Creating a Ghost – The Philip Aylesford Experiment

Creating a Ghost – The Philip Aylesford Experiment

In 1972 in Toronto, Canada a group of Parapsychologists, directed by an expert in the field of poltergeists named Dr A.R.G. Owen, embarked of an unusual challenge which was to Literally create a ghost.

Now they had planned to do this not by summing demons or by any other “supernatural means” but they hoped to Scientifically create the experience of a ghost which they claimed could be created through the human mind which in turn creates them via imagination, visualisation, expectation and so on.

So they assembled a group of 8 individuals from its own membership (who later became known as the Owen Group) who were all different in their own respects and all who claim to have no psychic ability of any kind.

Once a team was established it was then time to decide a bit more about this so called “Ghost” so after some timethe group decided on calling him "Philip Aylesford" thus creating the Philip experiment but they also needed to create a background for him to make the experience as real as it could possibly be.

This is a small snippet of his background......

Philip was an aristocratic Englishman, living in the middle 1600s at the time of Oliver Cromwell. He had been a supporter of the King, and was a Catholic. He was married to a beautiful but cold and frigid wife, Dorothea, the daughter of a neighboring nobleman.

One day when out riding on the boundaries of his estates Philip came across a gypsy encampment and saw there a beautiful dark-eyed girl raven-haired gypsy girl, Margo, and fell instantly in love with her. He brought her back secretly to live in the gatehouse, near the stables of Diddington Manor - his family home.
For some time he kept his love-nest secret, but eventually Dorothea, realizing he was keeping someone else there, found Margo, and accused her of witchcraft and stealing her husband.

Philip was too scared of losing his reputation and his possessions to protest at the trial of Margo, and she was convicted of witchcraft and burned at the stake.
Philip was subsequently stricken with remorse that he had not tried to defend Margo and used to pace the battlements of Diddington in despair. Finally, one morning his body was found at the bottom of the battlements, whence he had cast himself in a fit of agony and remorse.

The Owen group even enlisted the help from ones of its more artistic students to paint a portrait of Philip to “bring him to life” so to speak.

Here is the picture of him…..

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/8511ad2be2b8.jpg[/atsimg]

So with a background ready and even a portrait of him the experiment would now officially begin.

So in September 1972 the Owen group began their “sittings” where they would concentrate on and discuss Philip and his life to try to understand him better and to make him seem as real as possible which was extremely important in this experiment.

They even meditated on him and together as a group tried visualizing him, each sitting conducted in a fully lit room carried on for quite a while with no such results which is when the group decided to change their tactics in their search for the imaginary Phillip.

So the group then decided that with a more real life situation like a séance for example they could create actual real life results so with all the lights dimmed they sat around the table and surrounded themselves with pictures of the type of castle they imagined Philip would have lived in the hope of maximizing their chances of successful results.

And what’s truly remarkable is that this tactic actually worked! As during one evening the group received its very first communication from the Fake Phillip in the form of a distinct rap on the table.

Before long the group after asking questions received answers using the system of - one rap for yes, two for no and they actually got a positive response from Philip after the group asked if it was indeed him who was with them at this time.

The sessions really kicked off from that point on as the group then started to learn more about Philip even finding out more about his life and more bizarrely his personality from his likes to dislikes and his views and preferences etc. The table even moved on some occasions sliding from side to side and even dancing on one leg even on a thick carpet and the table was even reported to have chased someone across the room all the while the groups hands were clear of the table when this occurred.

This is all remarkable and everything but sadly Phillips responses was nothing that the group was unaware of so everything that was actually answered was something that the group already knew so it seems that the answers the group was receiving came from nothing more than their very own subconscious minds.

Weirdly though some members of the group even claimed to have heard the whispers from Philip when he was answering questions but nothing was ever caught on a recorder but it seems was further proof that people can actually subconsciously create ghostly experiences which is what the group originally set out to find when “creating this ghost.”

Philip's psychokinetic powers, however, were amazing and completely unexplained. If the group asked Philip to dim the lights, they would dim instantly. When asked to restore the lights, he would oblige. The table around which the group sat was almost always the focal point of peculiar phenomena. After feeling a cool breeze blow across the table, they asked Philip if he could cause it to start and stop at will. He could and he did.

The group noticed that the table itself felt different to the touch whenever Philip was present, having a subtle electric or "alive" quality. On a few occasions, a fine mist formed over the center of the table. Most astonishing, the group reported that the table would sometimes be so animated that it would rush over to meet latecomers to the session, or even trap members in the corner of the room.

It’s truly remarkable what the Owen group has uncovered and shown here but sadly their biggest goal still remains elusive as showing an actual physical presence of Phillip was never and has never been achieved.

But the Philip experiment was deemed a success still (even without achieving their main goal) as they proved that they could indeed create ghostly experiences through nothing more than ones imagination.

The success of the experiment produced future experiments with different groups (replicating the same results) and more fictional ghosts were also created such as Lilith, a French Canadian spy, Sebastian, a medieval alchemist and even Axel, a man from the future.

So whether you believe in this story or whether you believe that the group was actually using nothing but there imagination or if you believe that another ghostly entity took on the role of Philip this is still such a fascinating story that I really wanted to share with you all.

Thank You for reading.

Helpful Links...

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Also sorry if this has been discussed before.

[edit on 17-3-2010 by Rising Against]

very interesting. I read about a group of parapsychologists who met in a room at a table and invented a fictional ghost. they talked to this ghost and members would "rap" on the table, builing up suspense. until one day, SOMETHING actually started to knock on its own. I'll look for the source. I know I still have it. it was almost poltergeistian

OP, I belive I was thinking of the same thing. I never knew there was so much more to the story! star and flag! I'd love to try and recreate this

Very interesting. All this story does is further confirm to me that all ghost/poltergeist activity is in fact demonic. You cannot speak to the dead, so the demon involved could care less if the person in question is fictional or not. You think you are speaking with your great grandma? Wrong, you are talking with a demon screwing with you. You have a room full of persons that are spiritually starving, why wouldn't this malevolent entity feed them with deception? Anyone that thinks this is fake, or just "human imagination manefesting itself" needs to wake up. If the latter were the case, why aren't there groups of people medidating on having a million dollars magically appear in their bank accounts???

[edit on 17-3-2010 by kingofmd]

reply to post by kingofmd


A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions

Maybe you should take your own advice?

Originally posted by kingofmd
Very interesting. All this story does is further confirm to me that all ghost/poltergeist activity is in fact demonic. You cannot speak to the dead, so the demon involved could care less if the person in question is fictional or not. You think you are speaking with your great grandma? Wrong, you are talking with a demon screwing with you. You have a room full of persons that are spiritually starving, why wouldn't this malevolent entity feed them with deception? Anyone that thinks this is fake, or just "human imagination manefesting itself" needs to wake up. If the latter were the case, why aren't there groups of people medidating on having a million dollars magically appear in their bank accounts???

[edit on 17-3-2010 by kingofmd]

Why does it Confirm to you that all paranormal activity is Demonic in nature? That has nothing to do with the story... How do you know you can't speak to the dead? Dead guy tell you? How in the world do you know it isn't my great grandma? And how did you know I was talking to her? Are you afflicted by demons? How do you know that it isn't a form of group hypnosis or mass hysteria or an overactive subconcious? I imagine they chose their group based on suggestibility. I would. Here's the thing about the million bucks. That is a solid physical object. This is a mental thing, huge difference. Oh my god look at that shadow in the corner, yeah i see it too. Not the same as lets concentrae on this new Car and wait for it to pop up in the driveway or greenbacks in your checking account.

No offense but your view is just as bad as someone seeing a picture of a supposed ghos and assuming i is a ghost without letting any photo analysis takes place. Science and spirituality don't conflict, they just search for the truth in different ways. But I wouldn't offer my unsubstantiated opinions as fact while belittleing others.

I'm guessing... and this is just a hunch... that they didnt actually manage to get any physical or video proof of any such paranormal activity that can't be explained by "several enthusiasts sitting around a table knocking".

Very interesting. All this story does is further confirm to me that all ghost/poltergeist activity is in fact demonic.

Please do explain further.

You cannot speak to the dead, so the demon involved could care less if the person in question is fictional or not.

How could one truly know whether (assuming we can communicate with the dead) they are actually speaking to a spirit of like you say a demon??

Personally I fail to see how someone can 100% know for sure.

You think you are speaking with your great grandma? Wrong, you are talking with a demon screwing with you.

Again please explain how you could know this.

Anyone that thinks this is fake, or just "human imagination manefesting itself" needs to wake up

Well I think it's healthy to approach this in a scientific way to try and prove (like they have indeed done) that imagination does plays a key role.

why aren't there groups of people medidating on having a million dollars magically appear in their bank accounts???

Maybe because of the same reason they could not get an actual ghost to appear, but instead found lots of evidence to show that like i have said imagination does plays a key role.

Now my friend I look forward to your replies.

What if the rapping and the dimming of the lights etc was created by an actual ghost who took the place of philip and answered on his behalf.

Maybe there meditating and group sesions did'nt go unheard and attracted the attention of a spirit. Maybe a spirit called philip did appear but not the fictional one.

Very interesting stuff. Thanks for posting.

reply to post by KrypticCriminal


Well there is a very real possibility that an actual ghost did indeed contact the Owen group and "pretended" to be the "Fake" ghost that they were originally trying to contact but to be fair to them this group did set out to find evidence that imagination plays a big role and they did find evidence of this as some members of the group claimed to have heard whispers but nothing was ever picked up on tape as an example.

All about what the individual person reading the story believes.

reply to post by Rising Against


Yeah, im sure imagination plays a great part in many so called paranormal events. That does'nt discount the real ones though.

E.V.P's can be easily faked for example but theres some out there that clearly have'nt.

Theres always arguments for and against. No wonder we never get any where lol.

reply to post by KrypticCriminal


I agree, there is definitely some real cases out there and this story (from my opening post) IMO does Not mean that they are all fake like some (not from this thread) seem to believe.

And yes it's such a shame that there are just so many different arguments for and against but one day we'll get somewhere..... Well.....hopefully.

The human mind can create ghosts, demons, angels anything you want.

You just need to focus on it.

There's a book about the Phillip experiment. I believe my dad had it in his library on the paranormal. I'll give it a check later tonight to see if I can find the title and author so I can post it up here for any interested.

This reminds me a lot of the Tibetan Tulpa, or more literally the Thought-form. Buddhist monks are said to be able to create them through meditation and focused thought. The theory goes that any group of like-minded individuals who are all focused on the creation of a particular spiritual force can likewise do the same. I wouldn't be surprised if Phillip was the West's first documented introduction into tulpas.

*Edit *

To Bildeberg's response: I don't think the human mind can necessarily create those things as much as it can latch on to their existence and give it more power. If simply focusing your thoughts were enough to create the Devil, Michael or the ghost of Abraham Lincoln then what would happen if several people in different continents all thought about these beings?

I think, if anything, that all of these 'ghosts' and 'spiritual beings' already exist wherever and however they do - the human mind simply gives them access, like so many various doors, to our world. Otherwise, 6 million Christians who believe whole-heatedly in the Devil would have created 6 million diabolical Devils to run a muck in our world.

The human mind is still capable of great things though. 'Light as a Feather, Stiff as a board' being one example, and Buddhist manipulation of body temperature is another.


* Edit # 2 *

Conjuring Up Phillip: An Adventure in Psychokinesis

by Isis Owen and Margaret Sparrow
Published by Pocket Books (July 1, 1977)
# ISBN-10: 0671811037
# ISBN-13: 978-0671811037


* Edit # 3 *

Typos, ha ha



~ Wandering Scribe

[edit on 17/3/10 by Wandering Scribe]

[edit on 17/3/10 by Wandering Scribe]

[edit on 17/3/10 by Wandering Scribe]

Maybe Philip did actually exist and there was mind blowing coincidence that they 'made up' someone who was real at some point in history.

reply to post by Frakkerface

Maybe Philip did actually exist and there was mind blowing coincidence that they 'made up' someone who was real at some point in history.

I'll choose to believe the original experiment for now.

This definitely has bigger implications. If a human mind with no psychic powers can indeed move furniture, control electricity, etc what is its full potential. Our governments may have already dug deep and found out a good bit about what our minds can do. Kinda scary dont ya think?

This has been posted before but never with as much detail and research. Star & Flag for you!

This story has really intrigued me greatly, I wonder why the experiments were never replicated? I've read one report on it that says the "knocking" answers ended when one of the participators asked Philip "do you know you're not real?"

Which reminds me... ATS, do you know you're not real? I just made you up as an experiment.

This story has really intrigued me greatly, I wonder why the experiments were never replicated? I've read one report on it that says the "knocking" answers ended when one of the participators asked Philip "do you know you're not real?"

As far as i know it was replicated, many times infact.....

The success of the experiment produced future experiments with different groups (replicating the same results) and more fictional ghosts were also created such as Lilith, a French Canadian spy, Sebastian, a medieval alchemist and even Axel, a man from the future.

And can you give a link to the report then as i'd be interested in reading it.

[edit on 22-3-2010 by Rising Against]

Originally posted by ventian
This definitely has bigger implications. If a human mind with no psychic powers can indeed move furniture, control electricity, etc what is its full potential. Our governments may have already dug deep and found out a good bit about what our minds can do. Kinda scary dont ya think?

Also not forgetting that these people (the Philip group) were fully aware of what they were doing and also that "Philip" NEVER existed.

I find it more interesting than scary though and if a governmental group can/has done this then that's a shame but nonetheless it's fascinating to know that a human mind in capable of it more than we thought possible.