Customer Reviews

Tracks in the Psychic Wilderness: An Exploration of Remote Viewing, ESP, Precognitive Dreaming, and Synchronicity

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

 

 

When I read this book I found that there were times that the writing made it difficult to read -- it was somewhat choppy and disconnected. The subject matter would be interesting for the reader who is just getting into the area of remote viewing, psi and synchronicity. However, anyone who has read much in this area would find this book to be disappointing. (by the way, I now live in the house where Mr. Graff did some of his first remote viewing experiements -- THAT I found VERY interesting!)

How rare to read a book on such a subject without the writer trying to "wow" the reader like some sort of circus hawker. Here is an individual who directed high level research, both witnessed and experienced "psi" phenomena, and yet retains -- at least on the page (I don't know him personally) -- a very feet-on-the-ground attitude. I was left wondering how much he did NOT tell us -- after all, he was doing highly classified research for the government... Above all, I gained a better understanding of synchronicity -- I've experienced synchronicities often, as I think we all do, without paying them the attention they deserve.

Of all the books on "Psi" (a term I do not particularly like) this is the most 'true to the spirit' book to date. It is a reassuring and refreshing read. Frankly, if one is looking for "X-files" type of information about Project STARGATE (one would be missing the point in my opinion), then by all means pick up the books by Marrs ("just the facts, ma'am"), McMoneagle (the Pope Lives!), Mandelbaum (I, Me, Mine), et. al. Some of the reviews here are fascinating to me. This book is not, nor does it claim to be, "the Truth about Project STARGATE". In fact, STARGATE is really a tertiary and peripheral aspect of this book. Mr. Graff goes out of his way to make it so. He is a man focused on the most righteous aspects of "Psi"; This book covers much more territory than just "remote viewing". in fact, the sections on Precognitive Dreaming, and Sychronicity are, to me, way more fascinating. Mr. Graff drops some real gems "between the lines" in the "Dreaming" section also, quickly mentioning the possibility of genetic memory and perhaps postulating the actuality of "Many Worlds" theory being responsible for precognitive impulse (if I "read" him correctly). The experimental "remote viewing" of the Kennedy assassination and the life of Jesus may fascinate a lot of people and sell a lot of books, but what does it bring to one's own inner self and one's knowledge of the interconnectedness of all things with the Universe? These are the "practical" applications which Mr. Graff focuses upon, assuring all who will listen that these are not the 'gifts' of a chosen few but our human birthright. If you want the "skinny" on STARGATE, pass this up. If you are truly interested in the philosophy - both in physic and metaphysic - of the "paranormal" then you have found a real pioneer.

Inspite of all the comments, the book wasn't that terribly written.

Like the author, who is a scientist, the book is presented from a scientific viewpoint. If you expect to read something thrilling and sensationsal, then I'm afraid you've got to look elsewhere for thrills. This is suprisingly interesting for something that's supposed to be boring.

The book is partly autobiographical...it relates the experiences of the author during the time he was involves with Stargate, the official paranormal investigation. He mainly talks about how he came to be involves in paranormal invesigation, his beliefs and opinions, and then he goes on to narrate how his experiences came to make a believer out of him. His narrations are pretty good, and they cover all of the various types of psi phenomena. Of course, all being in one book, you can't expect a whole course jammed into each subtopic, but nevertheless, it makes a person sufficiently educated. Several real life happenings are included with each type of psi phenomena, so it makes it more interesting. If that's not good enough, the bonus is a chapter at the end that tells you how you can devlop your own psi powers (though if it works is another matter). Anyway, this is a good book overall. Not award winning material, but a very good book nonetheless.

Since Dale is a former director of project STARGATE and has
an MS Physics and, I expected a book loaded with the political and scientific
workings of Remote Viewing and project STAGATE. Rather, I found an (at times) interesting read about his personal journey through and exploration of PSI functioning. Published in 1998, I got the feeling that Graff was being guarded in what he had to say about the military program, taking seriously his obligation to secrecy, but at the same time, wanting to contribute publicly to the field he had spent time secretly establishing. At the same time, I felt I was reading an honest, factual recount of his journey from a scientific sceptic seeking greater understanding to an PSI experiencer and teacher.

At points I found it heavy going and ended up reading it slowly over about a month. It is not an inspiring book, rather a contemplative exploration. He builds an analogy between the skill and persistence needed to track an animal to the skill and persistence needed to uncover the truth about and experience psi functioning (thus the title).

I take away from this book a new view of synchronicity. Graff proposes that our sub-conscious mind uses its ability to view future events and then controls our behavior to position us to make the synchronicity occur.

Worth a read if you are into understanding PSI - particularly synchronicity and precognitive dreams.

This is a comment on the previous review by Mandelbaum. Mandelbaum's book _Psychic Battlefield_ is sophomoric, and his practice of spamming "book reviews" to praise his own book is deplorable. The _best_ book on remote viewing is Jim Schnabel's excellent _Remote Viewers: The Secret History of America's Psychic Spies_.

"Tracks" represents a useful, balanced approach to the often misunderstood field of remote viewing. Highly recommended.

This book is not the best choice for the hard line skeptic. If you are looking for details of "Stargate" projects this is not the book for you. You will be taken through Graff's personal history and evolution in his belief of "PSI". He appears to be skeptical but somewhat open minded from the beginning. As the book progresses he shows instances where is is gradually drawn into the "believer" role and sheds more and more of his skepticism. It is a very easy book to read.

Not to say its BAD book.... there are lots of interesting stories here.... but my gosh... here is the guy who ran a pretty major, very secret government PSI project and he says next to nothing about what went on there! Come ON! :/

This book is good to make you open up on the subject, make you realize that there's more to our reality than meets the eye, and find some good uses for your psychic senses ONCE YOU MASTER THEM.

The author made the error of including some chapters to help the reader develop his psychic skills. The problem is that he doesn't include much details, particularly on THE important topic in ESP development: Meditation.

Good book to wake you up, but really not enough to satisfy you hunger for the subject. If you want to develop your psychic skills and get MUCH more hard facts and execises, get "The Complete Idiot's guide to Being Psychic".