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Scientific medical research on the Medjugorje visionaries |
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At the request of the Parish Office of Medjugorje, psycho-physiological and psycho-diagnostic research was carried out on the subjects who since 1981 are known as the visionaries' group of Medjugorje.
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The aim was to investigate whether the ecstatic state of apparition, already registered in 1985 by the Italian doctors working group, still continues to be present or has undergone changes. In addition it was desired to investigate potential coincidence / divergence with other states of consciousness such as guided visualization or hypnosis. |
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The following tests were used on the subjects to investigate their actual psychophysical and psychological situation: |
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Complete case history, Medical case history, Neurological visit |
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MMPI, EPI, MHQ, Tree test, Person test, Raven Matrixes, Rorschach Test, Hand test, Valsecchi truth and lie detection test |
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Computerized polygraph (skin electrical activity; peripheral cardiac capillary and heartbeat activities; skeletal and diaphragmatic pneumography) during the apparitional experience, during mediated hypnotic recall of the same apparitional experience |
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Holter's arterial pressure dynamic registration, Holter's electro-cardiographic respiratory dynamic registration |
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Pupillary reflexes (photomotor) and winking reflex |
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Video tapes, Photographs |
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| The results from these psychological-diagnostic investigations |
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During the period since age 17, from the beginning of their apparitional experiences, the subjects do not exhibit any kind of pathological symptoms like trance interference, disassociate interference and loss of reality interference.
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From their personal testimonies it follows that the initial and subsequent altered state of consciousness occurs due to their unusual experiences which they themselves recognize and define and still continuously recognize as a vision - apparition of Our Lady - Blessed Virgin Mary. |
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The psychophysical investigation was carried out on four states of consciousness: |
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Waking state |
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Altered state of consciousness (hypnosis with investigation of the state of ecstasy) |
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State of visualization of mental images |
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Altered state of consciousness (defined as the ecstasy of apparition) |
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Results of the investigation carried out demonstrate that the ecstatic phenomenology can be compared to the one from 1985 with somewhat less intensity. The hypnotically induced state of ecstasy did not cause the phenomenology of spontaneous experiences and therefore it can be deduced that the ecstatic states of spontaneous apparitions were not states of hypnotic trance. (December 1998) |
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| Source: About the authors of the scientific medical research on the Medjugorje visionaries |
