Conjuring Philip: The Experiment that Shook the World of Parapsychology

In the world of the paranormal, one question remains persistent: can strange, otherworldly phenomena be scientifically proven? From ghost sightings to inexplicable rapping sounds, humans have long sought answers about the existence of spirits. The scientific method, with its focus on repeatable, measurable variables, seems ill-suited to these shadowy occurrences—until a group of parapsychologists in the 1970s in Toronto, Canada, sought to bridge the gap between the spiritual and the scientific. Their experiment, known as the Philip Experiment, became one of the most curious and discussed events in paranormal history. It was an experiment that asked: Can we create a ghost?

Led by Dr. A.R.G. Owen, the experiment brought together an eclectic group of ordinary people, all bound by a shared curiosity about the paranormal. The group met regularly, focusing their collective will and imagination on a fictional character they called Philip Aylesford. What followed over the course of two years was an experiment that raised questions not only about the nature of ghosts but also about the power of human belief.

The Man Behind the Philip Experiment: Dr. A.R.G. Owen

Dr. A.R.G. Owen, or George Owen, as he was commonly known, was no stranger to the world of inquiry. A trained mathematician and former lecturer at Cambridge University, he was respected for his analytical mind. But what set him apart was his openness to the mysterious and unexplained. Alongside his wife, Iris Owen, George co-founded the Toronto Society for Psychical Research (TSPR). They were deeply interested in studying paranormal phenomena but wanted to do so in a controlled, scientific environment. George believed that if paranormal events were real, they should be measurable under controlled conditions.

For the Philip Experiment, George Owen was not working alone. His wife, Iris, a skilled nurse and social worker, played a pivotal role in the project. Together, the Owens were a dynamic duo, combining George’s scientific approach with Iris’s compassionate insight into human experiences of the paranormal. It was Iris who co-authored Conjuring Up Philip, the book that chronicled the experiment and became the foundation for understanding how this group of ordinary individuals sought to prove—or perhaps disprove—the existence of ghosts.

Creating Philip: A Fictional Spirit with a Rich Backstory

The group that gathered under the Owens’ guidance was diverse. There was Dorothy, a housewife trained in bookkeeping, and Al, a heating engineer with hobbies ranging from scouting to photography. Lorne, an industrial engineer, brought a creative flair with his interest in Oriental philosophy and ancient history. His wife, Andy, sketched a portrait of Philip, giving the ghost a face to match his fictional biography. Bernice, an accountant, contributed with her knowledge of philosophy, while Sidney, a sociology student, and Sue, the chairman of the Canadian chapter of Mensa, rounded out the intellectual mix. Each member brought a unique perspective, but none had any special psychic abilities. In this sense, they were ideal candidates for such an experiment: ordinary people who could offer objective observations.

But who was Philip Aylesford, the spirit they sought to conjure? The group constructed an elaborate backstory for him, set in 17th century England. According to the story, Philip was an English nobleman living in a castle. He was married, but his life took a dark turn when he fell in love with a beautiful, dark-haired woman named Margo. Philip’s wife, in a jealous rage, accused Margo of witchcraft, leading to her execution by burning at the stake. Heartbroken and guilt-ridden, Philip ultimately took his own life in 1654. It was a tragic tale, rife with emotional intensity—a story designed to evoke empathy and perhaps stir the spirit world.

The group took their creation seriously. They traveled to places in England that they imagined Philip would have lived, visiting castles and taking pictures. They immersed themselves in Philip’s story, discussing it at length, meditating on it, and even engaging in seances. Their goal was to manifest the spirit of Philip through sheer belief.

The Early Stages: A Year of Silence

For nearly a year, the group’s efforts yielded no results. Week after week, they gathered around a table, hands placed on its surface, hoping to communicate with Philip. They meditated, visualised, and discussed his life in great detail, but the silence from the other side was deafening. Still, they persevered. They believed that with enough focus and intention, they could bring Philip into existence, or at least evoke some form of paranormal activity.

The method they used was known as table-turning, a practice popular in the 19th century. It involved placing hands lightly on the surface of a table and asking questions, waiting for the table to move in response. The group hoped that Philip, if he existed, would communicate with them through this simple method.

The Birth of Philip: Communication Begins

In 1973, something extraordinary happened. During one of their regular sessions, the group heard a faint tapping sound. At first, it was barely perceptible, but over time, the taps became more distinct. They began to realise that these sounds were responses to their questions. Philip, it seemed, had come to life—or at least something resembling him had. The spirit responded to questions about his life with accurate taps. For example, when asked about his historical context, Philip provided accurate responses that aligned with the era the group had envisioned.

What was most surprising was the physical interaction that began to occur. The table would tilt and move, seemingly in response to questions. In one particularly dramatic session, the table lifted off the ground entirely, as if propelled by an unseen force. It moved across the room, “chasing” the participants, who were astonished by the sudden burst of activity.

The group’s interactions with Philip became more dynamic. The spirit could now flicker lights and cause objects to move. The more the group interacted with Philip, the stronger the manifestations became. But the most striking aspect of the experiment was that none of the participants had any prior experience with psychic phenomena. They were not mediums or psychics—they were ordinary people using sheer willpower and focus to create a paranormal phenomenon.

The Nature of Philip: Was He Real?

The success of the Philip Experiment raised more questions than answers. The group had indeed succeeded in creating a ghost, or at least some form of paranormal activity, but what was Philip? Was he a disembodied spirit from the past, or was he a projection of the group’s collective imagination? Dr. Owen, always the scientist, was cautious in his conclusions. He did not believe that Philip was a real spirit in the traditional sense. Instead, he hypothesized that the energy needed to create a spirit-like entity arose from the combined focus of the group. In other words, Philip was a product of the group’s collective imagination, but that imagination had real, measurable effects on the physical world.

The Philip group declared their experiment a success. They had proven that it was possible to create paranormal phenomena without the presence of psychics or mediums. But the question remained: what exactly was Philip? And what did this mean for the broader belief in ghosts and spirits?

After Philip: Further Experiments and New Spirits

Encouraged by the success of the Philip Experiment, Dr. Owen and his colleagues embarked on further experiments to see if they could replicate the results. They conjured new characters, each with their own detailed backstory. There was "Lilith," an 18th-century French Canadian spy, and "Skippy Cartman," a 14-year-old Australian girl. Axel, a man from the future, was another creation, suggesting that the group was not bound by historical accuracy in their manifestations.

The results were similar in each case. The group experienced table movements, taps, and other poltergeist-like phenomena in response to their focused intention. Each character had its own unique personality, but the process of creation was the same. These experiments seemed to confirm Owen’s hypothesis that the phenomena were generated by the group’s collective energy rather than the presence of disembodied spirits.

Poltergeist Phenomena: An Unexpected Development

In the summer of 1974, something strange happened. The group decided to take a brief hiatus from their regular meetings, and during this break, several members reported poltergeist-like activity in their homes. Objects would move inexplicably, lights would flicker, and strange noises could be heard. When the group reconvened, the activity stopped. This led some members to speculate that Philip—or whatever force they had conjured—was bored or restless during their break. The idea that they had created a sentient force capable of independent action was both thrilling and terrifying.

The Legacy of the Philip Experiment

The Philip Experiment remains one of the most fascinating studies in the field of parapsychology. It challenged traditional notions of ghostly apparitions and raised questions about the power of the human mind. If a group of ordinary people could create a ghost through sheer focus and belief, what did that say about the nature of the paranormal?

Dr. Owen and his team never claimed to have definitive answers, but their experiment opened new doors for exploration. It suggested that perhaps many paranormal experiences were not caused by external forces but by the power of human consciousness itself.

Even today, the Philip Experiment continues to inspire researchers and paranormal enthusiasts. The idea that we can create our own ghosts has led to similar experiments around the world, but none have captured the public imagination quite like the story of Philip Aylesford, the ghost who was never real—but became real enough to touch the lives of those who conjured him.

You can explore a range of experiments by listening to the following episode featuring Penny Griffiths-Morgan:

https://www.podpage.com/haunted-history-chronicles/exploring-haunted-experiments-with-penny-griffiths-morgan/