Research into Ramtha
editIn 1997, Knight was persuaded by religious scholar J. Gordon Melton to invite researchers to study both her, as she channeled Ramtha, and the students of the school. Melton's methodology is to exclude testimonies by critical former members or at least to be very critical of these testimonies.[1] The researchers came from Temple University, the University of Oregon, Colgate University, the Chicago Theological Seminary and other institutions and included individuals who specialized in psychology, physics, parapsychology, religion and other fields.[2] Some of the studies conducted determined that Knight's body undergoes physical changes when she is channeling Ramtha. Changes were noticed in Knight's blood pressure, breathing and heart rate.[2][3]
After the research was completed, Knight and Melton, who had also conducted research on the school, held a conference in Yelm inviting the researchers to present their findings. The researchers determined that the existence of Ramtha could not be verified or denied and that Knight is not faking the channeling episodes.[2][3] For the conference, Knight covered the travel and lodging costs for the presenters. As a result of this, some of Knight's critics suggested that she had influenced their research. Researchers involved in the studies denied the accusations.[2]
Prior to the 1997 studies, Melton studied the school for five years as part of his work on his book about the school, Finding Enlightenment: Ramtha's School of Ancient Wisdom. In his book he explains his findings that Knight's channeling is authentic, that the school's philosophy is an emerging religion and that the school is similar to other spiritual groups.[2][4][5]
In 2009, Joan Hageman published a paper examining the results of the physiological testing on Knight and six students while they were meditating using the Ramtha-taught Consciousness and Energy breathing technique.[6]
- ^ J. Gordon Melton Finding Enlightenment : Ramtha's School of Ancient Wisdom (1998), ISBN 1-885223-61-7, Beyond Words Publishing, p. 164 "Ex-members, even those with righteous complaints, tend to reconstruct their experiences — ambiguous situations at worst — into totally negative encounters. They tend to demonize the leaders and turn the members into zombielike followers. Harmless comments are recast into sinister threats, group jargon into conspirational fantasies."
- ^ a b c d e Iwasaki, John (February 10, 1997). "JZ Knight Not Faking It, Say Scholars". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
- ^ a b Lydgate, Chris (December 22, 2004). "What the #$*! is Ramtha". Willamette Week. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
- ^ Macdonald, Sally (May 9, 1998). "Christianity Vs. New Age". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
- ^ Brenner, Keri (January 27, 2008). "Disillusioned former students target Ramtha". The Olympian. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
- ^ Hageman, Joan H.; Krippner, Stanley; Wickramasekera, Ian. "Sympathetic Reactivity During Meditation" (PDF). Subtle Energies & Energy Medicine. 19 (2): 26–27, 47. Retrieved September 6, 2013.