“At some future day—I cannot say when and where—it will be proved that the human soul is…already in an uninterrupted communication with those living in another world; that the human soul can act upon those beings, and receive, in return, impressions of them…”
– Immanuel Kant
Humanity’s first attempts to contact otherworldly intelligences date back to the days of prehistoric shamanism. In the thousands of years that followed, the search for non-human life was taken up by a succession of magicians and theosophers, from the mystagogues of Egypt to the Raëlians of Auvergne. Today’s seekers are a diverse bunch: astronauts, restaurateurs, programmers, clandestine agents, bar owners, scholars. In fact, the author of two of the most consequential books on UFO experiences and beliefs in recent history is Diana Pasulka, a professor of religious studies whose early academic work initially focused on Catholic devotional practices.
Pasulka’s books American Cosmic (2019) and Encounters (2023) have made headlines all over the world. Her illuminating and multifaceted examination of the extraterrestrial question has been inspiring, not only to other scholars but also to a constantly growing network of podcasters, film producers, journalists, and government officials. The Steven Spielberg-produced Netflix series Encounters, for instance, draws heavily from her research.
I caught up with Professor Pasulka to learn more about her newly released study Encounters as well as her other projects.
The Custodian: What in your view is the greatest difference between American Cosmic and Encounters?
Professor Diana Pasulka: The greatest difference between these books is that in the first book I didn’t believe in UFOs and was surprised to find that people like scientists were being hired by our government to study them. This shocked me. Soon after American Cosmic was published, the Pentagon released a report (June 25, 2021) that admitted that they were studying the topic and took it very seriously.
In Encounters, I turned to the experiences of people who are involved in UFOs and the study of them, or as experiencers. I also turned to communities of people who have experienced contact and believe that it has always been the case that we’ve been in contact.
C: Does Encounters also explore the intersection between contact events, psychedelics, and AI?
DP: Encounters does not explore psychedelics. It does explore the connections between AI and contact and even the creation of a potential new sentient form of consciousness that is not carbon based (a form of AI). I explore this with Simone, an AI at the cutting edge of technology and quantum computing.
C: During the course of your research have you personally experienced “Hitchhiker Effect” phenomena?
DP: The Hitchhiker effect an effect described by people who have engaged in the study of paranormal activities associated with geographical places, like households or ranches. It describes a situation where the paranormal activity follows the researcher home and somehow attaches to them. Thankfully, I have never encountered this phenomenon. And, when I am asked to visit a place of paranormal activity, I decline the invitation.
C: Could you explain the concept of the “off-world download” process and its relationship with scientific or artistic innovation?
DP: In the beginning of my research into the topic of UFOs and our space program, I found that people in the Russian Space Program, and our own, the US Space Program, believed that they were engaged in intercepting information from angelic or “off-planet” intelligences. For example, Konstantin Tsiolkovsky on the Russian side believed that geniuses were in contact with celestial angelic beings who transmitted information for space rocket calculations. On the American side, Jack Parsons did the same, but he thought these beings were extraterrestrials. The process was similar for both men, they engaged in ritualistic “downloading” of this information. This was in the early twentieth century. Today, people still do it, but they certainly do not discuss it or talk about it publicly.
I found out that neuroscientists who studied creativity found that people who are very creative seem to believe that their amazing ideas come from somewhere else…basically as ideas that are received by them fully formed. I found this to be fascinating. There appears to be a process that allows for this type of receptivity to creative ideas. Now, whether there are “actual” external agents that deliver this information, or, this is just a human process we don’t understand, remains to be seen.
C: Given that certain interests–political and otherwise–may be actively deploying propaganda to further specific UAP (unidentified aerial phenomena) narratives, what techniques or strategies have you developed to filter-out false leads?
DP: This is an excellent question. Right now, the AI revolution has created an “anti-redaction” AI that can now reread redacted govt. documents and propose information was left out. This is, of course, game changing. The strategies I used, which was to embed myself within communities and listen to what was unsaid—the silences, pales in comparison what is happening now with AI.
C: Could you tell us more about your forthcoming projects?
DP: The field is changing so rapidly that I am just keeping up. Projects that I hadn’t even dreamed were possible are now possible, due to the incursion of AI into this secretive field. We are on the cusp of learning the “actual” history of UFOs in this country since the early twentieth century. This is going to change our perception of our history. I think this is unprecedented. What presents itself will be surprising, I can guarantee that much.
For more on Professor Pasulka’s many projects check out her site: dwpasulka.com