Customer Reviews

DIMENSIONS: A Casebook of Alien Contact

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This book deals with the concept of alternate realities and other dimensions. It also shows how this seems to explain the simularity between the reports of "gods" and faery folk in the past, with reports of UFO's and their occupants in the present. It is interesting that Vallee (who was the model for the French scientist in "Close Encounters of the Third Kind") doesn't see UFO's as extraterrestrial visitors. He maintains that they have always been here with us.

Here we have the idea that our everyday conception of space and time is merely an illusion. The universe is a much stranger and more complicated place than we assume. Space and time are illusionary constructs for a limited consciousness. The truth appears to be closer to a holographic universe. As Vallee states it, the synchronicity and coincidence that abound in our lives suggest that the world may be organised like a randomized data base (the multiverse) rather than a sequential library (the four dimensional world of convensional physics.) Occationally human beings see beyond the illusory curtain of space-time, but it seems to take a major "shake-up" of the individual's mind and habitual way of seeing things. Sometimes this "shake up" seems to come from without- from the "visitors." But this is not an "invasion", it is instead a spiritual system that acts on humans and uses humans.

A book that further explores this theme is _Daimonic Reality_ by Patrick Harpur.

Vallee is a rarity in the world - an open-minded scientist who takes UFOs seriously and can write about them with wit and style. In all of his books, one senses a serious man who has no time for either the true believers that UFOs are all extraterrestrial craft nor the mindless skpetics who think the thousands of eyewitness accounts are likely the result of indigestion, like Scrooge's sightings of a ghost. His theory, that these may be interdimensional beings who are toying with us, or teaching us, or both, is original and provocative. And he has a number of great lines which I have highlighted in my copy of the book. My favorite: "There is a strange urge in my mind. I would like to stop behaving as a rat pressing levers-even if I have to go hungry for a while. I would like to step outside the conditioning maze and see what makes it tick. I wonder what I would find. Perhaps a terrible superhuman monstrosity the very contemplation of which would make a man insane? Perhaps a solemn gathering of wise men? Or the maddening simplicity of unattended clockwork?" This is typical of his thinking and writing. Of all his books, I would recommend this as well as Passport to Magonia, although there is some overlap between them. Vallee has been studying UFOs since the 1960s and there is no better authority today.

In this book, Dr. Vallee puts forth massive evidence in support of a hypothesis he first formulated thirty years ago--that UFOs may not be from outer space, but interdimensional, able to enter our world at anytime they choose. And contrary to what most extraterrestrial-hypothesis proponents claim, Vallee's evidence is extremely persuasive. In fact, upon reading the book, one realizes that the UFO phenomenon represents something infinitely more profound and tantalizing than space visitors: It shows us that alien beings are not distant from us, separated by hundreds of lightyears, but here, with us, now--as indeed they always have been. We need only to open our minds to meet them. . . . --Thomas T. Huston

Another fascinating book by Jacques Vallee. Dr. Vallee is one of the most original thinkers in the study of UFOs, and this book takes a very different approach than most. Never content with the "simple" explanation that UFOs are extraterrestrial visitors from space, Dr. Vallee expands upon his previous works and presents fascinating evidence to support his views.

This book may not be for everyone. If you are a dedicated believer that UFO abductions are proof that aliens from outer space are visiting our planet, you may want to look elsewhere. If however, you are willing to consider other possibilities, and like exploring different viewpoints you'll want to read this book.

Readers of Dr. Vallee's cult classic "Passport to Magonia" should be forewarned: the first half of Dimensions will sound very familiar. Much of the first half of this book is lifted straight from Magonia. However, even with that complaint this is a thought-provoking book, that should make us re-think our dearly-held assumptions regarding UFOs.

This book displays some excellent research done by Vallee. Not only does he illustrate the UFO phenomena in contemporary times, but he provides information from other continents, in other ages for comparison. These vignettes from the past have been culled from ancient library texts and are not simply conjecture, but are confirmed by the ancient witnesses.
He consistently provides definitive descriptions that have been documented, some over 1000 years ago. He correlates these descriptions with contemporary data in a manner that makes an extremely interesting and enjoyable book.
This book is not at all of the sensationalist variety. The cover of the paperback appears to project that impression, as if it were a Van Daniken type scenario. This book is nothing like that. Vallee has done such excellent research that it seems as if you are reading something that he wrote for his own reference. His comparisons of The Lady of Fatima to Rev. Kirk of Aberfoyle's Secret Commonwealth to Paracelsus' visitors to Jerome Cardan's experiences are well worth reading. Not reminiscent of any fiction, this book will give the curious mind a warehouse of information to dwell on for a considerable period of time.

Vallee is a rarity in the world - an open-minded scientist who takes UFOs seriously and can write about them with wit and style. In all of his books, one senses a serious man who has no time for either the true believers who think that UFOs are all extraterrestrial craft nor the mindless skpetics who think the thousands of eyewitness accounts are likely the result of indigestion, like Scrooge's sightings of a ghost. His theory, that these are interdimensional beings who are toying with us is original and provocative.

And he has a number of great lines which I have highlighted in my copy of the book. Such as: "There is a strange urge in my mind. I would like to stop behaving as a rat pressing levers-even if I have to go hungry for a while. I would like to step outside the conditioning maze and see what makes it tick. I wonder what I would find. Perhaps a terrible superhuman monstrosity the very contemplation of which would make a man insane? Perhaps a solemn gathering of wise men? Or the maddening simplicity of unattended clockwork?"

Of all his books, I would recommend this as well as Passport to Magonia, although there is some overlap between them. Vallee has been studying UFOs since the 1960s and there is no better authority today.

This is an excellent book, with much insight into how strange the entire UFO issue may in fact be.
My only wish is that an electronic edition were made available. I've got three copies of the book and would gladly pay for another copy to tote around on the Kindle.

This may be the most complete analysis of the UFO phenomenon throughout history. It contains a great number of "reliable" witness accounts of encounters, but more importantly, it distills the vast amount of information available to the good doctor into an exciting conclusion; UFOs are not from outer space. Especially valuable is the chapter on the Fatima "miracles" of 1917

This book, and Dr. Vallee's work, while being unaccepted by the mainstream and even by many UFOlogists, is regardless phenomenal and unprecedented. Please read if you have an interest in UFOs and are tired of the standard explanations. This is a must-read for anyone with an open mind and a creative side. You don't have to believe the theories, they are theories after all, but at the least, you will be exposed to a new and fascinating side of the UFO mystery, and indeed, of the mysteries of many unexplained encounters and "miracles" through the ages.

I am not sure how much this is a reprint versus an update of the original work, but either way, it remains an outstanding presentation of a - to me - immediately convincing perspective on the whole subject.

He starts from the fact that many aspects of UFO encounters are basically absurd - statements are made by the "aliens" that are either nonsensical or oddly mundane (and how do they speak to us?)or the whole thing is just bizarre in some way, or physically implausible. And yet, something did happen: there are visible after-effects, both physical on the ground and biological and mental, even spiritual, for those involved. From this springs his fundamental insight: he rejects the common concept that "if" they exist, they are interstellar travelers, and posits that instead, they are manifestations of some other reality or dimension, or the multiverse.

That enables him to bring together all the historic appearance of strange creatures, inexplicable sights in the heavens, and so forth, as manifestations of the same - what? Energy, entities, forces....But whatever the source, the key and insightful statement he makes is that "the shapes of the objects, the appearances of their occupants, and their reported statements vary as a function of the cultural environment into which they are projected." (The last part is italicized for emphasis).

Thus in 1897 in the Midwest, the visitors are bearded characters from an "airship" that "corresponded to the popular concept of a flying machine: it had wheels, turbines, powerful lights." As described, it could not possibly fly...but what matters is that in the imaginations of that time, it was appropriate. He gives much discussion of all the legends of "little people" and notes many fascinating resonances with our UFO occurrences - time dilation, for instance.

In other words, I find this the best and most convincing insight into the nature of these events, but also a disturbing one, since the ability to manifest in such sly and clever ways must raise the question - "why?" Vallée sees us as being prodded or manipulated in a slow, long-term way towards some kind of change in our basic nature - but what that is, is unclear. I suppose we will find out, or our descendants will.