On Hearing Voices with Bruce 'Zen' Benefiel

Here he describes his life history, as an individual who has heard voices since childhood. Looking back over the decades, he concludes that this has largely been a positive experience -- and has enabled him to explore many interior realms. However, at one time he was warned by a friendly psychiatrist that he should be very careful regarding those with whom he shares these inner experiences.

New Thinking Allowed host, Jeffrey Mishlove, PhD, is author of The Roots of Consciousness, Psi Development Systems, and The PK Man. Between 1986 and 2002 he hosted and co-produced the original Thinking Allowed public television series. He is the recipient of the only doctoral diploma in "parapsychology" ever awarded by an accredited university (University of California, Berkeley, 1980).

(Recorded on August 12, 2018)

[benbishop]

there is so much in this episode it's amazing! You've got something so incredible you've done and are doing Jeffrey! I love this channel and incredible guests!

[ZakFlores]

Zen and Jeffrey, thank you so much for this amazing interview.

[HalvorRaknes]

3:30 I had a very similar experience about 13 years ago (at age 41), except I was in bed in half-sleep, very powerful, sonorous male voice in my head, saying "HOWDY" (with a heavy souther accent, kinda funny since I'm a Norwegian living in Norway, although I did live in So Cal studying for a couple of years in the early eighties)) and only that. But it had a quality of love and connection to my true self about it, that I shall never forget, and that minuscule uttering has remained a major inspiration with me until this day. I have never actively attempted to address this voice nor has it manifested again. Which makes no difference to my totalt acceptance of its reality and benevolence.

[brianlunsford]

I absolutely love this honesty!! Thank you so very much! Love and light!!!

[XxjosexX]

Really helpfull, went through similar senario. It brings comfort and closure hearing about your experience.

[Erick_The_Green]

i hear voices from time to time, it started in my mid 30s. when im sitting at the computer late at night, ill hear voices when im nodding off. my head tips over and i get woken up abruptly. thats the key, to get woken up before you fall asleep and forget. i hear men, women, children...rarely negative. sometimes i dont hear anything for weeks. i think its spirits. i also sometimes hear the voices in one ear only! once i heard a man say "i had a heart attack this morning." Another time i heard two females, one goes "Erics here"... then another female off to my right side says, "erics here?" another time, i was playing world of warships and dozing off, i heard a little kid shout "pick a bigger ship!"

[sungprayer]

This is helpful, and comforting. Thank you, Zen.

[ZenBenefiel]

Just an fyi.... my personal digital vitae is www.ZenBenefiel.com for those who want to inquire further. My background is more extensive than Jeffrey was able to elucidate. Thanks for viewing and hopefully this interview made a positive impact on your life.

[toddel]

Wow I have experienced the same thing honing in on thought-forms. I like his description.

[science]

I get this ( very rarely and it is not hostile noise ) when I am falling asleep every now and then, then it wakes me up and I realize I was hearing sounds from the unknown, It doesn't matter to me, I know from watching science lectures and videos that not every thing is known

[KathleenCPC]

What a pleasure listening to two intelligent human beings discuss such subjects as the imaginary realm and consciousness. Very interesting.

[jasonh]

love that music - I love the intro and outro - at first I was iffy but it has sooo grown on me - don't change that! - good luck in your job with Biggelow and look forward to your new host as well :) and hope to see you from time to time Jeffrey :) - best wishes all!

[nomebear]

Such a revelation! When experiencing communications from my invisible friends, I treat the information with respect. And, a great litmus test for the validity is: "Why would I make this up? How would I benefit by doing so? Do I have the imagination to come up with such information? And, is my ego involved in any way?

[leslietaylor]

In "The Varieties of Religious Experiences" William James cites a number of cases where persons experienced voices or the awareness of a presence which are often helpful to the experiencer. Here's an example: “Between twenty and thirty I gradually became more and more agnostic and irreligious. I had ceased my childish prayers to God. Although I never prayed in a formal manner, but more like having been in a relationship with “It” which was practically the same thing as prayer. Whenever I had any trouble, especially conflicts with other people or when I was depressed in spirits or anxious about affairs, I used to fall back for support upon this curious relation which I then felt to be this fundamental cosmic “It.” It was on my side, or I was on its side, however you please to look at it, in the particular trouble. And, it always strengthened me and seemed to give me endless vitality to feel its underlying and supporting presence. It was an unfailing fountain of living justice, truth, and strength to which I instinctively turned to at times of weakness and it always brought me out. I know that it was a personal relationship I was in because now, years later, the power of communication with it has left me and I am conscious of a definite loss. I never used to fail to find it when I turned to it. Then came a set of years when sometimes I found it, and then again, other times when I would be wholly unable to make a connection. I would be unable to get to sleep on account of worry and in the darkness I groped mentally for that higher mind of my mind which had before seemed always to be close at hand, yielding support, but there was no electric current; a blank was there instead of It. Now, at the age of fifty, I have to confess that a great help has gone out of my life. Life has become curiously dead and indifferent. I can now see that my earlier experience was probably exactly the same thing as prayers, only I did not call them by that name. Although I have spoken of it as “It, ” it was my own instinctive and individual God whom I relied on for higher sympathy but whom somehow I have since lost.”

[jamiephilliplanglois]

It’s sad how Bruce would be labeled as a schizophrenic by modern psychiatry but in the ancient world and even some current civilizations he would be considered a medium or shaman/holy man.

[jordanpeters]

One day, back in the late 70s, I was in my local library reference room when a voice/thought in my mind said: "Look up the Greek name of St Peter." This was strange because I was a total atheist with no interest in religion, never had had. I ignored the thought and went to a bookshelf to select a book. The voice suddenly said again, as a loud command: "Look up the Greek name of St Peter!" ... I then found myself over the other side of the library looking at the Catholic Encyclopaedia ... with no consciousness of having gone there. I looked up the Greek name of St Peter. I then selected a book to read and sat down at a table, with my notebook at the ready. When I went to make a note about what I was reading ... my hand wrote down the Greek name of St Peter ... and then commenced to anagram it (automatic writing?) to Mortws penis. (cf. Latin Mortuus penis, "dead penis"). This same "voice" some time later disclosed to me that Iesous Christos, the Greek name of Jesus, anagrams to OSIRIS SET CHOUS (Chous, " a measure of capacity equal to 12 cups"). Who the hell my "voice" is I don't know ... but it has been "showing me things" about Christianity for 40 years.

[Jack.]

19:19

We are gifted to life.
Do your absolute best while alive.
It is white there

kinda more plasma frequency energy type field.
a lot of number communication that I don't understand

Its guiding you and connected to all.
We are that and we are rebuilding.
I have had a sixth sense all my life.


Believing is believing
Happy precognition's my fellow living entity.

Happy circles.

[missysoaps]

I have thought that I have tuned into a radio frequency on low volume on occasion. I live by an airport. If the tv is on I can hear air traffic controllers and pilots, as interference, my friends hear that as well of course. Which is why I believe the low talking I hear at night as I try to sleep is radio or cell phone waves.

[tinklvsme]

A lot of you are hearing these voices when you are extremely relaxed and about to fall asleep or already asleep. That's when our minds are the most open or able to drift off into dream state. That's when our past over loved ones who we is will come to us.
Truth! 🙂

[grahambates]

When voices heard just happen to speak your language it does seem very convenient.