boxes being developed. There is the original Frank's Box, and it is, according to Christopher Moon, being modified by himself in conjuction with the spirit of Thomas Edison. There is UFO Geek's Spiricomp Ghost Box, Joe's Box, and the Mini Box. According to an article posted UFO Geek's blog, the Mini Box called out Frank Sumption's name at a public demonstration at the haunted, shining Stanley Hotel.

There are countless others, both known and unknown. In many forums and blogs, there are comments from ghost hunting group members, mentioning their own work on such devices. There's even one called the Radio Shack Box-encapsulating the idea of the unassuming basement laboratory, the mundane technology, and Everyman-style inventor.

Despite the intense and concerted efforts of so many individuals and groups to this one potentially invaluable ultimate aim, there is that sense of camaraderie I mentioned. Perhaps there will be intense rivalries later, (I did note a 'beware of imitations' warning on a page promoting one of the more prominent and commercially used boxes.) For now, the competition seems to be somehow ironically united.

This can be seen on a miniaturized scale, by the use of the word 'box' in naming each device. I actually have not come across any of the devices in which this word is not used. While it may seem a trivial matter, looking deeper may be warranted.

While the original Frank's Box is certainly an aptly descriptive, no nonsense type of term, the current machines are not necessarily box-like in design. Maybe the term holds some power. It certainly fits with my previous assertion that spiritualism and ghost hunting realm is filled with gender dynamics of all sorts.

The word Box is in-your-face androgynous. It is well associated and representative of the masculine realm, yet in symbology is quite female. We have the sport of boxing, boxer shorts, and phrases such as "box your ears." Yet, the box as a receptacle, like the cup and grail of legends, is obviously representative of female genitalia. The merging of the male and female is an ancient ultimate occult matter; the Sacred Hermaphrodite conjoins the names of Hermes and Aphrodite, representing united divine duality, and fullness of potential.

Also, since a box is in essence a cubical form, looking at that representation may also be warranted. From the University of Michigan's Symbolism Project website, the cube is

...a three-dimensional SQUARE; it is a symbol of stability and permanence, of geometric perfection. It represents the final stage of a cycle of immobility, it can be seen as the truth, because it looks the same from any perspective, it is commonly thought of as the counterpart of the sphere. The cube is, in essence, the squaring of a circle. Scientifically, the cube usually represents salt. It is the earth: a square plus the four elements plus three dimensions. Frequently forms allegories with solidity and the persistence of virtues, hence its relation to thrones or chariots.

As they relate to the spirit devices, the analogies of the cube are powerful. As I have implied, if contact is made with another dimension, there are sure to be gigantic collective changes. The cube or box as representative of a "final stage of a cycle of immobility" seems to speak of the current looming-apocalypse mindset.

"The squaring of the circle" has become a metaphor for the seemingly impossible and insurmountable. The current dire attitude and warnings about our planet and resources calls for some kind of maybe supernatural response to avert global crisis.

Looking at symbolic cubes in our modern fictions, we find the Borg ship-the Borg, the great nemesis of humankind-a kind of crisis in themselves. Standing for complete unity, symbiosis, and connectivity, the Borg seem to actually embody many of the feel-good qualities we profess to seek.

But, some threat of personal identity is at stake, so an evil, unnatural armour surrounds the Borg. If we could find some way to tame our fear and retain the Self, wouldn't some aspects of being Borg work for us?

The cube may be a symbol for our transformation, a gateway into another world, or at least a new way of thinking. The development of the spirit boxes is worth watching.

Sources:

Paranormal Investigating Team, Frank Sumption, http://www.free-paranormalinvestigating.com/franksboxjoesbox/id3.html and http://www.free-paranormalinvestigating.com/franksboxjoesbox/id15.html

UFO Geek, UFO Geek's Blog, http://ufogeek.com/

University of Michigan, Cube, http://www.free-paranormalinvestigating.com/franksboxjoesbox/id15.html

Haunted Times Magazine, Telephone to the Dead, http://www.hauntedtimes.com/tttd.htm