In this issue of Mindfield, the contributors examine the theme of “Mapping the Unseen: Psi, Media, and the Cultural Imagination.” The editorial by Jacob W. Glazier, Anastasia Wasko, and David S. B. Mitchell examines how fictional narratives can create the cultural space in which new scientific ideas and research agendas emerge. In his Presidential Column, Gerhard Mayer argues that media coverage of parapsychological topics has always been biased, and new technologies like AI are now making misinformation and distortion even easier. David S. B. Mitchell explores how, in the film Wicked, Elphaba’s psychokinetic powers function both to challenge oppressive social norms and to empower her to create positive change, symbolizing psi as both subversive and constructive. Juan J. Rios presents artistic creativity as arising from transpersonal experiences and psi, through which individuals access a nonlocal field of consciousness and express shared, archetypal meanings as “soul” in culture. Alex A. Álvarez shows how contemporary anime integrates psi phenomena into everyday storytelling in ways that normalize them as meaningful aspects of human experience and emotional life rather than anomalies. Carl Lorenz Cervantes explores how an anthropological, culturally grounded approach offers a more inclusive and context-sensitive way to understand paranormal experiences in the Philippines by integrating indigenous knowledge, rituals, and interpretations.
Jessica K. Fink interprets the Lady in White apparition as an archetypal expression of the anima whose haunting presence and “dreadful cry” symbolize unresolved emotional and cultural wounds that seek recognition and healing. Jan Canty describes spontaneous after-death communication experiences among attempted homicide survivors as distinct from imagination and often emotionally reassuring despite the trauma of violent loss. Calum Corrigan explains that psychedelic therapy is most effective when it integrates exceptional human experiences—such as mystical or ego-dissolving states—with biological mechanisms, emphasizing the need for a bio-psycho-spiritual framework to ensure meaningful, safe, and lasting psychological transformation. Siri Zemel outlines the development of an aspirational code of ethics for mediums and channelers aimed at promoting professionalism, accountability, and client well‑being as the field moves toward formal recognition. Maurice van Luijtelaar and Renaud Evrard compile “Articles Relevant to Parapsychology in Journals of Various Fields (XLVIII),” listing 262 articles from 216 different journals.
