Institut Métapsychique International

Institut Métapsychique International is a French psychical research organization, located in Paris. The Institut Métapsychique International (IMI) was founded in 1918 with backing from the French industrialist Jean Meyer, a dedicated Spiritualist. Charles Richet was the first president of its governing committee, which included several other important men of science and politics. The first director was Gustave Geley.

The IMI began publication of a bimonthly journal, the Revue Métapsychique, in 1919. Under Geley, the IMI studied physical mediums such as Marthe Beraud(“Eva C.”), Jan Guzik and Franek Kluski. When Geley died in an airplane crash in 1924, Eugene Osty was named to replace him.

As Geley had before him, Osty gave up a private medical practice to take the job. Osty continued Geley’s research program, but placed his own stamp on it. With Meyer’s assistance, he built a laboratory, outfitting it with some of the most advanced instruments available.

Osty’s experiments with Rudi Schneider (see Schneider Brothers) at the IMI in 1930 are regarded as some of the most important in the history of Psychical Research. The first period of the IMI’s history, from its inception until Osty’s death in 1934, was its heyday.

World War II forced the closing of the IMI in 1940, and although it reopened after the war, it has never since had the luster of the early years. This is reflected in the publishing history of the Revue Métapsychique, which has ceased publication more than once only to be revived after a few years. The last issue of the most recent series appeared in 1983.

Although the IMI is technically still in business today, one must call and make an appointment to visit there. It does not have the public support that attend its British and American counterparts, the Society for Psychical Research (SPR) and the American Society for Psychical Research (ASPR).

SEE ALSO:

• Ghost Societies
• Ghosts

FURTHER READING:

• Inglis, Brian. Science and Parascience: A History of the Paranormal, 1914–1939. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1984.
• Lodge, Oliver. “In memoriam—Gustave Geley.” Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research (SPR)34 (1924): 201–11.

SOURCE:

The Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits– Written by Rosemary Ellen Guiley – September 1, 2007

Institut Métapsychique International
51 rue de l’Aqueduc – 75010 Paris –
Tél/Fax : 01 46 07 23 85
metapsychique@gmail.com
Website : https://www.metapsychique.org/

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