Ancient Greece

The first written record parapsychological experiment took place in Greece in the VI. BC.
Greece at that time was famous for its temple oracles. Prophecies, as a rule, were made by priestesses or mediums: when they fell into a trance, they became obsessed with the deity to which the corresponding temple was dedicated, and broadcast on its behalf. Then their words were interpreted by the priests. The extraordinary effectiveness of these predictions was indicated by the fact that before making any responsible political decisions, the Greek kings and military leaders considered it necessary to consult with the oracle.
According to Herodot's “father of history,” Creuse, king of Lydia, wanting to try different oracles, sent envoys to the seven best of them. This was done in order to identify the best oracle to consult with him then about the war with the Persians. So, at the appointed hour, the envoys simultaneously asked each of the oracles the same question: “What is Crezu currently doing?” The most accurate answer was given by the Delphic oracle. For details, refer the reader to Herodotus.
Another important aspect of the Greek culture of that time was the cult of mysteries, into which many Greek philosophers were devoted. Although the specific nature of the ritual was kept secret, many authors speak of the profound influence this ritual exerts on the minds of the participants. Thus, the Eleusinian Mysteries, devoted to the myth of Persephone, as if continuing the shamanic tradition and the tradition of the Egyptian mysteries connected with the descent into the realm of the dead, led to such states, which we today call out-of-body experiences.
The direct link between the tradition of the Mysteries and the evolving Greek philosophy was the PYTHAGORAHIC BRATERSHIP. Pythagoras, more famous as the creator of the famous theorem, also taught that the soul in a series of successive reincarnations moves from one body to another; at the same time he emphasized the need for the harmonious development of the soul, which resides in man. In addition, he believed that the relationship between all things can be expressed in numbers that possess not only quantitative, but also qualitative properties. The Pythagoreans devoted themselves to the study of the countless features found in numbers, and attributed them to the universe as a whole. Numbers were thus considered as a principle, combining the symbolic properties of the mind with the mechanisms of the Universe.