In Diary of an Uncertain Psychic, artist-anthropologist Deena I.J. Newman explores the life and lessons of Elizabeth, a California psychic and radio talk show host. Following the thread of spontaneous inner images, she ties together personal stories and fieldwork experiences in Israel, Ethiopia and the United States. Through vivid graphic narrative, this detailed account tells a story about images through images.

In Western culture, the phenomenon of spontaneous inner imagery is often considered unusual or abnormal. Newman challenges this perspective by suggesting that many people experience spontaneous visual, auditory, and kinesthetic imagery and contends that such imagery may be a potential key to understanding psychic and mental processes. She shows how these images may be interpreted differently across different cultures – as spiritual messages, omens, sources of scientific and artistic inspiration, psychological insights, symptoms of mental illness, or simply nonsensical productions of the mind.

In visualizing these images on the page, this book invites readers to delve deeper into the complexities of inner imagery – both within psychics and within themselves. Newman illustrates the film-like inner images commonly experienced yet frequently overlooked, revealing the uncertainty involved in translating between images and words. By analyzing Elizabeth’s and her own experiences, Newman underscores the challenges inherent in this translation process.

Deena I.J. Newman is an Alexander Technique teacher and anthropologist who has taught at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and received Fulbright and Wenner-Gren grants for her work in Ethiopia.

Deena I.J. Newman's profile page