It may surprise many to know that personal physical objects, like finger rings, keys and pendants, carry hidden messages about their owner which can be read like a book.

This process is technically called "psychometry" or "object reading." It is one of the psychic powers included in my seminar on Basic ESP Development.

The term "psychometry" was coined by American physician and professor of Physiology, Joseph Rodes Buchanan, in the early 1800s.

He wrote the book, "Manual of Psychometry." Psychometry literally means "soul measurement." Although an important pioneering book, it was quite boring and not easy to read because it was full of statistics.

In the 1850s, an American geologist named William Denton discovered that physical objects indeed contain messages which can be read by merely holding them in the hand. When psychometry attracted a lot of interest and attention, it was criticized by scientific-minded individuals as "based on delusion and wishful thinking."

In my Basic ESP Development class, which I taught for 30 years, about 60 percent to 70 percent have successfully demonstrated the existence of psychometry. I would ask students to place in an unmarked envelope any personal object they use, for example, car keys, finger ring, necklaces, bracelets, etc.

Then, each student was asked to pick an object that does not belong to them. Then, by a simple process of relaxing the mind, not thinking of anything, they are asked to say whatever comes to their minds while holding the object. A large percentage of the participants are able to tell specific and verifiable information about the owner of the object.

In one class, a Swedish woman picked up an object belonging to a Japanese. While holding the object with her eyes closed, she said several things. Among them, she saw him eating corn and riding a bicycle.

The Japanese said he goes to work riding a bicycle and would eat corn soup everyday.

Another student, a well-known TV personality and comedian, drew the favorite formal dress of his mother, which she used every time she went to Mass in Quiapo. The mother died six months before. The owner of the item could not help tears flowing from his eyes as he confirmed the psychometric reading of his object.

I can recall numerous successful and extraordinary psychometric readings done by participants in my ESP class.

But many so-called "educated" individuals believe that there is no such thing as "psychometry" or psychic powers in general. They criticize these things as "pseudo-science," plain trickery or sleight-of-hand.

But there is something I notice in people who criticize or do not believe in supernatural or psychic phenomena. Almost all of them have not had any experience in the phenomena they are criticizing. For example, people who say that "walking" on fire is not true or merely mass hypnosis, have never walked on fire. People who say that the Philippine faith healers and psychic surgery are mere trickery have never observed nor have undergone psychic surgery.

The late American magician, James Randi, who hounded Israeli psychic and spoon-bender, Uri Geller, has never performed
spoon-bending where only one spoon is given to him. He does it by using two spoons. One is straight and the other secretly hidden is already bent. By a simple trick of substituting the straight spoon with a bent one, it would appear he was able to bend it with his mind. Uri Geller does not do it that way. He places a spoon on a table, lightly scratching the upper portion for a few moments while repeating the words: "Bend… Bend… Bend…," and the spoon bends.

Most people will declare as trickery any phenomena which they have not personally experienced or observed.