Wilhelm Reich Contact With Space

 

Wilhelm Reich's Contact With Space On January 28, 1954, Wilhelm Reich "happene accientally to o!sere t#o !ri$ht yello#%oran$e li$hts moin$ in &ront o& a mountain ran$e to#ar a lae(" )he encounter #as the openin$ salo o& a "#ar" #ith *+Os that #oul occupy the &inal phases o& Reich's trou!le meical an scienti&ic career(  t the time, time, Reich, Reich, a traine traine psychoanaly psychoanalyst st #ho ha ha once !elon$e !elon$e to Si$mun Si$mun +reu's inner -ienna circle, #as alreay &acin$ #hat he calle "emotional an physical misery" cause !y his more terrestrial !attle #ith the *(S( +oo . /ru$ ministration oer the use o& "or$one," a controersial &orm o& am!ient "li&e ener$y" he claime to hae iscoere( Reich &oun an ine0hausti!le ran$e o& uses &or his iscoery, toutin$ or$one as eerythin$ &rom the secret o& anti$raity to a tool &or #eather control, especially rainmain$( ost importantly, he &oun that he coul use or$one to "inter&ere" #ith *+Os( ut to the +/, or$one simply i not e0ist, renerin$ Reich's or$one%!ase therapies prosecuta!le uner 3uacery statutes( en toay, &our ecaes a&ter the controersy, Reichian therapists claim to !e a!le to manipulate the ener$y &or a #ie ariety o& healin$ e&&ects, incluin$ the cure &or cancer, #ithout resortin$ to ru$s, raiation or chemicals( nstea, Reichians #or to !uil up a current o& or$one #ithin the patient's icinity in orer to stren$then an heal the unerlyin$ li&e &orce itsel&( 6eertheless, Reich's le$al &i$ht #ith the +/ ene #ith his eath in prison a&ter e&yin$ a &eeral in7unction a$ainst the use o& or$one &or meical purposes( Whateer the o&&icial status o& his meical theories, Reich e0pecte a response #hen he #rote to the *(S( ir +orce a!out his *+O si$htin$( e reasone that "the *(S( ir +orce is the natural or$aniation in the Western #orl responsi!le" &or ealin$ #ith such phenomena !ecause "it operates in the atmosphere an #atches the &rontier up#ar to#ar outer space(" When the military in't eal #ith his report to his satis&action, Reich too matters into his o#n hans( )he encounter an the ir +orce n his letter to !ri$htly the ir +orce, in his last !oo, Contact Withthe Space, escri!e his si$htin$ as "a shinin$reprouce li$ht" moin$ &rom #est to east throu$h &orestReich outsie Ran$eley, aine(  secon, similar phenomenon soon 7oine the &irst, !oth moin$ steaily in &ront o& Spotte ountain( e conclue that the o!7ects #ere not stars ue to their course an the mountain interenin$ !et#een their apparent motion an the sy, !ut the possi!ility that they #ere military ehicles or other o!7ects o& a terrestrial type i not seem to occur to him(  t aroun aroun the same same time, Reich's Reich's secretary secretary,, lse Ollenor&&, Ollenor&&, also also reporte reporte seein$ seein$ "a similar, similar, !ut !ri$hter an !i$$er, !ecause closer, o!7ect(" :ie the aerial phenomena o!sere !y Reich, Ollenor&&'s si$htin$ hoere in &ront o& a mountain, !ut then "#as seen risin$ once ertically up#ar, settlin$ o#n a$ain an then isappearin$(" )he ir +orce, &or its part, #as either una#are o& Reich's runnin$ !attle #ith the +/, or #as intri$ue enou$h !y his encounter to oerloo the controersy( :t( Steen J( e!ert, statione at the ;res3ue sle ir +orce ase, #rote !ac tellin$ Reich that the "su!7ect o&&icer noti&ie this 1

 

or$aniation to tae #hateer action necessary, since this unit is intereste in inesti$atin$ unienti&ie aerial phenomena(" e!ert enclose a copy o& )echnical n&ormation Sheet +orm , the ir +orce's *+O reportin$ 3uestionnaire, &or Reich an Ollenor&& to &ill out an return( s Contact With Space rue&ully notes, Reich receie the letter only &ie ays !e&ore the +/ o!taine the in7unction &or!iin$ the istri!ution o& or$one e3uipment as meical eices( Reich returne the 3uestionnaire alon$ #ith a copy o& a short essay, "Surey on a," proiin$ !ac$roun on other unusual occurrences aroun the Or$onon research &acility, incluin$ the reelation that &riens ha tol Reich "o& saucers hain$ !een seen oer Or$onon in 1951(" o#eer, he ha taen little personal interest in the reports until 195s not only preispose Reich to loo !eyon the arth, !ut to loo &or eience that his *+Os #ere en$a$e in "#arlie" !ehaior( )he threat o& #ar #as in the air, !oth in Reich's em!attle personal li&e an in the !roaer political &rame#or( )he =eyhoe !oo popularie seeral apparently hostile encounters !et#een ir +orce pilots an unienti&ie aerial phenomena, #hile no less a persona$e than ?eneral /ou$las acrthur #oul #arn only a year a&ter Reich's si$htin$ that "all countries on arth #ill hae to unite to ((( mae a common &ront a$ainst attac !y people on other planets("

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With that in min, the ustrian re&u$ee, #ho ha &le to the *nite States &rom the 6ais, consiere it not only a scienti&ic !ut a patriotic uty to alert ir +orce ntelli$ence to the encounter at once( )his policy o& &ull isclosure #as typical to Reich, #ho ha taen care to eep the White ouse in&orme a!out eelopments in or$one research since 1951( While his critics point to this as another symptom o& #hat lon$%time septic artin ?arner calle Reich's "paranoi e$oism," Reich himsel& seems to hae consiere the matter a "ma7or responsi!ility" an seems to hae o#nplaye the potential uses o& his encounter as a sel&%promotional ehicle( Just !e&ore the #ar #ith the *+Os n ay, ho#eer, Reich mae an acciental iscoery that a &e# ir +orce o&&icers, incluin$ ?eneral arol Watson, chie& o& intelli$ence at Wri$ht%;atterson ir +orce ase, #oul &in ery interestin$(  s Reich Reich #as scannin$ scannin$ the sy #ith #ith a "clou!uster "clou!uster," ," a eice eice he ha esi$ne esi$ne to ra# or$one or$one out o& the sy in orer to inuce rain, he sa# a star "&ae out" in the presence o& three other #itnesses( e pointe the clou!uster pipes at a secon !linin$ li$ht, #hich also &ae in !ri$htness( ean#hile, the &irst star reasserte itsel& once the clou!uster #as pointe a#ay &rom it( Reich repeate the e0periment three more times in 3uic succession, reportin$ ientical e&&ects each time( s it #as scienti&ically impossi!le that his eice coul hae interacte #ith actual stars %% een in orthoo0 Reichian literature, the clou!uster's ran$e #as measure in ilometers, not li$ht years %% he conclue that his eice ha inter&ere #ith t#o *+Os( ain$ conclue that his clou!uster coul also &unction as a "space$un," Wilhelm Reich !e$an to out&it his riona e0peition as thou$h preparin$ &or a #ar #ith outer space( n Octo!er 1954, Wilhelm Reich #as uner sie$e( 6ot only ha the +oo an /ru$ ministration strippe him o& his lielihoo, !ut almost aily *+O si$htin$s #ere leain$ his &riens an &amily e0hauste an &ri$htene( ")here is no ou!t that  am at #ar" #ith the *+Os, Reich #rote hours a&ter &our !ri$ht pulsatin$ li$hts hoere hours oer Or$onon, his research &acility in rural aine( "What seeme only a possi!ility one &or year a$o is certainty no#(" )he *+Os ha !een menacin$ Or$onon since Reich !e$an e0periments #ith super%char$in$ his "clou!uster" #eather%control eice #ith small amounts o& raioactie material( Reich ha learne in ay that the clou!uster not only apparently pulle rain out o& clous, !ut also raine ener$y &rom li$hts in the sy, main$ it, in his #ors, a "space$un" e&&ectie a$ainst *+Os( :ie the clou!uster, the ustrian psychiatrist turne "natural scientist" #as conince, *+Os operate on or$one, an am!ient ener$y source that interacts #ith li&e an or$anic matter( Reich's claims to the contrary, the +/ ha etermine that or$one i not e0ist, an so ha o!taine an in7unction a$ainst any meical treatment purportin$ to e&&ect cures throu$h or$one manipulation( o#eer, Reich staye eote to the reality o& his iscoery( e traine the "space$un" on t#o aerial o!7ects as they hoere ominously oer Or$onon, causin$ !oth to retreat( One "isappeare a&ter #eaenin$, #anin$ an !linin$, leain$ Reich to conclue triumphantly that "toni$ht, &or the 3

 

&irst time in the history o& man, the #ar #a$e &or a$es !y liin$ !ein$s &rom outer space upon this arth ( ( ( #as reciprocate("  s a!oe, a!oe, so !elo#( !elo#( On that same ay, ay, Reich Reich in&orme in&orme the authorities authorities in ;ortlan ;ortlan that he #oul #oul resume his or$one%oriente pu!lishin$ e&&orts( )his e&iance #oul lea to his eath in prison less than three years later(  n o meetin$ #ith #ith ir ir +orce ntelli$en ntelli$ence ce Reich, conince that the aliens #ere #a$in$ their "#ar" a$ainst arth !y poisonin$ its or$one, creatin$ eserts, ecie to test his space$un in the rou$ht%#race #astes north o& )ucson, @(  ccorin$  ccor in$ to his &inal !oo, !oo, Contact Contact With Space, Space, it ha ha not raine raine in )ucson )ucson &or 5 years, main$ main$ the esert a per&ect proin$ $roun &or !oth the clou!uster's rainmain$ an *+O%#eaenin$ a!ilities( ean#hile, in orer to share his &inin$s #ith the ir +orce, Reich sent his assistant William oise ahea to Wri$ht%;atterson ir +orce ase in /ayton, Ohio( s Reich !itterly note, Or$onon "ha receie no irect help &rom the ir +orce, &inancial or other#ise," !ut he remaine ea$er to eep the military poste on the e0traterrestrial%com!at uses o& or$one( oise, ho#eer, $ot a $uare reception at Wri$ht%;atterson( ?eneral arol Watson, chie& o& ir +orce ntelli$ence, ha initially seeme ea$er to spea #ith oise a!out Reich's claim to hae "isa!le" t#o *+Os, een insistin$ that oise coul arrie late in the ay an the t#o men coul "continue the con&erence a&ter supper(" )raelin$ cross%country, oise #as concerne that acciental &actors coul $et in the #ay o& the meetin$ an con&irme his appointment #ith Watson t#ice( Still, !y the time he $ot to /ayton, Watson #as unaaila!le ue to "une0pecte important !usiness(" nstea, a "/r( W( ( yers" an arry a!erer $reete oise at the !ase( oise hate yers on &irst si$ht, callin$ him "a man #ith a &la!!y hanshae an eyes that on't loo at you(" s Watson ha e0presse concern that a $roup &rom the C #oul !e isitin$ that #ee, it is a tantaliin$ possi!ility that yers #as a mem!er o& that ele$ation( a!erer, mean#hile, is no#n to *+O research as "a crac ir +orce pu!lic relations man(" oise re&use to tal to the t#o men an instea #aite until the ne0t ay, #hen he !rie&e the !ase's eputy commaner, #ho reportely !ecame "e0cite" !y the reelation o& a #eapon a$ainst *+Os( a!erer an yers #ere apparently less impresse, !ut too notes( )he !attle o& )ucson !e$ins  ccorin$ to Reich,  ccorin$ Reich, the ir +orce +orce continue continue its its tacit interest interest in his #or, #or, senin$ senin$ numerous numerous 7ets to &ly !y his clou!ustin$ e0periments !ut main$ no oert $estures !ecause the space$un #as "hot !ecause it #asn't o&&icial, an the reason it #asn't o&&icial #as !ecause it #as so hot(" When his $roup arrie in )ucson &rom heaily%#ooe aine on Octo!er 19, they #ere shoce !y the riona esert, #hich #as apparently much more seere than it is toay( "We #ere impresse !y the !are $roun, $iin$ a $eneral impression o& #hiteness, harness," Reich #rote( ")he rier !es ha all !een ry &or a!out 5> years ( ( ( no prairie $rass #as to !e seen any#here(" 4

 

Oer the ne0t &e# #ees, the party %% compose o& Reich, his au$hter a an son ;eter, oise an another assistant %% su&&ere almost immeiately &rom ehyration, e0haustion an $eneral iscom&ort, all o& #hich they attri!ute to poisonous "ealy or$one raiation(" o#eer, harassment &rom *+Os #as sporaic !ut persistent, leain$ Reich to theorie that the "thirsty" aerial phenomena #ere actiely &i$htin$ his rainmain$ e&&orts( )he researchers &ou$ht !ac throu$hout 6oem!er, apparently encoura$in$ a rich $ro#th o& #inter  prairie $rass !ut no rain( )ransportation i&&iculties ha &orce Reich to leae his supply o& raioactie material !ehin at Or$onon, leain$ the clou!usters at a sharp isaanta$e a$ainst the *+Os( Without the raioactie char$e, Reich's team coul only annoy the li$hts in the sy !ut not hiner their inscruta!le actiity in any real sense( ean#hile, the *+Os ept main$ the researchers misera!le( One o& Reich's assistants su&&ere a "!reao#n" #hile trainin$ his clou!uster on the sy, &orcin$ him to return to his &amily &or a month o& recuperation( n his a!sence, Reich speculate that the man ha ra#n too much poisonous or$one &rom a lurin$ alien o!7ect( y /ecem!er A, Reich ecie it #as time to stren$then his han !y senin$ &or his raioactie hole car, t#o raium neeles char$e #ith or$one( &ter a plane trip mare !y misaenture an !a #eather, the neeles arrie a #ee later( " planetary -alley +or$e" Once Reich ha his raium, he #as reay to retae the o&&ensie a$ainst the *+Os an the esert simultaneously( "On /ecem!er 14, a!out 1B hours, a &ull%scale interplanetary !attle came o&&," he #rote( " !attle #hich #oul hae appeare increi!le as #ell as incomprehensi!le to anyone #ho ne# nothin$ a!out the D*+OE pro!lems or #ho ahere to the illusion" that neither *+Os nor or$one e0iste( +irst, the Or$onon team ha to shae o&& "a special in o& ealy or$one attac" that le&t them "in ery !a shape ( ( ( sic ( ( ( ulle, someho# out o& !alance("  "tremenous !lac clou, looin$ lie smoe &rom a hu$e &ire" $re# oer )ucson, eentually tain$ on an an$ry reish%purple coloration an tri$$erin$ o& 1>>,>>> counts perinminute on Reich's ?ei$er counter( ll o&o& the researchers "su&&erereain$s &rom nausea, 3uierin$, pain the upper a!omen an iscoloration moements," #hile "a!out a oen ir +orce planes o& arious ins" &le# oer the team's camp( atters o& or$one, !ene&icial or poisonous, asie, Reich's escription o& the eent is reminiscent o& a nuclear !om! test a stron$ military presence, raiation, smoe, 3ueasiness( o#eer, it is unliely that the $oernment #oul set o&& a !om! apparently tar$ete irectly on )ucson, a thriin$ re$ional center o& commerce( Reich !rou$ht his raium neeles into contact #ith the clou!usters an starte &irin$ a#ay at the clou to issipate its po#er( )he operation too a!out 2> minutes, at #hich time the clou ha !roen up an the ?ei$er count returne to normal( t raine three #ees later( n the meantime, Reich's 7ournal is &ille #ith oens o& *+O si$htin$s %% "re%#hite%!lue pulsations," "yello# pulsations," "silery iss," "$reen%yello# steay" %% on #hich to train his space$un si$hts( ost "$re# &ainter," #ere "e0tin$uishe" or "!line out(" )he $rass 5

 

coerin$ the esert $re# to a hei$ht o& "seeral inches to a &oot eep," encoura$in$ local ranchers to rie cattle into the re$ion in hers(  &ter a !rie& sie sie trip to Jacum!a, Jacum!a, C, the team heae heae home to aine at the en en o& pril, pril, 1955( 1955( "Our 7o! in riona #as one," Reich sai( e #as ea 18 months later, an all aaila!le copies o& his !oos #ere !urne !y court orer( Only a &e# copies surie, &orcin$ his scattere isciples to rely on priate printin$s o& his #ors %% incluin$ Contact in Space %% &or irection(

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