apporting

Apporting is a term often used in spiritualism and parapsychology to describe the phenomenon of objects appearing or disappearing, often in a seemingly impossible manner, in the presence of a medium or psychic. These objects can range from small items like flowers or coins to larger, more substantial ones. The appearance of apportations is typically attributed to disembodied spirits or as a manifestation of psychokinetic energy.

The historical context of apporting is closely tied to the rise of spiritualism in the 19th century. Many séances during this period featured claims of apportations as evidence of spirit communication. Skeptics have often attributed these occurrences to trickery, sleight of hand, or misinterpretation, citing the difficulty in verifying the supernatural origins of the phenomena.

Scientific investigation into apporting has been limited and has not yielded conclusive evidence of its paranormal nature. Proposed explanations outside of spiritualism include fraud, coincidence, and the potential for misidentification or hallucination. Despite the lack of empirical validation, the concept of apporting continues to be discussed within esoteric and parapsychological circles as a potential demonstration of psychic abilities or spirit interaction. The subjective experiences of believers remain a significant aspect of the phenomenon's continued presence in discussions of the paranormal.