In 1995, a woman by the name of Nancy Lieder claimed to have had contact with extraterrestrial beings known as Zetas. She was visited by one of her “hybrid sons” and was being prepared for a role as a messenger for the Zetas (Zeta Talk). Nancy eventually quit her full time job in California and moved to Wisconsin to pursue her new appointed position as messenger for the Zetas (Zeta Talk). Official information from the Zetas can be found online at Zeta Talk. Since 1995, the Zetas have been revealing to Nancy plans they have for the human race as well as predictions of future events and catastrophes. In the early 2000s, Nancy made a wrong prediction of an event occurring and lost a large number of followers, yet a close knit following still remains. The belief is extraordinary because the only evidence is word of mouth.

Nancy Lieder is the only contact with the Zetas. She proclaims many elaborate facts of realities not yet known to mankind and is quite thorough in their descriptions. So far, Nancy has been unable to accurately make predictions of future events stating that the Zetas can be wrong sometimes (Zeta Talk). Nancy also does not have any physical evidence of the existence of Zetas, but in a video she posted on YouTube, she describes a scene she experienced with a Zeta in such great detail that it would be surprising if it were not real. But, again, the impressive detail and other anecdotal visions is the only evidence of Zeta existence.

In the eyes of those invested in the belief, Nancy Lieder has asserted herself in a position of high credibility and authority through the telling’s complex rules to live by, predictions of catastrophes, and enlightened happenings of the “aftertime” where alien-kind and humankind openly walk amongst each other. Nancy, as the contact, uses modern events like global warming as verification of the Zeta’s predictions, which her followers believe. Those who are devout in their belief are misinterpreting real evidence of earthly phenomena as doings of the Zetas.

There is a consistent community of Zeta believers on social media, and those that participate in the community are actively adopting this belief more and more into their self concepts. In other words, the belief is taking up residents in their personal identity, which means that being a part of the group who is becoming who they are. When multiple people commune with each other in this way, a bond is formed amongst the group and it becomes larger than they are as individuals.

One of the most prominent aspects of Nancy’s messages is the “aftertime” and what life after death will look like. According to Terror Management Theory, people will pursue meaningful experiences as well as beliefs that buffer against the fear of the inevitability of death. Since Zeta’s messages expand into description of life after death, many people find refuge in the belief that people will one day live amongst aliens.

Work Cited

NancyLieder. “The Zeta Report – Earth Change Predictions.” YouTube, YouTube, 12 Mar. 2010,    www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUbPqAYx1cM&t=151s.

“Return to Main Page.” WHO ARE THE ZETAS, www.grantchronicles.com/zeta02.htm.

“The Official ZetaTalk Website.” ZetaTalk, www.zetatalk.com/index.htm.

By Jeremiah Lozier

In light of the New-Age movement, there has been a resurgence in the belief and popularity of healing crystals. Some people believe that various sorts of crystals have the ability to purge the body of “negative, disease-causing energy” (Palermo, 2017). The use of healing crystals falls under the practice of alternative medicine and is of ancient origins. Modern day crystal healing is primarily based on ancient Asian customs: the manipulation of a life-energy made manifest in the physical body that is of supernatural essence (Palermo, 2017). Despite the absence of scientific evidence, the belief in healing crystals is unequivocally prevalent in modern society.

Healing crystals supposedly have several different characteristics that influence the kind of healing they administer. A crystal’s power is dependent upon the structure, color, and elemental composition (Palermo, 2017). There are innumerous accounts of anecdotal stories of crystals altering one’s energy. In a particular story, a woman clenched two different stones in her fists where one helped bolster courage and the other influenced the “voice chakra” as she approached her boss to negotiate a raise. She managed to secure the raise thanks to the crystals (Marshall, 2018). On the other hand, in terms of healing crystals withstanding the ruthless refinement of science based experimentation, there is no evidence that healing crystals possess the power to influence such energies.

Although there is no scientific evidence that supports healing crystals having the ability to manipulate bodily energies, there is, however, evidence to support a placebo effect in those that use healing crystals. In the case of the woman who asked for a raise, it is very likely that she experienced an increase in confidence due to the mere fact that she was holding rocks that she believed to be influencing her state of mind. I would argue that people are misinformed about the healing properties of crystals, but that is not to say that crystals cannot help some people in some situations. The Placebo effect can be very powerful.

As culture continues to change and evolve, so will the beliefs of those that live in the context of a changing culture. Alternative medicinal practices have been steadily increasing with the birth of the New Age movement. Especially as more and more celebrities and people of influence latch onto and endorse healing crystals, the demand will continue to rise, and therefore, the supply must rise thus sustaining the popularity.

Because healing crystals are of ancient descent, there is an element of stagnation at play: the upholding and reverence of an ancient practice despite modern, contradicting evidence. In addition to stagnation, humanity as a whole yearns for meaning in life. The belief in healing crystals plays into the idea of the human soul that persists after physical death which is a psychological defense mechanism according to Terror Management Theory.

References:

1. Marshall, Lisa. “Can Crystals Heal? Separating Facets from Facts.” WebMD, WebMD, 16 Jan. 2018, www.webmd.com/balance/news/20180116/can-crystals-heal-separating-facets-from-facts.
2. Palermo, Elizabeth. “Crystal Healing: Stone-Cold Facts About Gemstone Treatments.” LiveScience, Purch, 23 June 2017, www.livescience.com/40347-crystal-healing.html.