Citation: Kelly, T.M. (2014). Classification & Statistical Manual of Extrasensory Experiences. Copyright © 2014 Theresa M. Kelly, MsD. Interested professionals are welcome to Download a Complimentary Copy of the CSM-EE. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Phenomenological Features

The essential feature of the (TI) type of telepathy is the causal influence of one mind on another without the intervention of the five senses (Braude, 1978). In cases of telepathic interaction, individuals who engage in telepathic

interaction (agents) appear to do so via commands based on the agent’s subconscious need to have the individual (subject) feel or behave in a particular way.

However, it appears that “hypnogenic telepathic Interaction” is involved in a manner producing a mild hypnotic state in the subject via an agent’s command to do so. This is void of the agent having to mentally produce any feelings associated with a hypnotic state within him/herself (the telepathist). This method of telepathic interaction is also classified as “hypnotic telepathic interaction” or “hypnotic telepathy” that appears to not only evoke strong emotions in the subject, but also typically results in an action on the subject’s behalf more of-ten than the method associated with simply “commanding” an act.

Therefore, hypnotic telepathic interaction appears to be the strongest form of telepathy and the most dangerous, raising an assortment of moral and ethical questions as to how such an ability should be utilized in practical applications. Further studies have suggested that initial telepathic “impressions” (i.e. commands or evoked feelings) do not always fade away with time. Rather, some initial impressions occasionally result in the same strength of emotions or “need to act” anytime (1) associated images of the agent, or (2) associated feelings pertaining to the feelings initially evoked by the agent, are mentally accessed (e.g. feelings of obsession, i.e. of-ten misconstrued as love, may be triggered by the subject visually thinking about the agent, seeing the agent in person, or simply thinking about other loved ones) (Braude, 1978; Kelly, 2011a).

Intention Specifiers

The first set of specifiers is for identifying whether the experience was intentional or unintentional.

A. Spontaneous. This specifier applies when the agent impresses the subject void of the agent’s conscious choice, decision, or intention.

B. Intentional. This specifier applies when an agent selects or specifies a subject to be impressed with information or coerced into action or into the expression of a type of behavior. However, this specifier also applies when an agent generalizes their interaction from “who” to “what” the agent needs from the subject to result in a modification of a situation involving the subject. In the case of “what,” one or more subjects may be impressed.

The second set of specifiers is for identifying the subconscious or conscious need or goal that is assumed to be the catalyst for initiating telepathic interactive processes.

A. Adaptive. This specifier applies when information impression is initiated to assist the subject in understanding and adapting to the agent’s needs or goals. Here the agent typically has some level of emotional investment in the subject or the situation in which the subject occupies.

B. Directive. This specifier applies when information impression is initiated to assist the subject in complying with a suggestion or command, from the agent, to act or behave in a specific or generalized manner. Behaviors can range from common to unusual and acceptable to unacceptable in regard to social norms. Social actions include rational (i.e. the action leads to a valued goal, but with no thought of its consequences and often without consideration of the appropriateness of the means), instrumental (i.e. actions which are planned and carried out after evaluating the goal in relation to other goals, and after thorough consideration of various means and consequences to achieve said goals), and affectional (i.e. actions which are carried out due to one’s emotions, to express personal feelings). Here the agent typically has some level of emotional investment in the subject or the situation in which the subject occupies.

The third set of specifiers is for identifying the type of impression experienced by the subject.

A. Suggestive. This specifier applies when the information impressed can be identified as a proposal of which may be accepted or rejected per the subject’s prerogative.

B. Compulsive. This specifier applies when the information impressed can be identified as coercive towards either irrational behavior, or coercive towards rational behaviors, but the subject feels they are behaving against their will or by force.

Development and Course

Childhood onset may present itself through a subject’s dreams, visual and/or auditory hallucinations, with intuitive impressions (i.e. gut feelings, intuition, emotional content) also being common. Adolescent onset primarily presents itself through the subject experiencing visual and/or auditory hallucinations, with telepathic dreams, and intuitive impressions (i.e. gut feelings, intuition, emotional content) also being common. However, other types of hallucinations (e.g. olfactory, tactile, etc.) are less common, with hypnotic telepathy being more common. Adult onset primarily presents itself through telepathic dreams, intuitive impressions, or during crisis situations in the form of hallucinations or strong emotional content subconsciously deem most appropriate for suggestion/compulsion. Compound modalities are more common amongst identical and fraternal twins.

Course Specifiers

These specifiers are for identifying the characteristic course of telepathic interactive experiences over time.

A. Single Episode. This specifier applies when the agent impresses a telepathic intuitive impression or a hallucination onto the subject(s) and the agent and subject report no prior history of episodes. This specifier also applies when the agent suggests or compels a subject(s) to engage in an action or behavior that the subject reports is not typical (i.e. the subject has not responded in such a way in similar circumstances in the past), but the agent and subject report no prior history of episodes.

B. Episodic. This specifier applies when the agent impresses telepathic emotional content, intuitive impressions, or hallucinations onto a subject(s) of which seem to occur irregularly and of which the duration of the experience is very momentary. An episodic hallucination may involve a quick flash of an image or an auditable single word or short phrase with the duration of the experience lasting only a maximum of a couple of seconds. An episodic hallucination may also involve a more “movie-like” or dynamic image or auditable whole sentences or rhymes (e.g. songs) with the duration typically lasting no longer than a few seconds. This specifier also applies when the agent suggests or compels the subject(s) to engage in an action or behavior that is not typical of the subject(s) in the past, but now the subject(s) irregularly acts or behaves in such a manner.

C. Continuous. This specifier applies when the agent impresses telepathic emotional content, intuitive impressions, or hallucinations onto a subject(s) of which seem to occur in a continual manner, or when episodes are so frequent it is difficult for the experient or subject to determine where one episode ends and another begins (e.g. prolonged and closely spaced episodes).

Modality Specifiers

These specifiers are for identifying the characteristic mode(s) of a telepathic interactive experience. In any case, some emotional investment in the subject, or the situation in which the subject resides, on the experients behalf is expected.

A. Dream. Refers to telepathic impression during sleep where the subject is impressed with information during the dream state and/or engages in an action or behavior once awake due to the impressed content of the dream.

B. Intuitive Impressions/Emotional. Refers to non-hallucinatory sensations of which can be described as emotional content telepathically impressed onto a subject(s) that may result in an action or behavior.

C. Auditory Hallucinations. Hallucinations of hearing/sound. Typically only involves verbal hallucinations as opposed to non-verbal hallucinations. While the origin of telepathic auditory hallucinations are external, they are typically perceived as internal (i.e. heard within the mind as opposed to seemingly heard by the physical ear), and stem from an identifiable location (i.e. a subject in spatial proximity to the agent, or a subject at a distance).

D. Visual Hallucinations. Hallucinations of sight. Involving a perceived complexity classified as simple or complex. If the entire environment is replaced by the visual hallucination, the hallucination is classified as a scenic or panoramic hallucination. Visual hallucinations in which are located beyond the visual field (e.g. in the back of the mind, third eye vision, etc.) are classified as extracampine hallucinations. Using the perceived shape of the hallucination, visual hallucinations can be classified as formed, organized, or unformed (i.e. abstract).

E. Tactile Hallucinations. Hallucinations of pressure and touch.Can include a wide range of sensations from a pat on the shoulder, a knee injury, a blow to the head, and hot and cold sensations.Tactile hallucinations are classified based on the type of sensation experience (e.g. painful sensations are classified as pain hallucinations; temperature sensations are classified as thermal/thermic hallucinations).

F. Somatic Hallucinations. Hallucinations from inside the body (e.g. heart, lungs, sensations within the limbs, stomach e.g. nausea). Also known as somatosensory hallucinations.

G. Olfactory Hallucinations. Hallucinations of smell. These hallucinations are typically extrinsic where the localization of the smell is outside of the body (e.g. the smell of tobacco, fumes from a fire, flowers and grass in a park, the perfume of a loved one, etc.).

H. Gustatory Hallucinations. Hallucinations of taste. May include a wide range of taste sensations classified as bitter, sour, sweet, ‘disgusting,’ etc., but can be classified in more specific terms (e.g. tobacco, garlic, salt, blood, etc.).

I. Compound. Several modalities are involved, in which case each mode involved should be noted.

Associated Mental Health Findings

Mental health disorders somewhat common in experients of telepathic interaction include: Alcohol and/or Substance Abuse/Dependence; Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder; Depressive Disorder; Disruptive Behavior Disorder; Obsessive Compulsive Disorder; Sleep Disorder (Kelly, 2011a).

Associated Medical Condition Findings

Physical medical conditions somewhat common in experients of telepathic interaction can include: Hypertension or Hypotension; Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; Chronic Pain (e.g. Myalgia, Fibromyalgia); Blood Disorders (e.g. Anemia); Digestive Disorders; Palpitations (Kelly, 2011a).

Differential Classification

A wide variety of extrasensory phenomena can present with similar phenomenology. These include:

• Empathy. Applied when there is evidence to support that emotional content is the only type of content perceived by the subject. However, if other informational content is involved, the experience should be classified as telepathy.
• Telepathic Cognition. Applied when there is evidence to support that the percipient is the agent and that the telepathist is only capable of one-way, subject-to-telepathist communication in the form of dual independent thought and the acquisition of knowledge.
• Telepathic Simulation. Applied when there is evidence to support that the subject is a participant and that the telepathist is capable of two-way telepathist-to-participant and participant-to-telepathist communication in the form of shared and identical feelings, thoughts, or behaviors.
• Clairvoyance. Applied when there is evidence to support that the information obtained by the subject ‘about’ an alleged agent was not ‘from’ the alleged agent. Information received telepathically is typically in first-person, second-person, or ‘direct,’ while information received clairvoyantly is typically in third-person or ‘indirect’ (e.g. if the subject receives information described “as though they are looking through the eyes of another individual,” this would be classified as telepathy. However, if the alleged subject describes receiving the information “as though they are looking at the alleged agent and the alleged agent’s surroundings,” this experience would be classified as clairvoyance with the percipient classified as the agent rather than the subject.
• Mediumship. Applied when there is evidence to support that information was obtained by an alleged subject from a non-physically living being; as telepathy only refers to the communication of two living organisms. That is, living in the sense of existing within a physical, corporeal body (e.g. if the percipient receives information or is physically directed, and the origin of the information or direction is from a discarnate entity, i.e. the spirit of a deceased individual, or another form of entity that is not a physically living being such as a “Spirit Guide” or “Angel,” this would be classified as mediumship in general, clairvoyant interaction, or clairvoyant cognition.)

Criteria for Telepathic Interactive Experiences

A. Characteristic phenomenology: all of the following are required criteria for telepathic interactive experiences including criteria for telepathy in general.

1)  Information is sent by the agent.

2) Information is sent in second-person perspective (e.g. If visual: the image impressed is from the agent’s perspective) or narrative (e.g. If auditory: the words impressed are from the agent’s perspective i.e. “You want to behave this way.”).

3)  Subconscious need for information impression present at the time of the experience.

Citation: Kelly, T.M. (2014). Classification & Statistical Manual of Extrasensory Experiences. Copyright © 2014 Theresa M. Kelly, MsD. Interested professionals are welcome to download a complimentary copy of the CSM-EE. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.